Mass tokens in gwent: In depth analysis

[Markus_Wirth]

In gwent there are various Mass Token´s. Their main advantage are swarm based strategies and they are vulnerable to row punishment. What I found out that their strength varies significantly. Fractions like MO (drone), SC (young dryad, Elven deadeye, Rowdy dwarf) and SY (firesworn zealot and flaming rose footman) do have tokens which can be used in various ways. NR´s and SK´s token serve mainly swarm based strategies and need to my mind a little more love. NG does not have a real mass token. One should consider whether one can make operatives to one.


Looking forward to your comments to expand the analysis.


SC:

Young dryad:
Spawn: Eithne, Saskia (+3 vitality), Freixenet, Abandoned Girl
Value: 2
Synergies: Symbiosis, boosting potential of Great Oak
Antisynergies: Harmony of Freixenet or Saskia is the spawner, Target for Blood Eagle
Analysis: Well integrated in game; Nature´s gift is currently strong leader

Wandering Treant
Spawn: Symbiosis
Value: Symbiosis
Synergies: Target for Eley´as, boost of Nature´s Rebuke, boosting potential of Great Oak
Antisynergies: Harmony, Target for Blood Eagle
Analysis: Well integrated in game; Nature´s gift is currently strong leader

Rowdy dwarf:
Spawn: Saskia (+3 boost, 1 armour), Figgis Merluzzo, Dwarfen Chariot, Zoltan´s Company, Zoltan warrior
Value: 2
Synergies: Munro Bruys transforms to dwarf berserker, Boost +2 by Zoltan warrior, Mahakam Guard +1
Antisynergies: Harmony
Analysis: Currently Mahakam Forge is not dominating, but the Token definitely can do a lot. To my mind the biggest problem is whether you want to use Zoltan warrior for +2 boost or Munro Bruys for Transformation. Maybe it would be nice if Munro transforms the boost to additional armour

Elven Deadeye:
Spawn: Leader Deadeye Ambush, Scenario Feign Death, Vernossiel, Saskia (+2 rdm dmg), Ele´yas Half-Elf Hunter, Waylay
Value: 3
Synergies: Boost for Great Oak, Aerlireen summon, Isengrim Faoilarna +1, Yaevinn + 1 dmg, Vernossiel + 2 rdm dmg,
Antisynergies: Harmony
Analysis: great token, works smoothly with Deadeye Ambush


NR:
Volunteer
Spawn: Kerack Frigat, Smoke them out!
Value: 2
Synergies: Target for Voymir boost (and armour protection of row punishment), enabling Crew due to Solider tag, Increase potential damage of Bloody Flail, Lyrian Scytheman, Vissegerd, Bone Talisman, Uprising
Analysis: To my mind there should be cards in the game with somehow interact with them.

MO:

Rat
Spawn: Plague Maiden, Nightwraith, Noonwraith
Value: 1
Synergies: Glustysworp food +1, She-Troll of Vergen + 1, Swarm strategy (Bone talisman + Yennefer of Vengerberg), Predatory Dive), Morvudd because of Beast token, Mountart if managed to get to graveyard purifried with Siegfried, Kikimore Warrior
Analysis: To my mind drone is the stronger 1 token of MO but the beast tag can have some value.

Harpy
Spawn: Deathwish of Harpy Egg
Value: 5
Synergies: limited value for Morvudd because of beast tag
Analysis: Even after Celaeno Harpy buff the whole harpy family needs more love to my mind

Ekimmara
Spawn: Blood Scent Finisher, Overhelming Hunger, Crimson Curse, Katakan (+Deathwish)
Value: 2
Synergies: Orianna more bleeding, Fest of Blood +3 bleeding
Analysis: Medium well interrelated as a vampire token, maybe a special card give random bleeding for each vampire you control can add more value potential

Drone
Spawn: Leader Archas swarm (then + all organic cards), Archas Behemoth. Endrega Queen, Archas Nest, Edrega Eggs, Endrega Warrior, Natural Selection
Synergies: Glustysworp food +1, She-Troll of Vergen + 1, Swarm strategy (Bone talisman + Yennefer of Vengerberg), Predatory Dive), Kimimore Queen, Archas Behemoth, Kikimore Warrior
Analysis: To my mind best integrated token of whole game

NG:

Operative
-> is not a mass token but part of Usurper and will not be analysed here.

SK:
Bear Abomination
Spawn: Ursine Ritual, Transform via Arnvald and Drummond Berserker, Primal Savagery, Svalbold Fanatic and Svalbold Totem
Value: 6
Synergies: Beast tag -> Axel Three-Eyes Boost, Crow Clan Druid, Target for Tuirseach Bearmaster
Analysis: Main use as a 12 for 10 (Svalbold Totem) and a 8 for 5 (Drummond Berserker), to my mind there should be more interaction with those cards (e.g. when you contral 3 Bear Abomination trigger one time x random dmg)

Crow
Spawn: Mask of Uroboros, Gednyeith, Crowmother, Axel Three-Eyes, Crow´seye Rhizome
Value: 2
Synergies: Beast tag -> Axel Three-Eyes Boost, Crow Clan Druid, Target for Tuirseach Bearmaster
Analysis: Can powerful combined with Druids+Gedyneith. Nevertheless think that this token needs more support (e.g. Summon all Crow Messenger if at least 7 Crows under your control)

Deafening Siren
Spawn: Currently limited to Patricidal Fury as bloodthirst support and opponent board floater and of Rage of the Sea
Value: 2
Synergies: Beast tag -> Axel Three-Eyes Boost, Crow Clan Druid, Target for Tuirseach Bearmaster
Analysis: Expect much more support in future expansion as the beast tag should get more important for SK

Harald´s Pal:
-> To my mind it´s part of Harald Houndsnout and will not be analysed for the mass token analysis

SY

Firesworn Zealot:
Spawn: Leader Congreate. Jacques, Grand Inquisitor Helveed, Sacred Flame, Damnation, Lieutant Von Herst, Cleric of the Flaming Rose, Eternal Fire Inquisitor, Congregation, Eternal Fire Disciple
Value: 2
Synergies: Procession of Penance +2 (max 10), Collusion (?), Sacred Flame, Swarm strategies with bone talisman + Yennefer (Non Devotion) or Dies Irae (Devotion), tutoring via Excommunication, Target for Whoreson Senior
Analysis: Well integrated into firesworn archetype especially after MM expansion

Flaming Rose Footman
Spawn: Transform Lieutenant Von Herst, Transform Cleric of the Flaming Rose, Smuggle Rodericj de Wett, Jacques
Value: 3 + 1 armour
Synergies: Procession of Penance +2 (max 10), theoretical Collusion (?), Sacred Flame, Swarm strategies with bone talisman + Yennefer (Non Devotion) or Dies Irae (Devotion); Less removal probability due to armour in case of row punishment
Analysis: Well integrated into firesworn archetype especially after MM expansion

Scarab

->part of Azar and will not be analysed for the mass token analysis.

Neutral

Cow:
Source: Germain Piqant
Synergies: To my mind all swarm based strategies, Beast tag -> Axel Three-Eyes Boost, Crow Clan Druid, Target for Tuirseach Bearmaster, Slave Infantry (NG) +3
Analysis: In the early days of gwent transforming them with Slave infantry was a nice move. Nowadays, the cows need definitely more support by other cards (e.g. a strong rot tosser with transforms cows to cow Carcass and move them to the other side)

 

[DRK3]

A detailed, complete analysis of token units, i applaud the effort, specially as a longtime fan of swarm strategies.

I dont agree with what OP says in the 1st paragraph - when it's said NR and SK tokens need support. I was going to argue in their favour, but then i checked the individual unit analysis, where what i was gonna say is already said, in a way contradicting the initial statement.

Personally i think swarm and tokens are really good and have always been since HC started, they are underrated and somehow have never been popular in the meta, and so counter-swarm has also never really been popular either, therefore ive never felt in a particular meta i would get punished by playing swarm.

 

[Markus_Wirth]

Both NR volunteers and SK crows can be very powerful.
Volunteers can get their full potential with an uprising + voymir + vissegerd + Lyrian Scytheman strategy and the beast tag of the crows also can have a lot of value with Axel.

Nevertheless, I just think that this token do not do much more than swarm and having boosted units (NR) and having beast tags (SK). When you compare to SC, MO and SY mass tokens you see that such tokens can have much more interaction potential. So, I would not say that they are weak, but I would argue that they´re compared to the other mass tokens a little bit boring. Thus, I really hope that next expansions also works with the interactions of those tokens.

 

[DRK3]

Both NR volunteers and SK crows can be very powerful.
Volunteers can get their full potential with an uprising + voymir + vissegerd + Lyrian Scytheman strategy and the beast tag of the crows also can have a lot of value with Axel.

Nevertheless, I just think that this token do not do much more than swarm and having boosted units (NR) and having beast tags (SK). When you compare to SC, MO and SY mass tokens you see that such tokens can have much more interaction potential. So, I would not say that they are weak, but I would argue that they´re compared to the other mass tokens a little bit boring. Thus, I really hope that next expansions also works with the interactions of those tokens.

Well, tokens arent meant to have complex mechanics, the dev team hasnt even bothered to animate them.
I dont think NR and SK's tokens are more boring than most tokens of other factions, most tokens are only there for easy swarm, then have a gold that boosts all of their tag (Morvudd for beasts, isengrim for elves, Voymir for a type of soldiers, etc.)

The only tokens with a little bit more complexity are the young dryads that serve as symbiosis engines and the SY zealots that can be turned to footmen to negate damage (rowdy dwarves can do this too but in a more limited way)

Also, i forgot to mention but i dont think NG needs a token of their own, they already have daerlans that are really good for swarm purposes and other ways to put multiple units on the board in a single turn.

 

[Markus_Wirth]

Well, tokens arent meant to have complex mechanics, the dev team hasnt even bothered to animate them.
I dont think NR and SK's tokens are more boring than most tokens of other factions, most tokens are only there for easy swarm, then have a gold that boosts all of their tag (Morvudd for beasts, isengrim for elves, Voymir for a type of soldiers, etc.)

The only tokens with a little bit more complexity are the young dryads that serve as symbiosis engines and the SY zealots that can be turned to footmen to negate damage (rowdy dwarves can do this too but in a more limited way)

Also, i forgot to mention but i dont think NG needs a token of their own, they already have daerlans that are really good for swarm purposes and other ways to put multiple units on the board in a single turn.

Well, with Rowdy dwarfes, elven deadeye, drones and those firesworn tokens you can do much more than simple swarm (see analysis above). With the current cards I consider the volunteers and the SK/Neutral beast tokens do be a bit boring and hope that future expansions make more out of them.

 

[fil_faniki]

NG needs good bronze engines period.