Good news, seekers of the crit,

Today we bring you a post that, I think, is highly desired by many of you… a Warhammer Underworlds Embergard Tier List. In addition to the Tier List (which I know you’re looking forward to seeing), we’ll analyze the best warbands, delving into the reasons why they are so strong. This will be accompanied by an example deck for each of these warbands. How much for a single entry, right? Well go ahead!

(Versión en español)

In case someone doesn’t know what it is, a Tier List is an ordering of the warbands in the game, from the most broken warband to the weakest, classified into different categories (S the strongest and D the weakest). In our analysis, the classification has been made taking into account the following criteria for each Tier:

• Tier S: the best warbands in the game. They have some mechanics that mean that they almost always win in pro player’s hands. They are also usually accompanied by the fact that the current meta favors them significantly. They win tournaments with great ease because they are the rival to beat.
• Tier A: very strong warbands that win tournaments relatively often. They are not as broken as the Tier S, but well run they are a guarantee of success.
• Tier B: good warbands. In the hands of an expert player, who masters the warband in detail, they can win a tournament perfectly. If they face a Tier S band it is difficult to win, but not impossible. You can enjoy the game and compete at all levels, although with less guarantee of success than tier A and S.
• Tier C: normal warbands. They are warbands that win games, but it is very difficult for them to win a tournament and they will rarely do it no matter how expert the player is, if there are players of the same level playing A or S bands. Even so, you can enjoy the game and compete with them in a tournament.
• Tier D: weak warbands. It is difficult for them to win games against high Tiers. They can give a scare, but not much more. There are warbands that do the same but much better. They lack something to be really competitive.

In addition to the above, we will review the key aspects of the current meta to understand the context of the Tier list:

• The last winter FAQS lowered the Aggro game. This came with the nerfing of the Reckless Fury deck and Gorechosen of Dromm Warband, which has caused the elite to decrease their offensive power to more normal and desirable levels. This has allowed hordes like Zarbag or Grymwatch to emerge in the meta.
• We are in a meta dominated by the combination of Countdown to Cataclism and Pillage and Plunder. This combination is exploited by warbands with a lot of warriors, or warriors that return for free. This combination with the right warbands creates decks of around 20 glories that are hard to deny.
• With the decline of very offensive decks, treasure control has increased its performance to levels close to desirable. Watch out for this type of playstile, because it is possible that it will increase in order to counter delving playstile.
• On the other hand, the deck that seems like the ideal complement is always Countdown te Cataclism. It is in almost every combination and that says it all.

It should be noted that this Tier List has been created based on personal experiences and analysis of the Underworlds tournaments that have taken place since the publication of the winter FAQS. I have received help and advice from expert Spanish players like Volomir or my game team (Los Cobras). Even so, it is always difficult to get everything right, so I hope nobody takes this list as official. Simply as an estimate, more or less accurate, with which to have a good time analyzing the game. Without further delay, we leave the Tier List:

We now move on to analyze the Tier S and A bands in some detail. To see why they are strong in the current meta.

1- Zarbags Gitz: no one should be surprised that this warband is the strongest. It combines well with all the rival decks out there. They have everything, good offensive warrior stats, well inspired defenders, ranged attacks, lots of miniatures… you could say that any figure in the band is a threat on its own. And there are 9. If you add to this the Scurry mechanic that gives them mobility to control the board or surround the opponent and the fanatic, which is a source of disruption and huge damage… you have the best warband currently. The fact that it is Tier S is the combination with Cataclysm and plunder, which is super efficient with them. CC & PP Deck

2- Zondaras Gravebreakers: The free revive and card draw mechanics just for delving already makes them a strong warband. They also have healing and band push. Zombies are inspired by reviving them, becoming very decent warriors to attack, so the doubt is clear… kill them and let them revive stronger and without giving glory… or leave them alive and let them move around the board scoring objectives… difficult decision. They combine well with almost every deck and the meta option of Cataclysm and Pillage borders on Tier S. About your only option against them is to slain Zondara fast and then put the little guys back in the grave. If you don’t get devoured by the wolf first. CC & PP Deck

3- The Grymwatch: they look like a mix between Zarbag and Zondara. They are a lot of bodies, hit well and revive for free at least once per round. They inspire easily and when they do they defend very decently. They are a pain in the ass and the combination with Cataclysm and Pillage also borders on Tier S. As with Zondara, you will have to finish the leader fast (if he lets you, because with two dodges, surrounded by minions and repeating dice in round one with the ability it gets difficult). You have a detailed analysis of the band here, made by Volomir, winner of the last Grand Clash.

4- The Thricefold Discord:elite warband par excellence, they are three warriors with a lot of durability and good stats. Their flexibility allows them to play any combination of decks with great success. They have an inspiration that is a gift and very good and unique warband abilities. BA & CC Deck

5- Jawz of Itzil: elite warband with 3 warriors of 5 health that hit super hard, and a bunch of reptiles that are a real pain in the ass. Their inspiration, difficult in theory, is their biggest handicap. Solution? some ping cards out there and enjoy. In my opinion they can suffer a lot if they have to go forward against passive opponents, since they have little movement. But they are brutal, if the opponent is also going to hit, he will probably lose to the power of the lizards. They can go well with cataclysm and assault or with cataclysm and sentinels. BA & CC Deck

6- Grandfather’s Gardeners: the great strength of this band is its survivability. The wheel of life cycle has proved to be a curious and very effective mechanic. This, together with the fact that you can’t kill any of the warriors at the beginning (and at the end, if you do it right) makes the gardeners a very difficult warband to face. The biggest risk they have is to go headless forward, but if they play to control objectives or counterattack they are brutal.ES & CC Deck.

7- The Emberwatch: Total elite warband, three guys with 5 health and defending with 2 shields when inspired (2 of them). They hit well and have range. In addition, they have a warband ping to kill an opponent in a direct way (which is almost never seen in the game), a push at the end of the phase to get on some treasure, a teleport… of course they have very good tools to play in a flexible way. The most important thing is to inspire the warriors when they have not yet taken much damage, because with two shields they become a pain in the ass.. BA & ES Deck.

8- Headsman Curse: Very tough warband, because it is able to kill almost any character in one hit (be careful if you are a leader dependent warband). It also allows you to revive a ghost of 4 lives, has a teleport, has the ability to draw cards, has an ability to improve the accuracy of an attack … It is a very versatile band. It is true that it depends a lot on the leader and you have to use it wisely.. BA & ES Deck.

9- Ylthari’s Guardians: the flex warband par excellence. Good offensive stats, lots of movement and ability to control the board thanks to the warscroll abilities. The first round they start slow, but as soon as they start to get inspired and draw cards they become diabolic. They can use almost any combination of decks effectively, although what they like is to hit and hold treasures in equal parts. ES & CC Deck

10- Thundrkis Profiteers: 100% treasure holding warband, just as their Warscroll orders. Super interesting and rewarding warband to play, all dwarves have at least 3 wounds and are easily inspired wich makes them very hard to kill as long as you use defensive tools. It seems to me a super balanced warband, a job well done by the designers, of course. ES & CC Deck

11- Khagras Ravagers: flexible warband but with a soul of going to hold treasures due to its inspiration. If you manage to finish the first round with your leader alive and two more fighters (preferably the one defending two shields) inspired… you have the game. They have skills to hold treasures and to draw cards, which always gives them options to have more tools available to carry out their game. ES & CC Deck

After the analysis of the warbands, we can make some conclusions about what the game needs to get closer to the desirable goal of making everything playable on similar conditions.

• Zarbag needs a little nerf, maybe in the inspiration condition? this reminds of times past. Likewise, I think his status, even if he is Tier S, is not the same as Dromm had or Gnalspirit or Domitan had back in the old days. They are very strong, but not broken at all. They can be beaten with some frequency. If they are in Tier S it is because there is cata+plunder.
• Currently about half the warbands in the game can be considered playable and satisfactory to take to a tournament and win it with diverse strategies. I think it speaks quite well of the current balance of the game, which is more than correct.
• I think almost all the bands have some game. Making the low tiers has been very difficult, because I didn’t see any really bad warbands.
• What does need a nerf right now is the combination of Cataclysm and Pillage. This nerf should come in the form of restricted cards (NOT banned). By adding 3 restricted cards to each of the decks you avoid the current winning combination between them. My candidates would be spread havoc, wreckers and improvised attack/desperate rage in Cataclism. On the other hand, for pillage they would be Broken prospects, Delvin for wealth and the other card would be between another objective or Trapped Cache which combines excessively well with Wreckers.
• Probably, to avoid that all decks combine excessively with Countdown to Cataclism, each deck should have at least one restricted card, which added to the 3 (or 4) of cataclysm would make the other deck with plot card (edge of the knife) more likely to be seen. The balance is difficult, but it should be found.
• I would try to remove from banned one of the cards from Reckless fury deck. Since the worst part of the deck is in upgrades, I would remove Bladecatcher from the list and put it as restricted. It’s a very strong card, but I think this would not break the deck again but it gives it more spice (which it needs).

Other bands that deserve special attention due to the release of the new deck, edge of the knife (which, we think, is not going to change the meta too much at the top):

• Borgit’s Beastgrabbaz: in a preliminary analysis of their performance we place them in Tier A almost for sure. They defend super well, they inspire easily and offensively they are good, plus they have some tricks out there in the Warscroll. I think they are going to be seen a lot on the table.
• Sepulchral Guard: I think with the new deck and Wrack and Ruin they can do well in the current less aggressive meta where killing the leader doesn’t happen in the first round. They were already good, and maybe now they’ll go up a little bit. A Tier?
• Blackpowder’s Buccaneers: Another warband that the new deck can push up in the tier list. We will have to keep an eye on it.
  

Well, that’s it for the analysis of the current meta, I hope you liked it and I hope you find it useful. As you can imagine, you are free to comment what you want about it, show your disagreement and put your top if you consider it appropriate! we will be happy to read it. It may be that in your local game group, store or surroundings the meta and the dominant warbands may differ from what is commented here. That’s the beauty of this game, it is played differently in each place.

Saludos a todos y muchos críticos en vuestras partidas de Underworlds.

PincelFalso