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Meta Snapshot #12

Patch Overview

Update: 17 November 2019; First published: 16 October 2019; Game version: 4.1.0.64

 

Changelog:

 

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

Tier 3

Honorable Mentions

Overview

One of the more unique decks to pop up recently, this is the first true swarm/token deck seen in quite some time. The deck arrives at a unique time on the back of the nerf to Mystic Echo Dwarves. This change left Syndicate in a strong meta position with less potential counters. Enter this swarm deck which gives Syndicate very few targets for their highly reactionary nature while also providing a consistent counter for the faction’s few ways of generating proactive points. In other matchups, the deck presents a unique challenge in that it is strong in a long round while also being difficult to bleed properly. When going first in Round 3 with our leader ability intact, we can open with all of our remaining leader Charges directly into a swarm payoff card, such as Yennefer of Vengerberg or Arachas Behemoth, to quickly swing ahead of the opponent.

 

Essential Cards

  • The most powerful card in the deck is most definitely Yennefer of Vengerberg. In the current meta, most other decks do not seek to flood the board with units, meaning we are almost always able to race ahead in units on board and make a huge swing with Yennefer. The inclusion of Whispering Hillock allows us to use Yennefer’s effect multiple times in a round, which can completely run away from the opponent’s score.
  • Dandelion: Poet is a card which often has a difficult time finding space in lists. In this deck, however, the card is extremely powerful. Not only does Dandelion: Poet allow us to put yet another unit in play to gain an advantage with cards such as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Bone Talisman, it also displays strong synergy with Naglfar, allowing us to retrieve two gold cards for the price of one if we play Dandelion: Poet after Naglfar has placed a gold card on top of our deck.

 
Pros

  • Completely nullifies opposing control tools and tall removal at the same time
  • Simultaneously strong in a long round and difficult to bleed properly

Cons

  • Can be easily teched against if it gains a large share of the meta
  • Weak to damage-dealing engines, such as Redanian Archer and Dwarven Mercenary, especially when they are paired with a Defender

 

Tech Choices

  • Manticore Venom ⇒ Zoltan: Scoundrel
  • Geralt of Rivia, Toad Prince, Pellar ⇒ Geralt: Yrden, Queen of the Night, Endrega Larva

Manticore Venom is this deck’s primary defense against some engines that gain damage over time, such as Lyrian Arbalest and Dwarven Mercenary. At the same time, it plays for a solid 10 points of value while Spawning a Drone and potentially removing some opposing units. At the current time, it is a card we would not remove from the list, but in a very specific meta (such as a tournament), it is conceivable to replace this with an even higher ceiling option in Zoltan: Scoundrel, which can play for up to 13 points.

Geralt of Rivia is the choice in this deck to punish opposing tall units, notably because it deals with Savolla's Frightener, but it can be replaced if the meta calls for different answers. Geralt: Yrden is an option that is mainly mentioned as a method to tech for the mirror match, although it also gets guaranteed value against any deck that row stacks because the opposing units on that row will be boosted by Yennefer of Vengerberg's effect.

 

Written by JMJWilson23.

 

7,020 25 15 165

  • 15
    Arachas Swarm
    Leader
    Arachas Swarm Order: Spawn a Drone on an allied row. Charge: 5. Whenever you play an Organic card, Spawn Drone on a random allied row. This ability adds 15 provisions to your deck's provisions limit.
  • 4
    12
    Dandelion: Poet
    Dandelion: Poet Deploy: Draw a card, then play a card.
  • 4
    11
    Triss: Telekinesis
    Triss: Telekinesis Deploy (Ranged): Create and play a bronze special card from either player's starting deck.
  • 2
    11
    Yennefer of Vengerberg
    Yennefer of Vengerberg Deploy (Melee): Damage all other units by 2. Deploy (Ranged): Boost all other units by 2.
  • 10
    Manticore Venom
    Manticore Venom Damage 3 enemy units by 3.
  • 3
    10
    Geralt of Rivia
    Geralt of Rivia Deploy: Destroy an enemy unit with 9 or more power.
  • 9
    Naglfar
    Naglfar Look at 2 random gold cards from your deck, then play one and place the other on top.
  • 8
    Whispering Hillock
    Whispering Hillock Destroy an allied unit, then Spawn and play a base copy of it.
  • 3
    8
    Toad Prince
    Toad Prince Deploy (Melee): Consume a unit with 3 or less power.
  • 2
    8
    Arachas Behemoth
    Arachas Behemoth Deploy: Spawn 2 Drones and boost all other Insectoids in this row by 1.
  • 2
    8
    Whispess: Tribute
    Whispess: Tribute Deploy (Ranged): Play an Organic card from your deck.
  • 7
    Bone Talisman
    x2
    Bone Talisman Boost all allied units by 1.
  • 6
    Parasite
    Parasite Damage an enemy unit by 6, or boost an allied unit by 6.
  • 4
    5
    Pellar
    Pellar Deploy: Purify a unit.
  • 1
    5
    Endrega Larva
    Endrega Larva Thrive. Deploy: Spawn a base copy of this unit and Summon it to this row.
  • 4
    Arachas Nest
    x2
    Arachas Nest Spawn 4 Drones in an allied row.
  • 4
    Natural Selection
    x2
    Natural Selection Damage an enemy unit by 4, then Spawn a Drone in a random allied row for each point of excess damage dealt.
  • 4
    4
    Endrega Eggs
    x2
    Endrega Eggs Deathwish: Spawn 3 Drones in this row.
  • 4
    4
    Endrega Warrior
    x2
    Endrega Warrior Deploy: Consume adjacent units. Spawn a Drone in this row for each Insectoid consumed.
  • 4
    4
    Plumard
    x2
    Plumard Deploy: Give an enemy unit Bleeding for 2 turns. Bonded: Give it Bleeding for 4 turns instead.