What to do with Sub-Mariner
Imperious Rex… again! We're getting our second Namor card, this time titled the Sub-Mariner, and he's very different from the solo-minded Namor we already have. This card is a team player that Empowers his little friends. Wait, is this a Sub-Mariner card or DC’s Aquaman? Here's everything I'm excited to try with Sub-Mariner!
How Does He Actually Work?
Remember, Empowered refers to permanent Power increases, so things like Ongoing or Nidavellir won't count. He will generate a card every time he gets hit with a buff, so you need to be careful not to fill your hand completely by buffing him a bunch of times. There was a recent change to cards like Kahhori to make their hits count as a single buff, which is probably better for Sub-Mariner, depending on what you're trying to do with him. He won't especially well with Symbiote Spider-Man because Sub-Mariner merges into the SSM and it will just be a new card, that hasn't been buffed (though there is a workaround SSM line I show below).
The Sub-Mariner Puzzle
Do we want to make a giant Sub-Marriner all at once for a single giant card, or do we want to generate a boatload of Empowered 1-Cost cards?
Fully Empower Your King
One appealing use of Sub-Mariner is as a way to pass a giant stack of Power onto one gigantic 1-Cost card that is safe in your hand. This lets you protect it from opposing tech, but also lets you throw priority and hold your big play for the last turn, something that has traditionally been very powerful in Marvel Snap.
Merge For Power!
Power Play Lines
- Playing SP//Dr onto Sub-Mariner generates a 1-Cost with +5 Power.
- Sub-Mariner (alone on board) ⇨ Kahhori (with 6 cards left in hand) generates a 1-Cost with +6 Power.
- Agony ⇨ Maverick ⇨ Stick ⇨ Sub-Mariner generates a 1-Cost with +7 Power.
- Agony ⇨ Nightcrawler/Sam Wilson (off lane) ⇨ Captain Carter (onto Agony) ⇨ Stick (buffed by Carter) ⇨ Sub-Mariner generates a generates a 1-Cost with +7 Power.
- Symbiote Spider-Man ⇨ Agony ⇨ [Activate SSM, SSM becomes Agony] ⇨ Sub-Mariner generates a 1-Cost with +9 Power.
- Agony ⇨ Forge (off lane) ⇨ Captain Carter (onto Agony) ⇨ Mother Askani (for Stick)⇨ Stick (buffed by Carter) + Sub-Mariner generates a 1-Cost with +10 Power.
- Wasp + Kitty Pryde ⇨ Agony + Kitty Pryde (off lane) ⇨ Kitty Pryde + Forge (off lane) ⇨ Sub-Mariner (onto Agony) + Hulkbuster ⇨ Shou-Lao generates a 1-Cost with +2 Power, a 1-Cost with + 4 Power, a 1-Cost with +3 Power, and a 1-Cost with + 8 Power.
- Agony ⇨ Carter (onto Agony) ⇨ Moonstone ⇨ Stick + Namor generates a 1-Cost with +13 Power.
- Ant-Man ⇨ Carter ⇨ Moonstone ⇨ Stick + Namor generates a 1-Cost with +17 Power.
- Kid Omega ⇨ Luna Snow ⇨ Man-Spider (onto Agony) ⇨ Firehair + Magik ⇨ Stick + Wasp + [Activate Kid Omega] + Venom ⇨ Sub- Mariner + Eson generates a 1-Cost with +20 Power.
- Keep an eye on the Fourth Location YouTube channel, where Lauren will undoubtedly post a combo higher than +20 Power soon.
An Army of Small Friends
Of course, we could just make an army of smaller 1-Cost cards and then buff them further once they're on the board. Marvel Boy and Shang-Chi's Ten Rings are nice little 1-Cost making engines with Sub-Mariner.
Created Cards and other Synergies
One of the underrated aspects of this card is its ability to generate a bunch of cards. One of the main synergies with created cards, Quinjet, doesn't help us out, but there are plenty of other created card synergies that Sub-Mariner can hook into. Jack Flag and Zombie Mr. Fantastic are high points packages for all those generated cards, and Bullseye and Horseman Gambit could be nasty, under-the-radar combos.
Fragile Ecosystem
I don't always make it a point to show the cards that counter a new card. For the most part, you know the counters and you can still find plenty of success with cards that have counters. But Sub-Mariner really seems to have an especially high number of cards that hard counter it.
Scott's Day One Sub-Mariner Decks
1-Cost Empower
The Power ceiling on this deck is insane. If you want to pop a Caiera or Armor in here in place of Peni or Jack, be my guest.
Merge Madness
The Costs just surprisingly work out well in this deck. Ravonna can allow us to play one of our 6-Cost cards out alongside a 1-Cost. Alternatively, 0-Cost plus a 6-Cost can be powerful and hard to predict.
New Zoo
We have two engines to help generate a bunch of 1-Cost cards (Clea/Sub-Mariner and Marvel Boy/Rings), which Black Swan can help us get the most out of.
Sub Hand
You destroy my low-Cost cards?! I destroy your low-Cost cards!
Two Kings
Strange Supreme can get really fat on a steady diet of Sub-Mariner-provided seafood.
Stick Pass
We can make an enormous 1-Cost with Sub-Mariner, but we have powerful backup plans as well (or is SM the backup plan?).
Is He Worth It?
Sub-Mariner might be the most interesting card this month. Is there a Sub-Mariner combo deck that makes a gigantic 1-Cost? Is there a viable Zoo strategy that can utilize him? How much can we make the card generation matter? Is he a shenanigans card or is he for real? Yes, he's a fun deck-building puzzle, but he's also a glass cannon that feels too finicky to compete with the meta he's entering into. I recommend getting him because he has so much potential upside, just don't be disappointed if you don't reap the benefits of that upside in the short term.
As a treat for our paid supporters, I've tucked a 5 more Sub-Mariner combo decks below the paywall! If you're interested in stretching this card to its limits, join today! We are truly thankful for all of the support we get!
