Arnaghad + Sukrus + Defender

[Crasto]

So, what the hell is one supposed to do against the Arnaghad + Sukrus combo with Covenant of Steel? If you don't take the Defender out as soon as it is played, it's basically GG. Sukrus gets played the turn after, then it's Arnaghad, and at that point the match is over unless you can get some Igni gimmick.
The only solution I can think of is Moving the Defender, but obviously that would fit only a few playstyles that Move enemies, and they're very few. Besides, as soon as the opponent plays Arnaghard this workaround becomes reliable only on Deploy.


So far the only real way I can see to prevent the combo from happening is Heatwaving the Defender as soon as it touches the board, and that leaves any Devotion deck unable to do anything as it's quite hard to deal enough damage in a single turn.
Additionally, even if you manage to do so, the enemy can just Resurrect the Covenant and that's game over again. So what the hell is one supposed to do? Play Spies? Skellige can even get rid of those with Mardroeme, Ursine Ritual and any other cards that damages their own unit.

I am really struggling to find an answer here. Any insight?

 

[quintivarium]

So, what the hell is one supposed to do against the Arnaghad + Sukrus combo with Covenant of Steel? If you don't take the Defender out as soon as it is played, it's basically GG. Sukrus gets played the turn after, then it's Arnaghad, and at that point the match is over unless you can get some Igni gimmick.
The only solution I can think of is Moving the Defender, but obviously that would fit only a few playstyles that Move enemies, and they're very few. Besides, as soon as the opponent plays Arnaghard this workaround becomes reliable only on Deploy.


So far the only real way I can see to prevent the combo from happening is Heatwaving the Defender as soon as it touches the board, and that leaves any Devotion deck unable to do anything as it's quite hard to deal enough damage in a single turn.
Additionally, even if you manage to do so, the enemy can just Resurrect the Covenant and that's game over again. So what the hell is one supposed to do? Play Spies? Skellige can even get rid of those with Mardroeme, Ursine Ritual and any other cards that damages their own unit.

I am really struggling to find an answer here. Any insight?

I suggest playing a longer strategy. This combo requires 3 cards in the same round — even with tutors it is unreliable, especially before round 3. Then it takes three turns to set up. So if you suspect this combo, work hard to win round one, even if you go a card down. Then bleed round 2 to force one of these cards to be played, or at least to get a short round 3.

If you want to tech against this combo (not in my mind the best idea) try a purify for defender and a lock for Sukrus. Then Arnaghad should take care of himself.

 

[Markus_Wirth]

Well, actually in the early days of WotW I was thinking that this combo must be broken.

But it is not. It was my first deck and I failed. Reasons:

1. Very draw dependent to have these cards all in round 3
2. Costs a hell of provisions. To my mind the whole benefit from damaged units is strong. But cards like Sukrus and Defender add nothing to this deck as enablers or benefitter only as Arnaghad support
3. Even if successful there are counters (playing specials, strong deployers, move, purify, lock, heatwave) and good players can forsee this combo

Side note:
To my mind Arnaghad is also a nice surprise card in SK. I added him for example to my pirate deck.

 

[Damashiuchi]

Play Spies? Skellige can even get rid of those with Mardroeme, Ursine Ritual and any other cards that damages their own unit.

I am really struggling to find an answer here. Any insight?

If you drop a spy between them to the left of sukrus, then they can't damage the spy. So it's kind of stuck there. Of course they can play another card to benefit from the effect, but at least arnaghad is cut off.

Also if you do manage to cut him off from sukrus, Geralt quen with adrenaline is good answer

 

[ReaperTek]

Even if it's more of Meme, I wouldn't really consider the interaction with Sukrus a healthy one and I'm also not really sure if Skellige desperately needed another Control tool like that.

Considering that Viy is still problematic in combination with all the cheap consumes available to Monsters, I wouldn't mind if Viy and Arnaghad would switch skills.

Both Skills kind of belonged to the other Faction during Open Beta anyway (Skellige Strengthening Mechanic) which would mean more support for selfwound and Hym while removing the problem that you can't interact with the Card because it get's instantly consumed and jumps back in the Deck, while for Monsters it was kind of the old Imlerith: Sabbath skill anyway (instead of getting Armor for damaged units he could get some Armor on Dominance or Devotion) I guess it would be mainly used as a additional support for Kelly Carapace Decks but additionally it would give Monsters a bit more Control without a possible non healthy Sukrus interaction.