Coming into Gwent can be a daunting experience. The various leaders and factions are not truly covered by the tutorial, making it hard to discern which factions you should spend your scraps on and how to build your first deck.
This guide will give you some pointers on what cards are worth crafting. Our Meta Report can be used as a reference to the best decks in the meta, something you should aim towards with your crafts. If you are on a tighter budget of around 400-500 scraps, check out our Budget Decks.
Graphics: WellMax81
Writing: Wusubi, Nimraphel and Minuano
Last update: August 21, Patch 7.1
We evaluate the crafting priority using the following legend: Essential > High > Medium > Low.
While a low priority card might seem a bit discouraging for a craft, the rating should always be viewed in a wider context. Each card comes with a brief explanation. We are including cards that are primarily geared towards helping new players with achieving success.
Thus, there is an emphasis on Midrange cards or mildly synergistic cards that provide you with decent value on their own. Be it in terms of the actual points or consistency and versatility they offer. As a newcomer, meta decks are relatively far off. Besides, the meta changes monthly. Our priority is giving new players a good foundation of functional cards.
Lastly, our crafting guide contains several packages within each faction. Those may seem daunting in terms of scrap costs, but can usually be gradually built. They provide insight into which synergies are powerful and worthy of pursuit, thus also providing you with insight into the game’s deeper mechanics.
Feel free to join our Discord server if you have any questions.
Before crafting Neutrals, you have to make a decision on deck-building related to whether you want to play a Devotion deck or a non-Devotion deck. Devotion decks can only play faction-specific cards. Neutral cards often provide unique effects that can make giving up Devotion worth it. For each Neutral card, we have included a “Faction affinity” note to signify which faction these Neutral cards are most suited for.
Pellar [80 scraps]
Faction affinity: NR, to a lesser extent MO
Arguably one of the most boring cards you can craft, but sadly also one that will save you a lot of trouble when facing decks relying on status effects, most notably Poison. You’ll never need 2 copies, but as a 1-off, Pellar can be useful in any deck that goes tall.
Some factions will have their own (and better) Purifies, e. g. Vrihedd Sappers for ST or Imperial Diviner for NG. However, for several other factions such as MO and NR, this card can find good use. Pellar will deal with any negative Status on your side of the board and he can also answer the opposing Defender if necessary.
Bomb Heaver [80 scraps]
Faction affinity: All factions
Bomb Heaver will either play as a measly 4 for 5 provisions, or it will win you the round by removing a high-provision Scenario. Easily the most binary card to be currently found in Gwent, yet it will never feel good to craft or use. Craft him when you start facing decks that rely on a Scenario.
Oneiromancy [800 scraps]
Faction affinity: All factions
As you expand your collection, you’ll start acquiring cards that can make or break the game. Oneiromancy helps you with drawing them when you need them, greatly improving the consistency of your deck.
Korathi Heatwave [800 scraps]
Faction affinity: Primarily MO, but can arguably be slotted in any deck and do good work
Heatwave has risen to prominence as a safe way to deal with any unit or artifact that can spiral out of control, and furthermore banishes the threat, which has an added value against certain decks that rely on graveyard interactions. It’s a common removal choice for MO, but you can also find it in ST and SY decks with Harald Gord.
Magic Lamp [800 scraps]
Faction affinity: All factions
Synergies: None, but helps you avoid tall punish (Geralt of Rivia in starter decks, Poison in meta decks)
A boring craft, but one that can potentially save you from losing Round 1 to tall punish. Not essential, but definitely a useful Stratagem.
Triss: Telekinesis [800 scraps]
Faction affinity: ST and SY
Synergies: Harald Gord
Triss: Telekinesis shines in decks with spells that can have a large impact (Alzur’s Thunder, Lacerate if we’re just thinking starting decks) and also has validity in Harald Gord decks for the sake of utilizing another spell.
Additional worthy crafts: Maraal, One-Eyed Betsy, Roach
The Master Mirror expansion has brought a variety of flexible tools for MO to tinker with. Strangely enough, the biggest advantage of this faction doesn’t come directly from its faction cards, but the fact that it can best abuse one of the new Neutral cards, Ethereal. The weakened presence of SK with the recent nerfs only further cements the efficiency of MO. The faction offers a fairly even learning curve, which makes it a perfect choice for newcomers. -Minuano
Fruits of Ysgith > Hunger > Deaths Shadow > Arachas Swarm > Blood Scent > Force of Nature > Carapace
2x Endrega Larva [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Arguably the best bronze in Gwent at the moment. This powerhouse of a card is precious to the point where it can rival gold cards in terms of raw points. Larva has quickly become a staple in all MO decks, providing two annoying Thrive engines that demand a quite cumbersome answer, otherwise they accrue value far above their very humble provision cost.
2x Bruxa [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
A solid 3-point Thrive engine that already plays for 5 points on Deploy and isn’t too easy to remove.
2x Noonwraith [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: Low
Since its drawback is usually negligible, Noonwraith plays as a respectable 6-for-4. The strength of this card lies in the fact that it procs Thrive engines and generate extra value while being very cheap.
Adda: Striga [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
A very strong removal option tied to a modestly-sized body that can make life hard for everyone, Foltest or otherwise. Keep in mind that Striga procs her own Dominance and can thus murder any 4-power engine.
Golyat [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Ozzrel
Ozzrel food, 10 points for 8 provisions and a drawback that often scares the opponent more than it scares you. Play him in Round 1 to proc Thrive engines, or in Round 2 to set-up graveyard Ozzrel.
The Beast [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
One of the most annoying 2-points-per-turn engines, The Beast can quickly spiral out of control if not kept in check. Be sure to try and keep an eye on the highest unit on the board. If played in the same round as Yghern, The Beast can grow to 14 power!
Whispess, Brewess, Weavess [600 scraps]
Crafting priority: Low
Synergies: Oneiromancy, Naglfar
If you’ve played The Witcher 3, you’re well-acquainted with these three lovely ladies: Whispess, Brewess and Weavess. They offer a variety of services and get incrementally better one after another. Playing a Crone in earlier rounds translates into carry-over for later rounds.
You will find these ladies in some of the MO decks alongside Oneiromancy, just because of their sheer efficiency. Having a consistency card allows you to play Brewess first, which makes the other two Crones more threatening.
Yghern [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Ozzrel
An extremely strong tempo play that procs your Thrive engines and provides yummy food for Ozzrel later on. Try to play Yghern as soon into the round as possible, so that it’s harder to penetrate its armor.
Auberon King [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Auberon King has found his place in the majority of MO decks, with and without Devotion, as his second form is good enough. He offers the ability to play two medium-sized bodies in the same turn, effectively double-proccing Thrive engines. In Devotion decks, his last form can turn into an engine itself that demands an answer.
Keep in mind that you can save 800 scraps if you obtain Auberon King by purchasing the MO starter pack.
Another viable package that’s starting to see an increasing amout of play. It’s best used in combination with Overwhelming Hunger and some high-end Deathwish cards. Barring Auberon King from the gold cards, other notable inclusions are:
- [1600 scraps] Ard Gaeth and Ge’els
- [420 scraps] Winter Queen, 2x Wild Hunt Bruiser and 2x Aen Elle Conqueror
This package welcomes the cold embrace of the Wild Hunt, adopting several of the recently-introduced cards. Devotion plays a key role, giving you access to Auberon Conqueror, the Thrive tag on Winter Queen, and an unconditional 7-for-4 on Deploy in Aen Elle Conqueror. The Haunt package can also be utilized in such a deck to offer more pointslam.
- [1000 scraps] Miruna, Imperial Manticore
- [800 scraps] Naglfar
Once you’ve acquired the key Wild Hunt cards, it’s time to make Devotion worth it. Miruna and Manticore make Overwhelming Hunger truly scary, forcing the opponent to play around both cards. Naglfar is the only consistency option that doesn’t break Devotion. It’s highly recommended for this package, as it provides another high-end Wild Hunt Special for Ge’els.
The introduction of the Devotion keyword to the game made it so that an obnoxious card called Bomb Heaver is seen less in the meta, meaning that playing unprotected Scenario cards is now more appealing. However, the danger always exists, as losing your 14-provision card to a measly Bomb Heaver can be painful.
- [800 scraps] Haunt
- [1600 scraps] Dettlaff: Higher Vampire, Miruna
- [400 scraps] Katakan, Imperial Manticore
Borrowing 2x Nightwraith, 2x Noonwraith and Golyat from the other packages for 320 extra scraps, you’ve got a bundle of high-tempo cards that can play for a ridiculous amount of points in a short number of turns. Make sure you have enough Deathwish units in hand to proc both chapters of your Scenario, as you don’t want any of this to go to waste.
You can consider adding a couple of consumes (e. g. Barghest) to accompany your Deathwish units, depending on which leader ability you’re planning to use. It’s also advisable to run a consistency card, Oneiromancy for non-Devotion and Naglfar for Devotion decks, since missing a 14-provision card can potentially lose you the game.
Since the Master Mirror expansion, SK has been a dominant force in Gwent in large part due to its new warrior bronze package, which has allowed it to consistently achieve value above provision levels, allowing it to conserve its high-end gold cards for the final round. Despite recently being tuned down, it remains a powerful faction that is thematically beautifully designed and interesting to play. -Nimraphel
Patricidal Fury > Blaze of Glory = Ursine Ritual > Second Wind > Reckless Flurry > Sacrificial Vanguard > Onslaught
2x An Craite Greatsword [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Any source of damage, Blood Eagle, Harald an Craite
Greatsword poses a massive threat to your opponent, because if this card goes unchecked, it allows you to double-dip on your damage. Always try to develop GS after the opponent has row-stacked a bit, using a ping from Dimun Light Longship, boosting the GS to 5 power.
2x Stunning Blow [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Vabjorn
Although they both have their uses, Stunning Blow is in most cases an upgrade to starter deck’s Gutting Slash. It allows you to trade-up with high-value armored targets, which can be the decider between winning and losing the round.
2x Drummond Berserker [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Blood Eagle, Drummond Villager, any card that benefits from damage or Bloodthirst
A decent 8-for-5 play and since the faction benefits from Bloodthirst, self-wounding and obviously the warrior tag, this card is a bit too good not to include in the majority of SK decks.
Raiding Fleet [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Any bronze Ship
Pulls out an essential engine, thins your deck, sets-up Bloodthirst and plays for higher value than its provisions? Most certainly the best addition to SK from Iron Judgment.
Herkja Drummond [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Blood Eagle, Greatsword
Herkja is a solid 1-point-per-turn engine and is especially effective in warrior-based decks alongside Wild Boar and a Greatsword or two. She help you with setting-up Bloodthirst and her Order ability can be used to boost Greatsword to 7 power.
Hammond [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Greatsword
Hammond is a jack of all trades. Whether you need to disable any row-locked engine, get Bloodthirst or enable Greatsword, this burly pirate has got your back.
Gigascorpion Decoction [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Greatsword
A 6-point removal is always strong, but coupled with it being distributed in 1-damage ticks, it provides insane value through Greatsword.
Gremist [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Low
Synergies: Alchemy cards
Gremist has fallen slightly out of favour recently due to the meta moving away from Alchemy, but a repeatable Purify on a 6-point body for 7 provisions is never a bad deal, particularly if you face numerous Poison decks or rely on Greatswords.
Hemdall [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Blood Eagle, Greatsword, Patricidal Fury
Hemdall is a strong card whose full potential is unlocked when paired with Greatsword, but also works well as a standalone. He’s a good source of points in long and short rounds alike, and gets even stronger with Patricidal Fury. The Master Mirror expansion has introduced Blood Eagle, allowing you to tutor Hemdall if you meet a fairly easy condition.
Wild Boar of the Sea [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Patricidal Fury, Udalryk, any source of Bloodthirst, Greatsword
This card alone has pushed Bloodthirst back into viability and serves as the main pay-off card for Bloodthirst decks. With proper set-up, Wild Boar can provide a game-winning swing in a long round, but it should be noted that it’s also a meta call. If most decks go tall with few units, Wild Boar can be mediocre.
Morkvarg: Heart of Terror [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Blood Eagle, Greatsword
Morkvarg: Heart of Terror is the tall punish of choice for SK players and can be pulled with Blood Eagle. He works fine on his own, as there are often some boosted targets. Combined with a Greatsword, you can get a huge point-swing, should the opponent be careless enough to boost one of their units into oblivion.
The Warrior package has become the backbone of SK decks, providing amazing value relative to provisions, a plethora of Bloodthirst enabling cards and ample removal able to deal with both engine and pointslam decks with equal versatility.
Borrowing Donar an Hindar from the starter set, it should be noted that this package works best when paired with the Raid package, including Vabjorn and Blood Eagle. Harald an Craite can be obtained by purchasing the SK starter pack.
- [260 scraps] 2x Drummond Berserker, Herkja
- [320 scraps] 2x An Craite Raiders, 2x Tuirseach Invader
- [860 scraps] 2x An Craite Warrior, Harald an Craite
- [200 scraps] Skjordal Drummond (with Devotion)
- [800 scraps] Hemdall
- [800 scraps] Morkvarg: Heart of Terror
It should be noted that there are multiple variations of this deck, based on which leader you choose to play. If you’re using Patricidal Fury, Madman Lugos (800 Scraps) becomes an essential craft. If you opt for Ursine Ritual, Blueboy Lugos (200 Scraps) and Cerys an Craite with 2x Drummond Shieldmaiden (960 scraps) are a crucial part of the deck.
Blaze of Glory decks usually opt for Jutta and Skjall (400 scraps) as their leader targets, coupled with Hjalmar an Craite (800 scraps) and Sigrdrifa’s Rite (200 scraps) as the pay-off cards.
The Raid package became viable after the rework of Vabjorn, and it perfectly complements the Warrior package and should thus be played together. It provides great consistency tools and removal through Blood Eagle, Raiding Fleet and Stunning Blow.
- [200 scraps] Raiding Fleet
- [860 scraps] Blood Eagle, 2x Stunning Blow
- [800 scraps] Vabjorn
Champion’s Charge (200 Scraps) can be considered in Patricidal Fury decks, as they can reliably enable the Bloodthirst 3 conditionality. You can also consider War of Clans, which is great in decks with 2x An Craite Warrior and 2x Tuirseach Invader.
NR arguably benefitted the most out of all factions from the introduction of the Devotion mechanic. While the faction still suffers from two nigh-unplayable leader powers, the introduction of Devotion strengthened the existing dominant Uprising deck, while adding some tricks in the bag to Pincer Maneuver and Vicious Slash. Mobilization remains a deck revolving around the Siege Scenario.
The faction has emerged from Master Mirror as one of the strongest factions in the game, yet NR has historically been quite volatile balance-wise, oscillating between being very strong and getting heavily nerfed. While we don’t want to discourage newcomers from a great faction, we feel obliged to mention this historical context. -Nimraphel
Uprising > Pincer Maneuver > Vicious Slash = Mobilization = Inspired Zeal > Royal Inspiration > Stockpile
2x Radovid’s Royal Guards [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Any unit that benefits from Inspired or Barricade
Proactive, cheap and functional. Royal Guards can protect an engine or boost up a Duel unit.
2x Kerack Frigate [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Any soldier, Voymir
NR’s engines previously all revolved around boosting, enabling tall removal to excel against the faction. With Kerack Frigate, NR has a threatening engine that goes wide rather than tall, demanding an immediate answer.
Temple Guard [30 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Anna Strenger, Lyrian Scytheman, Vissegerd
A worthy addition to any Uprising deck due to enabling Lyrian Scytheman. While his condition can prove hard to satisfy in a short round, he’s nonetheless a reliable 6 value for 4 provisions that furthermore can enable Inspired on other cards.
Lyrian Scytheman [30 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential in Uprising, Low otherwise
Synergies: Boosted units
Primarily a card for Uprising, this meagre 4-provision unit can play for tremendous value if you get all your boost engines going. It will sometimes be awkward against opponents with plenty of damage effects, but in all other contexts, it can be one of the best bronzes.
Vissegerd [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium in Uprising, Low otherwise
Synergies: Boosted units
While the recent nerf hit Vissegerd hard, he’s still a strong addition to an Uprising deck at lower ranks, making him a worthy craft all the way up until Pro Rank. His value-ceiling is very high, so consider protecting him with cards like Royal Guards or Donimir of Troy.
Egmund [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Units with Inspired, Tridam Infantry, Lyrian Scytheman, Vissegerd, Falibor etc.
Egmund is mostly a glorified Temerian Drummer, and that’s perfectly fine in a newcomer deck, as he provides a reliable engine until you use his Order ability to remove a crucial threat or bring it into removal range of other cards such as Falibor.
Voymir [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Low
Synergies: Kerack Frigate, Draug
Voymir excels with Kerack Frigates, turning the spawned Volunteers into valuable contributors towards Lyrian Scytheman or Vissegerd. While not as strong a card as before Master Mirror expansion, he can still achieve good value under the right conditions.
Falibor [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Any card that can set-up his Deathblow condition
Arguably the best NR gold and one of the better golds across all factions. Falibor has a nice base power and can deal a lot of damage, serving as both removal and a big tempo play, all for a relatively humble provision cost.
Queen Adalia [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
At 10 provisions, Queen Adalia offers protection for a crucial engine like Temerian Drummer or Kerack Frigate while allowing you to save the said engine for another round. She has been a staple in NR for a while now and it looks unlikely to change in a faction deriving huge value from its functional bronze core.
Amphibious Assault [800 scraps]
John Natalis [800 scraps]
Boiling Oil [30 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Arguably the best Echo faction card in Gwent, Amphibious Assault is what makes NR a strong faction, enabling better consistency, reach and safety for engines such as Kerack Frigate or Temerian Drummer. The fact that John Natalis can tutor it makes him an essential craft, along with a second Warfare card like Boiling Oil.
Reynard Odo [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Units with the Inspired tag, Lyrian Scytheman, Vissegerd
Reynard can achieve a very high ceiling against decks that are light on removal, while easily enabling Inspired on other cards, as well as setting-up finishers in Scytheman and Vissegerd. You can obtain this card during your Thronebreaker playthrough.
Philippa: Blind Fury [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Philippa: Blind Fury remains one of the most effective removal and anti-bleed tools in the game, and since the advent of MO decks with Ethereal, she has the added benefit of being able to shut them down unless they play awkwardly around her. While the random element is annoying, she will always play for respectable value.
Part of the reason why NR favours Devotion is the inclusion of Viraxas Prince, who can also be obtained by purchasing the NR starter pack. As he evolves, Viraxas King can reset a powerful Order ability such as Prince Anséis or Bloody Baron, while at the same time being usable as a powerful engine by himself. He’s an integral part of Devotion decks, especially after you craft Anséis and Kerack Marines.
- [800 scraps] Prince Anséis
- [860 scraps] Viraxas Prince, 2x Kerack Marine
- [800 scraps] Bloody Baron
Prince Anséis is an essential craft in Uprising decks, serving as a flexible removal tool and simultaneously representing a latent threat if your deck incorporates Viraxas Prince. Kerack Marines are amazing in Devotion decks, serving as a great target for Amphibious Assault. They provide strong reach, can re-enable a damaged Anna Strenger and serve as a secondary Viraxas King target.
Bloody Baron is a safeguard against decks going tall through boosts and will thus always be a worthwhile inclusion in NR decks. He can also be re-enabled by Viraxas King.
This is a meme, but at lower ranks it’s good fun and will allow you to climb fast due to the lack of cards to reliably answer Donimir of Troy. The package goes well with Pincer Maneuver, since you want to play Vysogota of Corvo and Donimir of Troy in one turn, allowing you to outvalue every deck in the game unless you’re interrupted.
- [1600 scraps] Vysogota of Corvo, Donimir of Troy
- [1600 scraps] Shani, Priscilla
You can also opt for just including Vysogota and Donimir for a less greedy and more reliable package. If you want to fully utilize Shani’s potential, make sure your deck packs enough boosts to keep her Inspired. There’s also an achievement titled “From Radovid with love,” which rewards you with “The Stern” title if you boost Shani to 20 points. Worth it.
The Master Mirror expansion gave some much-needed support to one of the oldest NG archetypes, Spies, which further advances NG’s agenda as the control faction with a lot of removal tools. Learning this faction can help you understand the ins and outs of Gwent, which makes it a great option for beginners. -Minuano
Imperial Formation > Tactical Decision = Lockdown > Strategic Withdrawal = Double Cross > Enslave = Imposter
2x Magne Division [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
NG, from time immemorial, has struggled with proactivity. Magne Division not only offers that, it also presents a threat that the opponent has to deal with or it will generate value well beyond its 4-provision cost.
2x Ard Feainn Tortoise [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Ramon Tyrconnel, Ard Feainn Crossbowman
Yet another solid proactive play for NG. When combined with Ramon, it will generate 11 points on the spot. The downside of boosting an enemy when Exposed usually hurts the opponent more, as NG is well-known for its ability to deal with tall units.
2x Van Moorlehem Hunter [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Masquerade Ball, Thirsty Dame, Vincent van Moorlehem
A versatile card that has the ability to shut down an engine or apply 2 Bleeding to play for at least 5 points. Its Aristocrat tag helps with proccing Masquerade Ball and applying a negative Status to an enemy unit can have other advantages like boosting Thirsty Dame and setting-up Vincent van Moorlehem.
Roderick of Dun Tynne [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Masquerade Ball, Thirsty Dame, Yennefer’s Invocation
Roderick offers consistency at a very low cost, since the fact that he’s a Disloyal unit often means more points on your side of the board (with the likes of Impera Enforcers and Thirsty Dame). His effect is slightly random, which means you should try to play it when you have the least amount of golds in deck to assure that your pulls are deterministic.
Joachim de Wett [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Masquerade Ball, Thirsty Dame, Yennefer’s Invocation
Although Joachim has been seen less in the top NG meta decks, he still has his uses. His Aristocrat tag advances your Scenario and his Deploy ability synergizes with Yennefer’s Invocation.
Braathens [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Assimilate, Thirsty Dame
It might seem that Braathens only should be played with other Spies, but he has proven strong enough to be included in almost every deck since he can generate an enormous amount of value. Bear in mind that there are only 3 bronze Disloyal NG units, so his “Create” is actually deterministic, meaning that you will always have what you want in any given situation.
Yennefer’s Invocation [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Tactical Decision, Joachim de Wett
This card is an extremely strong addition to NG’s toolbox. For a mere 9 provisions, you get reliable removal, as well as the option of using the target to your advantage. As such, Invocation has found its way into the majority of NG decks.
Affan Hillergrand [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential with Imperial Formation
The current best NG leader ability can use this card to have a better Round 3, as Affan provides 5 extra points after Imperial Formation is fully expended.
Soldiers form a complementary package that allows you to generate a lot of value on the board while you set-up your main win condition. They help you with bleeding the opponent and allow you to abuse Red coin, which makes it paramount to the success of most NG decks.
- [220 scraps] 2x Ard Feainn Crossbowman, 2x Deithwen Arbalest
- [800 scraps] Ramon Tyrconnel
Ramon has always been an incredible tempo-generation tool. He can spawn a copy of a bronze soldier in your hand and give it 2 armor, which means more protection for Ard Feainn Crossbowman and for Tortoise, it means that their Exposed ability is never going to matter. Crossbowman is incredibly valuable when combined with Ramon, especially when you have a lot of soldiers in hand.
- [160 scraps] 2x Ard Feainn Tortoise
- [60 scraps] 2x Impera Enforcers (in Single Ball with Ramon)
Several other soldiers that you could include with this package are Recruit, Alba Spearman or even Alba Armored Cavalry, but the core of the package is usually the same within all NG decks. Impera Enforcers are the soldier of choice for Devotion Single Ball decks. They get a lot of charges thanks to the inclusion of Fergus, Usurper General, Braathens and Roderick.
The Poison package utilizes the usage of the NG Scenario, Masquerade Ball, to generate tremendous amounts of value. Some decks use it in addition to another strong complementary package, while others rely on playing Masquerade Ball twice.
With that said, the core cards of both methods remain the same. It’s worth noting that Masquerade Ball decks include 2x Magne Division for some proactivity, along with Braathens and Yennefer’s Invocation from the recommended Gold crafts.
- [960 scraps] Masquerade Ball, 2x Van Moorlehem Hunter
- [1000 scraps] Roderick of Dun Tynne, Vincent Van Moorlehem
- [260 scraps] 2x Fangs of the Empire, Van Moorlehem’s Cupbearer
For the Single Ball approach, this core is combined with a mixture of the Soldier package and some Spies:
- [860 scraps] Ramon, 2x Impera Enforcers
- [200 scraps] Fergus var Emreis (with Devotion)
- [800 scraps] Usurper Officer
Impera Enforcers, combined with Ramon and some Spies can have a very powerful effect. Fergus var Emreis with Devotion is incredibly synergistic in this particular combination of packages, as he can not only advance your Scenario due to his Aristocrat tag, but he will also give three units the Spying status. This works wonderfully with Impera Enforcers and the Thirsty Dame from Masquerade Ball.
If you have Devotion, Usurper Emperor will have the Aritocrat tag in Round 3, while spawning two Spies and thus granting you even more Impera Enforcers charges. It’s advised to use Imperial Formation with this package, as it allows you to protect your engines when you play them to immediately put them out of removal range.
Alternatively, if you want to go for the Double Ball approach, the notable inclusions to the core package would be as follows:
- [1000 scraps] Oneiromancy, Assire var Anahid
- [220 scraps] 2x Thirsty Dame, 2x Rot Tosser
Since this package relies on playing Masquerade Ball twice to win the game, it inevitably has to give up Devotion and play a consistency card such as Oneiromancy. Playing two Scenarios means that you will need more Aristocrats, hence the inclusion of Thirsty Dames.
Rot Tosser triple-procs Thirsty Dames and Assire is used to shuffle Masquerade Ball back into your deck. If you’re down on your luck and the opponent had Korathi Heatwave, you can always use her to either shuffle a bad card into your opponent’s deck or a decent gold card into your own.
You can play Double Ball with Imperial Formation or Tactical Decision, depending on your preference. Imperial Formation offers engine protection while Tactical Decision allows you to advance your Scenario in the same turn as you play it.
After nearly a year at the top of the food chain, ST came crushing down with the huge nerf to Harmony. The faction can still offer some interesting packages which provide your deck with unrivaled tempo and consistency.
Since ST is one of the weaker factions, we’ll work on some basic packages that keep the faction afloat. If you want to craft a more advanced deck like Precision Strike with Schirrú, you can find it in our Meta Report. -Wusubi
Deadeye Ambush = Precision Strike > Mahakam Forge = Call of Harmony = Mystic Echo > Guerilla Tactics > Invigorate
2x Half-Elf Hunter [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Harmony, Elf package
For only 30 scraps, this card is worth running particularly in Elf decks, but can also find room in a generic Harmony deck. By no means essential or flashy, it nonetheless provides decent value for 6 provisions. The two Elf bodies can help pull out Aelirenn, while synergizing with Yaevinn and The Great Oak.
2x Miner [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Novigradian Justice
This proactive 4-provision Dwarf can protect your engines with his Order ability, which makes him a threat that demands to be answered. Coupled with Mahakam Marauder from the starter set, Miner is also a great target for Novigradian Justice.
2x Oakcritters [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: High with Devotion, Low otherwise
Synergies: Nature’s Rebuke
In Devotion decks, Oakcritters become a 7-for-4 play, spawning two units and thus offering a synergy with The Great Oak. Their Treant tag is useful as a Harmony proc or to get the 2 extra points from Nature’s Rebuke.
- [60 scraps] 2x Dryad Ranger
- [160 scraps] 2x Forest Whisperer
- [200 scraps] Weeping Willow
These five units offer both Harmony synergy, as well as a great source of removal, dealing with high-value enemy units. Provision-wise, they are easy to slot into any deck, providing ST with another source of control that can target tall or heavily-armored units specifically.
Treant Boar [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Nature’s Rebuke, Dryads for Zeal, Movement cards
A sturdy engine that will often assist you with removing the opposing threats, Treant Boar is a powerful addition to the Harmony core. Synergizing with Dryads and any movement, this little piggy can generate a lot of value over time and thus demands to be answered.
The Great Oak [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Able to provide solid value with row-stacking and removal without losing any value. The Great Oak is too good to ignore and should be among the first legendaries you craft as an aspiring ST player.
Novigradian Justice [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Mahakam Marauder, Miner etc.
While not useful in every single ST deck, Novigradian Justice plays for decent points while helping you with proccing the Bonded ability on Mahakam Marauder. If you feel like your deck could use some extra tempo and thinning, don’t hesitate to craft this card.
Serving as a backbone of every ST deck, this package offers incredible consistency and the synergy with Symbiosis cards. It also provides you with some much-needed removal.
- [860 scraps] 2x Nature’s Rebuke, Fauve
- [830 scraps] Forest Protector, Dryad’s Caress
- [800 scraps] Isengrims Council
- [800 scraps] Call of the Forest
Nature’s Rebuke is a great 5-point removal. Fauve allows you to access it, whereas Forest Protector can replay it. Isengrims Council makes your Poison package incredibly consistent thanks to its ability to tutor a Dryad. And finally, Call of the Forest is a great addition once you’ve acquired some high-end ST units like The Great Oak.
Symbiosis engines synergize with Nature cards. The evolving card Eithné Young Queen (800 scraps) is a popular option and can also be obtained by purchasing the ST starter pack. If you meet the Devotion condition, she’ll spawn three Symbiosis engines in Round 3.
In a more Nature-oriented deck, consider including 2x Abandoned Girl and 2x Duén Canell Guardian. A deck with Harald Gord and some Dwarf units can include 2x Tempering.
The Elf package is among the most explosive and powerful ones currently in Gwent, especially when coupled with Deadeye Ambush. Borrowing 2x Half-Elf Hunter from the bronze crafts, Elf decks usually include The Great Oak and a small Nature package.
- [1000 scraps] Vernossiel, Yaevinn
- [800 scraps] Aelirenn
While the package offers an excellent amount of tempo, with Elves alone you’ll be lacking for some control tools. Thus, Elves perform better if coupled with the Poison package consisting of 2x Dryad Ranger, 2x Forest Whisperer and Weeping Willow.
To make your Poison cards more reliable, you can include Isengrims Council along with Fauve and 2x Nature’s Rebuke. Since Vernossiel and The Great Oak are very expensive, Call of the Forest makes sense to ensure that you’ll have access to these cards.
Syndicate (SY) doesn’t have a starter deck and is designed to be a more advanced faction. As such, it requires a higher scrap investment than usual. On the upside, you can focus solely on Novigrad kegs if SY appeals to you. The faction has proven to be dominant since its release and the coin mechanic is unique and powerful. Understanding it is the key to becoming a good SY player. You need to find the optimal balance between coin generation and spenders. -Wusubi
Hidden Cache > Wild Card = Blood Money = Jackpot > Off the Books > Congregate > Lined Pockets
2x Sea Jackal [60 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Sea Jackal is the go-to spender. Not having any Profit makes him very useful when your Bank is full and you need to spend some coins. His Hoard ability turns 2 coins into 3 points, which is great for a bronze.
2x Street Urchins [160 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Passiflora
Street Urchins are a functional alternative to Sea Jackal. While you usually play Jackal when you need to spend coins, Urchins are played when you’re in need of some Profit. Other than enabling some of your Hoard cards and helping with thinning out The Flying Redanian, Urchins also have the Blindeye tag and synergize with Passiflora.
2x Fisstech [60 scraps]
2x Fisstech Trafficker [160 scraps]
Crafting priority:High
Having an efficient Poison package in its bronze core is what makes SY versatile. The package allows you to control the opposing units, while also serving as coin generation. Fisstech Trafficker’s ability to Poison your own unit and gain 3 coins can often prove to be useful.
Ewald Borsodi [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Horst Borsodi
While Ewald may strike you as a measly 6 for 8 at first glance, don’t be so quick to judge the book by its cover. The crucial part is that he allows you to convert your coins into damage. This can be the difference between winning the round with ease and getting forced out by a few engines. As such, Ewald has been the key component of most SY decks to date.
Adalbertus Kalkstein [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Passiflora
Kalkstein shines in some matchups, especially against decks that rely on Poison (NG’s Masquerade Ball). Otherwise he’s a decent 7-for-7, with the ability to bypass the opposing Defender. Not a must-craft, but a functional tech card.
Pickpocket [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Cards with Hoard and Fee abilities, Passiflora
Pickpocket makes Hoard engines like Saul more threatening, while also synergizing with cards like Passiflora and The Flying Redanian.
Dire Mutated Hound [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Low
An engine that can generate 2-points-per-turn is impossible to ignore. Morever, thanks to its armor, it’s quite difficult for the opponent to make a favorable trade when trying to stop Dire Mutated Hound from growing. The downside is playing into tall removal, otherwise this card threatens to take over the round, especially if protected by Azar Javed.
Graden [200 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential with Wild Card
Played exclusively in decks using the Wild Card leader ability, he requires you to play at least 1 copy of Slander. Against the likes of MO, the combo of Wild Card, Slander and Graden can win you the game on its own.
Hidden Cache reigns supreme among the SY abilities. It grants you 3 coins each round and your Hoard cards also require 2 fewer coins. This gives you a lot of presence in the first two rounds, allowing you to bully the opponent with a handful of engines.
It’s also worth noting that Hidden Cache lowers The Flying Redanian’s Hoard condition to 7 coins, while Sea Jackal becomes even more efficient as a spender with Hoard 5.
- [60 scraps] 2x Passiflora Peaches
- [200 scraps] Saul de Navarette
- [200 scraps] Lieutenant Von Herst
- [160 scraps] 2x Tidecloak Ransackers
Thanks to Hidden Cache, Passiflora Peaches requires just 2 coins to become a 1-point-per-turn engine. The Blindeye tag obviously helps with proccing Passiflora. Saul’s Hoard condition is lowered to 1/4/7 coins for him to boost by 1/2/3 points-per-turn. Once you get to 7 coins, The Flying Redanian will jump out of the deck and Saul will boost himself by 3 at the end of your turn.
Lieutenant Von Herst only needs 2 coins to turn into a 2-points-per-turn engine and he can sometimes be used as an emergency spender. Tidecloak Ransackers are the final addition, playing as a 7-for-4 if you have at least 3 coins in the Bank.
The Flying Redanian [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
Synergies: Hidden Cache, any card with Profit
SY can accommodate an incredibly high amount of gold cards, which means that you won’t always be able to find and play all of them. This makes The Flying Redanian appealing, as it rewards you for filling your Bank with coins, providing additional thinning and tempo.
Philippa Eilhart [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
The notorious “21 for 10,” Philippa has the ability to convert 1 coin into 2 points. This makes her one of the most powerful cards in Gwent. Once your Bank is full, the opponent will have to respect the reach of this card. She’s a big threat to any engine or Defender.
Jacques de Aldersberg [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Essential
SY finally has another high-end spender. The Master Mirror expansion introduced Jacques de Aldersberg, who plays as a solid 12-for-11 in Rounds 2 and 3. Functioning as Street Urchins on steroids, SY finally has a reliable spender for a short Round 3. This card can be obtained by purchasing the SY starter pack.
Imke [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: High
Synergies: Cards with Hoard and Fee abilities
Imke effectively plays as a 7-for-9 on Deploy, with the ability to generate 2-coins-per-turn. This makes for some nasty synergies with the likes of Saul and Sea Jackal.
Azar Javed [800 scraps]
Crafting priority: Medium
Synergies: Engine protection
Commonly regarded as the most annoying Defender in Gwent, Azar can be very useful. Most of the time, you can ignore his Tribute ability, spawning one Scarab and getting 3 coins. There will be rare situations where you’ll know that the opponent will have a rough time dealing with 2 Scarabs, which is when you can pay the Tribute and laugh as your engines take over the round.
Deceptively simple, the Passiflora package has proven to be very strong in the current meta, where playing multiple engines in the first couple of turns can take over the round.
- [960 scraps] Passiflora and 2x Sly Seductress
- [200 scraps] Adriano the Mink
To progress through Passiflora’s chapters, you have to play Blindeyes. 2x Street Urchins and Kalkstein are included in most SY decks, which leaves you with adding Adriano and 2x Sly Seductress. Hidden Cache decks of course prefer to replace Seductress with Passiflora Peaches, mostly due to the fact that Peaches has a much stronger presence in Round 1.