Make Spell'tael Great Again

[Khreygond]

Make Spell'tael Great Again

It's weird to think that Alchemy is considered a top tier deck while Spell'tael is lacking. I suppose part of the reason is the ridiculously low power of the Dol Blathanna Sentries, as they take ages to reach good value. However, armed with my old Spell'tael deck knowledge and having encountered and played a bit of Alchemy, I just made a new spell'tael deck. It's basically the ST version of Alchemy. I intend to do further playtesting but the results are quite promising:

Royal Decree
Isengrim: Outlaw
Triss: Telekinesis
Ithlinne Aegli

Yaevinn
Nature's Gift
Mandrake
Marching Orders
Alzur's Double Cross
Morana Runestone

3x Dol Blathanna Sentry
3x Elven Mercenary
2x Elven Scout
2x Sage
2x Mahakam Ale
2x Alzur's Thunder
First Light

The gameplan is pretty similar to alchemy, though, I feel it's far more consistent. Removal doesn't nail you as many points, but the true point swing of using an Alzur's Thunder is almost the same, considering it boosts 3 Sentries. With Ithlinne, the Sages, Eithne, and 2 Thunders, you pack a massive amount of removal. Even without any Elven Scout in hand, if you have all Elven Mercenaries you can tutor them via Marching Orders. Replaying any special with Eithne is powerful enough, while this deck packs a load of ways to tutor your specials. Usually the sentries end up at about 18 points of power each, more than Viper Witchers.

You can definitely swap First Light for a Reconnaissance, but generally, I prefer the ability to clear the weather in case I need it, especially since I can play it twice or even thrice with Triss.

Another possibility is swapping Yaevinn for Artifact Compression, to remove the bothersome Greatswords plus it will help you with nekkers as well, just in case 2 Mandrakes cannot handle the mountain of points they gain xD

If anyone has reasonably recent meta experience of spell'tael and can offer feedback, advice, anything, you are most welcome

 

[Void_Singer]

That actually looks surprisingly close to a deck I faced a about a week back.... except I think it was running E.Merc > Recon.... it was the day I chose to run NG Handbuff as a tease, and it beat me on a decent hand.

 

[Khreygond]

I did encounter one as well, which inspired me to make my own. I've swapped the Silver Spy for Artefact Compression and now I can proudly say it is teched against everything I hate (Nekkers, Axemen most importantly, Handbuff, Greatswords just got whooped , Sabbath too, nothing escapes xD )

In general it loses to Alchemy, since it cannot put as many points on the board as Alchemy can. These Viper Witchers are basically re-usable Dol Blathanna Sentries with slightly less value. But in general, it is decent enough for casual play, and probably even viable in the lower ranks. In the higher ones, it depends on Crach's popularity. If he is too popular, then that's your counter. This can absolutely wreck Greatswords.

 

[NomanPeopled]

I have no experience with the Viper matchup but isn't it worthwhile to mandrake/compress their Witchers r1/2 to curtail their bronze value r3?

I recently built a concept deck that was able to spam 14 Thunders (iirc) per game consistently. It sure doesn't win a lot, but Henselt and Greatswords sure have no fun time beating it either
I must say I was somewhat blinded by the collateral "nerf" to Sentries, but actually disruptive strategies look pretty good right now.

 

[iamthedave]

I have no experience with the Viper matchup but isn't it worthwhile to mandrake/compress their Witchers r1/2 to curtail their bronze value r3?

I recently built a concept deck that was able to spam 14 Thunders (iirc) per game consistently. It sure doesn't win a lot, but Henselt and Greatswords sure have no fun time beating it either
I must say I was somewhat blinded by the collateral "nerf" to Sentries, but actually disruptive strategies look pretty good right now.

Nah. People overestimate vip witchers being replayed. Most alchemy decks use assire to re-use beer and ointment their alchemists. Vips are just there for a Trial target and reliable removal of things that annoy you. I usually find alchemy loses if its a short 3rd round because they don't have much in the way of one-and-done power plays outside Cahir into mandraked Jon Calveit. Certainly the ones I've run into - and beat - lately are all the ones leaning too hard on Vips, and the ones giving me trouble are the ones leaning on beer.

 

[Void_Singer]

Yup, in general Vipers only have more value if they are hitting for full marks, or taking out damage engines... most of the time they don't, making the [novice > ale] a solid 14pt play vs the potential play of 5+(9-11) in vipers, which may not find large enough targets. if it is finding large enough targets often those targets will cloneable via Slave Driver, making them a better ointment target.

 

[Khreygond]

That's exactly it. But the problem when it comes to Spell'tael vs Alchemy is that Alchemy can simply dish out far greater point swings. Spell'tael relies a lot more on Mahakam Ale in that matchup as it's a far more proactive deck. That gives Viper Witchers and Mandrake targets (aside from Sentries). While on the contrary, the only decent Mandrake targets Spell'tael has against Alchemy are Jan Calveit (some people don't even run Cahir. Or just mulligan him away. It's rare but it happens. Not to mention how low tempo Mandraking Calveit is, which usually forces you an extra card down) and Joachim De Wett's pull, if you manage to hold onto Mandrake that long. Slave Drivers pulling Elven Mercs and most importantly Sages is also another advantage that Spell'tael doesn't have. Spell'tael's golds very rarely swing for more than 20 points. Eithne into Nature's Gift into Marching orders into Elven Merc into Mahakam ale in this list is 20 points. Compare that to Calveit into Rainfarn into Joachim into Viper Witcher.

That's why that matchup is generally unfavorable.

(Also, people who run both spies (Cantarella, De Wett) should really consider Dragon's Dream. Placing both on a row with just 2 units makes it a 16 point swing and I've never had it swing for less than 18 except armor matchups. It's a really underestimated card if you use the spies together. Far more useful than the Runestone imo)

 

[Voyagers]

(Also, people who run both spies (Cantarella, De Wett) should really consider Dragon's Dream. Placing both on a row with just 2 units makes it a 16 point swing and I've never had it swing for less than 18 except armor matchups. It's a really underestimated card if you use the spies together. Far more useful than the Runestone imo)

I find the biggest problem with dragon's dream is that it provides absolutely no tempo the turn you play it. So assuming you have to activate it the next turn your opponent can easily make up the loss in points as you are using 2 turns for their one. Although you could argue that since ppl play around expired ale they row stack more nowadays which makes the card better also decks like Henselt just loves to rowstack.

Unfortunately like spies, Spell'tael takes too long to get going nowadays to make it viable which is a shame. It did get a lot of hate when it was first used but I felt that it was sort of balanced after the gold immunity patch.

 

[Khreygond]

I find the biggest problem with dragon's dream is that it provides absolutely no tempo the turn you play it. So assuming you have to activate it the next turn your opponent can easily make up the loss in points as you are using 2 turns for their one. Although you could argue that since ppl play around expired ale they row stack more nowadays which makes the card better also decks like Henselt just loves to rowstack.

Unfortunately like spies, Spell'tael takes too long to get going nowadays to make it viable which is a shame. It did get a lot of hate when it was first used but I felt that it was sort of balanced after the gold immunity patch.

Yup. One evident drawback. Precisely why I never play it alone, but have Vesemir pull it. Preferably as a finisher. If done right, due to Alchemy's excessive amount of points, you can pull it and those 6 points will swing the balance in your favor. So that even if you don't activate it, you win the round, while if your opponent keeps playing, boom

 

[Rawls]

Royal Decree Isengrim: Outlaw Triss: Telekinesis Ithlinne Aegli
Yaevinn Nature's Gift Mandrake Marching Orders Alzur's Double Cross Morana Runestone
3x Dol Blathanna Sentry 3x Elven Mercenary 2x Elven Scout 2x Sage 2x Mahakam Ale 2x Alzur's Thunder First Light

Are there enough bronze specials in the deck? Looks like one could end up with a empty pull in round three if your not careful between the Mercs and Ithlinne.

 

[Khreygond]

Are there enough bronze specials in the deck? Looks like one could end up with a empty pull in round three if your not careful between the Mercs and Ithlinne.

There are yes. 3 Bronze Mercs, 5 Bronze specials (they can get First Light too). One Thunder is for Ithlinne, so 4. You are still allowed to have another one in your hand without bricking anything

So far, out of all the times I tried it, I've had only one bricked Elven merc once.

 

[Barracuda88]

I have a similar deck somewhere, but I run Stregobor instead of Nature's gift.

 

[natewu]

Is Spell'tael better than Nilfgaard?

 

[Khreygond]

Definitely not. Alchemy's power plays put this deck to shame sadly. Vilgefortz, Cahir and Rainfarn into Joachim represent a lot of power that Spell'tael simply cannot put out. The most powerful Spell'tael play is Eithne into marching orders into Elven Merc into Mahakam Ale which is 20 points. Or royal decree into Ithlinne for about the same amount because the thunders rarely hit for a full amount. Even Royal Decree into Isengrim into Mandraking a 15 point viper Witcher is 19 points. Rainfarn (without Roach ) into de wett into Viper is 25 alone, not to mention Vilgefortz, Calveit or Cahir.


However this deck has more control than Alchemy. This will utterly destroy Nekkers, Axemen and things Alchemy might have a problem with.

 

[devivre]

The most powerful Spell'tael play is Eithne into marching orders into Elven Merc into Mahakam Ale which is 20 points.

Pavko - Runestone into Pavko - Mahakam Horn - Barclay into Skirmisher is a nice 27 points combo (plus the points for Sentry's) - but yeah, getting that takes some RNG luck.

On a more serious not, yeah, it's tricky to keep up with Alchemy.

 

[Khreygond]

Pavko - Runestone into Pavko - Mahakam Horn - Barclay into Skirmisher is a nice 27 points combo (plus the points for Sentry's) - but yeah, getting that takes some RNG luck.

On a more serious not, yeah, it's tricky to keep up with Alchemy.

I was more thinking of Aglais for some more power. Possibly swapping Royal Decree out as well.

I also swapped out the Runestone for operator and Yaevinn for Artefact Compression, so it's more barebones Spell'tael, similar to pre-midwinter The lack of the spy can really hurt it but operator is more crucial.