Gwent is pretty generous in terms of resources. You can earn a lot of scraps in a short time to build your dream decks. But while you gather those precious scraps, let us show you some budget decks that can work with minimal investment.
There are two versions for each faction. The first one is a very basic deck, with a few added cards, and the second deck is more resource-heavy, with more top tier cards.
Most of these listed cards are being played in the decks of our Meta Snapshot so you are safe to craft those, they will be useful in the future as well.
Unfortunately Syndicate doesn’t have starter cards, so only the other 5 factions are featured here.
MONSTERS Basic
600 scraps total
(200 scraps) Adda: Striga
(200 scraps) Golyat
(200 scraps) The Beast
Adda: Striga is a nice tempo play, giving you board presence, while removing a card from your opponent.
Golyat is a big body that you should drop late in the round, so that it is more difficult for your opponent to destroy.
The Beast can grow very tall, usually starting in the turn you play him.
MONSTERS Advanced
1760 scraps total
(800 scraps) Yghern
(200 scraps) Adda: Striga
(200 scraps) Golyat
(200 scraps) The Beast
(200 scraps) Roach
(160 scraps) 2x Endrega Larva
Yghern is great tempo and synergizes well with Ozzrel.
Adda: Striga is a nice tempo play, giving you board presence, while removing a card from your opponent.
Golyat is a big body that you should drop late in the round, so your opponent can’t destroy it.
The Beast can grow very tall, usually starting in the turn you play him.
Roach thins your deck, and gives you some extra board presence.
Endrega Larva is one of the strongest bronzes in the game. Dropping it early can result in massive points if it is unanswered in a long round.
Northern Realms Basic
560 scraps total
(200 scraps) Nathaniel Pastodi
(200 scraps) Keldar
(160 scraps) 2x Kerack Frigate
Nathaniel Pastodi works really well in this deck as there are a lot of options to boost him, allowing him to deal out lots of bleeding.
Keldar can generate some extra bodies, the only disadvantage is that you have to play him later in the round.
Kerack Frigate can create lots of volunteers, if you can keep it between soldiers.
NORTHERN REALMS Advanced 2
1560 scraps total
(800 scraps) Amphibious Assault
(200 scraps) Nathaniel Pastodi
(200 scraps) Keldar
(200 scraps) Egmund
(160 scraps) 2x Kerack Frigate
Amphibious Assault is one of the best cards in the game, promoting your bronzes into golds, and doing it in two rounds as well because of the Echo. This card has huge value.
Nathaniel Pastodi works really well in this deck, there are a lot of options to boost him, allowing him to deal out lots of bleeding.
Keldar can generate some extra bodies, the only disadvantage is that you have to play him later in the round.
Egmund can combo well with the Tridam Infantry or Nathaniel Pastodi.
Kerack Frigate can create lots of volunteers, if you can keep it between soldiers.
Scoia’tael Basic
600 scraps total
(200 scraps) Gaetan
(200 scraps) Treant Boar
(200 scraps) Brehen
Gaetan works well with full rows, so you should rowstack to gain value of him.
Treant Boar can jump back-and-forth to deal some damage, the heal factor can be beneficial also, to heal back after some random pings. Synergizes with the leader ability too.
Brehen is great if your opponent has an extra-tall unit, you can use your leader ability to move it to the end of the other row, and cut it down with Brehen.
Scoia’tael Advanced
1630 scraps total
(800 scraps) Feign Death
(200 scraps) Gaetan
(200 scraps) Treant Boar
(200 scraps) Brehen
(200 scraps) Toruviel
(30 scraps) Half-Elf Hunter
Feign Death is the powerhouse of this deck. It has insane value, all you need is two elves to activate it fully.
Gaetan works well with full rows, so you should rowstack to gain value of him.
Treant Boar can jump back-and-forth to deal some damage, the heal factor can be beneficial also, to heal back after some random pings. Synergizes with the leader ability too.
Brehen is great if your opponent has an extra-tall unit, you can use your leader ability to move it to the end of the other row, and cut it down with Brehen.
Toruviel is a great finisher, or can be used against swarm decks to wipe their boards before they can develop them.
Half-Elf Hunter has some harmony value, because of all the tags in the deck, it’s also an elf to trigger the Scenario, and gives an extra body for Gaetan to move.
Skellige Basic
1020 scraps total
(800 scraps) Hemdall
(160 scraps) 2x An Craite Greatsword
(60 scraps) 2x Heymaey Protector
Hemdall is a big pointswing if used on a stacked row, and synergizes well with killing the Sirens from the leader ability.
An Craite Greatsword can quickly become a 10 power unit with all the damage in the deck.
Heymaey Protector is great when paired with the Dimun Light Longships.
Skellige Advanced
1420 scraps total
(800 scraps) Hemdall
(200 scraps) Heymaey Flaminica
(200 scraps) Skjall
(160 scraps) 2x An Craite Greatsword
(60 scraps) 2x Heymaey Protector
Hemdall is a big pointswing if used on a stacked row, and synergizes well with killing the Sirens from the leader ability.
Heymaey Flaminica takes advantage of the self-damage cards in the deck, and heals some damage that your opponent might deal to your units.
Skjall is a big pointslam card, you should play it late in the round, when your opponent might not have an answer for him.
An Craite Greatsword can quickly become a 10 power unit with all the damage in the deck.
Heymaey Protector is great when paired with the Dimun Light Longships.
Nilfgaard Basic
600 scraps total
(200 scraps) Peter Saar Gwynleve
(200 scraps) Joachim de Wett
(200 scraps) War Council 200
Peter Saar Gwynleve is a great tall punish, he can answer your opponent’s very tall units.
Joachim de Wett can pull any unit from the top of your deck, but beware of using him too early, because you could set up a very tall unit that your opponent can destroy.
War Council can help you find your missing cards for the round, and you can get insight into the top of your deck, which can help with planning your Joachim timing.
Nilfgaard Advanced
1620 scraps total
(800 scraps) Masquerade Ball
(200 scraps) Peter Saar Gwynleve
(200 scraps) Joachim de Wett
(200 scraps) Roderick of Dun Tynne
(160 scraps) 2x Van Moorlehem Hunter
(60 scraps) 2x Fangs of the Empire
Masquerade Ball is one of the best cards in the game. It survived some nerfs, and is still the powerhouse of the Nilfgaard Control archetype. The double poison can be very valuable in most matchups.
Peter Saar Gwynleve is a great tall punish, he can answer your opponent’s very tall units.
Joachim de Wett can pull any unit from the top of your deck, but beware of using him too early, because you could set up a very tall unit that your opponent can destroy. He is also an aristocrat, so can trigger the Masquerade Ball.
Roderick of Dun Tynne can help you find your missing golds, and he is an aristocrat to trigger Ball.
Van Moorlehem Hunter is useful for locking the opposing engines, and can trigger Ball as well.
Fangs of the Empire are some extra poison, to help deal with tall units.
