Thankfully, @Easha has written a set of comprehensive guides about our intro decks and how to improve pre-constructed decks - we are extremely happy that we can share them here with you. Please make sure to also read the general overview in addition to the specific guides.
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My name is Easha Dustfeather, member of the Lodge of Sorceresses and co-author of the Glittering Girly Gwent Gaming blog. As author of the starter deck guides I already explained how to play the free starter decks provided to every player. With the addition of pre-constructed intro decks for sale in Shupe’s shop, I decided to write a guide for them as well, just like I did for the Syndicate starter pack deck.
It is meant for players who just started the game and decided to buy those intro decks. This guide explains how to improve and use them.
Fringilla Virgo has been removed. It was the only Mage in the deck and thus her effect was quite literally pointless.
Most of the 4 provision bronzes have been replaced by more expensive cards from the Nilfgaard starter deck.
As many Nilfgaardian game plans, the deck aims to disrupt your opponent’s strategy and gain points from doing so.
You have plenty of Locks to deny your opponent’s engine cards (cards with an ongoing effect) and Poison to destroy tall units. Thirsty Dame gets points whenever you apply a Status to your opponent’s units, so play her early before you start to apply statuses. Combined with a Rot Tosser, the Dame gets three points: one from the Spying status of the Cow Carcass and two more from the two Poison statuses it applies. You can finish off already poisoned units with another Rot Tosser or Van Moorlehem’s Cupbearer.
Do not use Philippe Van Moorlehem’s effect on poisoned units when you have a second Poison to destroy it anyway - damage locked units instead.
You leader ability combined with Vanhemar and Vincent Van Moorlehem lets you destroy any unit at your opponent’s side of the board and they can do nothing about it as the whole process happens over the course of one turn.
Thinning is winning
Thinning means playing a card that draws another one from the deck which reduces the number of cards remaining. This helps with your deck’s consistency in later rounds, so you it is more likely to draw what you need. For this reason thinning should be done preferably during the first round.
This deck contains two thinning options in Impera Brigade and Hunting Pack. Only keep one copy in hand so its effect can fetch the other one from the deck. If you already used some of your mulligans and have only one left, using it can be risky. You might draw the second copy of them, so it is usually safer to avoid this and keep your current hand. If you end up having both copies in your hand, this is called “bricking” cards. A bricked card cannot be used to its full potential and usually plays for much less value. Naturally, this should be avoided as it might you lose the game.
Random card draws
Writing of bricking: Be very careful with the random card draws of Roderick of Dun Tynne and Joachim de Wett. Always assume the worst possible outcome what they could draw you and do not take the risk unless you absolutely have to. Roderick offers a choice so you can take the card that is not bricked. Joachim, however, does not – it might play Geralt of Rivia from your deck while there are no valid targets for the Witcher.
Other cards
Alba Pikeman as an engine card should be played early as soon as your opponent places a unit worth damaging into their Melee Row. If you would end up killing that unit, you can place your Spying cards in that row to keep the effect going. Pikeman also makes your opponent play their units in the ranged row to avoid their effect, improving the value of your Lacerate.
Ramon Tyrconnel works only with Soldiers and has three targets in this deck: Ard Feainn Tortoise for plain and simple value in a short round, Alba Armored Cavalry if your opponent plays a lot of engine cards or Alba Pikeman in a longer round. Do the math before you decide and make sure you have a soldier in hand so Ramon does not brick.
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My name is Easha Dustfeather, member of the Lodge of Sorceresses and co-author of the Glittering Girly Gwent Gaming blog. As author of the starter deck guides I already explained how to play the free starter decks provided to every player. With the addition of pre-constructed intro decks for sale in Shupe’s shop, I decided to write a guide for them as well, just like I did for the Syndicate starter pack deck.
It is meant for players who just started the game and decided to buy those intro decks. This guide explains how to improve and use them.
Notable changes to the list (original deck here)
Fringilla Virgo has been removed. It was the only Mage in the deck and thus her effect was quite literally pointless.
Most of the 4 provision bronzes have been replaced by more expensive cards from the Nilfgaard starter deck.
Playing the improved intro deck
As many Nilfgaardian game plans, the deck aims to disrupt your opponent’s strategy and gain points from doing so.
You have plenty of Locks to deny your opponent’s engine cards (cards with an ongoing effect) and Poison to destroy tall units. Thirsty Dame gets points whenever you apply a Status to your opponent’s units, so play her early before you start to apply statuses. Combined with a Rot Tosser, the Dame gets three points: one from the Spying status of the Cow Carcass and two more from the two Poison statuses it applies. You can finish off already poisoned units with another Rot Tosser or Van Moorlehem’s Cupbearer.
Do not use Philippe Van Moorlehem’s effect on poisoned units when you have a second Poison to destroy it anyway - damage locked units instead.
You leader ability combined with Vanhemar and Vincent Van Moorlehem lets you destroy any unit at your opponent’s side of the board and they can do nothing about it as the whole process happens over the course of one turn.
Thinning is winning
Thinning means playing a card that draws another one from the deck which reduces the number of cards remaining. This helps with your deck’s consistency in later rounds, so you it is more likely to draw what you need. For this reason thinning should be done preferably during the first round.
This deck contains two thinning options in Impera Brigade and Hunting Pack. Only keep one copy in hand so its effect can fetch the other one from the deck. If you already used some of your mulligans and have only one left, using it can be risky. You might draw the second copy of them, so it is usually safer to avoid this and keep your current hand. If you end up having both copies in your hand, this is called “bricking” cards. A bricked card cannot be used to its full potential and usually plays for much less value. Naturally, this should be avoided as it might you lose the game.
Random card draws
Writing of bricking: Be very careful with the random card draws of Roderick of Dun Tynne and Joachim de Wett. Always assume the worst possible outcome what they could draw you and do not take the risk unless you absolutely have to. Roderick offers a choice so you can take the card that is not bricked. Joachim, however, does not – it might play Geralt of Rivia from your deck while there are no valid targets for the Witcher.
Other cards
Alba Pikeman as an engine card should be played early as soon as your opponent places a unit worth damaging into their Melee Row. If you would end up killing that unit, you can place your Spying cards in that row to keep the effect going. Pikeman also makes your opponent play their units in the ranged row to avoid their effect, improving the value of your Lacerate.
Ramon Tyrconnel works only with Soldiers and has three targets in this deck: Ard Feainn Tortoise for plain and simple value in a short round, Alba Armored Cavalry if your opponent plays a lot of engine cards or Alba Pikeman in a longer round. Do the math before you decide and make sure you have a soldier in hand so Ramon does not brick.
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