![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/680d98ed-6f62-4521-90c3-cb52e1e4b4c7-marvel-snap-official-announcement-gameplay-first-look-1-3-screenshot_feature.jpg)
Now that the full version of Marvel Snap is available, the free-to-play trading card game has already captured a large audience thanks to its gripping gameplay loop.
When starting out, things can get a little overwhelming, especially if you’re new to card games. As part of Pool 1, which represents Collection Levels 18 through 214, there’s no shortage of cards to choose from — especially when you add the default beginner cards everyone unlocks in the first 18 Collection Levels. In this list, we’ll highlight eight essential cards for any Pool 1 deck.
Ant-Man
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/8b18adbd-1472-4591-8fcc-0fe4f1d0452f-ant-man-jpg.jpg)
Ant-Man is a great choice for starting a match, due in part to its powerful ability. This gives it a +3 Power boost once you place three other cards there.
Angela
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/8cc9a936-4265-47d2-bcb7-9f8f265c80f9-angela-jpg.jpg)
Serving as another early-match choice, Angela works well when played alongside other cards. Doing so gives you a +2 Power boost. (Try using this with Ant-Man to stack abilities.)
Mister Sinister
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/98691d3b-db4a-4420-b0d5-2ddc161d1908-mister-sinister-jpg.jpg)
The nice thing about Mister Sinister is that it creates a duplicate with the same Power. So, it’s best to use this one when there are already active buffs going on at a particular location.
Wolfsbane
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/41f667bc-9844-44c7-afb0-628928a6e99b-wolfsbane-jpg.jpg)
Wolfsbane is fantastic as part of a group, as it gives you +2 Power for each card you have at a location. This is a great mid-match card that will almost always come in handy, regardless of how things unfold.
Jessica Jones
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/2827ddd0-c17b-46c6-aecd-912d97bd610a-jessica-jones-jpg.jpg)
One card that doesn’t work well with others — at least not at first — is Jessica Jones. If on the next turn you don’t play a card where Jones is, it gains +4 Power, which turns the total Power to 8. This can greatly turn the tide of a match. Just don’t forget to continue playing cards at this location after the Power boost triggers.
Iron Man
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/1ee9853a-4a6a-46c6-b71e-0a54d2f69cff-iron-man-jpg.jpg)
Ah, good old Iron Man. This card doubles the Power at a location, serving as an effective tactic to dominate an area.
Spider-Woman
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/d9aefb1c-f3f8-4d49-b666-33bc8b780168-spider-woman-jpg.jpg)
We highly recommend using Spider-Woman, as this card’s benefits are twofold. First, it afflicts all enemy cards at this location with -1 Power. But Spider-Woman also has a whopping 7 Power, making it extremely useful.
Hulk
![](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2022/10/25/b6590856-e705-4740-b687-d1301e437c91-hulk-jpg.jpg)
It might be a little cheesy to add Hulk to a deck, but you can’t deny this card’s utility. It costs 6 Energy but has 12 Power, often giving you the push you need to overtake a location. We’ve lost count of how many times Hulk has gotten us out of a bind.