Yelena Belove, also known as White Widow, makes her grand entrance into Marvel Snap during the Thunderbolts Season as a formidable On Reveal card. With her two-Cost, two-Power hero status and the ability to summon Widow's Kiss, a card that cripples the enemy's Power by four, White Widow quickly establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with. This comprehensive guide delves into her strengths, explores optimal deck compositions to elevate White Widow's performance, and provides insights into countering her effectively.

Crafting the Ultimate White Widow Deck

The pinnacle of White Widow's potential lies in a hybrid junk-control setup featuring Professor X and Annihilus. To replicate this winning combination, assemble a squad comprising White Widow, Professor X, Annihilus, along with supporting heroes like Hobgoblin, Beast, Grandmaster, Storm, Polaris, Lizard, Shang-Chi, Green Goblin, and The Sentry.

This deck's primary objective revolves around amplifying negative power on the opponent's side through disruptive tactics. Key players such as Hobgoblin, Green Goblin, and the newly introduced White Widow work in synergy to destabilize the enemy. Here's how the cards in this lineup harmonize:

• White Widow, Green Goblin, and Hobgoblin collectively diminish enemy power by a staggering -15 across locations.
• The Sentry establishes a formidable -10-Power Void, transferable to the opposing side through Annihilus.
• Beast and Grandmaster enable the reactivation of White Widow's effect, imposing an additional -8 Power penalty on the adversary.
• Storm and Professor X secure White Widow's lanes, thwarting attempts to neutralize her.
• Shang-Chi clears White Widow's lane in case of overwhelming opposition.
• Lizard and Polaris act as disruptive elements to further unsettle the enemy's strategies.

Mastering the White Widow Playstyle

White Widow shines in the realm of junk archetype, serving as a disruptive force akin to Lizard, manipulating vacant slots to her advantage. Her presence on the board, coupled with the compelling Widow's Kiss phantom card, forces opponents to engage in her location to nullify her adverse effects. This strategic control creates openings to maximize Power in alternate locations.

Strategies to Counter White Widow

Countering White Widow effectively necessitates an Annihilus deck, capable of redirecting the Widow's Kiss back to the enemy camp, resulting in a crucial -4 Power reduction. Alternatively, a budget-friendly option for combating White Widow is Carnage, whose ability to obliterate all cards in his location grants him a substantial power boost.

Evaluating White Widow's Value

White Widow emerges as a standout addition in the realm of card releases, particularly in April 2024. Her versatility and strategic prowess make her a valuable asset, seamlessly integrating with pivotal archetypes such as junk and control decks. However, players who do not align with these playstyles may opt to skip her Spotlight Cache, unless aiming for specific synergies with heroes like Nico Minoru and Snowguard.