MARVEL SNAP Explained: Who Is Jean Grey?

One of the most effective ways of winning a match of MARVEL SNAP is controlling where an opponent can play their cards. Now, that aspect of the game is about to get fleshed out in a big way with the introduction of Jean Grey as part of the Rise of the Phoenix season pass, and she’s bringing with her a powerful comics-inspired ability. Here’s what you need to know about playing Jean Grey in MARVEL SNAP and her history in the comics.

Playing Jean Grey in MARVEL SNAP

A 3-Cost, 3-Power card, Jean Grey has an Ongoing ability that forces opponents to play their first card each turn at her location, provided that such an action is possible. That powerful effect makes her a great card for several different playstyles, but some decks benefit more from Jean Grey’s addition than others.

The best Jean Grey decks focus on controlling where opponents can play cards and using that foreknowledge to punish them for the choices they’re forced to make. That means Jean Grey is specifically deadly when combined with such characters as Professor X, Shang-Chi, Sandman, and Leader. Jean Grey also works well with characters that become stronger from being played simultaneously with an opponent’s card, making Drax, Gamora, and others like them a natural fit for decks featuring her.

Due to Jean Grey’s adeptness at board control, there are a lot of locations that can make her especially effective. The player with the lowest Power at The Bar With No Name, for example, wins the location, meaning Jean Grey can easily win that place on her own. She can also be used on Jotunheim to reduce the Power of an opponent’s cards or on Knowhere to stop On Reveal effects from happening. Another great location for Jean Grey is the Orchis Forge, which can cause an opponent’s hand to get flooded with Sentinels, disrupting their strategy massively in the process.

Despite her utility, there are several good counters for Jean Grey. Rogue and Enchantress are particularly pernicious, as they can remove her ability outright. Of the two, Rogue is potentially more effective, as she can turn Jean Grey’s ability against her player. Super-Skrull can also serve a similar purpose since his ability gives him all the Ongoing effects of an opponent’s cards.

There are also a few locations that can cause trouble for Jean Grey. Outside of places where Ongoing abilities don’t work, such as the Isle of Silence, Jean Grey shouldn’t be played at locations that reward opponents for putting more cards down on them, such as Mojoworld, The Raft, or Muir Island. Although still potentially disruptive, putting Jean Grey down on one of those locations effectively starts a race between the two players to fill the spot up, rendering her less effective.

Jean Grey in the Comics

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Grey debuted in X-MEN (1963) #1 and is one of the most iconic members of that book’s titular team. A mutant, Grey possesses formidable psychic abilities that allow her to, among other things, read minds and manipulate objects. On numerous occasions, Grey has also hosted the Phoenix Force, making her a natural fit for a season pass focused around that powerful cosmic entity.

Grey’s MARVEL SNAP ability reflects her power in the comics in a pretty clear way. As one of the Marvel Universe’s premier psychics, Grey has repeatedly used her abilities to manipulate others. In MARVEL SNAP, she’s essentially imposing her will on an opponent’s cards, forcing them to act in a way she wants. The character’s ability also lines up with that of fellow psychic Professor X, her mentor in the comics, as both of their power sets involve altering what can be played where. Their synergy in the game also reflects their mentor-mentee relationship in the comics.

In MARVEL SNAP, the Jean Grey card’s various looks show of different costumes that she’s worn in the decades since her first appearance. These cards reference, among other periods, Grey’s time as Marvel Girl and her turn as the Phoenix Force’s host. The main card, though, shows off her iconic orange and blue costume, which she first donned in X-MEN (1991) #1.

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MARVEL SNAP is available now on Android, iOS and Early Access Windows PC!