Marvel Snap has bots. No, we’re not talking about Ultron or Sentinel, but rather computer-controlled opponents designed to mimic real players. In the game’s early ranks, you’ll face an array of bots in disguise to familiarize yourself with its gameplay. High-ranked players will also run into more intelligent bots when players matching their MMR can’t be found.
This guide contains a list of telltale signs that you’re playing against a bot in Marvel Snap, including their three primary types and common misconceptions.
How to Identify Bots in Marvel Snap
There are a total of three major bot types in Marvel Snap dubbed “Human,” “LSTM,” and “Real Player,” each with their own naming system.
Human Bots
“Human” bots are the weakest and most common type of bot you’ll encounter in the early ranks of Marvel Snap. They can be identified by their generic first names, such as “Thomas,” “Jose,” and “Violet.”
They’re also pretty bad at the game, ignoring Locations and focusing on spending energy. Human bots also tend to Snap early, allowing for some easy Cubes.
LTSM Bots
“LTSM” (long short-term memory) bots are encountered at higher ranks and are dirty cheaters. Although not officially confirmed, many players believe LTSM bots can see the player’s hand and make smarter decisions as a result. They can also be better at playing around Locations.
Their names are generated and often make no sense, such as “9r_lock,” “Edsworping0o,” and even literally just the letter “b.”
Real Player Bots
Oxymorons aside, “Real Player” bots are sneaky and hijack the names of actual Marvel Snap players and even other types of bots. These are the trickiest to spot off the bat, but there are other telltale signs.
They Use Unreleased Variants
Bots can obtain and use Variants that are unavailable for regular players, such as cards with particle effects with no foil background. They also have all Variants and Card Backs at their disposal, meaning that they can play an unusual amount — think they could spare a few?
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They Use Generic Avatars
Bots in Marvel Snap tend to use Avatars obtained at the beginning of the game, such as Ant-Man, America Chavez, Cyclops, and Misty Knight. A high-ranked player not showing off a fancy Avatar is always suspicious.
It’s All About Location, Location, Location
Marvel Snap’s bots are notoriously bad at playing around Locations. Whether it’s throwing their best card into Murderworld or using Scarlet Witch to sabotage themselves, you can usually spot a bot this way. That, or your opponent is either hilariously bad or has handed their phone to their little cousin.
They’re Snappy
Bots like to Snap and will do it immediately at the beginning of their turn. If your opponent Snapped too soon or at an inhuman (pun-intended) speed, then you could be facing a CPU.
Do Bots Affect Your MMR in Marvel Snap?
Bots do affect your MMR (Matchmaking Rating), but not in the same way as winning or losing against real players. To what extent, we’re not sure, though the development team confirmed this to be the case.
Can Bots Emote in Marvel Snap?
Bots absolutely can emote in Marvel Snap. They never used to, but Second Dinner is constantly trying to evolve bots to appear as human as possible. The player you just lost to and spammed the Ms. Marvel thumbs-up emote at you may just be a robot attempting a friendly gesture.
Marvel Snap Bot List
There are currently thousands of unique names for bots in Marvel Snap, with new ones being added constantly with each update. A comprehensive list can be found on the fansite Marvel Snap Zone
Whether you’re playing against a real person or not, you can improve your matches by trying out Five of the Best Pool Two Decks in Marvel Snap.
