Grand Central Hot Location Guide: Strategy, Best Cards and Decks

The Hot Location for the next 24 hours is Grand Central: After turn 5, put a card from each player’s hand here. This is a hot location for Marvel Snap’s May 2023 season, Guardians’ Greatest Hits. For the next 24 hours, it will now have a 50% chance of showing up in games. Players who strategically build around the location or counter the decks that do so can have an advantage over their opponents! Let’s find out what the best strategies, cards, and decks are for the new meta!

Variants

Grand Central

After turn 5, put a card from each player’s hand here.

released

view card details Start a deck Decks with Grand Central

Strategy and General Tips

Grand Central is a location which incentivizes having high value cards in hand which can get pulled from hand. The location will effectively play a card from your hand for free. Great! Extra value.

So what decks are improved by Grand Central? Ones which can benefit from isolating certain pulls from hand or just have so many good value cards pulling the card on turn 5 is often a positive. This is a value play though and not the play which wins the game in of itself. Meaning, this location is more about ensuring you don’t have too many bad outcomes in your deck.

Variants

Sandman

On Reveal: Players can only play 1 card next turn.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Sandman

Variants

Electro

On Reveal: +1 Max Energy. Ongoing: You can only play 1 card a turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Electro

Electro Ramp with Sandman is a clear example of a deck which can do this. It has big cards in hand which can get pulled, can limit counter play against it and has a hand full of cards which can be an impact when played by Grand Central.

Variants

Devil Dinosaur

Ongoing: +2 Power for each card in your hand.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Devil Dinosaur

Variants

Darkhawk

Ongoing: +2 Power for each card in your opponent’s deck.

Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Darkhawk

Variants

Ronan the Accuser

Ongoing: +2 Power for each card in your opponent’s hand.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Ronan the Accuser

Devil Dinosaur, Darkhawk and Ronan the Accuser decks can also gain advantages from the location as they all usually just play good cards which are rarely bad outcomes from Grand Central.

This could however, limit what decks you want to play as pulling certain cards from hand on 5 rather than holding them for specific combinations may be worse for your gameplan. Destroy decks for example may run the risk of accidently pulling a Destroy effect or On reveal decks may accidently pull the card they need to play on 6 as a combo.

Variants

Carnage

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here. +2 Power for each destroyed.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Carnage

Variants

Deathlok

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Deathlok

Variants

Destroyer

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Destroyer

Running cards like Carnage and Deathlok are risky due to this. Destroyer is really playing Russian Roulette. So be considerate of the negatives of the card being pulled with how you play when the location appears or take 24 hours of decks with cards which can ruin your own gameplan.

Variants

Scarlet Witch

On Reveal: Replace this location with a new one.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Scarlet Witch

Variants

Storm

On Reveal: Flood this location. Next turn is the last turn cards can be played here.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Storm

One thing to keep in mind when playing for this location is board space. One thing you want to try and avoid is allowing the Turn 5 pull from Grand Central to fill the location and limit what you can do on turn 6. Also keep in mind that this location can be a prime target for Scarlet Witch and Storm if you prefer to avoid the RNG altogether.

Deck Features

Electro Ramp

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

4.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Electro Ramp

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Electro and Sandman decks are really well placed for the location. Plenty of card you don’t necessarily mind being pulled from the location and the ability to ramp and counter other decks using Sandman or Wave. Both decks above operate in a similar way but the Iron Lad and Jeff the Baby Land Shark version is the way to go if you can. Simple gameplan, ramp, play big cards and win. Don’t forget to Snap with Ramp in hand.

Some plays to keep in mind if the location is active: It will often be better to Wave on 5, let Grand Central get you another card, and limit your opponents Turn 6. Sandman and Electro are better plays with Grand Central on board as you effectively get an extra play.

Stature

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Stature and Darkhawk decks are still one of the strongest directions you can take and the location barely changes this. We do have to make one important change, removing Enchantress to avoid the potential bad outcome that card could provide. Here we are running Wave and Doctor Doom to counter opposing plays but also because Wave on Turn 5, then Grand Central setting off is potentially game winning by itself.

The featured version is not running Iron Lad, in the current meta I recommend trying Iron Lad over Miles Morales if you have it. This allows for Turn 5 play Lizard and Wave still whilst allowing Grand Central to be a little better for you. Also the featured build has Nebula but as we are running Wave we could potentially change this too run Sunspot.

Discard

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

No experimentation here, just a solid recommendation. Discard may not seem immediately a good choice but it gives you a few options. First you can Storm the lane. Second, you allow Grand Central to pull either the Discard cards down or even pull down Apocalypse and just play America Chavez on 6. A proven deck with ways to play into the location and counter the location.

Collector Casino

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Starter Card

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

One final deck for today is more for fun but demonstrates a shell based around Devil Dinosaur and RNG. The deck has multiple cards which can be pulled into Grand Central and refill your hand, you also fill your hand often here so you will have plenty of stuff which can come out of your hand whilst still being able to play a big Devil Dinosaur.

Angela and Kitty Pryde are the main plan for one lane whilst you play for a big Devil Dinosaur on another lane. If your willing to play into the random this deck creates lots of options you can use throughout the game whilst having a strong plan for winning two lanes.

Series 2 and below (pre-CL 474)

Devil Dinosaur in Grand Central

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 11 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 1-14

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

5x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

1x Starter Card

3.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This Devil Dinosaur deck aims to play the usual Devil Dinosaur gameplan but also runs card like Odin and The Infinaut. The idea here is if these cards land on Grand Central they can either retrigger other effects played there, keeping your hand full, or be 20 power.

Additionally, pulling most of the value cards in the deck are not bad outcomes, making your floor for Grand Central outcomes higher than the average deck. Jubilee for example can be good on Grand Central as long as we consider board space and could allow for an Odin retrigger.

If your looking to be more conservative, the deck could also run Storm for the original Storm into Jessica Jones combo. I would looke to swap Cable, The Infinaut or Odin for the swap in.

What is Grand Central?

Step into the bustling heart of New York City’s transportation network with Grand Central Terminal! Known as a marvel of architecture and a symbol of the city, Grand Central is more than just a train station — it’s a vibrant hub where the Marvel Universe intersects with the everyday lives of its inhabitants. With its iconic clock, majestic Beaux-Arts design, and hidden secrets, Grand Central adds a touch of enchantment to the urban landscape. In short, it’s a place in New York City where so much of Marvel Comics exists.

What is your strategy? Let us know in the comments below, or our Discord community! Remember to share your decks using our deck builder or browse our deck database!

Good luck, have fun, and stay safe!