"We need to protect Rocket!" (SS Thematic Decks)

NOTE: Decks I build are focused on theme and fun. While I aim for strong performance, I prioritise storytelling, synergy, and cinematic moments. Most decks are tuned for Standard villain difficulty, not Expert.

Ideal For

Players looking for a thematic 2-player Groot deck alongside Rocket Raccoon. Build a family of Guardians that manage the board and chump blocks to protect Rocket and Groot. Grow the Flora colossus to deliver massive blows. Then together we get our cinematic push with Blaze of Glory.

Mode & Playstyle

2 Players (paired with Rocket Raccoon Protection: Repurpose / Ready - SS Thematic Decks called "Professional A**Hole".)

Complexity: 4/5

Archetype: Ally Swarm • Chump-Blocking • Burst Finish

Rush ↦ Tempo → Control

Leans heavily into control with long term builds paying off, but can make quick pushes intermittently.

Theme

Rocket insists on fighting alone without allies. Groot refuses to let that happen. Joined by the other Guardians, we protect Rocket. Like the Guardians of the Galaxy Movies, this deck is about family and standing beside those we love, even when they act like a real A**hole.

Hook

We flip to alter-ego as much as possible to allow Fertile Ground accelerate Growth Counters and card play economy, ideally accessing it every round until we hit the maximum 10.

"Welcome Aboard" as many allies as we can to control the board. Playing them triggers Knowhere for a card draw. But avoid letting them get defeated by consequential damage; instead get them to dig through the deck further with Strength In Numbers.

Let allies defend and chump block often. Their job is to protect Rocket and Groot before returning to hand with Regroup. Their sacrifice also allows us to hoard our Growth Counters.

Once enough counters have grown, we finally swing big on events and spend them on our upgrades, including Clarity of Purpose.

Blaze of Glory isn't the optimal combo with Regroup, but it remains in the deck for one reason: every great Guardians story deserves a cinematic all-out charge together! Together with Rocket, Groot can ready and hit twice as the duo of Flora and Fauna.

Tips for Cameo:

I use Cameo for pulling Mantis from Drax's hero pack; this is mostly a thematic decision but her thwarting and recovery support can be helpful. I found her especially useful as a long term healer when I kept her in play longer with Med Team (provided by the 2nd player's Rocket Protection deck). She did end up staying in play longer than the rest of the chump blockers, but honestly I prefer that considering she was a hefty cost to play with Cameo.

Instead of Mantis, we may opt for Nebula from Gamora's hero pack. She is arguably stronger, especially if we want to combo Groot's big attack / thwart "I am Groot" events for increased tempo.

Unfortunately, Cameo does slow down Groot's initial start, so may not be the best in scenarios that require us to rush. As of 2026 I haven't found a decent replacement as of yet, but we could consider Rapid Response, which will improve some tempo despite not triggering the support Knowhere, hence my heavy use of Regroup instead.

Tips for building our Growth Counters:

Mulligan aggressively for Fertile Ground. It is the deck's most important setup card: it improves our economy to build and gets us closer to the big attacking / thwarting "I am Groot" event.

If possible, delay spending Growth Counters from our upgrades until the mid to late game. This enables our big events to pay off earlier. Depending on the scenario, we may desperately build one earlier that benefits our tempo, such as the attack upgrade Vine Spikes, or the thwart upgrade Entangling Vines. Hopefully we wouldn't need the defend upgrade Vine Shield, because the other Guardians will be chump blocking for us. As much as I like the ready upgrade Lashing Vines, this deck does not build up our stats and it drains a lot of our Growth Counters, making it best reserved for pushes with Blaze of Glory.

Because of how much it can consume, use "We Are Groot" sparingly and only in desperate moments to protect Rocket, Groot, or allies. Rocket's Shake it Off is better for Groot but limited in number due to its low play.

Occasionally, to save our growth counters, we may have to use our basic defend when we have no allies left. But we may still sustain damage when we are beaten out of Growth Counters. In alter-ego, we can use our basic REC, then ready as a hero with Ready to Rumble (also useful against the obligation Wilt).

Now we talk about Clarity of Purpose. This card essentially trades our Growth Counter for a resource. Although it goes against us hoarding the counters, it does allow for accelerated builds which we benefit from, especially with Cameo's slow start. Use it wisely, but I overall found it still useful when I have maximum counters and the ability to return to alter-ego for another round of our ability Growth Spurt (Groot).

Storytime

There goes Rocket: stealing batteries to Salvage and Repurpose. To no one's surprise, he gets into trouble. But he fights his own battle without allies, he thinks he is an army of one!

Groot knows better. From Knowhere we "Welcome Aboard" the Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, a Cameo from Mantis and much more! Together they have the Strength In Numbers and are determined to keep their stubborn friend alive.

While the team constantly throws themselves into danger, only to Regroup, Groot returns to Fertile Ground as his alter-ego during a Growth Spurt. Every sacrifice bought him more time.

When the villain finally cornered Rocket, Groot steps forward with a forest's worth of strength (Growth Counters), gained upon reaching Fruition. Now together with Rocket, the Flora and Fauna go out with the Guardians in a Blaze of Glory; Groot proclaims: "I. AM. GROOT!".

Rocket looks around at the family who refuses to leave him behind and smiles... "I love you guys." "We Are Groot".

Deck Build / Design Choices

These are cards that I purposely did not include because they did not combo well with what this deck is trying to do:

Make the Call, although great to bring back specific allies, it does not trigger the support Knowhere, as per the rules reference 1.7 about 'putting into play' and 'playing' a card.

Band Together, as much as I like the idea of this card, it ended up as a dead card in my hand early game when I had no allies. Strength In Numbers was arguably better at keeping the allies around longer to chump block, and allowed for card draws to reach more vital cards.

Team Training, although it allows our allies to activate more, the one additional health didn't really add to their main purpose of chump blocking.

Noble Sacrifice / Go Down Swinging / "You Got This!": they discard an ally on the hero phase. Ideally we want them to defend attacks and be defeated to trigger Regroup. In the hero phase, we want the allies around to control the board, be resourceful through Strength In Numbers, or eventually go out in a Blaze of Glory.

The Triskelion, because Knowhere already increases ally limit. Plus, considering that most allies would be chump blocking, I often haven't found myself wanting to place a 5th ally.

Deck brought to you by: Shooting Sun