History Analysis / Shadowverse

* '''Temple Haven''' (sometimes referred as '''[[IncrediblyLamePun Tempo]]''' Haven) is a midrange deck that utilizes the namesake amulet [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107732010?lang=en Summitt Temple]]. This deck focuses on playing high defense Havencraft followers where Haven's reactive plays becomes more proactive since their high defense followers will deal damage equal the follower's defense, making their own high-defense followers more threatening during the midgame. The deck utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107713010?lang=en Gemstone Carpace]] that summons [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900711100?lang=en Bejeweled Tortoise]] where the amulet's countdown is reduced by 1 whenever an allied follower evolves, thus synergizing well with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105741010?lang=en Princess Snow White]] when she is used to contest the board or actual evolve turns with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100721020?lang=en Priest of the Cudgel]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105723010 March Hare's Teatime]] to help contest the board (since Tin Soldier is a neutral follower, the Tin Soldier will ''not'' affected by Summit Temple, thus allowing Tin Soldier to be threatening even when it's damaged). The deck also utilize [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106741010?lang=en Aether of the White Wing]] to pull midgame threats such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108741020?lang=en Ceryneian Hind]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/cards?m=index&lang=en&m=index&clan%5B%5D=7&format=1&atk=0&atk_operator=1&life=0&life_operator=1&type=0&card_offset=60 Heavenly Knight]] while boosting the defense value of all allied followers on board. Ceryneian Hind can be played on curve with the Choose option of either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900741020?lang=en help popping the forementioned amulets on board]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900741010?lang=en a Rush follower that restores it's own defense at the end of the player's turn]] when 2 or more amulets are on board and Heavenly Knight can be used to push lategame burst damage to the enemy leader since it gains Storm when played in conjunction with Summit Temple. Unlike most Haven decks, Temple Haven has the capacity to end games as early as turn 6 or 7 because Temple can present very threatening boards that the opponent needs to deal with and only using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703741010 Heavenly Aegis]] as a backup lategame finisher if needed. That being said, the deck is countered by deliberately trading the player's followers into Havencraft's followers on board, making their midgame threats less threatening. Fortunately, Temple Haven has various tools that help restore defense of their own followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107731010?lang=en Pegasus Dullahan]] which can revive itself from any amulets that are on board or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107741010?lang=en Jeanne, Beacon of Salvation]] which also serves as an effective board clear.

* '''Temple''' Haven (sometimes referred as '''[[IncrediblyLamePun Tempo]]''' Haven) is a midrange deck that utilizes the namesake amulet [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107732010?lang=en Summitt Temple]]. This deck focuses on playing high defense Havencraft followers where Haven's reactive plays becomes more proactive since their high defense followers will deal damage equal the follower's defense, making their own high-defense followers more threatening during the midgame. The deck utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107713010?lang=en Gemstone Carpace]] that summons [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900711100?lang=en Bejeweled Tortoise]] where the amulet's countdown is reduced by 1 whenever an allied follower evolves, thus synergizing well with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105741010?lang=en Princess Snow White]] when she is used to contest the board or actual evolve turns with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100721020?lang=en Priest of the Cudgel]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105723010 March Hare's Teatime]] to help contest the board (since Tin Soldier is a neutral follower, the Tin Soldier will ''not'' affected by Summit Temple, thus allowing Tin Soldier to be threatening even when it's damaged). The deck also utilize [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106741010?lang=en Aether of the White Wing]] to pull midgame threats such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108741020?lang=en Ceryneian Hind]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/cards?m=index&lang=en&m=index&clan%5B%5D=7&format=1&atk=0&atk_operator=1&life=0&life_operator=1&type=0&card_offset=60 Heavenly Knight]] while boosting the defense value of all allied followers on board. Ceryneian Hind can be played on curve with the Choose option of either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900741020?lang=en help popping the forementioned amulets on board]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900741010?lang=en a Rush follower that restores it's own defense at the end of the player's turn]] when 2 or more amulets are on board and Heavenly Knight can be used to push lategame burst damage to the enemy leader since it gains Storm when played in conjunction with Summit Temple. Unlike most Haven decks, Temple Haven has the capacity to end games as early as turn 6 or 7 because Temple can present very threatening boards that the opponent needs to deal with and only using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703741010 Heavenly Aegis]] as a backup lategame finisher if needed. That being said, the deck is countered by deliberately trading the player's followers into Havencraft's followers on board, making their midgame threats less threatening. Fortunately, Temple Haven has various tools that help restore defense of their own followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107731010?lang=en Pegasus Dullahan]] which can revive itself from any amulets that are on board or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107741010?lang=en Jeanne, Beacon of Salvation]] which also serves as an effective board clear.

''Note: All Havencraft decks (except for Storm Haven) are considered to be control decks''

* '''Reanimate Shadow''' is a new deck archetype introduced in ''Chronogenesis'' expansion that utilize Shadow's two new mechanics: ''Reanimate'' and ''Burial Rite''. Cards with ''Burial Rite'' effects such [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107511010?lang=en Gloomy Necromancer]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108531020?lang=en Everdark Stryx]] to kill off either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041010?lang=en Zeus]] and sometimes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108541020?lang=en Hinterland Ghoul]] in the player's hand so Reanimate effects such [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107534010?lang=en Sow Death, Reap Life]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107531010?lang=en Death Dragon Caller]] can pull lategame threats earlier on curve. [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108541010?lang=en Ceridwen, Eternity Hunter]] helps encourage this playstyle with an option of either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900544030?lang=en 5pp Reanimate spell that puts the highest cost follower on board]] (thus guaranteeing Zeus being played around turn 7) or a [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900544040?lang=en 1pp Burial Rite spell that serves a removal]]. In Rotation format, Reanimate Shadow plays more like a control deck, as Reanimate Shadow needs to survive the early game in order to play their lategame threats in an earlier curve and many of the Reaniamte and Burial Rite tools tend to be more defensive in nature while the Reanimate mechanics is more or less incorporated into Atomy decks as mentioned above. However, much like ''Nephthys Control'', Reanimate Shadow has incredibly difficult time contesting the board as an incredibly awkward early game, and not getting the key important cards such as their lategame Reanimate target, Burial Rite, and Reanimate effects can more or less ruin the gameplan. Furthermore, Shadow in Rotation format lacks any early game tempo and lack reliable hard removal and board clears, making it even harder for Reanimate Shadow to contest the board in both the early game and lategame. To compensate this, Reanimate Shadow have a few early game tempo tools to encourage this play-style such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107513010?lang=en Skull Ring]] that can pull out either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511030?lang=en Belenus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531020?lang=en Andrealphus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108511010?lang=en Orator of the Bones]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108031020?lang=en Paradise Vanguard]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108514010?lang=en Regenerate Spirit]] that can pull either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106021020?lang=en Purehearted Singer]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108044010?lang=en Moon and Sun's]] followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900041040?lang=en Amaterasu]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900041050?lang=en Tsukuyomi]] as well pulling either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702511010?lang=en Saber Alter]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107541010?lang=en Underworld Ruler Aisha]] if it's Enhance effect is used.

* '''Reanimate''' Shadow is a new deck archetype introduced in ''Chronogenesis'' expansion that utilize Shadow's two new mechanics: ''Reanimate'' and ''Burial Rite''. Cards with ''Burial Rite'' effects such [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107511010?lang=en Gloomy Necromancer]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108531020?lang=en Everdark Stryx]] to kill off either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041010?lang=en Zeus]] and sometimes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108541020?lang=en Hinterland Ghoul]] in the player's hand so Reanimate effects such [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107534010?lang=en Sow Death, Reap Life]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107531010?lang=en Death Dragon Caller]] can pull lategame threats earlier on curve. [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108541010?lang=en Ceridwen, Eternity Hunter]] helps encourage this playstyle with an option of either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900544030?lang=en 5pp Reanimate spell that puts the highest cost follower on board]] (thus guaranteeing Zeus being played around turn 7) or a [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900544040?lang=en 1pp Burial Rite spell that serves a removal]]. In Rotation format, Reanimate Shadow plays more like a control deck, as Reanimate Shadow needs to survive the early game in order to play their lategame threats in an earlier curve and many of the Reaniamte and Burial Rite tools tend to be more defensive in nature while the Reanimate mechanics is more or less incorporated into Atomy decks as mentioned above. However, much like ''Nephthys Control'', Reanimate Shadow has incredibly difficult time contesting the board as an incredibly awkward early game, and not getting the key important cards such as their lategame Reanimate target, Burial Rite, and Reanimate effects can more or less ruin the gameplan. Furthermore, Shadow in Rotation format lacks any early game tempo and lack reliable hard removal and board clears, making it even harder for Reanimate Shadow to contest the board in both the early game and lategame. To compensate this, Reanimate Shadow have a few early game tempo tools to encourage this play-style such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107513010?lang=en Skull Ring]] that can pull out either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511030?lang=en Belenus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531020?lang=en Andrealphus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108511010?lang=en Orator of the Bones]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108031020?lang=en Paradise Vanguard]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108514010?lang=en Regenerate Spirit]] that can pull either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106021020?lang=en Purehearted Singer]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/108044010?lang=en Moon and Sun's]] followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900041040?lang=en Amaterasu]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900041050?lang=en Tsukuyomi]] as well pulling either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702511010?lang=en Saber Alter]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107541010?lang=en Underworld Ruler Aisha]] if it's Enhance effect is used.

* '''Midrange Sword''' is a little harder to identify due to overlap with several other niche archetypes. Rather than go straight for the enemy leader, it plays a little more conservatively, having access to several Rush followers to control the board using their superior follower quality until their other followers can chip away at the enemy leader at their leisure. It still does play its fair share of Storm followers if it needs to end the game quickly. Key plays include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106241010 Mars]], typically supplanted with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102231010 White Paladin]] to generate a ton of stubborn Wards, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105241020 Hero of Antiquity]] as a stubborn game-ender, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to conserve evolve points, or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103231030 Fangblade Slayer]] to assassinate targets and push damage.

''Note: Because of Shadowcraft's reliance of Last Words and Necromancy effects, all Shadowcraft decks are countered by various control Havencraft decks that utilize banish effects''

* '''Midrange Shadow''' plays to the class strength of Necromancy effects. Based on the framework from aggro Shadow during the ''Rise of Bahamut'' expansion [[note]]subsequent expansions after Tempest of the Gods introduced more defensive options for midrange Shadow that allows further differentiation between aggro Shadow and midrange Shadow[[/note]], midrange Shadow is a JackOfAllTrades deck that has an early game to contest and control the board that will allow them to build shadows for mid to late game plays such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101534030 Death's Breath]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531030 Immortal Thane]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104541020 Demonlord Eachtar]] as well as being able to maintain a sticky board thanks to the said Prince Catacombs and Bone Chimera from aggro Shadow. The deck also has various defensive options such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531020 Little Soulsquasher]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521030 Lurching Corpse]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531010 Ceres of the Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511010 Dark Bladefiend]] to punish any aggressive decks as well. Due to the sheer versatility of midrange Shadow, this deck is considered one of the strongest decks in both ladder and competitive play.

* '''Atomy''' is built around [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101541020 its namesake card]], and is focused on filling the board with cards so that it can play Atomy as soon as possible. The average speed on a good draw involves playing Atomy on turn 4, at a time when hard removal is less available and the opponent is forced into disadvantageous trades. When Atomy goes down, it typically follows up with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102531010 Ceridwen]] to immediately resurrect him. Atomy and his deck was initially considered AwesomeButImpractical as it hinged on the player drawing Atomy early, and without an early Atomy the deck simply played lots of weak followers with no real muscle to match the opponent's threats. However, later sets bestowed Shadow with lots of draw power like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105511010 Demon Eater]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531020 Andrealphus]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106033010 Staircase to Paradise]] that the Atomy deck can cycle its cards fast enough to play Atomy with consistency, to the point where it managed to place highly in a tournament in late 2017. Key plays also include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104022010 Frozen Mammoth]] to supplement Atomy with a deadly 6/7 threat or two, or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107513010 Skull Ring]] to instantly fill 3 spaces for a quick Atomy without giving up hand advantage. The deck generates enough Shadows that it can also play [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101531040 Deathly Tyrant]] as a finisher.

** A variation of this deck that gained traction in Rotation, long after Alice's nerf at the end of Wonderland Dreams, removes all of the spells and much of the aggressive early-game in favor of excessive amounts of follower-based card draw from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106021020?lang=en Purehearted Singer]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105321030?lang=en Mysterian Grimoire]], an end-game package of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041010?lang=en Zeus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041020?lang=en Israfil]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104341010?lang=en Wordwielder Ginger]] and a potent board clear option in the form of either [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103041020?lang=en Sahaquiel]] (in Chronogenesis, when combined with Israfil) or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105341020?lang=en Abomination Awakened]] (in Dawnbreak Nightedge, when combined with Mysterian Grimoire).

** A variation of this deck that gained traction in Rotation, long after Alice's nerf at the end of Wonderland Dreams, removes all of the spells and much of the aggressive early-game in favor of excessive amounts of follower-based card draw from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106021020?lang=en Purehearted Singer]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105321030?lang=en Mysterian Grimoire]], an end-game package of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041010?lang=en Zeus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041020?lang=en Israfil]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104341010?lang=en Wordwielder Ginger]] and a potent board clear option in the form of either [[Sahaquiel https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103041020?lang=en]] (in Chronogenesis, when combined with Israfil) or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105341020?lang=en Abomination Awakened]] (in Dawnbreak Nightedge, when combined with Mysterian Grimoire).

* '''Artifact Portal''' is a midrange deck that takes advantage of the token generation of Artifacts utilizing followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811100 Mech Wing Swordsman]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821030 Icarus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811070 Magisteel Lion]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811070 Iron Staff Mechanic]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811050 Cat Cannoneer]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811040 Ironforged Fighter]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811030 Gravikinetic Warrior]] to help generate Artifacts such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811040 Radiant Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811010 Ancient Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811020 Mystic Artifact]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811030 Analyzing Artifact]] in the player's deck. [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841030 Deus Ex Machina]] will often be played on curve with Resonance active in order to help the player shuffle through their deck to get the Artifacts needed with cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841020 Spinaria]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107813030 Acceleratium]] to help contest the board during the midgame. Because many Artifacts will be destroyed during the game for contesting the board, this helps power up some of Portalcraft's lategame cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107831010 Safira]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841010 Magna Legacy]]. This deck is notorious for being [[DifficultButAwesome the hardest deck to play properly]] ([[BeyondTheImpossible even harder than OTK Roach as mentioned above]]) mainly because putting too many Artifact tokens in the deck will make it harder to get the lategame cards needed while not having enough Artifacts in the deck can inappropriately result in the player decking themselves out when Resonance effect is activated when Deus Ex Machina is played. Furthermore, discarding several important key cards in your hand can backfire on the player as the game progress further into the lategame.

* '''Artifact Portal''' is a midrange deck that takes advantage of the token generation of Artifacts utilizing followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811100 Mech Wing Swordsman]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821030 Icarus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811070 Magisteel Lion]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811070 Iron Staff Mechanic]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811050 Cat Cannoneer]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811040 Ironforged Fighter]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811030 Gravikinetic Warrior]] to help generate Artifacts such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811040 Radiant Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811010 Ancient Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811020 Mystic Artifact]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811030 Analyzing Artifact]] in the player's deck. [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841030 Deus Ex Machina]] will often be played on curve with Resonance activate in order to help the player shuffle through their deck to get the Artifacts needed with cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841020 Spinaria]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107813030 Acceleratium]] to help contest the board during the midgame. Because many Artifacts will be destroyed during the game for contesting the board, this helps power up some of Portalcraft's lategame cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107831010 Safira]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841010 Magna Legacy]]. This deck is notorious for being [[DifficultButAwesome the hardest deck to play properly]] ([[BeyondTheImpossible even harder than OTK Roach as mentioned above]]) mainly because putting too many Artifact tokens in the deck will make it harder to get the lategame cards needed while not having enough Artifacts in the deck can inappropriately result in the player decking themselves out when Resonance effect is activated when Deus Ex Machina is played. Furthermore, discarding several important key cards in your hand can backfire on the player as the game progress further into the lategame.

* '''Artifact Portal''' is a midrange deck that take advantage of the token generation of Artifacts utilizing followers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811100 Mech Wing Swordsman]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821030 Icarus]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811070 Magisteel Lion]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811070 Iron Staff Mechanic]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811050 Cat Cannoneer]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811040 Ironforged Fighter]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107811030 Gravikinetic Warrior]] to help generate Artifacts such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811040 Radiant Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811010 Ancient Artifact]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811020 Mystic Artifact]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811030 Analyzing Artifact]] in the player's deck. [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841030 Deus Ex Machina]] will often be played on curve with Resonance activate in order to help the player shuffle through their deck to get the Artifacts needed with cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841020 Spinaria]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107813030 Acceleratium]] to help contest the board during the midgame. Because many Artifacts will be destroyed during the game for contesting the board, this helps power up some of Portalcraft's lategame cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107831010 Safira]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107841010 Magna Legacy]]. This deck is notorious for being [[DifficultButAwesome the hardest deck to play properly]] ([[BeyondTheImpossible even harder than OTK Roach as mentioned above]]) mainly because putting too many Artifact tokens in the deck will make it harder to get the lategame cards needed while not having enough Artifacts in the deck can inappropriately result in the player decking themselves out when Resonance effect is activated when Deus Ex Machina is played. Furthermore, discarding several important key cards in your hand can backfire on the player as the game progress further into the lategame.
* '''Puppet Portalcraft''' is a combo/control hybrid deck that take use of Portalcraft's [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900811050 Puppet]] tokens and the use of Resonance effects to control the board. Cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811020 Puppeteer]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821020 Flower Doll]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811010 Toy Soldier]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811030 Automaton Knight]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107813020 Puppet Room]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821100 Automaton Soldier]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100824010 Puppeteer's Strings]] to generate Puppets, which the Puppets can be used to help control the board during the midgame since they don't cost any play points and have Rush. Resonance activating cards such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821010 Rosa, Mech Wing Maiden]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100811060 Mechanized Servant]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100814010 Dimension Cut]] will sometimes be used to help maintain control of the board. The endgame goal for this deck to use [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/107821060 Vengeful Puppeteer Noah]] to achieve a OTK combo effect with the Puppets by having the Puppets push a significant amount of face damage. This deck requires the Puppets' attack to be boosted a significant amount, which unlike Dimension Shift or OTK Roach, the combo can only be pulled off past turn 9 or turn 10.

* '''Roach OTK''' is as its name implies -- a deck that utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101131020 Rhinoceroach]] and the various cheap tokens and bounce cards at Forest's disposal (like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106114010 Airbound Barrage]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101114010 Nature's Guidance]]) to get as many hits from Roach as possible. When played well, a Roach OTK combo can defeat an unguarded opponent at full health, though this combo can only take place in the later turns. At its prime in the ''Bahamut'' format, a powerful variant of this deck, termed "Miracle Roach" by some, made use of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103011030 Goblin Mage]] to find Roach, the only 2pp followers in the deck, allowing it to win as early as turn 7 with the assistance of other 1-cost followers. Goblin Mage was nerfed to also be able to find 1pp followers, resulting in Roach OTK decks needing to forsake a lot of their early game (no 1pp or 2pp followers except for Roach at all) if they wanted to replicate the consistency they once had. This deck is [[DifficultButAwesome notorious for being the most difficult deck to play properly]] due to needing to count how many low play point cards in order to achieve the OTK combo, the current space, and how much health the opponent has. The combo itself is easily countered with either multiple Wards, damage reduction effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900242010 Durandal]], or applying a lot of early game pressure that will force the player to use the combo pieces more defensively [[note]]For example, a lot of aggro decks can apply a lot of early game pressure on OTK Roach akin to aggro decks applying early game pressure on D-Shift[[/note]].

To be added once Chronogenesis launches and deck lists are refined.

* '''Control Sword''' plays a much grindier game than its other two counterparts, forgoing Commander-Officer synergy for straight-up individual follower quality. It delays the game by playing many Ward followers so that it can play its high-cost followers at its leisure. Key plays include using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104241020 Gawain]] to reduce the costs of the deck's many Commanders, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101231040 Frontguard General]] as a notoriously sticky Ward, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104241010 Roland]] with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900242010 Durandal]] to mess up many combo decks, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to grant free evolves to Commanders. However, the lack of effective removal spells or board clears leaves Control Sword a lot weaker than other control archetypes.

* '''Aggro/Face Sword''' is the prime aggressive deck in the game, [[ZergRush fielding a lot of cheap followers and Storm followers to get as much damage on the opponent as possible]] before they can hope to react. Its tendency to [[AttackAttackAttack go for the enemy leader as opposed to contesting the board]] leads to its name. Signature plays involve [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106231020 Perseus]] on turn 1 enabling [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101211050 Centaur Vanguard]] on turn 2, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106234010 Round Table Assembly]] summoning two copies of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106221020 Princess Juliet]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103241010 Albert]] as a finisher. The deck aims to kill fast; any opponent that successfully fends off the onslaught and causes the deck to run out of momentum has the stage set for a turnabout. Aggro Sword is noted to be [[SkillGateCharacter one of the easiest decks to play in ladder, but also relatively easy to counter]]. This is because most of aggro Sword's damage comes from Storm and their followers and it's easily counterable with a mixture of follower removals, board wipes, sturdy Wards, and some healing.

* '''PDK Dragon''' revolves around [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106441010 Prime Dragon Keeper]]. Once it reaches Overflow after contesting the board in the earlier turns, it plays Prime Dragon Keeper and summons a slew of cheap followers to trigger her effect as many times as possible, grinding away at the enemy board while scoring chip damage as well. PDK isn't a finisher, but she wears down the enemy enough for other Storm cards like Forte and Genesis Dragon to come in and finish the job.

* '''Aggro Blood''' is focused on applying early game pressure with [[ZergRush flooding the board with cheap followers]] like Aggro Sword with cards such as Summon Bloodkin, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106634010 Trial of the Gorgons]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106641010 Venomfang Medusa]]. However, while Sword primarily focuses on applying direct damage to the enemy leader with Storm followers, aggro Blood primary source of damage comes from "burn" spells and effects applied directly to the enemy leader such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101614020 Summon Bloodkin]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101624010 Night Horde]] in conjunction with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102631030 Vania]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Vampiric Fortress]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Razory Claw]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702624010 Snarling Chains]] to push for face damage (with the later serving as an effective removal tool), [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] to punish decks that focus on ZergRush strategies such as aggro Sword and aggro Forest, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641010 Carabosse]] to help push the final bits of damage and drawing cards at the same time. Much like aggro Sword, aggro Blood has a relatively low learning curve that is easy to play. However, unlike aggro Sword, aggro Blood is much harder to counter since most of their damage comes from "burn" spells and effects, and the aforementioned Carabosse card makes it hard to aggro Blood to lose steam quickly since Caraboose provides unstoppable chip damage and card draw, meaning the only effective way to counter aggro Blood is to run a deck that utilize a lot of healing (for example, Elana Haven, control Blood, and several Ramp Dragon decks).
* '''Vengeance Blood''', plays to Bloodcraft's main mechanic of Vengeance. This deck utilizes cards that help puts them into relatively low health (usually with activators such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104641010 Belphegor]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101641020 Soul Dealer]], or utilizing Blood's CastFromHitPoints spells and effects) in order to utilize strong Vengeance effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104621040 Dark Airjammer]] [[note]]Decks that run this follower will opt not to run any 1pp followers with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101611050 Blood Wolf]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104611020 Spiderweb Imp]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] in order to fully maximize Dark Airjammer's effect[[/note]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634010 Diabolic Drain]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100611050 Dark General]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105631010 Emeralda]] for powerful midgame plays. The deck is considered to be DifficultButAwesome mainly because inappropriately putting the player in Vengeance can punish the player hard (for example, not having the Wards needed will result in defeat from aggro Sword or OTK Roach) and inappropriately putting the player out of Vengeance will make their midgame plays even weaker. Most Vengeance Blood decks plays closer like a midrange deck, although there are some variations that incorporate some elements of aggro Blood as well.

* '''Midrange Shadow''' plays to the class strength of Necromancy effects. Based on the framework from aggro Shadow during the ''Tempest of the Gods'' expansion [[note]]subsequent expansions after Tempest of the Gods introduced more defensive options for midrange Shadow that allows further differentiation between aggro Shadow and midrange Shadow[[/note]], midrange Shadow is a JackOfAllTrades deck that has an early game to contest and control the board that will allow them to build shadows for mid to late game plays such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101534030 Death's Breath]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531030 Immortal Thane]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104541020 Demonlord Eachtar]] as well as being able to maintain a sticky board thanks to the said Prince Catacombs and Bone Chimera from aggro Shadow. The deck also has various defensive options such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531020 Little Soulsquasher]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521030 Lurching Corpse]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531010 Ceres of the Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511010 Dark Bladefiend]] to punish any aggressive decks as well. Due to the sheer versatility of midrange Shadow, this deck is considered one of the strongest decks in both ladder and competitive play.

* '''Aggro Forest''' turns the ZergRush factor of Forest UpToEleven. It plays as many cheap followers as possible and optimally buffs the board with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106124010 Elf Song]], making their unassuming Fairies twice as strong and a little more difficult to deal with. On later turns it supplants with burst damage from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104111040 Beetle Warrior]] or Rhinoceroach, and when the going gets tough and it needs to end the game quickly, it plays [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105131020 Fairy Driver]] to turn a hand of Fairies into game-ending burst damage. As with most aggressive decks in the game, a poor opening hand deprives it of a lot of momentum.

* '''Midrange Sword''' is a little harder to identify due to overlap with several other niche archetypes. Rather than go straight for the enemy leader, it plays a little more conservatively, having access to several Rush followers to control the board using their superior follower quality until their other followers can chip away at the enemy leader at their leisure. It still does play its fair share of Storm followers if it needs to end the game quickly. Key plays include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106241010 Mars]], typically supplanted with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102231010 White Paladin]] to generate a ton of stubborn Wards, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105241020 Hero of Antiquity]] as a stubborn game-ender, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to converse evolve points, or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103231030 Fangblade Slayer]] to assassinate targets and push damage.

* '''Dirt Rune''' (later referred as '''Burn Rune''' in later expansions) is used to refer to any Earth Rite deck in the game. In the early days of ''Shadowverse'', this deck focused on generating many Ward followers with its Earth Rite effects, most notably using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101333010 Juno's Secret Laboratory]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102321010 Remi & Rami]], but suffered from an overdependence on evolves and a lack of a game-ender unless it was [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101032010 Path to Purgatory]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101041030 Prince of Darkness]]. Later expansions opened up a more aggressive variant, which uses cards like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104311040 Halo Golem]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105331020 Master Mage Levi]] to deal damage directly to the enemy leader and close games, on top of having [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104321030 Magic Illusionist]] offer incredible tempo trades or chip damage in the early game. In fact, Dirt Rune as a deck end up having more burn spells and effects than aggro Blood (as mentioned below), which lead to the '''Burn Rune''' deck archetype for aggressive Dirt Rune decks.

** '''Storm Ramp''' has an end goal of playing Polyphonic Roar, which continuously spawns 5/5 Windblast Dragons with Storm to rush down the player or at least force them onto the defensive. Storm powerhouses like Forte and Genesis Dragon are featured too.
** '''Dread Queen OTK''' instead focuses on playing the titular Queen of the Dread Sea, followed by playing Genesis Dragon, attacking, and following up with Arriet granting it a second attack. Combined, the combo can do 14 damage to an unprotected player, or 18 if Genesis Dragon got evolved.
* '''PDK Dragon''' revolves around Prime Dragon Keeper. Once it reaches Overflow after contesting the board in the earlier turns, it plays Prime Dragon Keeper and summons a slew of cheap followers to trigger her effect as many times as possible, grinding away at the enemy board while scoring chip damage as well. PDK isn't a finisher, but she wears down the enemy enough for other Storm cards like Forte and Genesis Dragon to come in and finish the job.

* '''Mid Shadow''' plays to the class strength of Necromancy effects. Based on the framework from aggro Shadow during the ''Tempest of the Gods'' expansion [[note]]subsequent expansions after Tempest of the Gods introduced more defensive options for midrange Shadow that allows further differentiation between aggro Shadow and midrange Shadow[[/note]], midrange Shadow is a JackOfAllTrades deck that has an early game to contest and control the board that will allow them to build shadows for mid to late game plays such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101534030 Death's Breath]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531030 Immortal Thane]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104541020 Demonlord Eachtar]] as well as being able to maintain a sticky board thanks to the said Prince Catacombs and Bone Chimera from aggro Shadow. The deck also has various defensive options such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531020 Little Soulsquasher]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521030 Lurching Corpse]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531010 Ceres of the Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511010 Dark Bladefiend]] to punish any aggressive decks as well. Due to the sheer versatility of midrange Shadow, this deck is considered one of the strongest decks in both ladder and competitive play.
* '''Nephthys Control''' is a control deck that utilize [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703541010 Nephthys]]. Rather than focusing on apply early game pressure, Nephthys primarily focuses on having a powerful lategame that involves pulling out high value followers that can be destroyed when played such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101531050 Mordecai the Duelist]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521040 Underworld Watchman Khawy]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103511050 Attendant of Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100521020 Hell's Unleasher]] in order to flood the board with multiple [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900511040 Liches]] and Mordecai on board. Due to the stickness of Mordecai, Nephthys decks are relatively hard to deal, which can only be countered by either banishes from Havencraft, BalefulPolymorph effects from Runecraft, or playing a combo deck such as Dimension Shift or OTK Roach.

The '''Alice package''' formed the core of multiple Neutral-based decks during the ''Wonderland'' meta. Rather than splitting this entry across the rest of the page, nearly any Neutral deck running this backbone will be discussed here. The main ingredients are the titular [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105041010 Alice]], along with several cheap Neutral followers like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103021040 Khaiza]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103021030 Lyrial]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105021010 Feria]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105011030 Goblin Leader]]. The deck typically floods the field with cheap Neutral followers before giving them, and other Neutral cars in hand, a powerful +1/+1 buff. Goblin Leader was quickly retired from the package after his nerf pushed him from 3pp to 4pp, preventing him from curving into Alice, and the Alice package as a whole faded into obscurity when Alice only bestows +1/+0 instead, which made the followers far less sturdy and easily dispatched.
* '''Neutral Sword''' supplemented the package with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105231010 Maisy]] for removal, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105234010 Council of Card Knights]] for a surge of utility Neutral followers, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105211030 Rabbit Ear Attendant]] for card draw.

* '''Neutral Blood''' had a frightening early game with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105611030 Tove]] showing up just before Goblin Leader and Alice, capped with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104621020 Baphomet]] on 5 for an Enhance effect that pulled up [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641020 Spawn of the Abyss]], reducing its cost so it can be played on turn 6 and swinging for lethal damage on an unguarded opponent. Other variants use [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105631020 Phantom Cat]] for additional card draw and direct damage to the enemy leader. This variant received the most nerfs, with Tove going from a 3/3 with a negligible downside to an unassuming 2/2, Baphomet losing its enhance effect that made it unable to cheat Spawn into play earlier than normal, and Spawn's damage effect doing a static 5 damage whether evolved or not.

* '''Nephthys Control''' is a control deck that utilize [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703541010 Nephthys]]. Rather than focusing on apply early game pressure, Nephthys primarily focuses on having a powerful lategame that involves pulling out high value followers that can can destroy when played such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101531050 Mordecai the Duelist]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521040 Underworld Watchman Khawy]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103511050 Attendant of Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100521020 Hell's Unleasher]] in order to flood the board with multiple [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900511040 Liches]] and Mordecai on board. Due to the stickness of Mordecai, Nephthys decks are relatively hard to deal, which can only be countered by either banishes from Havencraft, BalefulPolymorph effects from Runecraft, or playing a combo deck such as Dimension Shift or OTK Roach.

* '''Aggro Blood''' is focused on applying early game pressure with [[ZergRush flooding the board with cheap followers]] like Aggro Sword with cards such as Summon Bloodkin, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106634010 Trial of the Gorgons]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106641010 Venomfang Medusa]]. However, while Sword primarily focuses on applying direct damage to the enemy leader with Storm followers, aggro Blood primary source of damage comes from "burn" spells and effects applied directly to the enemy leader such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101614020 Summon Bloodkin]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101624010 Night Horde]] in conjunction with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102631030 Vania]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Vampiric Fortress]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Razory Claw]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702624010 Snarling Chains]] to push for face damage (with the later serving as an effective removal tool), [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] to punish decks that focus on ZergRush strategies such as aggro Sword and aggro Forest, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641010 Carabosse]] to help push the final bits of damage and drawing cards at the same time. Much like aggro Sword, aggro Blood has a relatively low learning curve that is easy to play. However, unlike aggro Sword, aggro Blood is much harder to counter since most of their damage comes from "burn" spells and effects, and the aforementioned Carabosse card makes it hard to aggro Blood to lose steam quickly since Caraboose provides unstoppable chip damage and card draw, meaning the only effective way to counter aggro Blood is to run a deck that utilize a lot of healing (for example, Elana Haven and several Ramp Dragon decks).

* '''Control Blood''' is a control deck that focuses on out-sustaining and out-valuing the opponent. The deck utilizes various removal spells and similar effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102614050 Vampiric Kiss]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101631050 Temptress Vampire]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105621010 Scarlet Sabreur]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634010 Diabolic Drain]]. Control Blood will often use [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104633010 Blood Moon]] to help trigger powerful Vengeance effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101631040 Righteous Devil]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703641010 Belphegor]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634020 Revelation]] without putting themselves in low health. Control will also run several lategame finishers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103041010 Bahamut]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641020 Spawn of the Abyss]] to help close out long games. Control Blood counters a lot of aggro decks and some midrange decks since Control Blood can outsustain the opponent with card draws, healing, and board wipes, but is vulnerable to combo decks since a lot of control Blood's defensive options come from follower removal and have very limited options to mitigate face damage across from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104611020 Spiderweb Imp]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106611020 Fanged Serpent]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104623010 Mask of the Black Death]].

* '''Mid Shadow''' plays to the class strength of Necromancy effects. Based on the framework from aggro Shadow during the ''Tempest of the Gods'' expansion, midrange Shadow is a JackOfAllTrades deck that has an early game to contest and control the board that will allow them to build shadows for mid to late game plays such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101534030 Death's Breath]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531030 Immortal Thane]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104541020 Demonlord Eachtar]] as well as being able to maintain a sticky board thanks to the said Prince Catacombs and Bone Chimera from aggro Shadow. The deck also has various defensive options such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104531020 Little Soulsquasher]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103521030 Lurching Corpse]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106531010 Ceres of the Night]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106511010 Dark Bladefiend]] to punish any aggressive decks as well. Due to the sheer versatility of midrange Shadow, this deck is considered one of the strongest decks in both ladder and competitive play.

'''Roach OTK''' is as its name implies -- a deck that utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101131020 Rhinoceroach]] and the various cheap tokens and bounce cards at Forest's disposal (like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106114010 Airbound Barrage]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101114010 Nature's Guidance]]) to get as many hits from Roach as possible. When played well, a Roach OTK combo can defeat an unguarded opponent at full health, though this combo can only take place in the later turns. At its prime in the ''Bahamut'' format, a powerful variant of this deck, termed "Miracle Roach" by some, made use of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103011030 Goblin Mage]] to find Roach, the only 2pp followers in the deck, allowing it to win as early as turn 7 with the assistance of other 1-cost followers. Goblin Mage was nerfed to also be able to find 1pp followers, resulting in Roach OTK decks needing to forsake a lot of their early game (no 1pp or 2pp followers except for Roach at all) if they wanted to replicate the consistency they once had. This deck is [[DifficultButAwesome notorious for being the most difficult deck to play properly]] due to needing to count how many low play point cards in order to achieve the OTK combo, the current space, and how much health the opponent has. The combo itself is easily countered with either multiple Wards, damage reduction effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900242010 Durandal]], or applying a lot of early game pressure that will force the player to use the combo pieces more defensively [[note]]For example, a lot of aggro decks can apply a lot of early game pressure on OTK Roach akin to aggro decks applying early game pressure on D-Shift[[/note]].

'''PTP Forest''' turns its massive Fairy generation into a plethora of shadows to fuel [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101032010 Path to Purgatory]]. Its ability to fill up the hand also results in high-value [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101034010 Altered Fate]] as it ditches a whole set of Fairies (and things it doesn't need) to draw into more options. In the meantime, the deck has to manage the board so it doesn't die prematurely before it can find a safe spot to land Path to Purgatory, and is more prone to getting poor hands if it draws more than one Altered Fate too early.

'''White Wolf Forest''' uses the titular [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103141010 White Wolf of Eldwood]] to fish out its high-cost finishers and use them for free. The deck utilizes Forest's penchant for filling its hand to make the most of its boardwipes and do massive damage with its finishers like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101134020 Silver Bolt]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106141020 King Elephant]]. Some instead opt to use [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101141030 Rose Queen]] to convert its plethora of Fairies into damage spells to finish off the opponent.

'''Neutral Forest''' uses the Neutral synergy offered by ''Wonderland Dreams''. Rather than use an aggressive Alice package detailed below, Neutral Forest uses cards that reward having a large number of Neutral cards in hand. Its key card is [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105141010 Beauty and the Beast]], which turns into a NighInvulnerable behemoth when both its buff criteria are met, and often follows up with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104031010 Arriet]] to deliver two hits with them on the next turn. The deck is quite dependent on landing Beauty and the Beast on time; if it fails to do so, it often resorts to falling back on its high-end Neutral cards like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104041020 Israfil]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103041010 Bahamut]] to threaten to end the game.

'''Aggro Forest''' turns the ZergRush factor of Forest UpToEleven. It plays as many cheap followers as possible and optimally buffs the board with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106124010 Elf Song]], making their unassuming Fairies twice as strong and a little more difficult to deal with. On later turns it supplants with burst damage from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104111040 Beetle Warrior]] or Rhinoceroach, and when the going gets tough and it needs to end the game quickly, it plays [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105131020 Fairy Driver]] to turn a hand of Fairies into game-ending burst damage. As with most aggressive decks in the game, a poor opening hand deprives it of a lot of momentum.

'''Aggro/Face Sword''' is the prime aggressive deck in the game, [[ZergRush fielding a lot of cheap followers and Storm followers to get as much damage on the opponent as possible]] before they can hope to react. Its tendency to [[AttackAttackAttack go for the enemy leader as opposed to contesting the board]] leads to its name. Signature plays involve [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106231020 Perseus]] on turn 1 enabling [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101211050 Centaur Vanguard]] on turn 2, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106234010 Round Table Assembly]] summoning two copies of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106221020 Princess Juliet]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103241010 Albert]] as a finisher. The deck aims to kill fast; any opponent that successfully fends off the onslaught and causes the deck to run out of momentum has the stage set for a turnabout. Aggro Sword is noted to be [[SkillGateCharacter one of the easiest decks to play in ladder, but also relatively easy to counter]]. This is because most of aggro Sword's damage comes from Storm and their followers and it's easily counterable with a mixture of follower removals, board wipes, sturdy Wards, and some healing.

'''Midrange Sword''' is a little harder to identify due to overlap with several other niche archetypes. Rather than go straight for the enemy leader, it plays a little more conservatively, having access to several Rush followers to control the board using their superior follower quality until their other followers can chip away at the enemy leader at their leisure. It still does play its fair share of Storm followers if it needs to end the game quickly. Key plays include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106241010 Mars]], typically supplanted with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102231010 White Paladin]] to generate a ton of stubborn Wards, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105241020 Hero of Antiquity]] as a stubborn game-ender, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to converse evolve points, or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103231030 Fangblade Slayer]] to assassinate targets and push damage.

'''Control Sword''' plays a much grindier game than its other two counterparts, forgoing Commander-Officer synergy for straight-up individual follower quality. It delays the game by playing many Ward followers so that it can play its high-cost followers at its leisure. Key plays include using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104241020 Gawain]] to reduce the costs of the deck's many Commanders, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101231040 Frontguard General]] as a notoriously sticky Ward, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104241010 Roland]] with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/900242010 Durandal]] to mess up many combo decks, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to grant free evolves to Commanders. However, the lack of effective removal spells or board clears leaves Control Sword a lot weaker than other control archetypes.

'''Dimension Shift''' is the signature spellboost combo deck of the game, focused on drawing and boosting [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101334020 its titular card]] as much as possible so that it can take {{Extra Turn}}s while dropping free [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100321010 Flame Destroyers]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104321040 Chimeras]] to end the game. While it is doing so, it is very focused on controlling the board and drawing through its deck to find the rest of its combo pieces, relying on removal spells like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100314040 Wind Blast]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100314070 Fiery Embrace]] to pick off threats. It has very little in the way of followers and Wards, and is vulnerable to a wide board of attackers, so it is very easily defeated by any aggro deck; control decks, on the other hand, are usually unable to defeat Dimension Shift before the combo goes off.

'''Dirt Rune''' (later referred as '''Burn Rune''' in later expansions) is used to refer to any Earth Rite deck in the game. In the early days of ''Shadowverse'', this deck focused on generating many Ward followers with its Earth Rite effects, most notably using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101333010 Juno's Secret Laboratory]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102321010 Remi & Rami]], but suffered from an overdependence on evolves and a lack of a game-ender unless it was [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101032010 Path to Purgatory]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101041030 Prince of Darkness]]. Later expansions opened up a more aggressive variant, which uses cards like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104311040 Halo Golem]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105331020 Master Mage Levi]] to deal damage directly to the enemy leader and close games, on top of having [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104321030 Magic Illusionist]] offer incredible tempo trades or chip damage in the early game. In fact, Dirt Rune as a deck end up having more burn spells and effects than aggro Blood (as mentioned below), which lead to the '''Burn Rune''' deck archetype for aggressive Dirt Rune decks.

'''Daria Tempo''', designed around the [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103341010 titular card]], is another spellboost deck, but this time focused on reducing the cost of many of its spellboost followers. Signature plays include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103311030 Craig]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103321040 Clarke]] boosting the cards in their hand while still being reasonably-sized followers for their cost, often to drop Daria on turn 4 or 5, and drawing a fresh hand of highly discounted [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103311050 Oglers]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103311060 Blade Mages]], setting up a board full of threats that can only be answered by strong board wipes. Also keeping this deck in infamy is the [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102331010 Levi]] + [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103324010 Piercing Rune]] combo, which lets it kill a total of 3 enemy followers when evolving on turn 4, before Piercing Rune's nerf.

'''Ramp Dragon''' is the core archetype of Dragoncraft. It uses its many tools at its disposal to accumulate additional play points so that it can play its more expensive followers before the opponent can, [[MightyGlacier focusing on quality over quantity]], and is supplemented with various board control cards and healing to ensure that it doesn't easily die due to reduced initial board presence. The archetype's ultimate goal often determines which classification it falls under.
* '''Storm Ramp''' has an end goal of playing Polyphonic Roar, which continuously spawns 5/5 Windblast Dragons with Storm to rush down the player or at least force them onto the defensive. Storm powerhouses like Forte and Genesis Dragon are featured too.
* '''Dread Queen OTK''' instead focuses on playing the titular Queen of the Dread Sea, followed by playing Genesis Dragon, attacking, and following up with Arriet granting it a second attack. Combined, the combo can do 14 damage to an unprotected player, or 18 if Genesis Dragon got evolved.

'''PDK Dragon''' revolves around Prime Dragon Keeper. Once it reaches Overflow after contesting the board in the earlier turns, it plays Prime Dragon Keeper and summons a slew of cheap followers to trigger her effect as many times as possible, grinding away at the enemy board while scoring chip damage as well. PDK isn't a finisher, but she wears down the enemy enough for other Storm cards like Forte and Genesis Dragon to come in and finish the job.

'''Aggro Blood''' is focused on applying early game pressure with [[ZergRush flooding the board with cheap followers]] like Aggro Sword with cards such as Summon Bloodkin, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106634010 Trial of the Gorgons]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106641010 Venomfang Medusa]]. However, while Sword primarily focuses on applying direct damage to the enemy leader with Storm followers, aggro Blood primary source of damage comes from "burn" spells and effects applied directly to the enemy leader such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101614020 Summon Bloodkin]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101624010 Night Horde]] in conjunction with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102631030 Vania]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Vampiric Fortress]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Razory Claw]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702624010 Snarling Chains]] to push for face damage (with the later serving as an effective removal tool), [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] to punish decks that focus on ZergRush strategies such as aggro Sword and aggro Forest, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641010 Carabosse]] to help push the final bits of damage and drawing cards at the same time. Much like aggro Sword, aggro Blood has a relatively low learning curve that is easy to play. However, unlike aggro Sword, aggro Blood is much harder to counter since most of their damage comes from "burn" spells and effects, and the aforementioned Carabosse card makes it hard to aggro Blood to lose steam quickly since Caraboose provides unstoppable chip damage and card draw, meaning the only effective way to counter aggro Blood is to run a deck that utilize a lot of healing (for example, Elana Haven and several Ramp Dragon decks).

'''Vengeance Blood''', plays to Bloodcraft's main mechanic of Vengeance. This deck utilizes cards that help puts them into relatively low health (usually with activators such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104641010 Belphegor]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101641020 Soul Dealer]], or utilizing Blood's CastFromHitPoints spells and effects) in order to utilize strong Vengeance effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104621040 Dark Airjammer]] [[note]]Decks that run this follower will opt not to run any 1pp followers with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101611050 Blood Wolf]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104611020 Spiderweb Imp]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] in order to fully maximize Dark Airjammer's effect[[/note]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634010 Diabolic Drain]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/100611050 Dark General]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105631010 Emeralda]] for powerful midgame plays. The deck is considered to be DifficultButAwesome mainly because inappropriately putting the player in Vengeance can punish the player hard (for example, not having the Wards needed will result in defeat from aggro Sword or OTK Roach) and inappropriately putting the player out of Vengeance will make their midgame plays even weaker. Most Vengeance Blood decks plays closer like a midrange deck, although there are some variations that incorporate some elements of aggro Blood as well.

'''Control Blood''' is a control deck that focuses on out-sustaining and out-valuing the opponent. The deck utilizes various removal spells and similar effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102614050 Vampiric Kiss]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101631050 Temptress Vampire]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105621010 Scarlet Sabreur]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634010 Diabolic Drain]]. Control Blood will often use [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104633010 Blood Moon]] to help trigger powerful Vengeance effects such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101631040 Righteous Devil]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/703641010 Belphegor]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101634020 Revelation]] without putting themselves in low health. Control will also run several lategame finishers such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103041010 Bahamut]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641020 Spawn of the Abyss]] to help close out long games. Control Blood counters a lot of aggro decks and some midrange decks since Control Blood can outsustain the opponent with card draws, healing, and board wipes, but is vulnerable to combo decks since a lot of control Blood's defensive options come from follower removal and have very limited options to mitigate face damage across from [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104611020 Spiderweb Imp]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106611020 Fanged Serpent]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104623010 Mask of the Black Death]].

'''Midrange Sword''' is a little harder to identify due to overlap with several other niche archetypes. Rather than go straight for the enemy leader, it plays a little more conservatively, having access to several Rush followers to control the board using their superior follower quality until their other followers can chip away at the enemy leader at their leisure. It still does play its fair share of Storm followers if it needs to end the game quickly. Key plays include [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106241010 Mars]], typically supplanted with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102231010 White Paladin]] to generate a ton of stubborn Wards, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105241020 Hero of Antiquity]] as a stubborn game-ender, or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103231030 Fangblade Slayer]] to assassinate targets and push damage.

'''Ramp Dragon''' is the core archetype of Dragoncraft. It uses its many tools at its disposal to accumulate additional play points so that it can play its more expensive followers before the opponent can, and is supplemented with various board control cards and healing to ensure that it doesn't easily die due to reduced initial board presence. The archetype's ultimate goal often determines which classification it falls under.

* '''Mid Shadow'''

'''Nephthys Control'''

'''Guardian Sun'''

'''Storm Haven'''

'''Seraph'''

'''Elana'''

'''Aegis'''

'''Aggro Shadow'''

'''Mid Shadow'''

'''Control Blood'''

'''Ramp Dragon'''
* '''Storm Ramp'''
* '''Dread Queen OTK'''

'''Aggro Blood''', this deck is focused on applying early game pressure with [[ZergRush flooding the board with cheap followers]] like Aggro Sword with cards such as Summon Bloodkin, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106634010 Trial of the Gorgons]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106641010 Venomfang Medusa]]. However, while Sword primarily focuses on applying direct damage to the enemy leader with Storm followers, aggro Blood primary source of damage comes from "burn" spells and effects applied directly to the enemy leader such as [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101614020 Summon Bloodkin]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101624010 Night Horde]] in conjunction with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102631030 Vania]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Vampiric Fortress]], [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102632020 Razory Claw]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/702624010 Snarling Chains]] to push for face damage (with the later serving as an effective removal tool), [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103611030 Yurius]] to punish decks that focus on ZergRush strategies such as aggro Sword and aggro Forest, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105641010 Carabosse]] to help push the final bits of damage and drawing cards at the same time. Much like aggro Sword, aggro Blood has a relatively low learning curve that is easy to play. However, unlike aggro Sword, aggro Blood is much harder to counter since most of their damage comes from "burn" spells and effects, and the mentioned Carabosse card makes it hard to aggro Blood to lose steam quickly since Caraboose pushes face damage every turn and draws a card, meaning the only effective way to counter aggro Blood is to run a deck that utilize a lot of healing (for example, Elana Haven and several Ramp Dragon decks).

'''Roach OTK''' is as its name implies -- a deck that utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101131020 Rhinoceroach]] and the various cheap tokens and bounce cards at Forest's disposal (like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106114010 Airbound Barrage]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101114010 Nature's Guidance]]) to get as many hits from Roach as possible. When played well, a Roach OTK combo can defeat an unguarded opponent at full health, though this combo can only take place in the later turns. At its prime in the ''Bahamut'' format, a powerful variant of this deck, termed "Miracle Roach" by some, made use of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103011030 Goblin Mage]] to find Roach, the only 2pp followers in the deck, allowing it to win as early as turn 7 with the assistance of other 1-cost followers. Goblin Mage was nerfed to also be able to find 1pp followers, resulting in Roach OTK decks needing to forsake a lot of their early game (no 1pp or 2pp followers except for Roach at all) if they wanted to replicate the consistency they once had.

'''Aggro/Face Sword''' is the prime aggressive deck in the game, fielding a lot of cheap followers and Storm followers to get as much damage on the opponent as possible before they can hope to react. Its tendency to [[AttackAttackAttack go for the enemy leader as opposed to contesting the board]] leads to its name. Signature plays involve [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106231020 Perseus]] on turn 1 enabling [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101211050 Centaur Vanguard]] on turn 2, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106234010 Round Table Assembly]] summoning two copies of [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106221020 Princess Juliet]], and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103241010 Albert]] as a finisher. The deck aims to kill fast; any opponent that successfully fends off the onslaught and causes the deck to run out of momentum has the stage set for a turnabout.

'''Control Sword''' plays a much grindier game than its other two counterparts, forgoing Commander-Officer synergy for straight-up individual follower quality. It delays the game by playing many Ward followers so that it can play its high-cost followers at its leisure. Key plays include using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104241020 Gawain]] to reduce the costs of the deck's many Commanders, [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101231040 Frontguard General]] as a notoriously sticky Ward, and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104221020 Luminous Mage]] to grant free evolves to Commanders. However, the lack of effective removal spells or board clears leaves Control Sword a lot weaker than other control archetypes.

'''Dirt Rune''' is used to refer to any Earth Rite deck in the game. In the early days of ''Shadowverse'', this deck focused on generating many Ward followers with its Earth Rite effects, most notably using [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101333010 Juno's Secret Laboratory]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/102321010 Remi & Rami]], but suffered from an overdependence on evolves and a lack of a game-ender unless it was [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101032010 Path to Purgatory]] or [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101041030 Prince of Darkness]]. Later expansions opened up a more aggressive variant, which uses cards like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104311040 Halo Golem]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105331020 Master Mage Levi]] to deal damage directly to the enemy leader and close games, on top of having [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104321030 Magic Illusionist]] offer incredible tempo trades or chip damage in the early game.

'''Ramp Dragon''' is the core archetype of Dragoncraft. It uses its many tools at its disposal to accumulate additional play points so that it can play its more expensive followers before the opponent can, and is supplemented with various board control cards and healing to ensure that it doesn't easily die due to reduced initial board presence. The archetype's ultimate goal often determines which classification it falls under.
* '''Storm Ramp''' has an end goal of playing Polyphonic Roar, which continuously spawns 5/5 Windblast Dragons with Storm to rush down the player or at least force them onto the defensive. Storm powerhouses like Forte and Genesis Dragon are featured too.
* '''Dread Queen OTK''' instead focuses on playing the titular Queen of the Dread Sea, followed by playing Genesis Dragon, attacking, and following up with Arriet granting it a second attack. Combined, the combo can do 14 damage to an unprotected player, or 18 if Genesis Dragon got evolved.

'''PDK Dragon''' revolves around Prime Dragon Keeper. Once it reaches Overflow after contesting the board in the earlier turns, it plays Prime Dragon Keeper and summons a slew of cheap followers to trigger her effect as many times as possible, grinding away at the enemy board while scoring chip damage as well. PDK isn't a finisher, but she wears down the enemy enough for other Storm cards like Forte and Genesis Dragon to come in and finish the job.

'''Aggro Blood'''

'''Vengeance Blood'''

'''Ramp Dragon'''
* '''Storm Ramp'''
* '''Dread Queen OTK'''

'''Roach OTK''' is as its name implies -- a deck that utilizes [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101131020 Rhinoceroach]] and the various cheap tokens and bounce cards at Forest's disposal (like [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/106114010 Airbound Barrage]] and [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/101114010 Nature's Guidance]]) to get as many hits from Roach as possible. When played well, a Roach OTK combo can defeat an unguarded opponent at full health, though this combo can only take place in the later turns. The deck utilizes next to no low-cost followers to ensure that [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/103011030 Goblin Mage]] is guaranteed to find Roach, which results in a very poor early game.

'''Neutral Forest''' uses the Neutral synergy offered by ''Wonderland Dreams''. Rather than use an aggressive Alice package, Neutral Forest uses cards that reward having a large number of Neutral cards in hand. Its key card is [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/105141010 Beauty and the Beast]], which turns into a NighInvulnerable behemoth when both its buff criteria are met, and often follows up with [[https://shadowverse-portal.com/card/104031010 Arriet]] to deliver two hits with them on the next turn. The deck is quite dependent on landing Beauty and the Beast on time; if it fails to do so, it often resorts to falling back on its high-end Neutral cards like Israfil or Bahamut to threaten to end the game.

To be added once Chronogenesis launches and deck lists are refined.