DARK
4Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo
Archetype:
Ninja
ATK:
1800
DEF:
1000
View:
4728
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Ninjitsu Art" card from your Deck to your hand. When this card is Flip or Special Summoned: You can add 1 "Ninja" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo".
Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 72 ± 6 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 70 · Deck: 75 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Searcher/Tutor · Secondary: Combo enabler, Material body
Why it scores here
Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo is a core searcher in Ninja archetype decks, with 100% inclusion and universal 3-copy density across both Ninja variants (400 decks sampled). Its Normal Summon searches Ninjitsu Art support, while Flip/Special Summon searches Ninja monsters, providing dual-clause redundancy and fallback value. The card itself contributes zero board disruption or opponent interaction; its power is entirely dependent on what it searches. Without any recorded combo boards, the actual conversion to winning lines cannot be verified, though the guide context confirms it as essential within Ninja.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 88 | 100% inclusion in both Ninja archetypes with 3 copies typical; searchable by Reinforcement of the Army at 91% co-deck rate, providing multiple access routes (verified) |
| Combo & Conversion | 62 | Dual search clauses (Normal Summon and Flip/Special) enable archetype lines, but zero recorded combos prevent empirical measurement of board power or distance to win condition (inferred) |
| Resource Economy | 68 | Each summon triggers one search clause, creating +0 net card advantage (summon action for search) but enabling archetype synergy; Flip/Special fallback activates if card is removed and replayed (inferred) |
| Effect & Interaction | 5 | Card text contains only search effects with no disruption, negation, removal, or hand trap capability; zero opponent interaction (verified) |
| Material Utility | 75 | Level 4 DARK Warrior with 1800 ATK provides usable Synchro/Xyz material without locks or self-removal; no text constraints on material applications (verified) |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 55 | Three-copy inclusion per deck provides redundancy against early negation; Flip/Special clause offers fallback activation if Normal Summon is interrupted or card is replayed (observed) |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 88 | Requires only Normal Summon with no cost or lock; minimal garnet risk; 3-copy density is universal in Ninja, indicating high slot efficiency with no redundancy penalty (verified) |
Calculation
Weight profile: Searcher/Tutor primary role. Intrinsic ≈ 70, Deck ≈ 75, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: Archetype core and universal redundancy (3); Missing combo evidence (-4). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Universal core card in both Ninja archetypes (100% inclusion, 3 copies typical)
- Dual search clauses provide redundancy: Normal Summon searches Ninjitsu Art; Flip/Special searches Ninja monsters
- Searchable via multiple routes including Reinforcement of the Army (91% co-deck rate)
- Clean Level 4 Warrior material with 1800 ATK; no locks or self-removal
- 99.8%+ synergy with core Ninja monsters and Ninjitsu Art support cards
Weaknesses
- Pure searcher with zero board disruption or opponent interaction
- Standalone power is zero; all value is dependent on quality of Ninjitsu Art and Ninja monsters in deck
- Negation on Normal Summon blocks primary search, reducing card to generic Level 4 body
- Post-search, becomes inert material; generates no ongoing or repeated advantage
- Zero combo evidence prevents verification of actual conversion to meaningful winning lines
Counters / choke points
- Veiler or Impermanence on Normal Summon prevents first search activation
- Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring negates Normal Summon search window
- Droll & Lock Bird negates search effect (negates deck searches)
- Board wipes (Mirror Force, Wulf Synchro Effect) remove card before value generation
Best use
Opening Normal Summon searcher; enables archetype engine (Ninjitsu Art or Ninja creature line). Decks: Ninja (all formats), Invoked/Ninja hybrid, Borrel splashes. Suggested copies: 3.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card text: Normal Summon adds Ninjitsu Art from deck; Flip/Special adds Ninja monster except Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo; 100% inclusion in both Ninja archetypes per usage statistics; 3 copies typical per deck data distribution (390 of 400 decks run 3x); No lock, cost, or self-removal in card text; Appears in 4 guides; listed as CORE in Ninja guide
- Observed: 98%+ of 400 decks run it at 3 copies (deck data main deck count); 99.8% co-deck with Ninjitsu Art Tool - Iron Digger (primary partner); 91% co-deck with Reinforcement of the Army (Warrior tribe searcher consistency); Appears in 18 distinct archetypes across 400-deck sample; Zero combos recorded across entire combo data section
- Inferred: Normal Summon search converts summon action into archetype enabler (+0 net card; pure setup); Flip/Special clause provides second activation venue, increasing resilience to removal between turns; Level 4 DARK Warrior fits Synchro/Xyz support structures without premium stats; 18 distinct homes with 79.3% Ninja concentration indicate Ninja-primary card with moderate splashability; Card power is derivative: entirely contingent on the Ninjitsu Art and Ninja monsters in the deck
- Data gaps: No combos supplied — Combo conversion is text-only inference; cannot measure average power index or board completion distance when Hanzo is used No banlist token — Assumed unlimited; no restriction noted No Top Card ranking — Confirmed top-card status: false; no metagame impact measurement available No counter cards recorded — Cannot quantify which disruptions are most effective against Normal Summon window Zero combo examples prevent verification of whether Hanzo searches convert to meaningful winning lines or remain pure setup cards