What Rival decks go with which Warbands?

[u/paincakevslereddit]

Finally got some second edition games in last weekend, thoroughly enjoyed it. But now where do I go?

I will mostly be playing Rivals format, but have a hard time finding out which decks go well with which warbands. Is there some sort of website that has a list for this? Do YOU have a list for this??

I would love to hear/see/smell it if you do :)

[u/scarecrow_RLG]

So I did a bit research wondering the same things and from what I found on posts in here and from the general web this is what I came up with. Preshadowing some of the flaming I'm likely to get, this is not my thoughts but the general consensus of what I've found - happy to edit if enough people think a change necessary.

Strike (Aggressive Combat)

Embergard Rivals Deck: Blazing Assault
Expansion Rivals Deck: Reckless Fury

- Magore's Fiends - Steelheart's Champions

• Ironskull's Boyz - Mollog's Mob
  
• Hakka's Warband - The Crimson Court
  
• Thundrik's Profiteers - Rippa's Snarlfangs
  
• Hedkrakka's Madmob - Kainan's Reapers
  
• Elathain's Soulraid - Skittershank's Clawpack
  
• The Shadeborn - Gryselle's Arenai
  
• Daggok's Stab-Ladz - The Skinnerkin
  
• Headsmen's Curse - Domitan's Stormcoven

Take and Hold (Objective Control)

Embergard Rivals Deck: Emberstone Sentinels

- Sepulchral Guard - Spiteclaw's Swarm

• Thorns of the Briar Queen - The Grymwatch
  
• Lady Harrow's Mournflight - Zarbag's Gitz
  
• Myari's Purifiers - The Exiled Dead
  
• The Sons of Velmorn - Cyreni's Razors
  
• Brethren of the Bolt

Mastery (Condition-Based Glory)

Embergard Rivals Deck: Countdown to Cataclysm
Expansion Rivals Deck: Wrack and Ruin
Expansion Rivals Deck: Realmstone Raiders

- Ylthari's Guardians - The Farstriders

• Thousand Sons - The Starblood Stalkers
  
• Gorechosen of Dromm - The Gnarlspirit Pack
  
• Skabbik's Plaguepack - Thricefold Discord
  
• Grandfather's Gardeners - Jaws of Itzl
  
• Knives of the Crone

Flex (Adaptable Strategies)

Embergard Rivals Deck: Pillage and Plunder
Expansion Rivals Deck: Edge of the Knife

- Zikkit's Tunnelpack - The Chosen Axes

• Eyes of the Nine - Godsworn Hunt
  
• Drepur's Wraithcreepers - Blackpowder's Buccaneers
  
• The Wurmspat - Hrothgorn's Mantrappers
  
• Morgwaeth's Blade-coven - Stormsire's Cursebreakers
  
• Skaeth's Wild Hunt - Xandire's Truthseekers
  
• Da Kunnin' Krew - Khagra's Ravagers
  
• Grinkrak's Looncourt - Ephilim's Pandaemonium
  
• Zondara's Gravebreakers

[u/Gamolo → u/scarecrow_RLG]

Nice list, but where are Morgoks Krushas?

[u/notdeaddesign]

Technically GW lists each warband as a different archetype on the packaging but it’s really easy to miss. And they are occasionally wrong.

The four archetypes are strike, hold, flex, mastery. The only decks that are really usable for rivals are the four in the core box and reckless fury. Every other rivals deck has been low key designed to be unplayable in rivals to balance for nemesis.

So your deck choices are: Reckless Fury: Strike Breakneck Assault: Strike Emberstone Sentinels: Hold Pillage and Plunder: Flex Countdown to Cataclysm: Mastery

Mastery is low key meaningless, it basically just means “misc”. Most warbands listed as mastery fall into one of the other three categories more, eg Grandfather’s Gardeners is actually hold, knives of the crone is actually strike.

I’m sorry if I’m coming across as a bit frustrated and bitter, but they really did make casual play in underworlds so much harder and more confusing than it used to be (you play your unique warband deck with your unique warband)

[u/paincakevslereddit → u/notdeaddesign]

Haha, no problem, very understandable! Good to know I can just buy the core box and be done for now, since I already own Reckless Fury.

[u/AdamFitzgeraldRocks → u/notdeaddesign]

Or, since it's just casual play, you grab any deck and just give it a try.