Scoia'tael Deck Strategies

[DRK3]

Why is no one using Saesenthessis? I recently did a SC deck with both dwarves and elves, and decided to use it (it's the SC default gold if im not mistaken), and it does really well. It wasnt even designed to be a swarm deck, it was mostly dwarves, but still would get around 20 value of it.

In comparison, i see Xavier Moran way more often and yet it provides less value. I know that one could work on a short round unlike Saesenthessis, but i still think this Gold is one of the most underused and underrated Golds out there, on a mulligan deck with those half-elves and elven scouts, could easily rack up 25-30 pts!

 

[Void_Singer]

I think it's a timing issue... you need both a long round, and you need to play it last for best effect... that said I see it a lot in casual

 

[DRK3]

Eishhh, this thread hasnt seen a post in over 2 years...

Well, im not a fan of ST, i struggle in finding ST decks that are fun to play. However there's a simple combo that i've been using frequently and i really like it, so i came here to share:

Its line trap (you know, the ambush card that damages 2pt on the row with more enemy units) + Geralt Yrden

This combo is really good in long rounds, specially against boosting decks like MO and SY. It can even be improved with some movement, to make sure all units you want to reset are on the same row.

The reason it works really well as a finisher is because you place the trap, but then on the next turn you get to both reset 1st and the trap activates afterwards, making it possible to do huge point swings (note: the max the row trap does is 18pt of damage, while Yrden is virtually infinite depending on how boosted the enemy units are)

What are some interesting ST combos you like to use?

 

[Barracuda88]

Even better, you could finish with: Dragon's Dream-Crushing Trap-Lacerate to absolutely nuke that row on the last turn

Mostly that's overkill though.

 

[DRK3]

Even better, you could finish with: Dragon's Dream-Crushing Trap-Lacerate to absolutely nuke that row on the last turn

Mostly that's overkill though.

Im gonna be honest - i never really figured out Dragon's Dream properly, when it would trigger, failed several times so i ended up avoiding it, havent used it in over a year.
But i've done combos of row trap + lacerate/ surrender before, as i am a big fan of these cards, they almost always provide great value for their provisions.

 

[Barracuda88]

Im gonna be honest - i never really figured out Dragon's Dream properly, when it would trigger, failed several times so i ended up avoiding it, havent used it in over a year.
But i've done combos of row trap + lacerate/ surrender before, as i am a big fan of these cards, they almost always provide great value for their provisions.

I use Dragon's Dream with my movement deck. Did miscount the stupid thing a few times. Annoying and embarrassing, for sure.

 

[vancouver3]

I think my biggest weakness using the Scoia'tael Harmony Deck is the lack of cards that can reliably destroy Artifacts.
Since every faction carries an Artifact card around these days, it is really hard to defend against that.

 

[Barracuda88]

The only cards that can destroy artifacts are neutral, so that weakness is not limited to Harmony decks. Teching in the heaver is cheap, though of course it's a clunky card. I used to use a lot of heatwave in the past myself, but tbh I don't really bother to tech against scenarios since Caretaker rework. Definitely swap one of your 5p cards for a heaver, though, if you see a lot double ball cheese from NG.

 

[King_Slayer_]

Hello guys, New player from Portugal here.

So, after whatching some YT vids about factions and a few games of each of them, ST call my attention mainly for the harmony hability. Seeing that units grow/boost for playing other units etc was really fun. I always liked classes ( in card games ) green/nature related such as Druid in hearthstone or , back in my kid times, green in Magic the Gathering . The traps is not something that i love but for all i saw ST have more mechanics and sinergies other than traps.

My question is if ST is a good bet for a new player? Is it a strong faction that i can upgrade with time even at higher ranks?
I just dont want to spend my resources ( as a F2P user ) in a faction that, in long term will not be viable at higher ranks.

After reading about the game i am thinking about do the story related trees, and use gold to buy only faction kegs until i have a solid faction collection and then craft cards to improove my deck over time. Opinions regarding this ideia please.

Thanks in advance for any answers and help

 

[Barracuda88]

Meta changes aside, ST works just fine at higher ranks or lower ranks. I picked it when I was new and played pretty much nothing else since beta, though you will have to play other factions once you get to pro rank and want to progress from there.

 

[rrc]

Hello guys, New player from Portugal here.

So, after whatching some YT vids about factions and a few games of each of them, ST call my attention mainly for the harmony hability. Seeing that units grow/boost for playing other units etc was really fun. I always liked classes ( in card games ) green/nature related such as Druid in hearthstone or , back in my kid times, green in Magic the Gathering . The traps is not something that i love but for all i saw ST have more mechanics and sinergies other than traps.

My question is if ST is a good bet for a new player? Is it a strong faction that i can upgrade with time even at higher ranks?
I just dont want to spend my resources ( as a F2P user ) in a faction that, in long term will not be viable at higher ranks.

After reading about the game i am thinking about do the story related trees, and use gold to buy only faction kegs until i have a solid faction collection and then craft cards to improove my deck over time. Opinions regarding this ideia please.

Thanks in advance for any answers and help

Welcome @King_Slayer_ to Gwent and to ST! ST is a very good faction, but I would say it is NOT the strongest. But the meta keeps changing. There were two months in which ST totally dominated. ST has quite a few unique playstyles, but as you correctly observed Traps are very weak and can't be considered as an archetype. Harmony is a good archetype, but every passing update, harmony keeps getting nerfed. But worry not, ST has Elves (Scenario, Isengrim, Yeavin, Varnosil etc), Movement (Sentry, Dryad Matron, Treant Boar, Malina), Dwarfs (Gabor, Barclay, Xavier, etc), HandBuff (Smuggler, Ithline, Sheldon) and last and the worst Trap.

While Harmony and Elves are good, the rest of the archetypes are not fully flushed (or competitive). But every archetype is fun to play. Also, it doesn't matter if a faction is the strongest, as long as you like the faction and having fun. Good luck and have fun playing ST.

 

[King_Slayer_]

Welcome @King_Slayer_ to Gwent and to ST! ST is a very good faction, but I would say it is the strongest. But the meta keeps changing. There were two months in which ST totally dominated. ST has quite a few unique playstyles, but as you correctly observed Traps are very weak and can't be considered as an archetype. Harmony is a good archetype, but every passing update, harmony keeps getting nerfed. But worry not, ST has Elves (Scenario, Isengrim, Yeavin, Varnosil etc), Movement (Sentry, Dryad Matron, Treant Boar, Malina), Dwarfs (Gabor, Barclay, Xavier, etc), HandBuff (Smuggler, Ithline, Sheldon) and last and the worst Trap.

While Harmony and Elves are good, the rest of the archetypes are not fully flushed (or competitive). But every archetype is fun to play. Also, it doesn't matter if a faction is the strongest, as long as you like the faction and having fun. Good luck and have fun playing ST.

First and foremost thanks a lot the quick responses and for the welcome.

The fact that the meta changes frequently is something universal to TCgames but is good to know that in GWENT every faction is able to have competitive decks after that changes, something that is not the case in others games i have played.

As for ST is good to know that is a safe bet because i realy liked what i saw in terms of gameplay mechanics and because the Faction theme is very appealing to me so i believe i will have a lot of fun playing.

@Barracuda88

Thanks for the TIP regarding the PRO ranks but i believe it will take some time until i reach that level

 

[Treellane]

Hi all... I'm new to Gwent, and trying to build a deck around the Elves of ST... but I've a question: I have 2 Etriel cards and what them in my deck, but it looks like the deck builder is only letting me add 1 ?!?! Am I missing something?! Thanks

 

[Draconifors]

I have 2 Etriel cards and what them in my deck, but it looks like the deck builder is only letting me add 1

Only one copy of a Gold card can be added to a deck.

 

[Treellane]

Only one copy of a Gold card can be added to a deck.

I didn't know that! But it's defiantly good to know! Thank you for the info

 

[Isrod_am07]

There is nice strategy with mahakam guards. You need to build deck for them with many buff up cards. So you use guards in first round (preferebly after some bluff cards for distraction), then you buff them up, and they stay for all three rounds with sometimes 15+ points. Ofcourse it can be easily contra-attacked with thunder or scorch, but even then this deck can go wild with all those buffing.

The problem with a makaham deck is that it is very easy to counter. I say this from experience, I recently faced a Nilfggard deck that destroyed me because he used all the cards in my own deck and left me without strategies.

 

[Jollyrogerxberg]

you qouted a post from 2016. This was Beta time, the whole game was different. Was it even the OB yet, i wonder.

 

[jed9653]

I play either Dwarf swarm, or a weird dwarf unitless

 

[DRK3]

So, i made a quick ST deck and was not expecting it to be this successful. Its nothing special so it doesnt warrant its own thread. And i wont post it because i can easily explain the main cards (and also, im lazy).

Scoia Deadeye Ambush. "Kinda Elves"
It has a lot of midrangey stuff, and lots of elves, and players assume its an elves deck.
Its actually a swarm deck that just happens to have elves because they swarm really well - Vernossiel and Eleyas. But then also has Novigrad Justice and those bronze dwarf chariots with bonded.

And has tall removal. And NO Feign Death, why am i gonna waste 13/14 provisions for it to be heatwaved everytime?
I have played 5 matches and won 5 matches, the last against a White Wolf (Top 200player)!

Players always have an heatwave ready for a feign death that never comes, then hit them with 2/3 bone talismans at the end and there's not much in the game that can keep up with that.

 

[plastiq33]

interesting, do you run isengrim or vernossiel?