I am very excited to announce that I was invited to join the team of creators in making a deck for Grand Arena: Massive Melee! My champion and deck for this event is none other than Rocket Raccoon! It is a much different take on the previous pre-built that was avalible in the game his first appearance, so I’m going to showcase the deck here for you all!
I want to give a huge thanks to Marvel Snap and Second Dinner for inviting me to make a deck for this event!
Rocket as a champion is no different than the regular Rocket; a 1/1 with a +4 On Reveal if you play him on a location your opponent played at that turn. His champion skill is a 2-Cost with the text “Banish this to move your champion here. Repeat its On Reveal and add a copy of this to your hand”. In other words, Rocket gets to fly around the board and grow in Power!
Decks with Rocket Raccoon
Decks with Massive Arsenal
His original deck was based around bounce, which is a classic home for Rocket to begin with. My biggest issue with that style is it didn’t synergize with his skill, since it’s difficult to both bounce (and replay) him while actually getting use from the skill. Because of that, I decided to go with a move oriented deck! This way even if his On Reveal doesn’t get the extra value, the movement itself will generate value for you!
Kraven, Batroc the Leaper, and Hydra Stomper all get direct value from Rocket’s movement. This is your primary win condition to generate points. Silk also synergizes well since your Skill can move her around the board without clogging locations. Madame Web, Drax Avatar of Life, and Sam Wilson round out the move package to give you additional tools to pump up your win cons.
Decks with Batroc the Leaper
Decks with Hydra Stomper
As for tech, you have both Cosmo and Super Skrull avaliable. Ongoing cards are typically very popular in limited time modes, so Skrull gives you a way to adapt your strategy a bit to take advantage of your opponent’s deck. Cosmo may not make sense with Rocket at first glance, but Cosmo and Madame Web are a classic duo. They allow you to move Cosmo unpredictability, but you can plan around it. He should help to offer both counterplay and protection against tech like Shadow King or Shang-Chi.
Decks with Super-Skrull
Hellion and Mystique were my flex slots picks for the deck. Mystique gives you flexibility for a second Hydra Bob, Madame Web, Super Skrull, Cosmo, and even Sam Wilson (to generate an extra shield to move). Hellion is a simple way for you to adjust your locations to better distribute Power on the last turn.
Decks with Mystique
Decks with Hellion
If you haven’t played a move decks like this before, your goal is simple: move as many cards as you can to generate value. Kraven grows every time a card moves to his location. Batroc grows in Power every turn one of your other cards moves. Hydra Bob grows Power as an Ongoing, making him a great turn 6 play to drop huge points. Sam Wilson gets double value since he gets Power from his shield, and moving the shield gives your other cards value.
As for how Rocket plays in the deck, he basically gives you a guaranteed way to move a card to a location of your choice every turn. Moving him with Batroc on the board let’s you place massice Power exactly where you want it since both Rocket and Batroc will grow and move together. If you can get Kraven on the board to grow in Power between those movements, even better!
Since Rocket and his Skill always starts in your hand during Grand Arena, you always have a guaranteed curve of some kind. Most cards in this deck are low Cost, and you start the game with 2 energy, so playing Batroc and Rocket turn 1 is a great way to snowball Power early. Alternatively, play Kraven on turn 1 and Rocket plus his Skill on turn 2. There are plenty of other options, but this gives you a look into my thought process behind this deck design.
This Grand Arena will be running from June 22 through June 28th! Be sure to check it out and try the deck for yourselves!
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