Until recently, Joaquin Torres Falcon was a mystery to me too. But discovering his unique origins—a falcon-human hybrid born of experimental tampering—along with his impressive regenerative healing and mental link to Sam Wilson via Redwing, instantly grabbed my attention. We won't delve into his full backstory here; you're probably more interested in whether he's worth your Spotlight Keys. Let's cut to the chase!
Table of Contents
- What Does He Do?
- What Are the Best 1-Cost Cards to Pair with Torres?
- Tier 1 – Top Choices
- Tier 2 – Solid Options
- Tier 3 – Less Effective
- Special Cases
- How Should We Use Him?
- Day One Decks to Try
- Falcon's Power
- Diamondback
- Time to Mill
What Does He Do?
Torres' ability is straightforward and efficient: he acts like Wong, but only for 1-cost cards.
What Are the Best 1-Cost Cards to Pair with Torres?
There are currently 23 1-cost cards with On Reveal effects. Here's a tiered list for pairing with Torres:
Tier 1 – Top Choices
Cards like Blade and Yondu have highly specific uses, and doubling their effects can be game-changing. These cards generally offer huge power boosts, especially if you can use another Falcon to bounce them back to your hand and replay them in the Torres lane.
Tier 2 – Solid Options
These cards aren't as impactful as Tier 1, but still offer significant advantages. For example, Collector gets massively buffed, Devil Dinosaur grows quickly with Agent 13 or Maria Hill, and Mantis shines. America Chavez doesn't guarantee a card play, but remains a viable option. These are worth considering in a Torres deck.
Tier 3 – Less Effective
Cards like Squirrel Girl might act as late-game lane fillers, but generally don't synergize well with Torres' strategy. Overloading your board isn't usually ideal.
Special Cases
Nico Minoru has powerful On Reveals that would be amazing doubled, though this isn't always reliable. Basic Arrow is a strong 1-cost with Torres, but requires multiple steps to get, making it less consistent. Thanos, while not a 1-cost, introduces six different 1-costs, five of which are On Reveals. Experimenting with Thanos and Torres could be interesting.
How Should We Use Him?
Discussions around 1-cost cards often revolve around Bounce mechanics, where Torres truly shines. He maximizes 1-cost cards in bounce decks. His uses outside of Bounce are more limited. While existing lists might not have room for him, consider using him in Discard or Mill decks for extra discards or mill effects with Yondu.
Combining his effect with a Moonstone/Victoria Hand hand-generation deck could also be effective, letting Collector grow massively off just one Agent 13 or Maria Hill when everything is doubled.
Day One Decks to Try
Falcon's Power
This straightforward Bounce list aims to leverage Torres to create massive 1-cost cards like Rocket and Hawkeye. Since Torres excels as a bounce card, replaying him isn't necessary, letting him stay on the board. A few 3-cost cards make the deck slightly top-heavy, but Torres adds excitement and high-roll potential.
Diamondback
Korg pairs excellently with Torres to grow Darkhawk. Supporting characters like Zabu, Ares, Cassandra, and Rockslide enhance this solid lineup, creating strong synergy.
Time to Mill
Mill is currently popular, and Torres adds an annoying edge, especially later in the game. Playing him on turn 3 might weaken the deck compared to current versions, delaying key plays like Yondu until turn 4 or Iceman until turn 5. Still, experimenting is worthwhile.
Understanding Torres' abilities and strategic pairings allows you to unlock his full potential in Marvel Snap. Whether through Bounce mechanics or alternative strategies, Torres offers exciting possibilities for competitive play.
