Sabbath and shupe everywhere

[qbim]

What is going on? I log in to play me some ranked and what do I see? Every second deck is shupe and every third deck is sabbath. Is that some kind of a fallout of the stale meta? I am jumping across 3900-4100 mmr and all I see is sabbath and shupe. While I do see some legit decks here and there it became clear they are now in the underdog position. I don't get it. Are people that tired of normal conventional decks? Can't people play some self-made things like spies nilfs or even own flavour of mill if they are that bored out of the game? Shupe decks are point vomiting with the last high-roll to pay the bills. Sabbath are completely binary (and I am ok playing vs swim's sabbath which can legit hold its own even without that famous card, I am talking about hillock + aguara no-unit variation). I would better see some hard match even vs greatswords or alchemy netdecks than experience opponent's insta-forfeit after killing their sabbath or mindless point vomit vs shupe.

There is casual and there is ranked. In casual people are expected to try out new things and have random, "crazy enough it might work" fun or just practice and ranked presents some competitive experience that involves head puzzles and problem solving (that are fun in their own way). Why and when did it all mix up?

I am really confused. Killing their sabbath in ranked and seeing "the opponent has forfeit" induces utter puzzle in my brain.

Again, what exactly did happen? Why are those decks getting popular again? Where are the serious matches at? Are people becoming that bored? Or maybe I am just that lucky to be matched so often vs shupe and sabbath?

 

[Gamer_Matt]

Its an easy rank climb deck, to get to rank 19, then you only see alchemy, that new hybrid, and sheldon opener.


A tip, always run mandrake in your deck, the rest option is great against crazy buffing decks and sabbath, and the strenghetn is great for your own units to res or roach.

 

[shilliash]

It makes me smile when I see another meta-deck - it starts to happen earlier even on Rank17 I can assure You. I would add Shiru and his "flames" to this list.

There is no money I would accept seeing vigorous rege quit of Nilfgard player when Mr.Imlerith is gone for good Shup is a little bit more problematic I admit But if i am not lucky with Mandrake... elf on throne wins - no doubt.

Still if someone aims to climb ladder beyond 18 and take being defeated personally its healthier to play cusual. Playing Skellige but not GS and ships combination nor Veterans - having maybe 33% of win rate what I accept happily. Its more comforting to win with something that is not going with the flow - at least for me.

From another hand - there always will be bunch of people they will use popular high win ratio decks in CCG's.

 

[Kingoko]

I like playing against sabbath and shupe now, my deck most of time counter it

 

[Ic3Purple]

I'm playing Shupe from r1 to r20, and it is just a fun deck to play out of ordinary things. I got bored of all the rest... Just these past days I'm replaying a bit NG spies on casual.

Playing Shupe decks, you pay a high price in terms of deck thinning. The chances to draw the rest of your golds (including Shupe), and silvers get pretty limited compared to the traditional archetypes. it is fair as it is.

I wish there were more decks of that offers such alternative instead of the usual tutoring decks.

On the other hand, I find dumb sabbath decks, but given the current state of the game, is all fine.

 

[el_Bosco]

It is ridiculous really. And all it takes is a streamer or two to start playing it and 50% of the ppl netdecks it. No GG for those guys....too bad.

 

[carlajiji]

I wish there were more decks of that offers too, it would be great.

 

[friketje]

Shupe is played more since it is the key gold for scoiatel now after the wardancer nerf, most ST decks are shupe now. ST just doesn't have enough options for other decks at the moment
Sabbath is rarely played higher ranked though, haven't seen it after rank 20 but a lot of people are playing it below rank 20, i guess cause of the free wins when uncountered. I hate this card with a passion, but luckily in the end it isn't a good card meta wise.

 

[Pruny]

Man i hate shupe ST, because i cant mill it....
I hope pumpkin ambush or spellatel will become more popular

 

[partci]

Every third game is against one or the other.

It's like I'm having a constant bulimia.


#theStateOfGwent

 

[rrc]

Even I felt the same. After R19, one in three games (approx) is against Shupe. I have faced SK Shupe, SC Shupe, Monster Shupe. I think mainly for the 'Draw a card' option. You can easily detect that you are going to face Shupe within three or four cards. But knowing you are going to face Shupe doesn't help much too. Just be prepared to lose in most cases.

 

[williamr1024]

That is because Sabbath is insanely powerful and it requires very few specific cards that can stop it and not everyone wants to run those cards. For example, if you use mandrake it will destroy it (if you use it right away) but you have to have it in your hand at that moment, or find a way to draw it. Plus, if you run it just to counter Sabbath, it is not a card that has a synergy in all decks so it can become a useless card (if they don't have any boosted cards to reset, etc. it is only a 6 point play).

Shupe is insanely versatile card. I play it a lot because of its ability to help in soooo many situations. The hunter option is awesome, and the other modes add a lot too. It can become resilient, it can be a 25 point card, it can add hazards to every row, etc. This last one is more powerful then people realize, especially in long rounds with no weather clear.

When you add cards to a game that are this powerful, everyone is going to run them because they are powerful, pretty straightforward.

 

[devivre]

That is because Sabbath is insanely powerful and it requires very few specific cards that can stop it and not everyone wants to run those cards. For example, if you use mandrake it will destroy it (if you use it right away) but you have to have it in your hand at that moment, or find a way to draw it. Plus, if you run it just to counter Sabbath, it is not a card that has a synergy in all decks so it can become a useless card (if they don't have any boosted cards to reset, etc. it is only a 6 point play).

Well, Mandrake is useful in the vast majority of matches. The main problem here is that it only helps against Sabbath if you draw it in time.

 

[Khreygond]

Well, Mandrake is useful in the vast majority of matches. The main problem here is that it only helps against Sabbath if you draw it in time.

It doesn't even help against that anymore. Swim's variant of Sabbath has a pretty good winrate for something so popular. That is because by now, the primary tactic is to bait out Mandrake with Sabbath and then win via STR 15 Ghouls that eat Fiends and Cyclopes from the graveyard. I usually use Kayran to counter Sabbath if I am playing Monsters because nobody runs Renew. The problem is that I do not often draw it. So I am forced to use the second counter which I'd rather keep for the ghouls, Mandrake. If there's no access to either, well, that's it then.

 

[devivre]

It doesn't even help against that anymore.

Well, it still helps against Sabbath, but yeah, it's always tricky when there is more than one card that requires Mandrake (at least if you don't run a spell deck).

 

[Pruny]

It doesn't even help against that anymore. Swim's variant of Sabbath has a pretty good winrate for something so popular. That is because by now, the primary tactic is to bait out Mandrake with Sabbath and then win via STR 15 Ghouls that eat Fiends and Cyclopes from the graveyard. I usually use Kayran to counter Sabbath if I am playing Monsters because nobody runs Renew. The problem is that I do not often draw it. So I am forced to use the second counter which I'd rather keep for the ghouls, Mandrake. If there's no access to either, well, that's it then.

I mill swim sabath easy, nilfgardian knight destroy sabath and they dont have renew.
I tried to run sabath with drakars but i dont think its reliable, i prefer basic imlerith.

 

[ErraticSpawn]

So I am really confused now.

After months of complaining from all sides about RNG in Gwent people are using not only in ranked play, but also today in the Open#6 tournament the deck of the "one of each bronzes archetype", which offers little to no synergies at all and relies as win condition on the most RNG card of all: Shupe (having 15 different options, of which 9 are available in the game)?!

That is hypocrisy in its purest form.

PS.: Which makes it the second deck type (after Imlerith:Sabbath) that will not get a GG from my side on principle (not matter if I win or lose).