--- canonical_url: https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage markdown_url: https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage.md page_type: article title: "I Tested Sub-Mariner So You Don’t Have To | Marvel Snap Good or Garbage?" description: "Sub-Mariner has a few cheeky buff lines, but a failed doubling test and better alternatives leave me calling it garbage after testing it." date_published: 2026-06-16 date_modified: 2026-06-16 --- Marvel Snap Article # I Tested Sub-Mariner So You Don’t Have To | Marvel Snap Good or Garbage? Sub-Mariner has a few cheeky buff lines, but a failed doubling test and better alternatives leave me calling it garbage after testing it. [Watch Source Video](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#source-video)[More Articles](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles) [![I Tested Sub-Mariner So You Don’t Have To | Marvel Snap Good or Garbage? thumbnail](https://i3.ytimg.com/vi/bedTSDTAWUE/hqdefault.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bedTSDTAWUE) Original episode ## Watch the original video I Tested Sub-Mariner So You Don’t Have To | Marvel Snap Good or Garbage? is the original source for this page. Watch it for the full discussion and examples from the episode. Source YouTube video Published 2026-06-16 Read time 3 min Format Marvel Snap analysis Transcript Available Transcript size 1829 words [Watch source video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bedTSDTAWUE) Article sections[Clea Was My Starting Point](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#article-clea-was-my-starting-point)[Hulkbuster Was Not the Right Choice](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#article-hulkbuster-was-not-the-right-choice)[Thanos Is Still Only a Maybe](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#article-thanos-is-still-only-a-maybe)[The Doubling Plan Failed Before It Started](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#article-the-doubling-plan-failed-before-it-started)[Fun Clips Are Not a Good Verdict](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/i-tested-sub-mariner-so-you-don-t-have-to-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage#article-fun-clips-are-not-a-good-verdict) [Sub-Mariner](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/sub-mariner) is garbage. A few cheeky possibilities still exist, and I do not think every experiment around the card is pointless. The problem is that the worthwhile-looking lines ask for too much work, while the payoffs keep losing ground to other things I could be doing. ## [Clea](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/clea) Was My Starting Point I began with a Clea list built around small, repeated +1 increases across the board. I described it as a build-your-own zoo deck. [Venus](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/venus) was meant to get more out of those repeated boosts, and [Gilgamesh](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/gilgamesh) was there to benefit from the accumulated power. [Professor X](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/professor-x) was one of the parts I genuinely liked. Professor X gave me a couple of different unique play lines. The more cheeky I made the deck, though, the less likely I was to play Sub-Mariner. That is why I still think this straightforward shell is probably the card’s best home. Even so, a fully loaded Gilgamesh was not doing everything I needed against the combo chaos I was seeing. The list needs more tech, and I am likely to swap [Nightcrawler](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/nightcrawler) out while I keep working on it. The deck sat around 50%, and I still planned to keep working with it after testing this card. I also tried [Lockheed](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/lockheed) because the deck had so many one-cost cards. The larger issue remained the same: I needed another big oomph play. ## [Hulkbuster](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/hulkbuster) Was Not the Right Choice Sub-Mariner into Hulkbuster felt good when it happened. I am not going to pretend that line had no appeal. Yet I was coping a little with Hulkbuster, and I knew it was not the right choice. Kate [Bishop](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/bishop) is probably the better inclusion. I also wondered whether [Scarlet Spider](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/scarlet-spider) might provide the missing oomph. Those are useful adjustments, but they also expose why I am down on Sub-Mariner. I kept reaching the point where another play looked better. In the lists I tested, those satisfying turns still did not add up to a reason to make Sub-Mariner the center of the deck. ## [Thanos](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/thanos) Is Still Only a Maybe Thanos seemed to offer a little more flexibility, and I tested a version with [Agony](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/agony), [Marvel Boy](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/marvel-boy), and Venus. I said it felt like Thanos might be a home for Sub-Mariner. There may be another Thanos configuration worth trying, but I did not find a finished answer there. It remained a possibility, not proof that Sub-Mariner had finally found the shell that makes the effort worthwhile. ## The Doubling Plan Failed Before It Started The build I was most excited to play did not work. The doubling line did not produce the bonus card in hand. The timing shuts down the payoff I wanted from that line. In the interaction we watched, [Symbiote Spider-Man](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/symbiote-spider-man) did not count as extra power. It merged first, then copied the text. That is why I call the card garbage. I built around doublings and larger boosts because that was where the exciting combinations seemed to be. The card did not give me those combinations in the way I expected. ## Fun Clips Are Not a Good Verdict Sure, I can go all in on a combo and get a great moment. I can chase the clip. I can make Sub-Mariner do something that earns a "woo" when it happens. But I work way too hard for it. My comparison was simple: I could play [Captain Carter](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/captain-carter) combo, or I could play another deck. That is why I call Sub-Mariner garbage. The card is cheeky and fun, and I will keep having fun with it, but that is the reason to pick it up. I am chasing the cool combo, not recommending it as the stronger choice. Watch my discussion in the original episode. Referenced MARVEL SNAP cards ## Cards in this article [![Sub-Mariner card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/sub-mariner.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/sub-mariner) [Sub-Mariner](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/sub-mariner) Cost1Power2SeriesSeries 5 When this is Empowered, add a random 1-Cost character to your hand with that same increase. (if in hand or in play) [![Clea card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/clea.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/clea) [Clea](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/clea) Cost1Power3SeriesSeries 5 When this is Empowered, add Flames of the Faltine to your hand. (if in hand or in play) [![Venus card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/venus.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/venus) [Venus](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/venus) Cost3Power3SeriesSeries 5 When your cards in play are Empowered, give those cards an additional +1 Power. [![Gilgamesh card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/gilgamesh.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/gilgamesh) [Gilgamesh](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/gilgamesh) Cost5Power9SeriesSeries 5 On Reveal: +1 Power for each of your other cards in play with increased Power. [![Professor X card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/professor-x.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/professor-x) [Professor X](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/professor-x) Cost5Power2SeriesSeries 1 (Collection Level 18-214) Ongoing: Moving is the only way to add or remove a character from here. [![Nightcrawler card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/nightcrawler.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/nightcrawler) [Nightcrawler](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/nightcrawler) Cost1Power3SeriesSeries 0 (Collection Level 1-14) Moveable once. [![Lockheed card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/lockheed.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/lockheed) [Lockheed](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/lockheed) Cost2Power2SeriesSeries 5 End of Turn: If you played a 1-Cost card this turn, afflict an enemy card here with -2 Power. [![Hulkbuster card art](https://itsguestgaming.com/assets/snap-reference/card-thumbnails/hulkbuster.webp)](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/hulkbuster) [Hulkbuster](https://itsguestgaming.com/marvel-snap/cards/hulkbuster) Cost2Power3SeriesSeries 1 (Collection Level 18-214) On Reveal: Merge this into one of your cards here. Continue reading ## Related MARVEL SNAP articles [![Are Jeff, Venus & Monstro Good or Garbage? thumbnail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YF_o7REN-gA/hqdefault.jpg)](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/are-jeff-venus-monstro-good-or-garbage) Card Reviews · 2026-06-03 ### [Are Jeff, Venus & Monstro Good or Garbage?](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/are-jeff-venus-monstro-good-or-garbage) Venus leads this three-card test, and Jeff's cost and mobility gave the combo deck I was testing more flexibility. Monstro is one you can pass on. [![Is Storm: Horseman of Famine Good in Marvel Snap? | Good or GARBAGE? thumbnail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qNxwqNw-_Oc/hqdefault.jpg)](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/is-storm-horseman-of-famine-good-in-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage) Card Reviews · 2026-04-29 ### [Is Storm: Horseman of Famine Good in Marvel Snap? | Good or GARBAGE?](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/is-storm-horseman-of-famine-good-in-marvel-snap-good-or-garbage) Storm Horseman of Famine has a powerful Marvel Snap buff payoff after two consecutive turns with unspent energy, but I found it awkward. [![Good or GARBAGE? Stryfe thumbnail](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U-ThY-Nqwmg/maxresdefault.jpg)](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/good-or-garbage-stryfe) Card Reviews · 2026-04-08 ### [Good or GARBAGE? Stryfe](https://itsguestgaming.com/articles/good-or-garbage-stryfe) After nearly five hours of testing, I think the season pass is worth getting, but it needs the right targets and timing. 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