This is a review of all classes, reviewing their strengths and weaknesses, and how to pick them.
1. Forestcraft
Forestcraft is a craft that fills your hand with lots of low-cost fairy followers. This makes it easier to play multiple cards in one turn and activate other Forestcraft cards’ abilities, giving you more power. In the heat of battle, playing two fairy cards at once helps meet the requirements of more powerful cards. Forestcraft is officially number one in the game when it comes to sheer hand size, meaning that it’s number one in terms of how many cards you can hold at a time while still playing them effectively. Forestcraft is also the first deck that you use in story mode when you begin the game for the first time, meaning that the first practice you ever get in the world of Shadowverse is with Forestcraft.
Forestcraft Review
- Forestcraft is excellent for prepping low-cost followers for the win. Even a one play point follower, such as the Whirlwind Rinoceroach, can be the staple of any good Forestcraft deck. For example, each time you return this card to your hand, it gains an extra attack point, and if you’ve used it at least five times, you’ll gain storm. This means you can attack the leader without waiting a turn. Having even two of these cards can destroy the enemy leader, giving an example as to how Forestcraft can decimate the game with low-cost followers.
- Forestcraft is the most combo-focused craft in Shadowverse. Fairy cards and what creates them form the backbone of Forestcraft’s overarching mechanics. They help to keep up your field presence and maintain control over the match.
- If you’ve been having trouble getting around Swordcraft decks, Forestcraft makes a good opponent for it. It’s equally fast and keeps up a decent pace with Swordcraft cards such as Quickblader or Oathless Knight. With Forestcraft, you will no longer be overwhelmed by the presence Swordcraft possesses over the board with its low-cost followers.
- The most recent type of deck set is the Natura decks, and each craft has one. However, Forestcraft has the best Natura deck out of the game. Not only is the Forestcraft leader, Arisa, primarily connected to the Natura story arc, but Forestcraft’s primary characteristic focuses on nature, elves, things of that sort. Perhaps it is because of this that Forestcraft has the most well-balanced Natura deck with the most consistent Natura cards.
- Forestcraft works exceptionally well on slower moving crafts such as Havencraft, Shadowcraft, and Bloodcraft. It’s overall speed, and board presence makes it difficult for the enemy leader to keep up while they’re waiting on their amulets, Necromancy, or Vengeance.
- However, you do have to keep a focused mind concerning your numbers, and how many fairies you have, otherwise one wrong move can cost you the whole game. It can be easy to slip up.
- Speaking of, with such an aggressive deck, you can forget to utilize wards. It’s an elementary mistake, meaning Forestcraft takes some significant concentration.
Pick Forestcraft if…
- If you’re interested in quick fights and especially thrilling victories as a result, Forestcraft is the craft for you.
- If you’ve been looking for a way to compete against Swordcraft for some time, Forestcraft can majorly increase your chances of victory against an equally fast-moving craft.
- If you especially liked the Natura story arc and find you are good with the cards themselves, it only makes sense to play the craft that is most compatible with them.
- And if you simply enjoy elves or Lord Of the Rings themed cards, this deck is the deck for you.
Swordcraft
Swordcraft is a craft that has cards that can summon other followers, such as 1/1 knights. These followers are usually officers, which can be strengthened by commanders being brought into play. Playing them alongside each other can give you a massive advantage in battle. Swordcraft is very similar to Forestcraft in that it one, covers the board quickly, and two utilizes low play point followers to the point of any comfortable victory. This also means that concerning the main story, Swordcraft’s story route is most comfortable to finish first since it’s speed helps you fly through the episodes.
Swordcraft Review
- Swordcraft is well known for being low cost, massive in strength, and lightning-fast in speed. This makes your deck incredibly combative. Taking advantage of a heavy stream of low-cost followers helps you to choose the offensive from turn one.
- Summoning multiple followers from multiple cards makes Swordcraft a great class for overwhelming the battlefield, meaning that it’s effortless to overwhelm your opponent by letting loose a massive onslaught of damage.
- Followers, excluding neutral followers, are either labeled as officers or commanders, and commanders can fortify other officers in your hand. The best thing you can do for an assured victory is to become aware of which card is which when building your decks so that you know if your effects will pan out.
- Swordcraft has the most access to followers with ambush and storm, making matches easy to end as quickly as they started. With followers you can build up in secret and followers that can attack the turn they’re played, it proves very difficult for opponents to keep up.
- Swordcraft helps beginning players understand the value of playing followers on a curve and board speed while also reviewing card synergy (card synergy being the relationship between officers and commanders)
- However, concentration is critical, and losing it for a mere second can cause a significant loss. A Swordcraft deck can be very well balanced, yet delicate at the same time, meaning that even a small slip up disbalances everything. This can be quite inconvenient.
- While fast, it can be easy to get caught up in the speed, a common problem. Getting too trigger happy with Swordcraft usually ruins the deck's effectiveness, creating some general frustration
Pick Swordcraft if…
- If you want to have a chance against Forestcraft, this deck is the way to go. Just building up the relationship between your officers and commanders gives you a head start on victory.
- Sometimes Shadowverse matches can be notoriously long, and if you just want a quick game before heading out to work, Swordcraft is the craft for you. It’s the best of both worlds; casual when you need it to be, and vice versa with intense.
- If you enjoy the idea of commanding your army against other crafts or players, Swordcraft is the craft for you. Played right, it can move as fast and efficiently as a real army.
- Interested in taking out a Havencraft, Shadowcraft, or Bloodcraft player? If so, then Swordcraft will help you put the slower decks to shame, leading to a spree of consecutive victories against several online/story opponents.
Runecraft
Each time you play a spell as Runecraft, the Spellboost cards in your hand become more powerful. Begin the match by casting spells to Spellboost your hand, and then overwhelm your opponent. Runecraft decks are midrange decks, meaning that their true power comes out in the middle of the match. While spellboosting decks tend to be most popular in the online battle world, there is a hidden power to earth rite decks, where the real power of Runecraft resides, especially when it comes to the main storylines.
Runecraft Review
- Earth Rite calls for setup before ultimately taking the treasure that their effects bring to the field, meaning that earth rite decks are very privy to skilled players. Earth Rite takes place when you have an earth essence in play, meaning that other follower's effects activate when the earth essence is destroyed. These are very common cards to collect, meaning that making a deck isn’t difficult at all.
- On the other hand, with regular spellboosting decks, card costs often go down to potentially zero when spellboost is used correctly, meaning that Runecraft can be a very cheap deck to play and can quickly become quite the powerhouse.
- Runecraft is also a craft that can be very easy to balance out when it comes to offense and defense. Many spells can summon wards or heal allies, and while that happens, the same spells are also spellboosting attacking cards in your hand. Cards in your hand will be gaining power and strength while you’re regaining HP you or your allies may have lost.
- The speed of this craft is often midrange as well, meaning that it’s not as fast as Swordcraft or Forestcraft, but not as slow and timely as Havencraft, and Shadowcraft. This means the speed is just right, giving it an equal chance on the field and even making it slightly unpredictable.
- However, Runecraft can be a very tricky craft and is usually recommended for more experienced players. It takes quite a bit of practice to become an expert in Runecraft.
- While the speed is just right, it can be tricky to balance on some occasions, so extra attention during a match is very crucial when it comes to success.
Pick Runecraft if…
- If you do not prefer to follow on extreme speed, incredibly fast, or incredibly slow, then Runecraft is for you. Its midrange speed is perfect for people who prefer not to rush so fast or take significant amounts of time with amulets or Vengeance.
- If you enjoy practicing difficult things and are in the mood to learn some new Shadowverse skills, Runecraft is perfect for that. It makes for a great way to learn about the more intense side of Shadowverse.
- Or, if you’re simply into visuals of witches and warlocks, Runecraft is also perfect for that as well. It gives off vibes of being extremely creative and wonderous, while also exploring dangers in the unknown world of spellcraft. The storyline for Runecraft is very much like that itself.
- Are you interested in frustrating an opponent to the point of conceding the match or losing naturally? Runecraft does that job wonderfully. Nothing gives your opponent a confusing headache more than forcing them to count their cards and how many times you’ve spellboosted yours. It makes for an easy loss on their side and an easy win on yours.
Dragoncraft
Dragoncraft has cards that can give you extra play point orbs at the beginning of a match. This lets you play powerful cards from your hand before your opponent does. In your opening hand, it’s best to have cards that give you extra play point orbs, so be sure to redraw if necessary. Many Dragoncraft followers fall into their true potential once Overflow becomes activated, Overflow taking place once you have seven play points. Dragoncraft is also of the general midrange speed such as Runecraft, although can grow much faster depending on what you have in your hand.
Dragoncraft Review
- In the beginning, players should stall as best they can while collecting play points, hoping not to get damaged. With the correct strategy, any player can reach Overflow by turn four, giving them the power to attack with many powerful dragons before the enemy can get a good plan going.
- Dragoncraft followers tend to have high attack, as well as top defense, giving you a significant advantage mid-phase of the match. Having strong followers helps you dominate the field, and if you play them right, Dragoncraft can be very well balanced in terms of both offense and defense.
- Dragoncraft is also another craft that got incredibly useful cards once the Natura packs were released, and by destroying many Great Naterran Trees, you’re able to gain play points even faster than you would with a regular deck. Natura cards are also widespread and cheap, meaning that it’s quite easy to make a successful deck and play it well.
- When reaching Overflow, playing influential followers builds a strong field for yourself and also allows you to remove substantial opponent threats. Cards such as the Dread Dragon or the Glacial Dragon are perfect examples of two followers that assist in this process.
- There are even strong wards such as Dragonguard and Petalspine Stegosaurus that can help rally up the defense once Overflow has been activated, making up for any lost health or time.
- However, going up against an enemy deck of any class with card removals proves to be difficult, and only taking advantage of your own ally's abilities will help you out of that situation. This means if you don’t have any on the field, you could be in trouble.
- Sometimes Overflow can be slightly difficult to reach, depending on the situation. Even if it’s because of a bad deck or bad luck, if you can’t reach Overflow in time or perhaps earlier, Dragoncraft isn’t all that powerful anymore.
Pick Dragoncraft if…
- If you prefer another balance of offense and defense, but don’t want to bother with the intricate technicalities of Runecraft, Dragoncraft is an excellent choice for you. There is slightly less stress involved.
- If you enjoy completely decimating the field, enemy leader included, Dragoncraft is one of the best for that. With heavy-hitting followers that have high attacks and Overflow effects, putting your opponent in the deep negatives is an easy task.
- Didn’t enjoy Forestcraft but still want to give a Natura deck a second chance? Dragoncraft is definitely for you, with the second-best Natura deck in the game. Dragoncraft will help you experiment with it and remain victorious.
- And if you just enjoy the idea of dragons in general? Then Dragoncraft is definitely for you, especially when it comes to the main storyline. Dragoncraft will make you love them even more.
Shadowcraft
This class can activate powerful Necromancy effects by spending shadows. Shadows are added to your total whenever you cast spells or when one of your followers or amulets is destroyed. Spend shadows at the right time to control the battlefield. Necromancy effects can do compelling things the original card normally wouldn’t do and require extensive preparation. This craft is also the best at using Reanimation to return dead followers to the field using Burial Rite.
Shadowcraft Review
- Shadowcraft decks consist of followers that manage to keep themselves on the field due to their Last Words abilities, abilities that can be annoying and frustrating for your opponent to get around. Shadowcraft Last Words usually either bring a felled opponent back to the field, summon a new one, do damage, or put a card into your hand. This is a beneficial effect in battle.
- Banishing followers is not the same as destroying them, and a banished follower does not give you shadows. Not only that but if the card in question has any last words effects and is banished, the impact of the last words will not take place. This is very important and should always be considered.
- Cards with Necromancy are generally weaker versus other Shadowcraft cards if you don’t have enough shadows to activate their effects, meaning two things. One, always remember to have a decent number of cards that can function well without Necromancy, and two, always keep track of how many shadows you have so you can control your hand.
- Going up against an enemy deck with plenty of removal and banishing cards can be extremely frustrating, and you can avoid this by forcing your opponent to use their removal cards before bringing out a heavy hitter of yours such as He Who Once Rocked.
- The main issue with Shadowcraft is that it can be prolonged while trying to reach Necromancy, and you can quickly be taken out by an enemy while waiting. This means time management is key.
- If you don’t have the patience for its speed, you could easily do something drastic that could flip the scales away from your favor. Paying attention is key.
Pick Shadowcraft if…
- If you don’t mind slower decks with slower strategies, then this deck is for you. Especially if you want to go slow versus delayed against Havencraft or another Shadowcraft player.
- If you’ve found yourself good at utilizing last words and reanimation effects in other craft decks, then Shadowcraft is definitely for you, especially considering that those things are this craft’s specialty.
- Do you enjoy creepy things? Zombies? Ghosts? Then this craft is definitely for you, especially if you enjoyed Luna’s arc in the main storyline.
Bloodcraft
This class has cards that purposely lower your leader’s defense. Once your leader has ten defense or less, Vengeance will activate, strengthening many other cards. Pay attention to the remaining defense of both leaders to take advantage of particular card abilities. This is an Aggro (fast and aggressive) deck where you force opponents into a place they don’t want to be while hurting yourself.
Bloodcraft Review
- This craft has many powerful spells, amulets, and followers that deal damage to you and the enemy leader. Lower their defense from the early to middle game with followers, and then make your final strike with inescapable spells at the end of the game
- The most important thing is to manage your defenses, and the best way to do this is to make yourself familiar with any cards the enemy leader can use and learn how to figure out in your mind how much damage they can deal on their next turn
- During battle keep an eye on your play points, and your opponents play positions so that you won’t die before your time
- The big advantage of Bloodcraft comes from its speed against other decks is that it does widespread damage overall across the field while doing potentially minor damage to you so that you can reach Vengeance quickly
- However, sometimes it can be challenging to keep a good head on your shoulders when it comes to Vengeance. It’s easy to get paranoid and end up not going for it at all, but also getting too trigger happy and taking yourself out before the opposing leader even has a chance
Pick Bloodcraft if…
- If you’re playing Shadowverse for the thrill of never knowing whether or not you’ll make it out of a match alive, then this deck is certainly for all of the daredevils out there
- Want a speedy class but are tired of sticking with Forestcraft and Swordcraft? It’s Bloodcraft to the rescue with its unique style of maintaining your own HP while taking victory
- Into vampires and succubi? How about different ghouls from the undead ready to wreak havoc? If you appreciate any of those, Bloodcraft is definitely for you
Havencraft
Once the number on countdown amulets reaches 0, the amulet is destroyed. Some countdown amulets summon powerful followers; others have potent effects. Countdown amulets can be sped up or destroyed by other cards. Havencraft is a control deck made up of defensive cards such as banishing spells, restoration spells, and followers with ward. Havencraft can be slow, but there’s no reason to underestimate it.
Havencraft Review
- Despite moving at a slow pace, Havencraft does well against decks that have talents, such as completely taking over the field. For example, if you’re in a match against a Forestcraft opponent, they may have the area filled to the brim with fairies or other low-cost cards. However, if you have a ward or two in play, these followers have no choice but to attack the ward before they strike. By the time the ward is gone, there won’t be any followers left to do damage to your leader.
- Countdown amulets are Havencraft’s primary signature in Shadowverse. There may be a delay between when amulets were played, and their effects take place, but many of them have extraordinary power that is not to be overlooked. Amulets can heal, summon followers, do damage, destroy enemy followers, and even help you draw cards.
- However, other opponents can have countdown amulets as well with equal last words power, especially if you’re going up against another Havencraft deck. Don’t make the error of destroying someone else’s amulet before you know exactly what it will do once it’s gone.
- In Havencraft, checking to see which follower will come out of each amulet is equally essential, that way, you know what to play.
- One of Havencraft’s most significant flaws is that its amulets don’t always reveal what effects will come out of them, meaning that this deck takes some extensive practice and could be considered more of an advanced player deck.
Pick Havencraft if…
- If you like defying the odds by showing that a slow-paced deck can achieve victory against Swordcraft or Forestcraft, then this deck is definitely for you. Especially if you enjoy working with time management.
- If you’re a more intermediate player looking to experiment, then Havencraft is perfect for you. It is a craft perfect for players to test the waters of their Shadowverse abilities.
- Ward lover? Desiring to look at beautiful Shadowverse art? Then Havencraft is for you as well, especially if you want to learn how to heal yourself and your followers effectively while still having complete control over the match.
Portalcraft
This class has cards with Resonance effects. These effects activate depending on how many cards are in your deck. Try to activate multiple results at once when you add Artifact cards to your deck and hand. Resonance only takes place when you have an even number of cards in your deck, meaning that you should time the effects of your last words for drawing cards carefully if you want to activate Resonance effects. Portalcraft is the newest addition to the game and is a more advanced deck that tends to be used by more experienced players.
Portalcraft Review
- Portalcraft is another craft that’s all about the timing, as without this timing, the deck would fall apart. It’s a more midrange speed deck and is very similar to Runecraft in technicality level, although keeping up with the numbers isn’t as tricky. To use Resonance, timing and attention are essential. If you forget your place for a moment, you could lose your Resonance effects.
- However, Portalcraft doesn’t need to rely on Resonance completely. While the artifact decks might, the puppet decks don’t necessarily have to. The puppet decks focus on utter destruction and shadows, similar to Shadowcraft without the Necromancy. This makes Portalcraft very accessible to those who desire to use Resonance and those who don’t
- As the newest class, it has some of the more recent and popular cards, meaning you don’t have to shift through tons of older season cards you might have just to make a deck.
- Portalcraft is made with efficiency, as the idea is primarily to sneak up on an opponent with the appearance of being slow and untimely, but in reality, it has a colossal smasher made for an unexpected ending. See the prebuilt deck Sins of the Heartless for that.
- However, Portalcraft is for more advanced players and can be a difficult deck for beginners. Therefore it’s recommended that beginning players experiment with more concrete crafts before going for Portalcraft, as it can be occasionally overwhelming.
Pick Portalcraft if…
- If you like the diversity that comes with multiple battles styles, artifacts, and puppets, then Portalcraft is for you. You officially have two great options for battle.
- If you prefer sneak attacks to bold, brash strategies, then Portalcraft is something you might enjoy. The sneaky act does work sometimes, after all.
- And if you’re a more advanced player, don’t be afraid to give it a shot. The attention to detail and destruction can be very satisfying when you are aware of what you’re doing in Shadowverse and have experienced other styles of fighting before
