Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch — Hawkeye + Hulkbuster + Vision buffed, Captain Marvel nerfed

Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch — buffs and a Captain Marvel adjustment

Marvel Snap's August 3 OTA (Over-the-Air) patch is a buff-heavy update ahead of the next full patch scheduled for August 8. The patch buffs 4 cards (Hawkeye, Hulkbuster, Vision, Absorbing Man) and adjusts 1 card (Captain Marvel). The patch is the second of two August OTAs (the first was on July 27, which made major changes to Attuma, Loki, Copycat, and Beast).

The August 3 OTA is smaller in scope than the July 27 OTA but still significantly shifts the meta. The headline is the Hawkeye +2 Power buff, which makes the card a viable inclusion in many archetypes.

Buffs

Hawkeye: 1/1 → 1/2 → 1/3

The biggest change in the patch. Hawkeye's On Reveal ability reads:

• Old: "On Reveal: If you play a card here next turn, +2 Power."
• New: "On Reveal: If you play a card here next turn, +3 Power."

The change is a +1 Power buff to the On Reveal. The buff is significant because:

• Hawkeye is a 1-cost card (the cheapest in the game)
• The +3 Power buff makes Hawkeye a 4-Power On Reveal at 1 cost, which is the strongest "1-cost On Reveal" in the game
• The card is now viable in many "stat-stacking" decks (Patriot, Klaw, etc.) and "On Reveal" decks (Spectrum, Wong, etc.)

Hawkeye is now a top-tier 1-cost card. The buff is the most-impactful change in the patch.

Hulkbuster: 3/4 → 3/5

The Hulkbuster is buffed from 3/4 to 3/5. The change is a +1 Power buff. The Hulkbuster's On Reveal ("Merge this card with a random friendly card at this location") is unchanged.

The Hulkbuster is now a 3-cost, 5-Power On Reveal with a "stat-stacking" effect. The buff is targeted at the "Patriot" archetype, where Hulkbuster + Patriot + a stat-stacking card is a strong combo.

Vision: 5/7 → 5/8

The Vision is buffed from 5/7 to 5/8. The change is a +1 Power buff. The Vision's "You can move this each turn" ability is unchanged.

The buff is targeted at the "Move" archetype. Vision is the only 5-cost card that can be moved without a separate Move effect, and the +1 Power buff makes it more competitive with the 5-cost slot.

Absorbing Man: 4/3 → 4/5

The Absorbing Man is buffed from 4/3 to 4/5. The change is a +2 Power buff. The Absorbing Man's On Reveal ("If the last card you played has an On Reveal, copy its text") is unchanged.

The buff is the most generous in the patch (+2 Power). Absorbing Man was a niche card and the +2 Power makes it more viable in "On Reveal" decks.

Adjustments

Captain Marvel: 5/6 → 4/5

The Captain Marvel is moved to a different slot (5/6 → 4/5). The change is a net nerf in some archetypes and a net buff in others:

• Net nerf in decks that want a 5-cost card (the 5-cost slot is now less powerful)
• Net buff in "On Reveal" decks that want a 4-cost card with a strong On Reveal

Captain Marvel's On Reveal ("At the end of the game, move to a location that wins you the game") is unchanged. The change is a slot rebalance, not an ability change.

What it means for the meta

The August 3 OTA shifts the meta in three ways:

1. Hawkeye is now a top-tier 1-cost — the +3 Power On Reveal makes Hawkeye a viable inclusion in many archetypes. The buff is a "must-pick" in the early game.
2. Hulkbuster + Patriot is now a top combo — the +1 Power buff to Hulkbuster makes the Patriot archetype a top-tier "stat-stacking" deck. Expect to see more Patriot decks in the meta.
3. 4-cost slot is now more competitive — the Captain Marvel change opens up the 4-cost slot. Cards like Jessica Jones, Shang-Chi, and Enchantress are now more competitive.

The August 8 full patch is expected to be a more comprehensive update with new card releases and bigger balance changes. The August 3 OTA is a "lead-in" to the bigger patch.

FAQ

Q: When was the Marvel Snap August 3 OTA released? A: August 3, 2026. The patch was deployed as an OTA (Over-the-Air) update, meaning players don't need to download a new version of the app — the patch is applied server-side.

Q: Is Hawkeye overpowered after the +1 Power buff? A: Yes, at least for the first week. The +3 Power On Reveal at 1 cost is the strongest 1-cost On Reveal in the game. Expect a nerf in the next OTA if the card's play rate exceeds 25%.

Q: What other changes are in the August 3 patch? A: 4 buffs (Hawkeye, Hulkbuster, Vision, Absorbing Man) and 1 adjustment (Captain Marvel). The patch is smaller in scope than the July 27 OTA.

Q: When is the next full patch? A: August 8, 2026. The next full patch is expected to be a more comprehensive update with new card releases and bigger balance changes.

Q: Will there be a new card in the August 8 patch? A: Likely. The August 8 full patch is the second of the month, and the typical Marvel Snap release schedule has a new card every 2-3 weeks. The most-anticipated upcoming card is rumored to be a new 3-cost "On Reveal" card.

Q: Is the OTA patch safe to play? A: Yes, the patch was deployed as a "safe" update with no card text changes. The only changes are numerical (Power values and one slot change). Players who were in the middle of a ranked match when the patch was deployed will have their match continue normally.