Kitty Pryde has taken the Marvel Snap world by storm and was initially so overpowered that she had to be removed from gameplay after just two days of action. She has since returned with the May 2023 update in time for the Guardians of the Galaxy season, and even with the subtle changes, Kitty is still a powerhouse of note!
Those unfamiliar with the X-Men's Shadowcat should definitely take her out for a spin! Kitty Pryde gains +2 Power every time she returns to a player's hand, easily making her a 1 Cost, 10 Power card under normal circumstances. Combo moves increase her potency significantly, elevating Kitty Pryde back into Marvel Snap's "broken" category.
10 The Collector
The Collector is a key component to any decent Bounce Deck and has a lot to gain from Kitty Pryde's mechanics, as it gains +1 Power every time Kitty returns to the player's hand. If both cards are in one's starting hand, Kitty must either remain off the board in round two, or the pair can be played together in the third round.
Cards such as Agent 13, Cable, Sentinal, etc. are also used in most Collector cases, which often leaves many cards in hand. It's important to watch these numbers, because if it reaches the limit of seven cards, Kitty Pryde can't return to the player's hand, and therefore misses the power-up opportunity for that round.
9 Angela and Bishop
Well-positioned, low-cost booster cards can be a game-changer in many cases, as players can receive power-ups after every round. Cards like Angela are limited in terms of power potential, as she can only activate her +2 Power ability until the location is full. Generally speaking, that leaves her with 6 Power. However, Angela can get a booster every time Kitty Pryde stops in for a visit.
Bishop produces a similar result, although there is more freedom regarding Kitty's location choice. If one manages to get all three cards in on the action, that essentially means +5 power each round (over and above whatever other cards are in play.)
8 Wolfsbane, Rescue, and Hawkeye
Wolfsbane is quite a nifty card to have around, costing only 3 Energy and potentially adding +7 Power to the mix. However, she has to be the last card played to reach her full power potential, which could be detrimental later on. Playing Kitty Pryde right before Wolfsbane will allow for the +7 Power, and open up another card slot for future gameplay.
The same concept applies to Rescue and Hawkeye. In most cases, the master marksman is played in early-game, half-filling the location early on (and usually with low-powered cards.) Kitty Pryde gives Hawkeye the fighting chance to remain relevant until end-game. Rescue, on the other hand, comes in later (with a 4 Energy cost) which could force one to put all their eggs in one basket, if only high Power cards are left in hand. Kitty can activate Rescue's +5 Power ability but leave room to play more potent cards elsewhere.
7 Forge, Shuri, Bast, or Hulk Buster
Bast is great if available in early-game, giving Kitty a nifty 3-point power-up to begin her gameplay. Forge can come in handy from round three onwards, as there is no point missing a Kitty power boost in round 2! Shuri is most effective if she comes into play near the end of the game when Kitty is strongest, so maybe keep a useful 1 Cost card in hand (like Ant-Man, Rocket Racoon, or a Demon) for a potent finale.
If one plays their cards right, Kitty could get a companion to tag along on her travels. Ensure to play her at an empty location, and Hulk Buster will happily add his +4 Power to the mix. This combo gives Kitty Pryde the potential to end the game with +12 Power (or more if other power-ups enter the equation.)
6 Beast or Sera
Although Kitty Pryde only costs 1 Energy, playing her every round can mess up a well-oiled strategy and eliminates the option of using a potent 6 Cost card in the final round. Thankfully, some cost-reduction cards can save the day, much like The Raft location, adding a "free" powerhouse to the roster.
Beast turns Kitty into a 0 Cost slaying Queen from mid-game onwards, freeing up the chance to get some higher cost cards into play. Sera is a bit of a fickle one as she generally only becomes useful towards the end, but is the perfect solution to get a 6 Cost card on the board alongside Kitty dearest.
5 Moon Girl
The success of this Moon Girl combo heavily depends on the situation but can be fun for those brave enough to try it out. Of course, Kitty Pryde would have to remain out of play that round, but the reward of having two Kitties to work with is well worth it!
This strategy could backfire if the seven-card hand limit is exceeded. This means that Kitty Pryde has to be one of the first three cards in a small hand (maximum four), and one has to allow for two open slots for Kitty to bounce back to after play.
4 Taskmaster or Arnim Zola
Adding Kitty Pryde to a deck teaches players to value their 5 Cost cards more, and while there are many potent options available, Taskmaster directly correlates to Kitty. Whether she is sitting with 10 Power or more, playing Kitty right before Task Master is like hitting a two-for-one special!
Arnim Zola could potentially achieve the same result; however, this strategy is a bit more tricky and less reliable. This combo is impossible unless card costs are cut somewhere along the way, with The Titan/Raft Locations or convenient card abilities. However, players who manage to pull this off can often be found smiling at their Victory screen after all is said and done.
3 Counter to Nebula
Nebula can be a problematic card to deal with, impacting every decision made each round. Furthermore, players generally only get about four chances to counter her ability, as once the location is full, Nebula's power-ups are guaranteed.
Not only can Kitty Pryde negate the assassin's special ability, but she can potentially do so every round, leaving Nebula as an inconsequential 1 Power card. Kitty's low cost also means that not all Energy consumption has to go into countering Nebula, so attention can be paid to other locations, too.
2 Cloning Locations: Bar Sinister, Cloning Vats, or Sinister London
Bar Sinister is certainly a tempting zone with great potential and several overpowered location-card combos to utilize, with Kitty Pryde as a top contender. Again, one must pay close attention to the hand limit to reach Kitty's maximum potential, and the highest-powered Kitty must be played at Bar Sinister each round. This strategy is much easier with a destructive deck to make room for more Kitties, but having a tonne of powerful 1 Cost cards is quite entertaining nonetheless!
The Cloning Vats can also be Kitty's favorite hideout and is much easier to work, considering the player doesn't have to compensate for four extra cards each round. Sinister London also proves useful at bulking up the Kitty force, so long as one has enough space in their hand for all the duplicates.
1 Power-Up Locations: Shuri's Lab, Muir Island, or Quantum Realm
The Quantum Realm is only worthwhile to Kitty in the first round; however, every power boost counts! Having a 12 Power, 1 Cost card at one's disposal at the end of the game could be the winning factor, like Death, without all that destruction.
The Muir Island combo is pretty self-explanatory and works out great considering Kitty returns to one's hand at the beginning of each round, meaning she'll stick around for that +1 Power. On the other hand, don't waste time sending Kitty to Shuri's Lab in round one, but from then onwards, always leave a slot open in this location for Ms. Pryde. If everything goes off without a hitch, Kitty could end the game with 124 Power in her pocket. Boom!