Until just recently, Joaquin Torres Falcon was also unknown to me. However, discovering his unique origins as a falcon-human hybrid—a result of experimental tampering—alongside his impressive regenerative healing abilities and a mental connection to Sam Wilson through Redwing, immediately piqued my interest.

While we won’t explore his full backstory in detail here, you’re likely more eager to know if he’s worth spending your valuable spotlight keys on. Let’s get straight to it!

Table of Content ---

• 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
  • Falcons Power
  • Diamondback
  • Time to mill
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What Does He Do?

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Torres' skill is straightforward and efficient. Essentially, he functions similarly to Wong, but his effect is limited to 1-cost cards only.

What Are the Best 1-Cost Cards to Pair with Torres?

There are currently 23 1-Cost cards with On Reveal effects, but let's categorize them into tiers for optimal pairing with Torres:

Tier 1 – Top Choices

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Cards like Blade and Yondu serve specific purposes, and doubling their effects can be game-changing within their respective decks. These cards offer significant power output, particularly if you can use another Falcon to bounce them back to your hand and replay them in the Torres lane.

Tier 2 – Solid Options

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While these cards may not be as impactful as Tier 1, they still provide substantial benefits. For instance, Collector can be massively buffed, Devil Dinosaur can grow large with Agent 13 or Maria Hill, and Mantis can shine. Although America Chavez doesn't guarantee card play during the game, she remains a viable option. These cards are worth considering when building a deck with Torres.

Tier 3 – Less Effective

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Some cards, like Squirrel Girl, might serve as lane fillers late in the game, but they generally don’t align well with Torres' strategy. Overloading your board isn’t typically desirable.

Special Cases

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Nico Minoru has powerful On Reveals that could be incredible if triggered twice, though this isn’t always feasible. Basic Arrow is a strong 1-Cost card with Torres, albeit requiring multiple steps to obtain, making it less reliable. Thanos, despite not being a 1-Cost card, introduces six different 1-Costs into the deck, five of which are On Reveals. Experimenting with Thanos and Torres could yield interesting results.

How Should We Use Him?

Discussions about 1-Cost cards often focus on Bounce mechanics, which is where Torres truly shines. You can maximize the potential of your 1-Cost cards by incorporating him into bounce-type decks. His applications outside of Bounce are somewhat limited. Although these lists are already well-established and might not have space for Torres, consider using him in Discard or Mill decks for additional discards or mill effects with Yondu.

Combining his effect with a Moonstone Victoria Hand hand-generation deck could also be effective, enabling Collector to grow significantly off just one Agent 13 or Maria Hill when everything operates at double speed.

Day One Decks to Try

Falcons Power

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This straightforward Bounce list aims to leverage Torres to create massive 1-Cost cards like Rocket and Hawkeye. Since Torres Falcon excels as a bounce card, replaying him isn’t necessary, allowing him to remain on the board. Despite a few 3-Cost cards making the deck slightly top-heavy, Torres adds excitement and high-roll potential.

Diamondback

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Korg pairs excellently with Torres to grow Darkhawk. Supporting characters like Zabu, Ares, Cassandra, and Rockslide enhance this rock-solid lineup, creating a synergy that’s hard to resist.

Time to mill

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Although Mill is currently popular, Torres can add an annoying edge, particularly later in the game. However, 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. Nonetheless, experimenting with this setup is worthwhile.

By understanding Torres' abilities and strategic pairings, you can harness his full potential in Marvel Snap. Whether through Bounce mechanics or alternative strategies, Torres offers exciting possibilities for competitive play.