Marvel Snap Draft Guide: Sanctum Rules, Points and Rewards

Marvel Snap Draft now uses Sanctum scoring: control locations each turn to reach 18 points. This guide covers the September 28–October 12, 2026 run. [1]

The important question changes with this format: how does your next play improve your score? A huge final board means little if your opponent reaches the target first. Build a deck that can contest points before its strongest combination arrives.

When does this Draft run end?

Draft closes October 12 at 11:59 a.m. Pacific Time. The shop closes October 14 at 11:59 a.m. Pacific Time. Unspent Tickets and event currency become random Boosters. Respawn Tokens expire. [1]

How to build your Draft deck

You do not need to own a card to draft it. Start with one of three card groups, then choose cards to complete a 10-card deck. Between matches, improve that deck through further choices. Augments add abilities. Stat Boosts change Cost or Power. [2]

One Ticket starts a run. The normal finish is five wins or two losses. A Respawn Token permits one continue after the second loss, once per run. [3]

Before each pick, identify the problem that card solves. Perhaps your first two turns lack useful plays. Perhaps your deck can produce Power but cannot reach another location. A card that fills that gap can serve the deck better than another expensive payoff.

How Sanctum scoring works

The Sanctum changes location each turn. At the end of each turn, location leaders receive points. You can Snap once per turn from turn 3. Each Snap adds one point to that turn’s Sanctum. Both players can Snap, for a two-point increase. [4]

Games do not automatically end after turn 6. These are the base location values before Snaps: [1]

Base location values before Snaps
Turn	Sanctum	Each other location
1	1	—
2	2	1
3	3	1
4	4	1
5	4	2
6	5	2
7	5	3
8 onward	8	5

A true tie leaves both run records unchanged and awards no Draft XP or currency. Both players reaching 18 does not automatically create a tie. [1]

A score check before you Snap

Consider this example. You enter turn 6 with 12 points and expect to win only the Sanctum. Its base five points bring you to 17. Your Snap increases that award to six, enough for 18. This assumes you keep control through the end of the turn.

Now examine the risk. What can your opponent play to take that location? Can an Augment change the result? Can your opponent reach the target elsewhere? Calculate both possible scores before you commit.

On later turns, inspect the other locations too. Their points can change which play wins the game. Do not spend all your Energy on a location simply because it carries the Sanctum marker.

What Sam Stoddard said about the new format

I asked Draft lead designer Sam Stoddard about this run for Fourth Location. He emphasized early board presence, flexible card placement and useful interactions. His explanation gives players a reason to reconsider their Energy curve before they choose a starter. [4]

Sam expected Control and Move to benefit from the new format. His comments about Boost, Ongoing and Destroy success described the earlier run. They are not a verified tier list for this event. The interview also left future ruleset rotation open to player feedback. [4]

Treat your starter as an initial plan. Reassess that plan as the choices arrive. If your deck needs several specific draws before it can contest a location, identify what it can do when those draws fail.

The four new Augments

Slingshot gives another friendly card at its location one Power, then sends that card right through an On Reveal effect.
Taunt uses On Reveal to direct your opponent’s first card next turn to that location.
Unstoppable permits placement anywhere and prevents destruction or Power reduction.
Apex doubles the card’s Power through an Ongoing effect while it is alone on your side of that location. [5]

Read the host card and its Augments together. Before you select Slingshot, check which card you want to move. Before you select Apex, check whether your usual plays leave its host alone. An impressive ability still needs a useful place in your deck.

Tickets, XP and rewards

You start with eight Tickets and can claim two daily. Daily Ticket accrual stops at 12 or more. Wins award 30 Draft XP and 30 Bits. Losses award 15 of each. Run rewards add to those match rewards. [3]

The Inversion is the free card reward at 1,190 XP. The Premium Pass costs 1,200 Gold and grants 1,200 XP, two Tickets and two Respawn Tokens immediately. A five-win run returns a Ticket and can award the daily Premium Mystery Variant. [3]

Choose a reward goal before you spend Gold. Compare your current XP, available Tickets and time left in the event. A purchase only helps if its rewards or extra runs serve that goal.

Twitch Drops end before Draft

The official October season post lists Draft-related Twitch Drops from October 6–11 at server reset. The two-, four- and six-hour milestones each award two Tickets and two Respawn Tokens. That totals six of each across all three milestones. Check your setup at https://twitch.marvelsnap.com/. [6]

Can I use my favorite Variants?

Yes, for cards whose Variants you own. Your Favorite Variant appears in Draft. Custom borders and splits do not carry over. [1]

A checklist for your next run

Check whether your early cards give you useful plays across the board.
Choose upgrades that solve a specific weakness in your current deck.
Read the opponent’s Augments before you calculate a location’s final Power.
Calculate both players’ possible scores before you Snap.
Check your rewards and currency before the event and shop deadlines.

Use each loss to answer one concrete question. Did your draft lack a playable early card? Did you miss an Augment? Did you chase Power in a location that could not change the score? That answer gives your next draft a specific improvement to make.