Best Grand Master Decks to Try on Day 1 and Strategy Guide: Let the Games Begin!

Grand Master is the next Series 5 card for the January 2024 Season, Planet Hulk. It is a 2-Cost, 0-Power card that reads: On Reveal: Move one of your other On Reveal cards here to the middle location. Its ability happens again. Today, we will take a deeper look at the new card and, of course, the best decks to try it out in.

Variants

Grand Master

On Reveal: Move one of your other On Reveal cards here to the middle location. Its ability happens again.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Grand Master

Strengths and Weaknesses

Grand Master is entering the arena this week, and many believe it could be about to shake up the game in a significant way. For two Energy, the card will move an On Reveal card from the lane where you played Grand Master to the middle location and reactivate the On Reveal effect.

This means that it has to be played to the left or right lane and an On Reveal card has to already have been played there, and the On Reveal card has to move to the middle location before triggering. That is a lot of conditions – the most conditions one single card has had to activate an effect (in my opinion). So, is it too many conditions, or does the sheer output of the card and the number of synergies outweigh the restrictions?

Here are the steps laid out so we are clear on the functionality before we continue:

1. Play On Reveal card on the left or right location.
2. Play Grand Master on the same lane as the On Reveal card.
3. The On Reveal card must be able to move into the middle location (e.g. if the location is full, the effect will not resolve).
4. The On Reveal card will then reactivate based on the condition of the middle location.
   1. If the middle location does not allow the On Reveal to activate, it will not activate (even though the card still moved). Reasons for this can include Cosmo, Knowhere, Deep Space, etc.
   2. If the middle location allows the On Reveal to trigger twice or more, it will do so. Reasons for this can include Wong, Kamar-Taj, etc.

Variants

White Tiger

On Reveal: Add a 8-Power Tiger to another location.

Collection Level 1-14

view card details Start a deck Decks with White Tiger

Variants

Silver Surfer

On Reveal: Give your other 3-Cost cards +2 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Silver Surfer

On Reveal is one of the primary mechanics in Marvel Snap. More cards have On Reveal effects than any other type of effect, and this is likely to continue into the future of the game. This means that the sheer number of synergies for Grand Master cannot possibly be determined; it’s impossible to know every single way you could use Grand Master in a game of Marvel Snap. Still, evaluating the card is not as complex as it may seem if you break down what you’re actually paying for rather than getting lost in the endless possibilities.

Variants

Thor

On Reveal: Shuffle Mjolnir into your deck.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Thor

Variants

Black Panther

On Reveal: Double this card’s Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Black Panther

Grand Master comes with significant downsides. First, the locations in play make the card inherently “harder” to play than other cards. Locations impact games of Marvel Snap more than many are willing to admit, and this card adds a further restriction to how you can play your cards based on the locations.

For example, take a deck based around Wong and other On Reveal effects. With Grand Master, you’re going to want Wong in the middle location to double the effect after the move. You also need to play your On Reveal card on the left or right location so the card will move, and only then will it trigger twice. On top of all this, the card moves, which means the power from the card moves away from the location where Grand Master was played.

Cards like Black Panther move into the middle location, but you still only have one Black Panther on the board – not two. Yes, you could reactivate Mjolnir, but then you also have to have space on the middle location for the 0 power card to move to (and not lose you the game).

Variants

Beast

On Reveal: Return your other cards here to your hand. They cost 1 less next turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Beast

Variants

Hit Monkey

On Reveal: Gain +2 Power for each other card you played this turn.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Hit Monkey

This limits where Grand Master is effective. It’s not as effective with On Reveal effects that only impact one lane. Yes, you can get big numbers with these strategies, and they will work at times, but more often than not you will just end up with one big lane and two fewer cubes.

The card is also less effective when you have multiple On Reveal effects and there are some that you don’t want to duplicate because it will choose at random from all the On Reveal effects on the lane. You are not playing Grand Master for incremental value on cards; it has too many downsides. It has to win lanes with the only possible exception being whether you can consistently combine it with Beast to reuse later in the game.

Variants

Absorbing Man

On Reveal: If the last card you played has an On Reveal, copy its text. (if it’s in play)

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Absorbing Man

Variants

Wong

Ongoing: Your On Reveal abilities here happen twice.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wong

In short, while I can throw out hundreds of examples where the card will produce value, its real application is with “go wide” power effects that can be reactivated for value across the board. Cards like Ironheart, Silver Surfer, and White Tiger will be the bread and butter of Grand Master decks.

These cards can be played earlier and then reactivated with Grand Master on later turns, and this allows you to compete across all three lanes. Plus, it can be combined with cards like Absorbing Man and Wong for extra synergy.

Variants

Ravonna Renslayer

Ongoing: Your cards with 1 or less Power cost 1 less. (minimum 1)

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Ravonna Renslayer

Variants

Mister Negative

On Reveal: Swap the Power and Cost of all cards in your deck.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mister Negative

As for cards that increase the ceiling of Grand Master, Ravonna Renslayer and Mister Negative both synergize with the card by making it or the cards it plays well with cheaper. This enables you to hit the right combinations more reliably. Pushing the limits of the card seems linked to these two in particular, but there are also synergies with Sera as support.

When you cut through all the fantastical outcomes with Grand Master, you end up with a card that you want to reduce the cost of with Ravonna Renslayer or Mister Negative before using it to activate multiple extra triggers on cards that produce lots of stats.

Variants

Cosmo

Ongoing: On Reveal abilities won’t happen here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Cosmo

Variants

Echo

After your opponent plays an Ongoing card here, remove its abilities.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Echo

Let’s not forget that Cosmo is still a card. Echo can help if you are building your deck to use the triggers, so it isn’t as scary as it was once upon a time. Nonetheless, it does have to be noted before I sign off.

The Verdict

This is easily the most exciting card this month. Although Grand Master is a complicated card, breaking down what it is good at when it works reveals that it’s really just a supporting card for On Reveal stats based strategies. You’ll want to use it in decks that want to use the On Reveal effects to overwhelm the board. Outside of these strategies, the card is just a [2/0] that can reactivate one On Reveal ability. That’s not as exciting as it seems on paper, but the cheaper cost compared to Wong is likely to lead to a lot of experimentation in a range of shells.

Is the card potentially strong? Yes, it could be very strong in the right deck. Triggering White Tiger, Ironheart, or Silver Surfer twice is strong and something we have already seen decks try to do, so adding another tool will only make those decks better. The plethora of On Reveal cards does mean that this is the most likely card to break the game by the weekend that we have seen this month (so far…). However, when you break it down, this card is more likely to be fun and limited in application rather than utterly game breaking.

Potential Score:

Iron Heart

The Tiger Arena

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

2

2x Collection Level 1-14

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

3.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This deck looks to use Grand Master to reactivate Ironheart or White Tiger, and it limits the other On Reveals to allow for them to be targeted. With Ravonna Renslayer and Zabu, you can reduce most the deck to get your set up online earlier, and Wong on the middle location lets you aim for three triggers on these cards. Absorbing Man adds to the synergy, and Black Panther is here as a big one lane On Reveal card that you may want to trigger sometimes (but it’s usually just a finisher on the Wong lane).

King Grand Master

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

1

2x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Recruit Season

4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This is a greedier version that is built to try to cheat cards out while potentially using Arnim Zola to reactivate cards as well as Grand Master. This deck focuses on doing what Mister Negative decks can do without playing Mister Negative; it uses Ravonna Renslayer to make combinations like Arnim Zola and Grand Master possible on Turn 6. Truthfully, you’re aiming to do the flashiest plays with this list.

Mister Negative

The Grand Arena

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

3.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

How many zero power cards can we play in one deck? Mister Negative is a direction that is worth testing with Grand Master. But, while this new tool is a cheap way to reactivate your cards, will it be enough to make Mister Negative competitive again? You have Jane Foster Mighty Thor here to draw all the 0-Cost cards after you play Mister Negative, and Ravonna Renslayer is included to activate Mister Negative as quickly as possible.

Wong can be played alongside most cards in the deck when flipped, and you could go from two cards on board to a full board on Turn 6. When this works, the surprise factor will be important, so placement will have to be considered from Turn 1 so you don’t end up trapping your later plays. Still, the ceiling here is high. Imagine this scenario: Arnim Zola on Iron Man ▶ reactivate Zola ▶ cards like Ironheart and White Tiger triggering multiple times with Wong.

Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer Enters The Arena

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Recruit Season

2.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Silver Surfer can be an excellent card when triggered twice. Spreading power easily across all the lanes is very good, but recent metas have made it difficult to consistently contest two lanes. This version looks to try to restrict the opponent and use either Silver Surfer or Ironheart as the double trigger. Storm on the middle location should allow for Grand Master to move any card there for reactivation.

This allows for Silver Surfer to be played early and then retriggered, or played on Turn 6 alongside Grand Master. It will buff the Storm lane and another lane where you can play Brood or Gladiator. Goose can also help you limit what the opponent can do to contest your second lane, and both Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Rogue are valuable 3-drops that don’t have On Reveal effects (to avoid messing up Grand Master).

Benjamin Roller Surfer Move 2

Created by PulseGlazer

, updated 3 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This could be the other direction to go for Silver Surfer. The movement package limits the amount of On Reveals that would clash with the Silver Surfer into Grand Master play. Enough disruption and plenty of ways to put bodies on the board, followed up by a double Silver Surfer, may be enough to make Grand Master shine without much effort.

Huge shout out to Benjamin Roller for the Silver Surfer Movement shell and our very own PulseGlazer for highlighting this deck!

Daken

Grand Discard

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x 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+

3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

The Daken combo could potentially be triggered twice with this deck, so why not try? This one has a lot of moving parts, though, and it also demonstrates how chasing the high end of what Grand Master can do is difficult.

Here is the plan: Ravonna Renslayer on Turn 2 on the left or right location ▶ Daken on Turn 3 on the left or right location ▶ play something onto the Ravonna Location (but the middle would be OK) on Turn 4 ▶ Arnim Zola on Daken on Turn 5 ▶ Grand Master and MODOK on Turn 6. Magik helps give you an extra turn, and Dracula acts as a secondary target for the combo in case you don’t find Daken.

Bounce

Grand Master’s Bouncy Castle

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 3 months ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

2.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This is likely going to be the direction that most will want to try first: a version of Bounce that is looking to use Grand Master. Here is how you can maximize the card: play good value 1-drops early on. Grand Master can hit these on the early turns to double their value, and then you can play Beast on the Grand Master lane. Then you want to play an early Hit Monkey on Turn 5 to the left or right. This (hopefully) gives you priority, and on Turn 6 you should have Iron Man, Grand Master at one energy (thanks to Beast), and, hopefully, a few more 0-Cost cards to play alongside them.

You don’t need to take the tempo hit from Sera, but placement will be even more important than the usual Bounce decks here. Iron Man is in this deck as an attempt to make it a little more forgiving, and it allows you to play for priority to get ahead of control tools that might show up. Bounce has a lot of control over where stats land at the end of the game, and that makes this deck the exception among decks that might find a unique way to use Grand Master.

Variants

Closing Thoughts

Buyer beware for this one. Grand Master is flashy and great to talk about, but its application is limited. You may find yourself disappointed if you don’t like these styles of decks. Also, these decks are easily countered, and they may not even be reaching enough power consistently to compete with the current meta decks.

Good Luck, Have Fun, and Stay Safe!