Here's a quick guide and tips for Granblue Clan/Granblue Deck users in the RPG mobile card game Vanguard ZERO. Available for Android (Google Play) and iOS (App Store).
NOTE: Granblue cards are available from limited Clan Events. During the event, farm "Event Tickets" from Character Fights and use those to Challenge Gouki Daimonji to get exclusive items that will be used to play the limited time Gacha that only features Granblue cards!
Granblue Deck Build
Notable Info
- Good Defense = You can call more Intercept Cards from your Hand or Drop Zone!- Higher Trigger Chance = Getting non-Triggers cards and/or adding Trigger cards can increase your chance to get more Triggers!
- Superior Ride = Chance to ride a Grade 3 card earlier than usual.
- 16,000+ RG Columns = Mostly Captain Nightmist (G2) can reach 18,000 Power with any 7,000 Power Booster.
- 21,000+ RG Columns = It's possible, but this deck build will not heavily rely on building 21,000+ Power RG columns except when using Trigger Check buffs.
First Vanguard and Sentinel Cards (PG)
- Gust Jinn (G1) = Add at least x2, aim for x4. Sentinel Cards (PG) can be obtained from limited-time rewards during the Granblue Clan Event.
- Chappie the Ghostie (G1) = Aim for x3 or x4, awesome card to move specific cards from your deck to your Drop Zone. One way to reduce your deck's non Trigger cards.
- Captain Nightmist (G2) = Aim for x4, keep calling this card from your Drop Zone to keep intercepting attacks!
- Spirit Exceed (G3) = Add x4, you main Vanguard for this deck build. 10,000 base Power Vanguard (14,000 Power if both skills are active). If your Vanguard is Grade 2 or greater, put 1 Samurai Spirit (G1) and Knight Spirit (FV) into your Soul, and ride this card from the Drop Zone (if you rode from a grade 2, draw a card).
- Dancing Cutlass (G1) = Limit to x1, to use your Soul Blasts to draw a card.
- Dandy Guy, Romario (G1) = Add as filler if you need more cards, nice base Power and Defense.
- Stormride Ghost Ship (G2) = Limit to x2 or x3, high Power and Defense. Learn how to remove it's Restraint status (call a card from the Drop Zone), or just use to Intercept if you have no choice.
- Witch Doctor of the Abyss, Negromarl (G3) = Add x4, use this card to call Grade 2 cards from your Drop Zone, use this as sacrifice as well if needed.
- King of Demonic Seas, Basskirk (G3) = Limit up to x2, I rarely use this card's skill for this build though... because spamming Captain Nightmist (G2) is your top priority. Use this card as Vanguard only if you don't have enough Captain Nightmist (G2) cards in play.
- NOTE: Feel free to try other cards not listed here, and add any Grade 3 cards you have available, just make sure to follow the recommended Trigger Set below.
Recommended Cards (Must Have)
- Captain Nightmist (G2) = Aim for x4, keep calling this card from your Drop Zone to keep intercepting attacks!
- Spirit Exceed (G3) = Add x4, you main Vanguard for this deck build. 10,000 base Power Vanguard (14,000 Power if both skills are active). If your Vanguard is Grade 2 or greater, put 1 Samurai Spirit (G1) and Knight Spirit (FV) into your Soul, and ride this card from the Drop Zone (if you rode from a grade 2, draw a card).
Suggested Cards To Add (Budget Cards)
Grade 1 Cards
- Samurai Spirit (G1) = Add x3 or x4, needed to activate Spirit Exceed (G3).
- Child Frank (G1) = Limit to x1 or x2, only to activate Monster Frank (G3) from your hand, and get a Grade 1 "Booster" card when needed. One way to reduce your deck's non Trigger cards.
- Dandy Guy, Romario (G1) = Add as filler if you need more cards, nice base Power and Defense.
Grade 2 Cards
- Commodore Blueblood (G2) = Add x4, nice base Power and Defense.- Stormride Ghost Ship (G2) = Limit to x2 or x3, high Power and Defense. Learn how to remove it's Restraint status (call a card from the Drop Zone), or just use to Intercept if you have no choice.
Grade 3 Cards
- Monster Frank (G3) = Add x1~x4, decent card to use, can be discarded to get Child Frank (G1) "Boost" card, use this as sacrifice as well if needed.- Witch Doctor of the Abyss, Negromarl (G3) = Add x4, use this card to call Grade 2 cards from your Drop Zone, use this as sacrifice as well if needed.
- NOTE: Feel free to try other cards not listed here, and add any Grade 3 cards you have available, just make sure to follow the recommended Trigger Set below.
RRR and Other Cards (If Available)
- NOTE: Feel free to try other cards not listed here, and add any Grade 3 cards you have available, just make sure to follow the recommended Trigger Set below.
Example Deck Builds
- NOTE: For cards that you don't have, just use the guide above to add filler cards to your deck for now, but if you want to add cards to the existing ones, feel free to do so. Also note that new cards might become available in the future, so feel free to test them out as well.
(*Currently not updated with new cards. Use as reference, feel free to remove/add cards)
(*Replace Child Frank (G1) with Dancing Cutlass (G1) if you like.)
Trigger Sets
Rank Fight Trigger Set
- Critical Trigger (x0), Draw Trigger (x9), Stand Trigger (x0), and Heal Trigger (x4)- Refer to the build above (screenshot) for example Triggers Set for specific cards.
- NOTE: The reason why I recommended that you tone down cards that would deplete your deck is because this build is going to run 9 Draw Triggers. It's better to draw your Intercept cards and Sentinel Cards (PG) than accidentally throwing them away to the Drop Zone or Soul.
- With max Heal Triggers, try to recover damages to get more chance to use "Counter Blasts".
- Do not set Heal Triggers on Spirit Exceed (G3), you might need to move it to your Drop Zone.
For Non Rank Fight Battles
- NOTE: Feel free to experiment with other Trigger Sets according to your preference. Add more Critical Triggers and/or Stand Triggers if you want to use this deck for certain events, like non Rank Fights that would require you to finish the battle asap.Granblue Battle Strategies
Mulligan (Starting Cards)
- Chappie the Ghostie (G1) = Keep at least x1, doesn't activate when used as Vanguard, so try to get or keep another Grade 1 card.
- Captain Nightmist (G2) = Keep at least x1, not cool as Vanguard, so try to get or keep another Grade 2 card except Stormride Ghost Ship (G2).
- Any Grade 3 Card = Keep x1 if you want to ensure a Grade 3 ride.
- Gust Jinn (G1) = Keep at least x1.
- Samurai Spirit (G1) = If you went "First", you can keep x1, another Grade 1 card as Vanguard, and Chappie the Ghostie (G1) (unless you are lucky to get Spirit Exceed (G3) from first trigger check). Try to ride Spirit Exceed (G3) while you have a Grade 2 Vanguard, but if you went second (start of battle) and have zero Grade 1 cards to play, it is sometimes better to skip.
- You can also just ignore all of this and focus on using Captain Nightmist (G2) instead (also use FV as sacrifice).
- Captain Nightmist (G2) = Keep at least x1, not cool as Vanguard, so try to get or keep another Grade 2 card except Stormride Ghost Ship (G2).
- Any Grade 3 Card = Keep x1 if you want to ensure a Grade 3 ride.
- Gust Jinn (G1) = Keep at least x1.
- Samurai Spirit (G1) = If you went "First", you can keep x1, another Grade 1 card as Vanguard, and Chappie the Ghostie (G1) (unless you are lucky to get Spirit Exceed (G3) from first trigger check). Try to ride Spirit Exceed (G3) while you have a Grade 2 Vanguard, but if you went second (start of battle) and have zero Grade 1 cards to play, it is sometimes better to skip.
- You can also just ignore all of this and focus on using Captain Nightmist (G2) instead (also use FV as sacrifice).
Basic Battle Strategies
- Your aim here is to fortify your defense and keep spamming Grade 2 Intercept cards to minimize damage per turn, exhaust their Intercept cards to force them to place Grade 1 and 3 cards, that's your opening to deal more damage!- Use Grade 1 and Grade 3 cards as sacrifice if needed to keep calling x1 or x2 Captain Nightmist (G2) per turn. Land attacks to your opponent's Vanguard while defending.
- Your defense is very high but offense is low, so you can also use that to drag the battle to "deck out" opponents that likes to "Soul Charge" or "Discard" cards.
- Reminder: Since you'll be playing using your Drop Zone, you need to decide quick before the time expires during Rank Fights.
Counter Blasts
- Captain Nightmist (G2) = Always find a way to place 2 Intercept cards every turn, using Counter Blasts is the most common method. Focus all of your resources on spamming Captain Nightmist (G2).
- Witch Doctor of the Abyss, Negromarl (G3) = Counter Blast requirement is higher so if possible, only use once or twice per battle and focus more on using Captain Nightmist (G2).
- Note: Also consider other card effects that requires Counter Blasts if needed.
How To Build 21,000+ Power Columns
Vanguard + Booster
- Spirit Exceed (G3) = 10,000 base Power Vanguard (14,000 Power if skills are active).- Spirit Exceed (G3) + Any Booster with 7,000 Power = 21,000 Power (with skills).
- Luck based, if you are able to get certain cards to the right place early on.
Rear Guards + Booster
- Captain Nightmist (G2) 11,000 Power with skill.- Captain Nightmist (G2) + Any Rear Guard with 7,000 Power = 18,000 total Power (23,000 Power with +5,000 "Trigger Check" buff).
- NOTE: Other cards not included here are also OK to use but some are very situational or unsustainable, use them if you like. Also adjust the numbers above depending on your Booster's Power.
How To Get Cards to the Drop Zone?
Triggers
- Triggers used during your turn will be placed into your Drop Zone.- Getting Heal Triggers during your turn and successfully using it would heal and transfer a card from your Damage Zone to the Drop Zone.
Normal Battles
- Defeated Rear Guards will go to the Drop Zone, so it's best to use Draw Triggers to maximize your Intercept Cards (Draw > Intercept > Revive > Intercept > Revive again).- This is one reason why you should not to use Captain Nightmist (G2) as Vanguard (unless needed).
Using Card Effects
- Chappie the Ghostie (G1) = To move Captain Nightmist (G2) or any non Grade 3 card unless needed like Spirit Exceed (G3) from your deck to the Drop Zone.- Ruin Shade (G2) = Puts 2 cards from the top of your deck into your Drop Zone.
- Evil Shade (G1) = Similar to Ruin Shade above.
- TIP: Do not overuse Ruin Shade and Evil Shade because you might run out of cards and lose the battle. Smart players can use these cards against you if you have all of them in play...
Retiring Cards and Soul Blasts
- Retiring cards due to a card effect will move that card to the Drop Zone, same way when using Soul Blast.Other FAQs and Strategies
Can Spirit Exceed Remove Ghost Ship's Restraint?
- Question: If I ride Spirit Exceed (G3) from the Drop Zone, can it remove Stormride Ghost Ship (G2) Restraint status?- Answer: NO, because it is considered as a "Superior Ride".
Calling Ghost Ship using Witch Doctor, Negromarl
- Question: If I activate Witch Doctor of the Abyss, Negromarl (G3) and choose Stormride Ghost Ship (G2) from the Drop Zone, will it automatically remove it's own Restraint?- Answer: YES.
- NOTE: Using King of Demonic Seas, Basskirk (G3) skill effect will also work.
More Vanguard ZERO Tips and Guides:
- Beginner's Tips Re-Rolling Guide- Beginner's Quick Tips and Guide
- Beginner's Quick Battle Tips
- Farming Materials and Crafting Cards Tips and Guide
That's it guys, thank you for checking our Granblue Clan Deck Build and Guide for the Card Battle RPG mobile game - Vanguard ZERO. Available for Android (Google Play) and iOS (App Store).