Welcome to our 29th meta report! It didn’t take long for SY to reclaim the throne, as Jackpot is once again a force to be reckoned with, mainly due to King of Beggars.
ST benefited from their new cards, too. Milva: Sharpshooter offers a great synergy with Guerilla Tactics, functioning as a powerful control tool. Moreover, engine and no-unit decks alike can utilize the Round 1 presence of Saskia: Commander.
Assimilate is in a decent spot, but if you want to try out the new NG cards, Ardal aep Dahy and Jan Calveit can be utilized in a singleton Enslave deck with Radeyah and Shupe’s Day Off.
SK has a few options: Battle Trance with Gedyneith, Rage of the Sea with Rioghan the Undying, and with the changes to Onslaught, Pirates are finally a viable archetype.
NR and MO got the short end of the stick this patch. The interaction between King Radovid V and Uprising was hotfixed, however he can still be useful in a Witcher-based Shieldwall deck.
Regis: Reborn wasn’t enough to make Vampires competitive, as the deck has a horrible matchup against Guerilla Tactics. If you insist on playing the red faction, Deathwish is the better alternative after the buffs to Abaya and Maerolorn.
And finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous support. Everyone at TLG wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! You can join our Discord if you have any questions.
Graphics: WellMax81
Editing: Wusubi, ShadowplayRed, Sebodunum
Writers: Andasama, Avades, EuronCrowsEye, Gravesh, Inayesel, Lorakko, Oliveira, Pajabol, Qnerr, SpyroZA, Zubedoo
Consultants: Bantonio, Cyberz, McP0yle, SpecimenGwent
Last month, Jackpot had some potential, but it struggled with getting abused on Blue coin and not having a good short round. The introduction of King of Beggars solved both of these problems in one fell swoop, as the points he provides with Savolla can be used as an insane finisher or to successfully defend the bleed in Round 2. Multiple thinning tools help you with drawing your Savolla and give you decent tempo in Round 1, while cards like Whoreson Junior, Whoreson’s Freak Show and Professor provide you with a lot of efficient removal. -Pajabol
Strengths:
- Efficient control tools, favored against the majority of matchups in the current meta
- The deck has the most broken combo in the game with Savolla and King of Beggars providing a ridiculous amount of points
Weaknesses:
- While the deck got better on Blue coin, it can still struggle with a suboptimal hand
- Since you rely on playing Savolla, missing him will reduce your odds to win severely
Considerations:
- You can try out this version with Salamander
SY used to struggle in a short round, but Savolla has returned to fix this with the help of King of Beggars - these two allow for a 30+ point finisher. Or, if you prefer a long round, the Bounty package utilizing The Witchfinder and other control tools will make The Brute’s ability even better coin-wise. This makes the deck flexible, allowing you to adapt to most matchups. Royal Decree is a new card around these parts for this Non-Devotion take on Jackpot; it’s included as a flexible alternative for Vivaldi Bank that removes the awkwardness when digging for Savolla. -Oliveira
Strengths:
- The deck has an explosive short round with Sigi Reuven, Savolla and King of Beggars
- Jackpot sets up a bank full of coins for control tools such as Whoreson’s Freak Show, Tunnel Drill and Witch Hunter Executioner
Weaknesses:
- Facing the no-unit version of Guerilla Tactics can give your Bounty cards a hard time
- Having Royal Decree and The Flying Redanian as the only thinning cards makes this deck draw dependent, which can lead to awkward hands
Considerations:
- Graden, Caesar Bilzen
Guerilla Tactics is back after a long hiatus - this is thanks to Milva: Sharpshooter, the main star of the deck. This card offers great removal combined with your leader, Making a Bomb and Cat Witcher Saboteur. For every instance of movement, it effectively deals 3 damage to the moved unit. While Milva and the Forest Protector package give you all the necessary control, Alzur is the main source of points in this deck. After doing the now-familiar ST setup of getting Orbs of Insight in the graveyard with Simlas, you can use The Mushy Truffle or Oneiromancy to proc Alzur in a single turn. Dunca, Elven Seer and Sorceress of Dol Blathanna are decent engines that can help you with setting up the Orb carry-over as well. -Pajabol
Strengths:
- Alzur can be used to bleed the opponent in Round 2, offering a huge burst of points
- Milva: Sharpshooter is an insane card that together with leader charges provides you with efficient control for the opposing engines
Weaknesses:
- Vulnerable to getting bled, especially if you don’t manage to set up the Orb carry-over
- The deck can struggle with proactivity and can also end up bricking some of its cards
Considerations:
- You can try out this version with Saskia: Commander
Double Cross still doesn’t disappoint, as the loss of 2 provisions didn’t change much. It remains one of the best decks around by utilizing high-tempo plays that provide thinning (e.g. Blightmaker, Dead Man’s Tongue). This allows you to secure Round 1 or to effectively defend a bleed. You also have a variety of tools that provide a way to interact with your opponent’s strategy, thereby giving you a fighting chance even in rough scenarios, such as going up against an engine deck in a long round. With the solid 1-power buff to Illusionist, two copies made it into the deck alongside The Mushy Truffle, giving you another way of using your opponent’s bronzes against them. -Qnerr
Strengths:
- The meta decks play a lot of good bronzes nowadays; these provide great choices for our copying cards
- Consistency is amazing with all the thinning cards, as well as Joachim being able to pull that one gold you missed in the mulligan
Weaknesses:
- Getting bled out of your high-end golds can be devastating, so utilizing your mulligans sensibly is the key to success
- Drawing your thinning early in the game is important, as you risk bricking some cards (especially Mage Assassins) in later rounds
Considerations:
- You can try out this version with Jan Calveit
While not much has changed for Battle Trance, the meta around it has changed a bit. The Mushy Truffle offers a lot of support, synergizing well with Gedyneith and allowing Crow Clan Preachers to become powerful engines if left unchecked. It’s also the perfect target for Dwimveandra. You have decent tempo with the Discard package, Crowmother for modest carry-over and a flexible finisher in Fucusya. The deck can apply a lot of pressure if given round control, but it can also do well in longer rounds, especially against many of the no-unit decks that rely on being non-interactive. As a proactive deck, Battle Trance doesn’t care about that kind of gameplay and can simply power through it. -SpyroZA
Strengths:
- With the addition of Heatwave, you have a potent mix betwen control and pointslam
- The deck is flexible - it can apply a lot of pressure in Round 2 and win the short round, but it also has great long round potential
Weaknesses:
- You have to retain two Druids to proc the Scenario, which can sometimes be awkward
- Despite having a decent amount of thinning, the deck is a bit draw dependent, as you don’t have direct access to Gedyneith
Considerations:
- Sunset Wanderers, Derran
Milva: Sharpshooter is one of the best control tools in Gwent. She offers great synergy with Guerilla Tactics, functioning as the ultimate offensive movement enabler. Movement goes well with trap cards, so here’s an oppressive deck for all the bamboozle enthusiasts who want to see their ladder opponents lose their minds. With a buff to Cat Witcher Saboteur and Making a Bomb pulling both Madoc and Milva, the trap core of the deck finally has enough support to come out of the meme sewer. -Lorakko
Strengths:
- The benefit of being non-interactive for a few turns and then dropping huge finishers (preferably with last say) is huge, especially against control-based decks
- With Saskia: Commander thinning your deck and Milva: Sharpshooter shutting down the opposing engines, you should have no trouble with winning Round 1
Weaknesses:
- As usual, trap decks struggle against very proactive decks or those with lots of armor
- Missing one of your golds will often cost you the game; having a good knowledge of matchups is necessary to pilot the deck properly
Considerations:
- Rock Barrage, Cat Witcher
With the addition of Milva: Sharpshooter and Saskia: Commander, Guerilla Tactics and movement decks received support in terms of control and pointslam. If traps aren’t your preferred approach, Saskia with the package of Cat Witcher, Dryad Matron and Dol Blathanna Sentry can be incredibly powerful in a long Round 3. Simlas into double Bountiful Harvest can still provide massive tempo and can be quite valuable when you’re bleeding the opponent or trying to defend a bleed yourself. -Zubedoo
Strengths:
- If Saskia: Commander is played in Round 1, it’s difficult for the opponent to keep up due to insane engine value
- Great control tools in Milva: Sharpshooter, Rock Barrage and Making a Bomb, which also allow you to go for the non-interactive approach if needed
Weaknesses:
- Securing Round 1 can be a problem if you don’t have access to Saskia: Commander
- The deck struggles in short rounds where its engines won’t generate enough points
Considerations:
- Dunca, Mahakam Marauder
Shupe is making an adventurous return to the meta in the form of a true Midrange deck. It features a healthy mix of control, pointslam and versatility options that are fuelled by Jan Calveit’s ability to consistently let you draw your entire gold package. This deck isn’t built upon synergy between its cards but rather standalone value. It also operates with the benefit of somewhat nullifying the opposing removal, as you avoid playing engines and don’t go particularly tall or wide. Since we already play an array of Tactics to enable Ardal aep Dahy and Jan Calveit, Enslave is the logical conclusion to complement the deck. -Gravesh
Strengths:
- Jan Calveit’s ability to draw your golds makes this the most consistent deck in Gwent
- Well-rounded patchwork with a potential solution to every problem; when in doubt, just Shupe: Mage the pain away
Weaknesses:
- Struggles on Blue coin against high-tempo decks like SK and their Discard package
- Rather finite amount of total value, so you have to use all of your tools to their best extent or the deck will feel subpar
Considerations:
- Lydia van Bredevoort, Treason
Ahoy, matey! Step aboard the Terror of the Seas, Morkvarg is hirin’ to pillage the ladder ’n loot that sweet MMR. Our fleet boasts several ships of the notorious Skellige clans, as well as some of the most ruthless lads ’n lasses the Isles have to offer. As if that wasn’t enough, we’re accompanied by the legendary sea beast Fucusya. So what ARRRe ya waitin’ for, landlubber?! -Andasama
Strengths:
- Powerful warriors of the Isles will send the enemies off the plank
- Assembling the fleet doesn’t only daunt the opponent but also synergizes with your leader ability and your Pirates
Weaknesses:
- The Discard package is awkward if you don’t draw Birna Bran
- You can generate armor, but your damage cards are useless against no-unit decks
Considerations:
- Hammond, Dimun Pirate
The addition of Rioghan the Undying and Messenger of the Sea has turned this deck into a surprisingly strong one. In Round 1, you want to generate points with the Discard package and Melusine. Later on, the ability to play Sigrdrifa’s Rite twice allows you to use Melusine once again, and after setting up Fucusya, Fulmar, Rage of the Sea and finishing with Bride of the Sea, Rioghan will arrive on the board and trigger all those effects at once. This cataclysm, along with Messengers of the Sea, will create one of the greatest point-swings the game has seen. -Inayesel
Strengths:
- Easily beats engine-based decks that don’t have sufficient removal
- The deck can generate an absurd amount of points in a long Round 3, while having some short round finishers in Fucusya and Melusine
Weaknesses:
- Struggles against control decks like Jackpot and Guerilla Tactics
- Relies on drawing Royal Decree and the Discard package, otherwise you’re likely to miss out on your combo pieces
Considerations:
- Korathi Heatwave, Decoction
The Absolute Geezer himself, the man, the myth, the legend SpecimenGwent, came up with this Shieldwall deck that utilizes Ciri: Dash to gain card advantage. The list can create a lot of points with its Witcher engines and other shield-generating cards combined Damned Sorceress, while King Radovid V and King Roegner make for great finishers. It seems that after the nerf to Raffard’s Vengeance, this is the best option for NR, especially if you burn multiple units with Igni. -Andasama
Strengths:
- Your shield generation can make it difficult for the opponent’s removal to find value
- Some of your engines can generate a lot of points if unanswered or if your opponent wastes their control on the wrong targets
Weaknesses:
- Susceptible to getting forced out of Round 1 and then bled out of your crucial pieces
- Other than Prince Anséis and Geralt: Igni, the deck doesn’t have any control, which makes it even more reliant on its engines
Considerations:
- Seltkirk of Gulet, Vandergrift
Hyperthin was a high Tier 2 deck for a while, but now sadly falls short of points given the new cards and balance changes across the board. As such, Assimilate is the superior option for climbing. After the recent changes to the Double Cross deck, Cantarella is no longer popular, which makes the Reveal strategy easier to execute. However, annoying bricks and Blue coin can still be the downfall of this deck, as many other decks out there are capable of Red coin abuse. The game plan is still the same: thin down to 1 big unit, ideally Imperial Golem, and put it back into the deck. This allows you to generate a ridiculous burst of points with Triss Merigold, Yennefer: Divination, Xarthisius and Vilgefortz. -Zubedoo
Strengths:
- The deck has one of the most explosive short rounds in the game with its Reveal cards
- Tactical Decision provides you with a ridiculous amount of points, as it synergizes with Snowdrop, Affan and Mage Assassin
Weaknesses:
- Relies on drawing Dead Man’s Tongue and Snowdrop in order to execute its strategy
- With a high amount of bricks and pay-off cards, the deck will often struggle to contest Round 1 or defend the bleed
Considerations:
- Royal Decree, Albrich
Deathwish finally received some love in Patch 9.6 and is now back to being a viable deck on ladder. In Round 1, you’re able to play Harpy Egg or other bronzes and trigger them with Maerolorn for solid tempo. The buff to Abaya now allows you to trigger gold cards, which makes it one of the new staples of this archetype. The Mushy Truffle enables Celaeno Harpy, making it easier to meet its Bonded condition. Haunt is in the deck to win the short round or to apply more pressure during the Round 2 bleed. Finally, since Kayran has Immunity, it helps with playing around tall punish. -EuronCrowsEye
Strengths:
- Fares well against control-heavy decks due to having a multitude of proactive options
- Great bleed potential if you draw your golds, with a high chance to 2-0 your opponent
Weaknesses:
- It’s easy to play into tall punish if you don’t spread out consumes or don’t draw Kayran
- Balancing Consume and Deathwish cards can be tricky and requires correct mulligans
Considerations:
- Weavess: Incantation, Spores
Vampires added some weapons to their arsenal. Fleder has been reworked into a strong engine, matching the likes of the old An Craite Greatsword. Katakan was also reworked, providing a proactive option with Vampire synergy. Regis: Reborn offers a large pointslam in a short Round 3 or when trying to 2-0 the opponent. The deck excels at bleeding in Round 2, continuing to accumulate passive points even after you pass. However, sometimes there won’t be enough opposing units for you to bleed and with Guerilla Tactics having such a high play rate, you’ll face some very poor matchups on ladder. -Avades
Strengths:
- Powerful engines like Unseen Elder, Dettlaff van der Eretein and Orianna can generate massive value in a medium length round
Weaknesses:
- Vulnerable to tall punish, many unfavored matchups
- The deck lacks control tools like Korathi Heatwave, however breaking Devotion makes one of your best cards considerably worse
Considerations:
- Protofleder, Parasite