Lately, I've been asked by a bunch of folks on how I build my decks, specifically on what cards I usually take when composing a particular build. While every faction has subtle nuances and strategies unique to them, I have found that I rely on a "core package" of cards in almost every deck. These cards are powerful in their own right and can really enhance your deck to not only create a stronger experience, but a more consistent one as well. Always keep in mind that consistency is key in making any deck.
Again, due to faction cards and objectives, not every card you see below will be featured in every deck. However, when building a deck, I often look at the following cards and debate on how they can best fit in, if at all. If they do blend into my budding strategy, I almost always take them.
I do understand that everyone has their own preferences and while these cards are relied upon heavily by me, you may not find them as useful. Still, I recommend you consider at least some of these cards when building your next tournament winning deck!
Below, I will be sharing my go-to cards, my thoughts on them, and where you can find them.
Objectives:
The key to winning any game, these cards will dictate your strategy every phase. I tend to pick a healthy dose of cards that require minimal dice rolling. That way, whether I am rolling well or poorly, I can still score a solid portion of my deck.
Expansion: Zarbag's Gitz
A restricted card and for good reason, this is usually the first card I add. If you are playing aggro, it can potentially net you some early glory so you can start stacking those upgrades. If you are running an objective build, this is key to your passive glory strategy. Even in the Stormcast warbands, it requires little effort to score and in many cases, you can score this purely off deployment. I expect it to be banned in the future so run it while you can!
Expansion: Spiteclaw's Swarm
Another restricted card, this objective is fantastic. Upgrades are key to any winning strategy and getting rewarded for following your natural game plan is superb. What makes this card even more consistent is that your opponent can aid in scoring it as well.
Expansion: The Farstriders
The final restricted card on this list is another easy to score and consistent objective. Putting a fighter on guard already provides benefit and there are many power cards that aid in this endeavor. Best part is that whether your charge was successful or not, you still score it!
Expansion: Eyes of the Nine
Although this card does require a successful attack role, it too is pretty easy to score. After all, you just have to hit with a fighter that has the cleave special rule. Most warbands, especially the newer ones, have a fighter with this ability so upgrades aren't required to ensure its success. Furthermore, it is a score immediately card so it helps cycle your other objectives too.
Expansion: Spiteclaw's Swarm
This objective is a bit more specific in its criteria but can still be scored quite reliably. Scoring an immediate objective, playing a ploy, and upgrading a fighter isn't much of a task and can help that glory stream run consistently. A great filler if you are searching for that final objective.
Expansion: Echoes of Glory or Steelheart's Champions (NV) - Strong Start, Echoes or Glory or Garrek's Reavers (NV) - Martyred
Both these cards provide easy to score immediate objectives. If you are playing an aggressive warband, I recommend the former. If you are playing a high model count/low health warband, I recommend the latter. Martyred is especially good as it offsets your opponent's glory score by giving you one too, shortening or even negating their lead.
Expansion: Ironskull's Boyz
Superior Tactician goes in almost every single one of my decks because not only is it a win more card, but it also can give you the edge in tight games. Being rewarded for following your game plan at the end of the game is fantastic, especially when there are so many great score immediate cards that can help you cycle. I won't be surprised if this card ends up being restricted at one point.
Power Cards / Gambits:
Power cards are your bread and butter. These cards are designed to enhance your fighters already potent capabilities while also offering some fantastic advantages as well. Try to stick to 10-11 power cards as ensuring you consistently draw these cards is paramount. They will make or break your game.
Expansion: The Chosen Axes
Easily the best power card in the game, Ready for Action allows a fighter to make an out-of-activation attack or move action after a fighter has been given an upgrade. I almost always use it in offensive situations because it helps take out a single high health fighter or multiple low health fighters in a single charge/attack action. Oh, and your fighter has the benefit of having an (hopefully offensive) upgrade on them as well, potentially increasing the lethality of the attack.
Expansion: Magore's Fiends
I only recommend this card in warbands that have fighters with high health totals like Stormcasts, Orruks, or Mollog. Getting an out-of-activation attack after an enemy fighter damages a friendly fighter is awesome. You have the opportunity to punish your opponent's action and hopefully even eliminate a fighter.
Expansion: Nightvault Starter Set or Shadespire Starter Set
Often overlooked because of its inclusion in starter sets, Sidestep is a gem of a card that be used in a plethora of situations. Pushing a friendly fighter in any direction can aid with scoring objectives such as Extreme Flank or Supremacy. Tactically, you can also move one of your fighters in range for a charge action or out of range to avoid a charge. You can even foil an opponent's attempt to score Denial. Take it!
Expansion: The Farstriders
Making a fighter better without having to fulfill their inspire requirements can be, and often is, a boon. Aside from Reavers and Zarbag's Gits, this card should find its way into your deck and is worth double its weight in gold every time.
Expansion: Magore's Fiends
Hidden Paths offers numerous tactful plays that can enhance your movement considerably. Whether you are playing an aggro warband like the Fiends or even a defensive warband, it can help you reach those tucked away fighters. Furthermore, it can aid in scoring Extreme Flank or Conquest while also prevent cards like Denial. Plus if you really need to, you can safely whisk a fighter away, provided they don't have a move token on them already.
Expansion: Spiteclaw's Swarm
A card that I have grown to love recently, Spoils of Battle allows you to upgrade a fighter without having to pay the glory tax usually associated with such an action. Like Inspiration Strikes, this card makes your fighters stronger before they get into the thick of things. I can't emphasize how powerful that is. It also can combo with Ready for Action which can really get the jump on your opponents, especially during a crucial moment.
Expansion: The Farstriders
Spectral Wings helps improve your movement and threat range dramatically. Whether you are trying to get a key charge off or simply running for an objective, its quite useful. It also can offset movement impeding cards like Sudden Growth or Deathly Fortitude. If you are playing multiple power cards in your opponents power phase, try to play other cards first if you can as this card can telegraph a potential play.
Expansion: Magore's Fiends
With Earthquake taking up a coveted restricted card slot, Mischievous Spirits has risen to prominence. This card is a great counter to objective based decks and playing it in the final power step of a phase can utterly ruin your opponent's objective hand - you can stop them from scoring cards like Supremacy and Our Only Way Out.
Expansion: Spiteclaw's Swarm
A personal favorite, Rebound only has a 33% chance to work. However, if it does manage to go off, it can quickly turn an unfavorable situation into a great one. Imagine playing this against a Mollog or a fully kitted out Riptooth. Its heinous!
Expansion: Leaders Deck
Lastly, Quick Advance provides some much needed mobility, especially in slower warbands like the Sepulchral Guard. As long as your leader is alive, you can effectively Sidestep two of your fighters, providing that cards benefits to both. It can even inspire two different fighters in Spiteclaw's Swarm!
Upgrades:
Upgrade cards are awesome in that, as I have mentioned before, enhance your fighter's stats and abilities to take them up another notch. These cards are the final piece to ensuring the completion of a successful deck.
Expansion: Spiteclaw's Swarm
I recommend taking this card in warbands who primarily have the dodge characteristic for defense. Giving a fighter like Garrek or even Snirk an extra defense die dramatically increases their chances of survival which can ensure maximum usage.
Expansion: Magore's Fiends - Deathly Fortitude, Eyes of the Nine - Sudden Growth
Both of these cards offer greater survivability to any fighter. Sure, you lose out on a bit movement but, there are plenty of ways to offset this. Remember, a slow moving, durable fighter is almost always better than one that is removed from action.
Expansion: Echoes of Glory or Steelheart's Champions (NV) - Champion's Fortitude, Magore's Fiends - Trusted Defender
These cards allow you to make a single re-roll to your defensive roll which again, enhances the survivability of a fighter. If a fighter has more than one defense dice, you can technically re-roll two of the dice if they are both equipped. Champion's Fortitude is slightly better in that its benefit works even when a fighter is not the target of an attack action - should that ever come up.
Expansion: Leader's Deck
Another personal favorite, this card offsets the loss of your leader - usually one of the best components of a warband. Giving a surviving fighter an additional wound and attack die is crazy good and can give you an edge when avenging your slain commander.
Expansion: Nightvault Starter Set or Shadespire Starter Set
A staple since the game's inception, this card should be an auto-include. Increasing a fighter's damage output, especially against high health warbands, is the difference between doing damage and removing a fighter from action. That can be really punishing to low model count warbands. It can even make weaker fighters like Grawl or Arnulf more imposing. You have to take it.
Expansion: Echoes of Glory or Garrek’s Reavers (NV)
A variation of Great Strength this card is another must have. Whether you are attacking a high health fighter, a model with wound increasing upgrades, or an enemy commander (fighters with generally higher health), its fantastic. I can't tell you how much you will appreciate that extra damage when attacking said fighters.
Expansion: Leader's Deck
This card isn't as crucial as some of the others that have been mentioned thus far. Still, it provides a solid glory boost if your leader manages to survive the game.
Expansion: Zarbag's Gitz
Faneway Crystal is one of my favorite Nightvault cards. This card can really save your backside when trying to flee or scramble for that third objective when scoring cards like Supremacy. Furthermore, it can help reach fighters that may exceed your movement capabilities as long as they are near an objective. Either way, the tactical flexibility is great.
Expansion: Zarbag's Gits
Potion of Rage helps make your attack activation more accurate when you make one - you have a 51% chance to crit. That's huge when its against a fighter you want gone. Nothing feels worse than failing an attack activation, especially when your opponent rolls a single crit off a singular die. That potion is potent indeed!
Expansion: Magore's Fiends
The infamous Shadeglass Dagger is restricted for good reason. If you can fit it into your deck, its offensive capabilities will pay off in spades. Sure its only one use but if it hits, it does some solid damage. With a 36% chance to critically win , you can often use a weaker fighter to take down a high health opponent effectively.
Expansion: Magore's Fiends
The final card on this list is useful in any deck should you feel your potential glory score is on the lower end of things. As long as one of your fighters is holding an objective at the end of the game you'll get an extra glory. I can't tell you how many games I've managed to pull in my favor because of this card, especially with objective based warbands.
Well, there you have it! These are the cards that I always consider with building any deck. I don't think you'll take all of them in every build but I'm confident you'll take at least a few.
Please do let me know what you think of the cards I have selected, especially if you think I missed one of your favorite cards or two.
Till next time,
Aman