The state of Northern Realms as a viable faction

[StrykerxS77x]

Well, I refuse to play another faction. It's absurd to have various factions, and then have at least one of them be crippled by inexplicable lack of synergy and tempo, compared to other factions. (I think monsters is the next weakest) I mean, what's the point? For me, it this nerfing of NR has been going for at least three patches. Why have NR as a faction if the devs continue to keep it weak?

Of the points listed above, I think #1 and #3 are by far the most crippling. With point #1, if I don't "win" the coin toss by going second, I usually lose the match even if I win R1. And point #3 is baffling to me. Other factions have this interaction; extend it to NR.

Out of curiosity how well would a NR deck need to be doing this season to surprise you?

 

[WildFeo]

<whining>
Well, after hitting 3500 rate I give up playing NR cursed deck. I've tried dozens of combos: with remnants and without, with different finishers and various play styles.
This archetype is just pathetically weak in current state and should be buffed heavily to become viable.
Apparently you can't play what you want in this game and compete unless you like playing "meta" decks.
Gonna switch faction till next patch.
</whining>

 

[soph912]

Foltest spam complains about Scoia Mulligan spam...priceless

NR is certainly not in a bad state. They have two strong leaders: Henselt and Foltest. I'm surprised Foltest decks are below 50% winrate since they are very good! Maybe because it is an autoloss against consume unless they run many machines? However many decks lose to consume.

 

[devivre]

NR is certainly not in a bad state. They have two strong leaders: Henselt and Foltest. I'm surprised Foltest decks are below 50% winrate since they are very good! Maybe because it is an autoloss against consume unless they run many machines? However many decks lose to consume.

I'm guessing the biggest issue is the lack of a real finisher. Ciri Nova may be normally an option but it doesn't synergize with Blue Stripes and it doesn't work with Henselt Machines. You can still make something with Nova but that often feels like most other Nova decks from other factions. Dijkstra used to be strong but he's not the most reliable gold card these days.

Sure Foltest Swarm Decks have Hubert Rejk (a 30+ silver card) but that deck depends so much on high-rolling, which makes it kind of questionable and certainly not reliable.

I'd say the bad winrate doesn't have much to do with Consume, since you don't see that much of it on ladder.

 

[soph912]

Temerian Infantry at 7 is a good finisher. Sometimes they come even with a Commando that didn't come out in R1 for 28 points.
I guess many play just relatively bad decks with Foltest. It seems pretty strong to me but it does badly against Axeman and Consume and apparently against Henselt too.

 

[Ic3Purple]

I won't speak Much of Redania and Kaed having the 2 archetypes of NR most used, while Foltest, even though the funniest (in my opinion) needs more attention than the others 2. I thought about a couple of changes that would be a little improvement.

Nenneke: currently synergizes with Dun Banner only, it should reactivate also Blue Stris commando too.

Commander Horn: Since its nerf it's pretty much disappeared from the meta. Good, now move it to NR exclusive card, and give it back its 20 points, and make unstealable from Aglais/Caretaker.

New Golds: A few won't hurt

Bronzes: Here I have not the least Idea, but maybe some deck cycling cards would be the best ( yes I think of Foltest 40)

Yet, there is an issue with Scorches, you end up too often, even on multiples rows with so many cards of the same value.

In conclusion, I agree that NR needs some attention and likely needs some new bronzes.

Temerian Infantry at 7 is a good finisher. Sometimes they come even with a Commando that didn't come out in R1 for 28 points.
I guess many play just relatively bad decks with Foltest. It seems pretty strong to me but it does badly against Axeman and Consumes and apparently against Henselt too.

It is a perfect target for scorch and
GIgni.

Well, I refuse to play another faction.

We are on the same boat. I would love to play Wild Hunt, but I can't. I invested a lot on the archetype, all I could, to find out later it is no match for most decks out there... Forced to shift on alternatives... and it sucks...

 

[Void_Singer]

[...]
Nenneke: currently synergizes with Dun Banner only, it should reactivate also Blue Stris commando too.[...]

And everything else via Reaver Scouts or any other tutor.... to say noothing of Henselt

 

[Bregthor]

I would love to know why NR has been so neglected compared to some factions, not being able to play a card because it gets instantly removed is very annoying

 

[Guest 4021160]

Shield wall from gwent tactics is a way to go

 

[Tschjo]

Only way imo to play NR atm. If you are lucky enough(not beeing on blue coin to often against rouver vomit) you can hit rank 20 with this

 

[Guest 4021160]

Only way imo to play NR atm. If you are lucky enough(not beeing on blue coin to often against rouver vomit) you can hit rank 20 with this

I don't understand the reasoning of a single Dun Banner. If you're behind by 21 point, your opponent will surely pass. The dun banner triggers and you're behind by 17. Seeing your deck you don't have a single play tempo of 18 points besides shupe. That card makes little sense to me.

 

[Tschjo]

I don't understand the reasoning of a single Dun Banner. If you're behind by 21 point, your opponent will surely pass. The dun banner triggers and you're behind by 17. Seeing your deck you don't have a single play tempo of 18 points besides shupe. That card makes little sense to me.

Adda can hit for 18 points reasonably often. If you have a knight elect in play or a weather on your opponents row you are fine with just playing Adda or then even botchling lubberkin. The main reason though is just deck thinning. You want to get to shupe no matter what and dun banner helps you do that. Also in some games you can end up with your last 3 cards beeing shupe Aguara and Seltkirk which means before you play them your deck will be low on the tempo (so dun banner triggers) but the moment you drop them you can still win. Also Seltkirk can swing for 19 points.

 

[Philologus]

Interesting deck.

I am in the process of designing a new NR deck, since my old one only got me near R20. (Old one was original, and so will this one be)

I'll say this much: IMO, if one is trying to design an original NR deck, or even a variant of the Henselt Machines, I don't know how one doesn't include weather control, given the point-spamming. People say the dwarves are now "nerfed", but I don't see it; the change from "strengthen" to "boost" really isn't much of a nerf. Plus, there's the SC swap spam, and the more engine-driven Greatsword decks (which won't respond well to weather). The Greatsword decks need heavy tech in response, or the longship/Greatsword combo gets outta hand very fast.

I've tried designing some hybrid NR decks, including a Temerian swarm/cursed knight. It looked good "on paper", but just played like dung. The cursed inclusions took too much away from the Temerian swarm.

 

[Philologus]

Out of curiosity how well would a NR deck need to be doing this season to surprise you?

How about it being able to get to GM as easily as NG alchemy or Brouver, or Ithline's/Aglais/Schirru;s sextuple scorch/Alzur's/Merigolds?

Maybe the above is exaggeration, but those decks seem so much easier to pilot. I could be wrong, but after 100s of matches...

 

[Kissofpain]

No Title

Hello,

I started recently to play gwent (less than 2 weeks) and I came on the forum to look for ways to improve my deck, just to find out that a lot of ppl are struggling to get to 21.

So here's my Henselt deck that I build myself during these 2 weeks, and which got me easily to lvl20. And the only reason I didnt get to lvl21 is that I had no idea the season would end on 29.03 and not on 31.03.

Anyway, if anyone knows ways to improve this deck, pls let me know, or if you guys have questions, I would gladly share my ideas.

Thanks.

 

[devivre]

Hello,

I started recently to play gwent (less than 2 weeks) and I came on the forum to look for ways to improve my deck, just to find out that a lot of ppl are struggling to get to 21.

So here's my Henselt deck that I build myself during these 2 weeks, and which got me easily to lvl20. And the only reason I didnt get to lvl21 is that I had no idea the season would end on 29.03 and not on 31.03.

Anyway, if anyone knows ways to improve this deck, pls let me know, or if you guys have questions, I would gladly share my ideas.

Thanks.

Yeah, Henselt is currently the strongest NR leader and probably the only tier 1 of this faction.

Shani instead of Dandelion is one idea for an improvement.


Please always check the news section in the forums - the end of a season is announced there.

 

[Khreygond]

Hello,

I started recently to play gwent (less than 2 weeks) and I came on the forum to look for ways to improve my deck, just to find out that a lot of ppl are struggling to get to 21.

So here's my Henselt deck that I build myself during these 2 weeks, and which got me easily to lvl20. And the only reason I didnt get to lvl21 is that I had no idea the season would end on 29.03 and not on 31.03.

Anyway, if anyone knows ways to improve this deck, pls let me know, or if you guys have questions, I would gladly share my ideas.

Thanks.

you are packing 18 Bronzes. While Dun Banners are auto summoned, you usually need fewer. I have 2 distinct Henselt Decks, and both do ok. One is the netdeck, with the bloody baron, Battering Rams, Dun Banner and Reinforced Ballistas, while the other has Kaedweni Siege Supports, Ballistas and Reinforced Ballistas. If you keep a Kaedweni Siege Support on the board long enough to tutor 2 more with Henselt you are going to make it hellish for the opponent to win the round By the time he's through with shutting them down, at least 2 Machines will have gotten the benefits and you'll be ready to spam him with Ballistas and leave him to dust. plus, control options are usually low tempo so he'll be lagging behind as you deploy your machines

 

[Kissofpain]

you are packing 18 Bronzes. While Dun Banners are auto summoned, you usually need fewer. I have 2 distinct Henselt Decks, and both do ok. One is the netdeck, with the bloody baron, Battering Rams, Dun Banner and Reinforced Ballistas, while the other has Kaedweni Siege Supports, Ballistas and Reinforced Ballistas. If you keep a Kaedweni Siege Support on the board long enough to tutor 2 more with Henselt you are going to make it hellish for the opponent to win the round By the time he's through with shutting them down, at least 2 Machines will have gotten the benefits and you'll be ready to spam him with Ballistas and leave him to dust. plus, control options are usually low tempo so he'll be lagging behind as you deploy your machines

Fewer Dun Banners? The whole point is they fill the gap when you lagg 21 points behind. I'd rather not use them at all than use less than 3. In fact many times I use Dandelion to buff them and combo with the Spy, as the enemy will in many cases just press pass feeling confortable with the 20+ point difference. Also a good tactic if you play against decks that focus on buffs and you have scorch in hand.

Also for me the strategy is to get in graveyard 2-3 machines of a kind that didn't start in my deck, resurrect with Nenneke and finish the 3rd round with Henselt on one of said machines. In optimum conditions, that gives you a 5 machines spam in a turn that is priceless when put off.

 

[Khreygond]

Fewer Dun Banners? The whole point is they fill the gap when you lagg 21 points behind. I'd rather not use them at all than use less than 3. In fact many times I use Dandelion to buff them and combo with the Spy, as the enemy will in many cases just press pass feeling confortable with the 20+ point difference. Also a good tactic if you play against decks that focus on buffs and you have scorch in hand.

Also for me the strategy is to get in graveyard 2-3 machines of a kind that didn't start in my deck, resurrect with Nenneke and finish the 3rd round with Henselt on one of said machines. In optimum conditions, that gives you a 5 machines spam in a turn that is priceless when put off.

No, fewer units. As in fewer than 18. Very often you can scare your opponent into thinking you run them and they'll keep playing after you play your Spy, or try to keep within 20 points from you, often playing sub-optimally this way.

I know but that's very hard to pull off. If you have enough machines/winch access cards in hand, it's usually just better to bog an opponent down in a long round and tutor 2 Kaedweni Siege Supports with Henselt, as if one stays alive for long enough for you to do that, the opponent is in for a rude awakening Machines become invulnerable to basic removal due to armor, everything gets boosted, infinite amount of crewmen allows your reinforced ballistas to remove weaker engines (they hit for up to 6) or line up targets for your ballistas to have a field day In general I prefer the siege support deck a lot more than the Dun Banner deck but it's one's choice.

I usually try to summon Siege Supports or if that fails, Ballistas, which I keep out of my hand and aim for a good Winch. Usually 3 Machines is enough, even if 5 is one of the most satisfying things one can do in Gwent (aside from Sweers into 7 - 11 Nekkers, Kambi and Voorhis with 3 Mangonels on the board )

Nenneke is a decent tech option if you are running Dun Banners. If you don't run the aye aye sirs though, you can go for a lot better things, like Prince Stennis for example. Or better yet, open up your Dandelion and swap him for Dijkstra Though, if you do decide to run Dijkstra, avoid having Scorch. In the long run, it might scorch you. You can go for a quad that includes Natalis, Triss/Shani, Villenmethingy/ Seltkirk and Dijkstra if you want to go down that route

I just feel Dun Banners are very limiting, even if admittedly powerful. Moreover, Siege Supports were practically MADE for this deck, the amount of power they give to Machines is the maximum you can get off them So I just don't run the Dun Banner in one of my machine decks. I do run them in the other but I hate having to keep both them and one type of my machines out of my hand it usually fails. Badly xD

 

[Kissofpain]

Thanks for your thoughts.

However, I am wondering if you play at lvl21, because at lvl 19-20 Siege supp is always removed as soon as I play it. In one game I even opened with 3 and they all got removed. Not to mention is an auto loss vs slave whippers. The only deck that usually leaves them alone is the consume deck. But that deck is so insane, the only way to win is a very skilled scorch in 3rd round.

In fact in the meatime I have switched Siege Supp with Kaedweni Sarge. Reason being most of the times they got removed and I am left with no crew on board to boost the first machine I play. 9 hp + 3 armor is a guarantee they stay on the board, plus the utility they provide vs hazard decks.

I don't yet have Dijkstra, still working on my golden pool. However, scorch won me so many games, I am not very confortable to remove it. In fact I'd rather remove Ville, as the enemy can use it against me.

Stennis looks nice, but I find Reinforcements much better and I have no idea what other silver to swap out. Nennekis is here to stay for me, her sinergy with Henselt is awesome. Maybe I should take out Dunn Banners + spy and use Stennis instead. That would increase the survival chances of the machine played in 3rd round before Henselt. Problem is... is random.

Seltkirk is an overal great unit, but has no sinergy with machines, like Natalis, Triss and Shani. Btw I have added Shani and I am still debating if I should use Ville or Dandelion. Even w/o Banners, Dandelion is cool to boost those 3 machines u gonna play from deck with Henselt. On the other hand Ville is a psihological warfare, once on the board many enemies make mistakes trying to counter it. Unless they have the perfect answer, that is a boost on one of mu units right before Ville triggers.

Anyway, thanks for your advices, makes me tweak my deck a bit, so that's great!

Edit: Took out banners and spy and added Stennis and the deck feels much better now. Main bonus is I don't have to worry about banners when I mulligan.