Grand Melee MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Number	211
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Trevor Hairsine

Key Takeaways

Grand Melee increases card advantage, boosting deck endurance for sustained engagements.
It alters strategies by incentivizing creature-heavy boards for resource optimization.
Despite its high mana cost and specific color need, Grand Melee enriches combat-centric decks.

Text of card

All creatures attack each turn if able. All creatures block each turn if able.

Hot blood washes away cold reason.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grand Melee facilitates prolonged exchanges, enhancing the chances of capitalizing on each draw, particularly in decks tailored to outlast opponents with a plentiful hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Grand Melee incentivizes strategies that benefit from having multiple creatures on the field, indirectly boosting your board’s presence and potential mana utility.

Instant Speed: As an enchantment, Grand Melee doesn’t operate at instant speed but its ongoing effect ensures every turn is like having a standing army ready, offering a type of reactive power to creature-based strategies during every combat phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One drawback when it comes to the Grand Melee card is its necessity for you to discard cards. This action can put the player at a comparative disadvantage, especially if their hand is already running low on playable options, thereby reducing strategic flexibility.

Specific Mana Cost: The Grand Melee card also demands a precise mana combination to be played. It includes both generic and colored mana requirements, which means that incorporating it into your deck necessitates a commitment to that color’s mana base, potentially limiting the types of decks it can effectively be played in.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Additionally, its mana cost is on the higher end of the spectrum. When you take into account the potential impact of the card in a game, you might find that other cards can achieve similar or better effects for a lower mana investment, making them potentially more cost-effective choices in building a deck that aims to optimize resource allocation.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Grand Melee is not just another card, it’s a game-changer for player-driven formats where multi-combat phases can turn the tide. Ideal for multiplayer and commander decks, this card ensures every round is bustling with action.

Combo Potential: Grand Melee synergizes with cards that capitalize on multiple combat phases. When paired with creatures having tap or attack-triggered abilities, or with effects that untap creatures, the possibilities for combos are vast and can overwhelm opponents.

Meta-Relevance: With a landscape ever-shifting towards complex strategies and multiplayer formats, Grand Melee holds strong relevance. It can convert a passive board state into a dynamic battlefield, forcing opponents to adapt quickly or fall to the relentless combat.

How to beat

The Grand Melee card unfolds a dynamic challenge on the battlefield, altering the rules of engagement in Magic: The Gathering. This enchantment requires that all creatures attack each turn if able, which may seem daunting at first. To navigate this, players should build a strategy around controlling the board. Including cards that can tap or incapacitate opponents’ creatures before they declare an attack will be crucial. Removal spells also gain increased value, allowing you to manage the flow of creatures your opponent can commit to the onslaught.

It’s also beneficial to bolster your defenses with robust blockers or effects that can benefit from multiple combat phases. Cards that grant your creatures indestructible or those that create tokens can provide a buffer against the relentless attacks enforced by Grand Melee. Leveraging life gain mechanics to offset the consistent damage can also be a viable tactic.

Ultimately, to claim victory over a Grand Melee situation, emphasizing board control and defensive synergies, while maintaining a steady flow of creature removal, can turn this otherwise chaotic environment into a strategic advantage in your Magic: The Gathering match-ups.

Cards like Grand Melee

Grand Melee is an intriguing enchantment in the vast universe of MTG that emphasizes engagement in combat. It draws parallel to other cards that force creatures into battle, such as Avatar of Slaughter. The distinction lies in Avatar of Slaughter granting double strike to all creatures, which dramatically accelerates the game’s tempo, whereas Grand Melee ensures that all available creatures must attack each turn if able.

Similarly, Goblin Diplomats is a card that enables players to dictate combat by forcing creatures to attack that turn. Though it’s a single-use tap ability unlike the consistent application of Grand Melee. Another comparative card is Warmonger Hellkite, which not only requires creatures to attack each turn if able but also allows players to manipulate attack targets for a variable mana cost, giving a strategic edge over the blanket approach of Grand Melee.

Considering its ability to continually exert pressure on the battlefield, Grand Melee garners a unique position among cards that manipulate the combat phase. It does not change power dynamics with buffs or cost adjustments but instead focuses on sustained compulsory aggression, shaping both players’ strategies every turn.

Cards similar to Grand Melee by color, type and mana cost

Uncontrollable Anger - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grand Melee MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Grand Melee and other MTG cards: