Gwent Budget Decks

Crafting cost: 400 scraps

[200 scraps] Adda: Striga
[200 scraps] Golyat

Until we craft some Deathwish cards, we’ll be utilizing Fruits of Ysgith. The extra points from Gernichora’s Fruit help with the MO game plan of winning Round 1 and pushing Round 2 to force a short Round 3 with Ozzrel.

Since MO have no issues with Dominance, Adda: Striga is a great removal tool. When playing Golyat, be mindful of cards like Geralt of Rivia.

Crafting cost: 1360 scraps

[160 scraps] 2x Endrega Larva
[200 scraps] The Beast
[800 scraps] Yghern

Endrega Larva is harder to remove than Nekkers and The Beast is a very threatening engine. Yghern makes the Thrive package and your Ozzrel finisher even better.

Start by upgrading 2x Nekker to 2x Endrega Larva, then replace one Thunder with The Beast. For your final upgrade, cut Thunderbolt for Yghern.

Crafting cost: 1390 scraps

[400 scraps] Werecat, Imperial Manticore
[800 scraps] Haunt
[190 scraps] 2x Foglet, Noonwraith

Werecat and Imperial Manticore are cheap and effective Deathwish units that synergize with Overwhelming Hunger and Haunt. You need to have at least two Deathwish units in hand to complete both chapters of Haunt.

First, cut Lacerate for Werecat, then switch your leader ability to Overwhelming Hunger while getting rid of Alzur’s Thunder and crafting Imperial Manticore. You can then replace 2x Ghoul and 2x Elder Bear with Haunt, 2x Foglet and Noonwraith.

Crafting cost: 1840 scraps

[800 scraps] Dettlaff: Higher Vampire
[800 scraps] Miruna
[240 scraps] 2x Bruxa, Endrega Warrior

Dettlaff: Higher Vampire makes for a powerful finisher with Overwhelming Hunger or Haunt. Miruna is a huge threat, allowing you to Seize an engine if the opponent isn’t careful.

Kick Old Speartip: Asleep and Harpy Egg and craft Dettlaff: Higher Vampire and Endrega Warrior. Then ditch 2x Ice Giant and the 2nd Harpy Egg while crafting Miruna and 2x Bruxa.

Crafting cost: 1820 scraps

[800 scraps] Oneiromancy
[220 scraps] Barghest, Squirrel, 2x Plumard
[800 scraps] Korathi Heatwave

This upgrade improves your consistency with Oneiromancy, while replacing Geralt of Rivia with the more flexible removal tool in Heatwave.

Cut Dorregaray, The Beast, Alpha Werewolf and 2x Celaeno Harpy while crafting Oneiromancy, Barghest, Squirrel and 2x Plumard. You can then replace Geralt of Rivia with Heatwave.

Crafting cost: 400 scraps

[200 scraps] Dunca
[200 scraps] Treant Boar

Dunca can generate carry-over or simply assist with removing an opposing engine. Treant Boar offers a lot of value in a long round while synergizing with Guerilla Tactics.

Crafting cost: 1180 scraps

[800 scraps] Novigradian Justice
[220 scraps] 2x Nature’s Rebuke, 2x Tempering
[160 scraps] 2x Hamadryad

Novigradian Justice offers a lot of tempo and can thin 2 cards if used on Mahakam Volunteers. Nature’s Gift synergizes with Nature cards, the active ability should be used on Hamadryad or to protect Treant Boar and Pavko Gale.

Start by upgrading Vrihedd Dragoon to Novigradian Justice. You can then replace 2x Dwarven Skirmisher with 2x Tempering and 2x Alzur’s Thunder with 2x Nature’s Rebuke while changing your leader to Nature’s Gift. Finally, get rid of 2x Mahakam Defender and craft 2x Hamadryad.

Crafting cost: 1920 scraps

[260 scraps] Ele’yas, 2x Miner
[800 scraps] Isengrim’s Council
[860 scraps] Forest Protector, 2x Dryad’s Caress

Eleyas plays for great value when used on a Wandering Treant. Isengrim’s Council increases your consistency and also plays for a lot of points. Forest Protector is a strong high-end card, ideally used to replay Nature’s Rebuke.

Get rid of 2x Dwarven Agitator and Sheldon while crafting Eleyas and 2x Miner. You can then upgrade Lacerate to Isengrim’s Council. Finally, replace Mahakam Marauders and Thunderbolt with Forest Protector and two copies of Dryad’s Caress.

Crafting cost: 1830 scraps

[800 scraps] Oneiromancy
[800 scraps] Fauve
[230 scraps] Harald Gord, Sage

Oneiromancy and Fauve improve your consistency, while Sage and Harald Gord grant pay-off for playing a lot of special cards.

To kick things off, replace Dorregaray with Oneiromancy. You can then get rid of 2x Elder Bear and Milaen while crafting Fauve, Harald Gord and Sage.

Crafting cost: 2480 scraps

[800 scraps] Shaping Nature
[1080 scraps] Figgis Merluzzo, Bekker’s Rockslide, Squirrel
[800 scraps] Korathi Heatwave

Shaping Nature is a solid target for Fauve and synergizes with your engines and Harald Gord. The deck has a few strong engines, so it makes sense to protect them with Figgis.

Start by ditching Ele’yas and crafting Shaping Nature. You can then replace Ida, Treant Boar and Dunca with Figgis, Rockslide and Squirrel. For 800 more scraps, kick Geralt of Rivia and craft Korathi Heatwave, which is a very flexible removal tool.

Crafting cost: 520 scraps

[160 scraps] 2x Kerack Frigate
[160 scraps] 2x Radovid’s Royal Guards
[200 scraps] Vissegerd

Building NR on a budget can be challenging, since all of the truly useful cards cost 800 scraps. Therefore, the optimal approach is to improve your bronzes as much as possible, while crafting Vissegerd as your pay-off card.

Crafting cost: 1060 scraps

[260 scraps] Egmund, 2x Lyrian Scytheman
[800 scraps] Amphibious Assault

Egmund is another powerful engine synergizing with Uprising, while Amphibious Assault is used to tutor Kerack Frigate or Temerian Drummer.

Replace 2x Blue Stripes Commando with 2x Scytheman, then upgrade Elder Bear to Egmund. With 800 more scraps, upgrade the other Elder Bear to Amphibious Assault.

Crafting cost: 1800 scraps

[200 scraps] Black Rayla
[800 scraps] Prince Anséis
[800 scraps] Bloody Baron

While Black Rayla is used as a placeholder, she can be extremely efficient in any Uprising deck. Prince Anséis and Bloody Baron serve as lucrative control tools.

Kick Siege Tower and craft Black Rayla, then replace the other Siege Tower with Prince Anséis. Geralt of Rivia can be upgraded to Bloody Baron.

Crafting cost: 1720 scraps

[860 scraps] John Natalis, 2x Boiling Oil
[860 scraps] Viraxas Prince, 2x Kerack Marine

John Natalis can tutor Amphibious Assault and Boiling Oil, while Viraxas Prince allows you to reactivate Prince Anséis, Bloody Baron or Kerack Marine.

Start off by replacing Thunderbolt and 2x Alzur’s Thunder with John Natalis and 2x Boiling Oil. To enable Devotion, kick Dorregaray, Lacerate and Ronvid, allowing you to use Viraxas Prince and Kerack Marines. You can save 800 scraps on Viraxas Prince if you get the NR starter pack.

Crafting cost: 3370 scraps

[800 scraps] Vysogota of Corvo
[910 scraps] Seltkirk, Siege Support, Siege Ladder
[800 scraps] Queen Adalia
[860 scraps] Donimir of Troy, 2x Dun Banner

Shieldwall is mainly used to protect Vysogota of Corvo and also enables the insane Duels with Prince Anséis and Seltkirk of Gulet.

Replace Nenneke with Vysogota and change the leader to Shieldwall. Next, kick Prince Stennis, Boiling Oil and Lyrian Scytheman, which allows you to craft Seltkirk of Gulet, Siege Support and Siege Ladder.

Ditch Black Rayla and Egmund for Queen Adalia and Boiling Oil. For 860 more scraps, you can get rid of Vissegerd, Boiling Oil and Scytheman and craft Donimir and 2x Dun Banner.

Crafting cost: 360 scraps

[160 scraps] 2x Greatsword
[200 scraps] Raiding Fleet

While Greatswords are now capped at 10 strength, they’re still extremely valuable. Your bronze ships help with getting the Greatsword rolling. In Round 3, Patricidal Fury should be used right after playing a Greatsword to put him out of removal range.

Crafting cost: 1060 scraps

[60 scraps] 2x Drummond Berserker
[200 scraps] Herkja Drummond
[800 scraps] Hemdall

Drummond Berserker is both cheap and effective, while Herkja is another threatening engine. Hemdall offers a lot of value, especially in a long round.

Start by kicking 2x Pirate Captain and crafting 2x Drummond Berserker. Replace one Heymaey Herbalist with Herkja Drummond and the other Heymaey Herbalist with Hemdall.

Crafting cost: 1920 scraps

[800 scraps] Harald an Craite
[320 scraps] 2x An Craite Raiders and 2x Tuirseach Invader
[800 scraps] Svalblod Totem

Harald an Craite can resurrect a Greatsword or An Craite Raiders. Svalblod Totem offers a solid amount of proactive points.

You can save 800 scraps if you buy the SK starter pack with Harald an Craite. Cut Thunderbolt, Freya and Thunder, then craft Harald an Craite and 2x An Craite Raiders. For 960 more scraps, replace Lacerate, Elder Bear and Thunder with Totem and 2x Invader.

Crafting cost: 1340 scraps

[860 scraps] Blood Eagle and 2x An Craite Warrior
[480 scraps] Skjordal, Champion’s Charge, War of Clans

Blood Eagle improves your consistency while Champion’s Charge is a threatening removal tool when combined with Arnjolf the Patricide. Once you get rid of Neutral cards, Skjordal becomes a force to be reckoned with.

First off, replace Geralt of Rivia and Elder Bear with Blood Eagle and An Craite Warrior. You can then kick Dorregaray, Giant Boar, one Freya and Dimun Light Longship while crafting Skjordal, Champion’s Charge, War of Clans and another An Craite Warrior.

Crafting cost: 1600 scraps

[800 scraps] Vabjorn
[800 scraps] Hjalmar an Craite

Vabjorn can tutor Blood Eagle and other Raid cards. Hjalmar is a great removal tool, especially with a Greatsword in your graveyard.

You can start by replacing Svanrige with Vabjorn. Once you get 800 more scraps, ditch Donar, Udalryk and Dimun Light Longship while crafting Hjalmar and utilizing 2x Gutting Slash from the starter set.

Crafting cost: 460 scraps

[200 scraps] Joachim de Wett
[260 scraps] 2x Fangs of the Empire, Van Moorlehem’s Cupbearer

Joachim is a great finisher, but be mindful of cards like Geralt of Rivia. Fangs of the Empire and Cupbearer form a Poison package which works well with Masquerade Ball.

Crafting cost: 1420 scraps

[220 scraps] 2x Thirsty Dame, 2x Van Moorlehem Hunter
[800 scraps] Masquerade Ball
[400 scraps] Roderick, Roach

Replace 2x Alba Pikeman and 2x Alba Spearman with 2x Thirsty Dame and 2x Van Moorlehem Hunter to have Aristocrats for Masquerade Ball.

You can then kick 2x Elder Bear and craft Masquerade Ball and Roderick. Upgrade Thunderbolt to Roach for more thinning.

Crafting cost: 1760 scraps

[960 scraps] Ramon Tyrconnel, 2x Ard Feainn Crossbowman
[800 scraps] Yennefer’s Invocation

First off, upgrade 2x Alba Armored Cavalry to Ramon Tyrconnel and Ard Feainn Crossbowman. This rounds out your soldier package, making your Round 1 stronger. Then, replace Dorregaray and Lacerate with another Ard Feainn Crossbowman and Yennefer’s Invocation, a card which serves as both removal and carry-over.

Crafting cost: 1800 scraps

[800 scraps] Vincent Van Moorlehem
[800 scraps] Usurper Officer
[200 scraps] Vanhemar

Replace Geralt of Rivia with Vincent Van Moorlehem, who can murder Defenders or any unit with a status. You can save 800 scraps on Usurper Officer if you purchase the NG starter pack. Get rid of Roach and Sweers to accommodate Usurper Officer and Vanhemar.

Crafting cost: 1900 scraps

[880 scraps] Shilard, Amnesty
[800 scraps] Braathens
[220 scraps] Tourney Joust, Magne Division, 2x Ard Feainn Tortoise

First off, replace Joachim and one Nilfgaardian Knight with Shilard and Amnesty. You can then kick Serrit, Auckes and the second Nilfgaardian Knight while crafting Braathens, Tourney Joust and Magne Division. Finally, replace 2x Nauzicaa Sergeant with 2x Ard Feainn Tortoise.