Until recently, Joaquin Torres Falcon was a mystery to me too. But discovering his unique origins—a falcon-human hybrid from experimental tampering—along with his impressive healing and mental link to Sam Wilson via Redwing, instantly grabbed my attention.

While 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
• Comments

What Does He Do?

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Torres' ability is simple and effective: he doubles the effect of all 1-cost cards with an "On Reveal" effect. Think of him as a Wong, but specifically 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 them with Torres:

Tier 1 – Top Choices

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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 for a second play in the Torres lane.

Tier 2 – Solid Options

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These cards might not be as impactful as Tier 1, but they still offer significant advantages. For example, Collector gets massively buffed, Devil Dinosaur grows larger with Agent 13 or Maria Hill, and Mantis shines. America Chavez isn't guaranteed to play cards, but she's still viable. These are worth considering in a Torres deck.

Tier 3 – Less Effective

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Cards like Squirrel Girl might fill a lane late-game, but generally don't synergize well with Torres' strategy. Overloading your board isn't usually ideal.

Special Cases

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Nico Minoru's powerful On Reveal could be amazing doubled, but it's not always consistent. Basic Arrow is a strong 1-cost with Torres, but requires multiple steps to get, making it unreliable. Thanos, while not a 1-cost, introduces six 1-costs, five with On Reveals. Experimenting with Thanos and Torres could be interesting.

How Should We Use Him?

Discussions about 1-cost cards often revolve around bounce mechanics, where Torres truly shines. He's best utilized in bounce decks to maximize your 1-cost cards. His uses outside bounce are more limited. While established lists might not have room, consider him in Discard or Mill decks for extra discard/mill effects with Yondu.

Pairing him with a Moonstone/Victoria Hand hand-generation deck could also work well, allowing Collector to grow significantly off a single Agent 13 or Maria Hill when everything is doubled.

Day One Decks to Try

Falcon's 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 excels as a bounce card, replaying him isn't necessary, letting him stay on the board. A few 3-cost cards make it slightly top-heavy, but Torres adds excitement and high-roll potential.

Diamondback

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Korg pairs wonderfully with Torres to grow Darkhawk. Supporting characters like Zabu, Ares, Cassandra, and Rockslide enhance this solid lineup, creating strong synergy.

Time to Mill

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While Mill is currently popular, Torres can add a frustrating edge, especially late-game. However, playing him turn 3 might weaken the deck compared to current versions, delaying key plays like Yondu until turn 4 or Iceman until turn 5. Still, experimentation is worthwhile.

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