Players and fans of card games looking for a new experience may want to consider dabbling intoShadowverse. This anime-themed digital collectible card game combines the evolutionary spin ofPokemonwith the addictive simplicity ofMagic: The Gathering. Courtesy of folks from Cygames,Shadowverseis an evolution of their previous gameRage of Bahamut, with a straightforward playstyle that earned it comparisons with the acclaimed titleHearthstone- but with less RNG.
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For fans intrigued by the game’s premise, there are ways to start getting intoShadowversewithout relying on meta-heavy builds. In fact, some beginner-friendly decks are able to help players ease themselves into the game’s mechanics well enough that they can modify these setups to fit their own playstyles.
10Fairy Frugal Fanfare
Despite the tongue-twisting name, players who want a straightforward deck fortheir TCG experiencemay appreciateFairy Frugal Fanfaregiven its mob mechanics. TheFairy Frugal Fanfare deckcapitalizes on the Fanfare keyword that refers to effects activated when cards are played from the hand. Given the low cost of most of its cards, it’s easy to quickly build a large hand size and board.
On top of the on-cast focus of this deck are key cards that rely precisely on this mechanic. For instance, “Rhinoceroach” gets +1/+0 for each other card played, making the low-cost nature of this deck rather advantageous for building this card into a finisher. Likewise, “Ancient Elf” on Fanfare will return followers to the hand and gets +1/+1 for each card returned, making this another candidate for a finisher.
9Knight Commander
Players ofTCGs likeShadowversewho enjoy the idea of overwhelming opponents with minions will enjoy theKnight Commanderdeck. Courtesy of the Swordcraft archetype, theKnight Commanderdeck relies heavily on summoning commanders that can also call forth and buff minions called officers.
A part of its key strategy includes putting “Floral Fencer” into play, as it summons both a “Steelclad Knight” and an ordinary “Knight” when evolved - immediately giving the player three creatures for the cost of one. Other key cards include “Wind God” which continuously buffs allied followers, gearing them up for a relentless assault. Likewise, “Aurelia, Regal Saber” can be a decent finisher as she gets +1/+0 for each enemy in play, effectively punishing opponents who try to outman the player.
8Multi-Setup Aggression
Most popular TCGs have a go-to archetype when it comes to basic plays, and Swordcraft seems to serve this purpose forShadowverseplayers. TheMulti-Setup Aggressiontakes full advantage of the versatility of the Swordcraft Class. At its core,Multi-Setup Aggressionrelies on players being able to adjust to whichever cards they end up having near the end game. Ideally, “Erika, Loyal Swordsavant” is a must-have as her +1/+0 per creature that comes into play is extremely useful for setups, even if her buffs last for a turn.
In turn, the game relies on three main setups to achieve victory. First is relying on “Leod, Moonlit Executioner” for decent AOE clears and even an instant 3 Damage to opponents. An alternative would be relying on “Musketeers’ Vow” to summon one of each “Aramis” and “Athos,” as well as a “Frenzied Corpsmaster” to overwhelm foes. Lastly, delaying a setup with “Corpsmaster” can lead to a devastatingly-powerful “Victorious Blader” who, alongside “Erika,” can finish the enemy with a three-strike combo.
7Spellboost Sigil
Whereas thecontrol-oriented Mage ofHearthstonehas set Hero Powers, the Runecraft Class inShadowversegameplay has a singular benefit: Spellboost. This mechanic adds a new effect to cards cast exclusively to the Runecraft Class. In the case of theSpellboost Sigildeck, Runecraft players specifically need to trigger Earth Rite which can lead to effects such as summoning minions and even boosting their stats.
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Specific to theSpellboost Sigildeck is “Conjure Guardian” which summons a “Guardian Golem” that not only packs decent defense but also has Ward that forces enemies to attack it. Should players last until the mid-game, they may have an army of golems ready to annihilate the enemy team.
6Slow Build Dragons
Contrary toMana ofMagic: The Gathering, gameplay inShadowverseheavily relies on Play Points as a resource. Essentially points used to play cards, Play Points are gradually earned throughout the match and facilitate the “timing” portion of mostShadowversematches. For players willing to gamble with their patience,Slow Build Dragonsrely precisely on this mechanic. With the right investment,Slow Build Dragonscan easily pulverize enemy forces with high-cost but equally powerful dragons with a myriad of effects, courtesy of Dragoncraft-exclusive Overflow that only occurs when players have at least seven Play Points.
A vital strategy for this deck is playing cards like “Aiela, Dragon Knight” and “Dragon Oracle” to boost Play Points and trigger Overflow early on. Earning these Points is important especially when using powerful cards such as “Gilgamesh” whose Storm property lets him attack the same moment he is summoned.
5Self Mill Advantage
Players who are willing to bet their cards for the sake of victory may be interested inSelf Mill Advantage. This Shadowcraft deck uses the class’s exclusive Necromancy feature to conjure effects based on destroying the player’s own cards. While relatively slow,Self Mill Advantageshines when destroyed cards earn players enough Shadows to trigger powerful Necromancy effects.
Moreover, this deck doesn’t just self-sacrifice its cards for the sake of Necromancy. Courtesy of the Last Words effect, cards give certain advantages to players before they leave the field. For instance, “Bellringer Angel” will have players draw a card before destruction, and “Rabbit Necromancer” deals 2 Damage to the enemy leader before being destroyed.
4Flame And Glass
While the Shadowcraft Class in thepopular TCGdeals heavily with gambling with existing life to overwhelm opponents,Flame and Glassrelies on its namesake card to facilitate powerful burst damage from key cards within a single turn. The playstyle of theFlame and Glassdeck primarily relies on cheap cards that serve as both Shadow generators and draw cards, all leading towards summoning “Cernunnos” and “Rulenye, Screaming Silence” to deal with anything the opponent has on the board as early as the mid-game.
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This fast and loose deck is an answer to stall playstyles due to its straightforward strategy. Getting “Rulenye” out as early as Turn 4 can delay an opponent’s assault and help players build Shadows via Burial Rite and find “Cernunnos” as soon as possible via draw effects. By Turn 7, players should be able to secure Necromancy (20) with “Suzy, Hexcaster” and “Spirit Invasion” to facilitate an enemy wipe via “Cernunnos” or even a “Skeleton Raider.”
3Edge Of Glory
As with other TCGs likeMagic: The Gathering, the goal ofShadowverseis to eliminate the enemy’s creatures to deal direct damage and reduce their Defense to zero and secure victory. While it’s awesome to turn the tide of battle after being on the brink of a loss with a few Defense left,Edge of Glorydeliberately gambles with low Defense to completely obliterate enemy forces. This is courtesy of the Vengeance mechanic with the Bloodcraft class that activates when the player’s Defense is at 10 or below.
Defense management is key toEdge of Glory, especially when potent cards such as “Razory Claw” and “Bloodfed Flowerbed” deals damage to both the player and enemies for the sake of reaching Vengeance. However, using this deck properly can sow devastation to the enemy, especially when cards such as “Nightmare” and “Dark General” become critical assets in combat when Vengeance is active, courtesy of their self-buffs.
2Speedy Hemorrhage
Befitting the dark theme of Bloodcraft’s vampires inShadowversegameplay isSpeedy Hemorrhagewhich leaves opponents dead before they even realize what’s going on. Being quick is the name of the game withSpeedy Hemorrhage, teaching new players the thrill in high-risk, high-reward setups. When players become handless, “Paracelise, Demon of Greed” can be summoned for free to dish out direct 2 Damage and a card draw.
Maintaining a card-free hand and drawing the right cards dictate the victory condition of this deck. For instance, “Room Service Demon” has Fanfare that can deal 5 Damage to both an enemy follower and the enemy leader itself. “Bat Usher” can give itself +2/+2 and Storm when there are no cards on hand, and “Razory Claw” can deal an instant 3 Damage when used. The deck’s extremely cheap nature makes it an easy kit to build and can be useful for clearing dailies in the main game.
1Countdown To Victory
It’s unsurprising fora popular TCGlikeShadowverseto feature defense-heavy cards, especially with the Havencraft class and its timer-based Countdown destruction mechanic. With Countdown, a deck likeCountdown to Victoryhas cards that release powerful effects upon their destruction after a certain duration. In turn, many of the cards inCountdown to Victoryare Amulets with Countdown-triggered elements, including summoning minions to the player’s side of the field.
In addition to Amulets are cards that act as “buffers” and tanks while waiting for the Countdown effects. On top of cards that force enemies to attack them via Ward are other defensive cards like “Ardent Nun” and “Guardian Nun” which get extra attack points during the enemy’s turn, the effect-immune “Mainyu,” and even cards like “Acolyte’s Light” and “Priest o the Cudgel” that banish enemy followers.
Shadowverseis playable on the iOS, Android, and PC
