Meta Snapshot #7
Patch Overview
Published: 6 April 2019 (Game version: 2.0.0.66_562).
Changelog:
- 24 April 2019: Added Bran Control and Burst Henselt decklists.
Contributors
Consultants: Adzikov, Damorquis, Jamedi, JMJWilson23, Kochua, Kolemoen, Molegion, Santtu2x, Sergi2Vamos.
Editors: Apero, Kochua
Manager: JMJWilson23
Tier 1
Decks in this tier have favourable matchups against the majority of lower tier decks and some favourable matchups against other Tier 1 lists. Another criterion is that these decks should be able to win against lower-tier decks on blue coin most of the time.
Tier 2
Decks in this tier can beat Tier 1 decks if the player can access its full potential, or are strong decks with a clear counter; in addition, these decks should win consistently against lower tiers.
Tier 3
While decks in this tier remain good laddering options that can successfully achieve high winrates, they can struggle to achieve the same winrate when matched up against decks we place in higher tiers. They may make for strong tournament options.
Honorable Mentions
Decks here aren't strong or popular enough to be tiered, but have enough potential to be better with the adequate support cards. They may win against unsuspecting opponents and can make for interesting tournament options, but are otherwise worth just keeping an eye on.
Written by Jamedi; Consultation: Damorquis, JMJWilson23 and SwanDive
What is a Meta Snapshot?
A Meta Snapshot is a comprehensive list of the decks which are played in a CCG. The decks are ordered by criteria, accounting for their power level through a tier (used by Team Aretuza & Team Nova), star or numerical system. If you would like to discuss our current Meta Snapshot, you can join our Discord server.
Which kind of criteria are used to classify a deck into a tier?
While the list of criteria is extensive, here are the most important aspects:
- Power level is the amount of points a deck can output in comparison to others in the meta. In general, decks of higher tiers tend to have a greater number of unconditional points without depending on what rival decks do.
- Consistency is focused on the draw dependency of a deck and the amount of thinning this deck has. Better thinning means more consistency, which usually means easier access to higher-value cards. If a deck is too dependent on drawing one or two certain cards but runs no thinning, it lacks consistency.
- Counterability is the difficulty that other decks have to tech for the matchup against a certain deck and how much they need to sacrifice to improve the matchup. In Gwent, there are a lot of ways to prepare a deck for a concrete matchup and we can expect players to tech against the strongest/most popular decks of the metagame. The capability of a deck to win despite teching plays a role in its tier placement.
The data are collected by the players in several hundred matches and is then translated into the Snapshot. While the normal ladder experience can be different, tiered decks are good to climb the ladder to Pro Rank with relative ease.
What is the meaning of the different tiers?
- Tier 1: Decks in this tier are the strongest, the most difficult to counter and heavily influence how decks in other tiers adapt.
- Tier 2: Usually this tier covers decks which are still good, but due to some reason, they cannot be qualified as Tier 1. They usually have less strength than Tier 1 decks or have another factor that makes them slightly worse than top tier decks. In some particular metagames, a deck can be Tier 2 due to how easy it is to tech against it.
- Tier 3: Decks in this category are still viable for climbing the ranked ladder, but they encounter more difficulty at high fMMR. They can still be used as tournament picks (in formats in which you can ban). They may still have favorable matchups versus some Tier 1 decks, but they are usually unfavored. Decks which are inconsistent or too draw-dependent also fall into this category.
- Honorable Mentions: Here, we put decks whose strength is not enough to be tiered, but which have the potential to be much better with some support. These decks are always worth keeping an eye on. A deck which has been discovered recently and has not been played enough to be tiered can also fall into this category.
My experience differs from what you describe in the Snapshot. Does this mean that the Snapshot is not accurate?
Short answer, no. Long answer, there are a huge number of factors that can influence the development of a matchup between two players with their respective decks, which includes player skill, knowledge of the matchup and the respective decks, cards drawn and how they have played the match. Also, it is worth noting that a meta snapshot represents a picture of how the meta is in a particular moment. “Tiers” as defined above are never rigid constructs. In any given day, the meta can shift dramatically.
In general, inexperienced players tend to play worse and with more unpredictable lists. As we move up on the ladder, decklists tend to be more optimized, sometimes influenced by content creators such as popular streamers or the most recent meta snapshot. Reaching Pro Rank, we can expect to face the best possible players with the most optimized decklists.
I have a different list from the one shown in the Snapshot. Does this mean that one of the lists is incorrect?
Lists provided in our snapshots are usually stock lists, which are supposed to be a base to be modified according to the meta you are currently facing and your own playstyle. The tech section provides some card replacement options which may be more effective within a particular meta. This normally does not affect a deck’s overall consistency.
I haven’t seen this deck which appears in the Snapshot / I play this list or this archetype and it isn’t in the Snapshot.
The Snapshot tries to be as accurate and complete as possible. We release an initial snapshot as soon as the meta has settled after a game patch and make as many updates as possible afterwards. If a deck is not included, it will most likely be added in one of the next updates, as we try to prioritize the most popular and relevant decks. Despite that, we have to skip some decks which are unpopular or are very similar to existing ones. If you would like to be informed about our updates, feel free to check our website regularly or follow Team Aretuza or Team Nova on Twitter or Discord.
Are you just including the most popular decks/FOTM lists? Do you keep the best lists for yourselves?
No. While it is true that part of our work is to try and create a representation of the meta that is as accurate as possible and this, of course, includes the popularity of decks, popularity has no impact on how decks are tiered. We do not keep the best lists for ourselves. We are creating meta snapshots to share our collective knowledge of this game and provide players of all levels with a more enjoyable Gwent experience.
Do you have more questions? Join the discussion on Discord!
Tier 1
Tier 2
Overview
After Freddybabes popularized this deck it has taken over the meta by storm. Eist Tuirseach's ability was largely forgotten due to the big Derran nerf, but it is now getting a breath of fresh air. The core of this deck is similar to the Bran Value list, but adds some combo cards to fight for short rounds. Eist’s ability plays right into this, enabling unanswerable 2-card combos such as Knut the Callous on Vildkaarl, and Jutta an Dimun + Bekker's Dark Mirror in the spirit of old Eist Warrior lists. This deck’s consistency is just slightly worse than Tier 1 Skellige decks, but it compensates with its enormous power level, cementing its position as one of the best lists for Skellige players.
Essential Cards
- Knut the Callous is an activator for Vildkaarl and Olaf combos, as well as a Warrior who can be resurrected with Eist’s ability. It can also be used to maximize the value from the Bekker's Dark Mirror + Jutta an Dimun combo, among other examples. It is also very versatile and has a decent body, so it can be good when played by itself.
- Jutta an Dimun is the other principal target for Eist’s ability. In combination with Bekker's Dark Mirror, it is a solid 18-point play. On blue coin, Tactical Advantage can be used on Count Caldwell to produce 27 points in two plays, making our opponent fall behind in tempo. Jutta’s big-point value, however, makes it very vulnerable to Ozzrel in Monsters matchups.
Pros
- Excellent short-round strategy
Cons
- Less consistency than the classic Bran deck
- Vulnerable to graveyard hate
Tech Choices
- Bekker's Dark Mirror ⇒ Hemdall
- Svalblod Totem ⇒ Kambi
Bekker's Dark Mirror is great if we are able to combo it with Jutta an Dimun, but it still has decent value if we use it on one of our Dimun Light Longships or a damaged Count Caldwell. Using Hemdall in this list allows us to use Eist on Hjalmar an Craite instead of Jutta. However, Hemdall is often a target for tall removal, as it is also boosted when Svalblod units or Knut the Callous deal damage.
The second proposed tech choice is aimed at denying the opponent’s win conditions. Svalblod Totem is worth 10 pure points most of the time. Kambi, on the other hand, is a riskier option, but when used wisely, it can destroy our opponent’s game plan and give us extra points with Morkvarg in hand. This option is recommended for more aggressive play styles or as a gimmick to get extra card advantage in Round 2 when Round 1 was lost. (Basically, the opponent throws cards until reaching 7 in hand, and if in that moment Kambi is played, we can get card advantage, granted that we are ahead in points.)
0 25 20 165
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15Eist Tuirseach
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10Svalblod Totem
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810Olaf
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510Birna Bran
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9Bekker's Dark Mirror
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69Knut the Callous
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59Morkvarg
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59Vildkaarl
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49Coral
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49Harald Houndsnout
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39Hjalmar an Craite
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128Jutta an Dimun
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108Count Caldwell
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5Primal Savagery
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55Dimun Light Longshipx2Order: Damage self and an enemy unit by 1. Cooldown: 1.
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35Heymaey Skald
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4Sporesx2Restore a unit to its base power.
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44Svalblod Butcherx2Deploy: Damage an allied unit by 2, then give an enemy unit Bleeding for 3 turns.
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24An Craite Marauder
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24Svalblod Ravagerx2Deploy (Melee): Damage an enemy unit by 2. Bloodthirst 2: Give it Bleeding for 2 turns.
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24Tuirseach Skirmisherx2When this unit is Discarded, Summon it from your graveyard to the melee row.