Patch 8.1 introduces a new card - the explosion loving Witcher Madoc. Our team has designed this card in a way that you could “build a deck around” it. We figured out that we’ll try our hand at brewing some fun synergic deck that could make Madoc feel at home. Our idea puts him in a Skellige - Witcher oriented shell, but it’s merely one way of many, and we’re excited to see what you will come up with.
Along with the decklist, we prepared a small deck guide.
The basic tactics revolve around cards that can spawn Witcher Adepts (like Selective Mutation, Armor Up or Bear Witcher Quartermaster), Vesemir: Mentor for boosting your Witchers, and utilisation of bombs plus Madoc interaction. There is also a “damaged units” sub theme that works with Arnaghad, Junod of Belhaven and Bear Witcher Mentor. In terms of removal, this deck does not really have powerful one shot options. That does not mean there is no way to take out pesky enemy units, as it has a potential to deal a lot of widespread damage, and finish them off with some targeted blasts. Last but not least, there is a decent amount of Adrenaline cards used in this deck, so pay attention to your play sequencing. Sometimes it’s better to mulligan them away, so you can easier meet the condition in the second or third round.
Selective Mutation: Spawns Witcher Adepts, can tutor for example for Vesemir: Mentor if you didn’t draw him, or any other of our Adrenaline cards that we might need. It can also create a tutoring chain with Geralt: Quen.
Armor Up: Major source of Witcher Adepts spawn, creates a very nice set up for Vesemir: Mentor or Leo from the get go.
Vesemir: Mentor: Best played in rounds where you can spawn most of the Witcher Adepts (as they don’t exist in your hand or deck). Playing him in round one creates most value when it comes to boosting your Witchers in deck.
Bombs: Damage, removal, enabler for Bomb Heaver and tutor for Madoc. Having at least one is important to get as much value as possible from Madoc, but try to not keep a hand with more than three (unless there is a reason for it).
Madoc: Target to be mulliganed away, due to a built in tutor with bombs. Can be summoned potentially up to five times. Geralt: Aard can help with lining up the opponent units for Cataclysm. Look out to not get “doomed” status, but if it would happen early in the game, you can potentially use Moon Dust to not lose him permanently.
Haern Caduch: Very versatile card that can give you most of the bronzes that you might need.
Junod of Belhaven: With our various means of dealing damage, has potential to remove any threat.
Leo: Just like Vesemir: Mentor, best if played in rounds where you can put out most of the witchers on the field.
Dire Bear: Helps to curb boosts that could make the opponent’s units get out of our range of damage.
Geralt: Aard: Helps to line up opponent units for our weathers, and provides wide damage that Bear Witcher Mentor and Arnaghad benefit from.
Gerd: Synergy with our units that care about damaged enemies/units, as he’s a source of broad non targeted damage.
Bear Witcher: Fodder for our units that care about damaged units, and a source of targeted damage in most cases. Best positioned next to Haern Caduch, as then he can reach his full potential of 8 points.
Bear Witcher Quartermaster: Another card that plays well with our units that care about damaged units, and a source of Witcher Adepts.
Arnaghad, Bear Witcher Mentor: Our major payoff for the unit damage setup, with Arnaghad being a very conditional, but still, removal. 7 points is a serious amount of damage, and there is a chance that we can repeat it for similarly spectacular effect.
Bomb Heaver: Thematic addition, as it’s a card that benefits from our use of bombs. Source of damage that still leaves some body behind.
Leader Ability Onslaught: Very versatile in our deck, it can be an enabler for our units that care about damaged enemies/units, that last targeted point to finish off a unit, or a shield removal service.
