Midrange Swordcraft

Rotation and Unlimited
Archetypes
Midrange Swordcraft
Aggro Swordcraft

Rotation
Archetypes
Usurpation Swordcraft

Unlimited
Archetypes
Spartacus Swordcraft

Deck Overview

Rotation Rating	5 / 5
Unlimited Rating	3 / 5
Difficulty	Medium
Cost	High

Rotation Archetype Overview

Midrange Swordcraft was one of the dominating decks in the Dawnbreak, Nightedge format, and it’s back to dominate once again! This deck specializes in follower-to-follower combat and overwhelming the opponent by playing multiple followers per turn. Flooding the board with Sky Commander Celia and Arthur, Knight King, followed by buffs from Sky Fortress is the textbook win condition of this deck. New additions such as Dragon Knights, Latham, Honorable Knight, and Zeta, Crimson lancer gives further support for this deck’s mid and late game plays!

Rotation Deck Sample

This is a sample decklist. Feel free to make changes based on your preferences.

Shadowverse Portal Link

Spell
Card	Cost	Quantity
Chromatic DuelSpell - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Choose: Put either a Queen Hemera the White or a Queen Magnus the Black into your hand. Enhance (8): Put a Queen Hemera the White and a Queen Magnus the Black into your hand instead, and recover 8 play points.	1	3
Usurping SpinebladeSpell - Omen of the Ten Unevolved Deal 3 damage to an enemy follower. Randomly put 1 of the following cards into your hand: Gilded Blade, Gilded Goblet, Gilded Boots, or Gilded Necklace.	2	2
Dragon KnightsSpell - Brigade of the Sky Unevolved Choose: Summon a Vane, Indomitable Knight; a Siegfried, Dragonslayer; a Lancelot, Twinfang Prodigy; or a Percival, Lord of Flames. Enhance (8): Choose 2 of those followers instead.	5	3

Follower
Card	Cost	Quantity
Servant of UsurpationFollower - Omen of the Ten Unevolved Clash: Gain +1/+1. Randomly put 1 of the following cards into your hand: Gilded Blade, Gilded Goblet, Gilded Boots, or Gilded Necklace. Evolved (Same as the unevolved form.)	2	3
Lux, Solar LancerFollower - Starforged Legends Unevolved Fanfare: Put a random Commander that costs 5 play points or less from your deck into your hand. Enhance (4): Then put a random Commander that costs at least 6 play points from your deck into your hand.	2	2
Holy Bear KnightFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Ward. Fanfare: Enhance (5) - Gain +2/+2. Evolved Ward	2	3
Sky Commander CeliaFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved If you have at least 5 play points, Choose: Play this card as either a Celia, Hope's Strategist or a Celia, Despair's Messenger.	2	3
Mars, Silent Flame GeneralFollower - Starforged Legends Unevolved Whenever an allied Swordcraft follower comes into play, give it +0/+1 and Clash: Gain +1/+0. Evolved Whenever an allied Swordcraft follower comes into play, give it +0/+1 and Clash: Gain +1/+0.	3	3
Valse, Magical MarksmanFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Fanfare: Choose - Put either a Holy Purebomb or a Fatal Spellbomb into your hand.	3	3
Octrice, Omen of UsurpationFollower - Omen of the Ten Unevolved Fanfare: Remove all Last Words effects on an enemy follower and give those effects to this follower. Fanfare: Enhance (8) - Gain +2/+2 and the ability to evolve for 0 evolution points. Recover 2 play points. Evolved Evolve: Randomly put 2 of the following cards into your hand: Gilded Blade, Gilded Goblet, Gilded Boots, or Gilded Necklace.	3	2
Frontline CavalierFollower - Chronogenesis Unevolved Whenever an allied Officer follower comes into play, restore 1 defense to your leader. Evolved Evolve: Summon 2 Heavy Knights. Whenever an allied Officer follower comes into play, restore 1 defense to your leader.	4	2
Apostle of UsurpationFollower - Omen of the Ten Unevolved Fanfare: Deal 1 damage to an enemy. Randomly put 1 of the following cards into your hand: Gilded Blade, Gilded Goblet, Gilded Boots, or Gilded Necklace. Whenever you play a Loot card, deal 2 damage to a random enemy follower. Evolved Whenever you play a Loot card, deal 2 damage to a random enemy follower.	5	3
Zeta, Crimson LancerFollower - Brigade of the Sky Unevolved Rush. Whenever this follower attacks, put a Beatrix, Undying Blue into your hand if there is no allied Beatrix, Undying Blue in play or your hand. Evolved (Same as the unevolved form.)	6	3
Latham, Honorable KnightFollower - Brigade of the Sky Unevolved Accelerate (2): Summon 2 Knights. Fanfare: Give your leader the following effects - Whenever an allied follower attacks and there are no allied Knights in play, summon a Knight. Whenever an allied follower that originally costs 1 play point comes into play, give it Storm. (These effects are not stackable and last for the rest of the match.)	8	3

Rotation Core Cards

Card
Latham, Honorable Knight Expansion: Brigade of the Sky
Dragon Knights Expansion: Brigade of the Sky

Dragon Knights: This spell is extremely powerful and versatile for its cost, allowing you to deal with many situations with the 4 choices of followers. When used for its Enhance cost, the cost-efficiency of the card becomes insane! For now, it’s definitely a card you want 3 copies of..

Latham, Honorable Knight: Latham is actually a card that has 2 different modes. It gives you the ability to have early game followers with it's accelerate ability. In the late game, he is quite a potent win condition! A big body and whenever you attack with your other followers, they produce 1/1 storm followers for you to help close the game out with! Definitely a card you want at least 2 or 3 of in your deck!

Rotation Alternative Options

Card
Lux, Solar Lancer Expansion: Starforged Legends
Octrice, Omen of Usurpation Expansion: Omen of the Ten

Lux, Solar Lancer: An excellent card with the purpose of searching out the key cards of the deck. Be careful though, this card would be a target for Arthur’s effect.

Latham, Honorable Knight: Against decks that are proficient in follower-removal, the Arthur → Sky Fortress plan often do not work. Latham gives an alternative win condition, by giving the leader the permanent ability of summoning Knights with Storm every time a follower is played. This card also shines in the mirror match, with its ability extremely handy in getting rid of followers.

Octrice, Omen of Usurpation: Octrice is a decent tech option for decks that focus on the use of last word followers. However, the real strength of this card comes in with it's evolve ability to give you 2 loot cards. It's enhance ability also allows you to evolve it for free. The downside to this card is that it is vying for the already competitive 3 and 8 PP slot. But If you can fit it, definitely give it a try!

Rotation Budget Options

Card
Axe Destroyer Expansion: Wonderland Dreams
Weathered Vanguard Expansion: Omen of the Ten

Axe Destroyer: Axe Destroyer is a great budget option for the 6-PP slot in the deck, if three copies is Zeta is too expensive. Its evolve ability can also destroy amulets, which can come in handy against match ups such as Tenko and Lion Havencraft.

Octrice, Omen of Usurpation -> Weathered Vanguard: Weathered vanguard is an on curve 2/3 that has an additional benefit. Later in the game it summons 3 1/2 followers. This can be a very strong tempo swing.

Rotation Deck Mulligans

Chromatic Duel
Any 2 PP Followers
Mars Silent Flame General /Valse, Magical Marksman
- Valse is more valuable as a play option against aggressive decks and if you are going second.
Usurping Spineblade
- Good going second.

Rotation General Gameplan and Tips/Tricks

Valse, Magical Marksman is one of the best cards you can use to maintain tempo and shut down opponents offense. Another function of this card is being able to exile your opponent's important cards should it be needed.
Chromatic Duel can help with generating tempo or protecting your board from effect damage. Queen Hemera the white is generally going to be your primary option. There can also be value in holding your Chromatic duel for later in the game.
Apostle of Usurpation is how you are going to generate tempo in the mid to late game. The more loot cards you are able to play with him in play, the better he is because he can literally wipe out a board with enough cards.
Although you can generate a lot of loot cards, playing them when you are able is better than hoarding them because they can clog your hand.
Usurping Spineblade is very good for killing a follower and adding a loot card to your hand.

Unlimited Archetype Overview

Midrange Swordcraft in unlimited is not much different than it's rotation counterpart. The general gameplan is the same; use cards that allow you to put multiple followers into play at once and press that advantage to a win. It can be quite difficult for a player to clear a board of swordcraft followers if they don't have access to board wipes and even if they do, this deck is certainly capable of just filling the board up again!

Unlimited Deck Sample

This is a sample decklist. Feel free to make changes based on your preferences.

Shadowverse Portal Link

Spell
Card	Cost	Quantity
Chromatic DuelSpell - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Choose: Put either a Queen Hemera the White or a Queen Magnus the Black into your hand. Enhance (8): Put a Queen Hemera the White and a Queen Magnus the Black into your hand instead, and recover 8 play points.	1	x 3
Round Table AssemblySpell - Starforged Legends Unevolved Put 2 random Commanders that cost 3 play points from your deck into play.	5	x 2

Follower
Card	Cost	Quantity
Bladed HedgehogFollower - Wonderland Dreams Unevolved Whenever an enemy follower is destroyed, gain +1/+0. Evolved Whenever an enemy follower is destroyed, gain +1/+0.	2	x 3
Veteran LancerFollower - Standard Unevolved Ward. Evolved Ward.	2	x 3
CuhullinFollower - Starforged Legends Unevolved Rush. Enhance (6): Gain Bane until the end of the turn. This follower can't be damaged until the end of the turn. Evolved Rush.	2	x 3
Holy Bear KnightFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Ward. Fanfare: Enhance (5) - Gain +2/+2. Evolved Ward	2	x 3
Mars, Silent Flame GeneralFollower - Starforged Legends Unevolved Whenever an allied Swordcraft follower comes into play, give it +0/+1 and Clash: Gain +1/+0. Evolved Whenever an allied Swordcraft follower comes into play, give it +0/+1 and Clash: Gain +1/+0.	3	x 3
White PaladinFollower - Darkness Evolved Unevolved Ward. Evolved Ward. Evolve: Summon a Shield Guardian for each enemy follower in play.	3	x 3
Valse, Magical MarksmanFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Fanfare: Choose - Put either a Holy Purebomb or a Fatal Spellbomb into your hand.	3	x 3
Gawain of the Round TableFollower - Tempest of the Gods Unevolved Whenever this follower attacks, subtract 1 from the cost of all Commanders in your hand. Enhance (6): Gain +1/+1 and Rush. Evolved Whenever this follower attacks, subtract 1 from the cost of all Commanders in your hand.	4	x 3
Luminous MageFollower - Tempest of the Gods Unevolved Fanfare: Summon a Luminous Knight. Evolution points won't be used when you evolve allied Commanders. Evolved Evolution points won't be used when you evolve allied Commanders.	5	x 3
Albert, Levin SaberFollower - Rise of Bahamut Unevolved Storm. Enhance (9): Can't be damaged until the end of the turn this card is played. Can attack twice per turn. Evolved Storm.	5	x 2
Zeta, Crimson LancerFollower - Brigade of the Sky Unevolved Rush. Whenever this follower attacks, put a Beatrix, Undying Blue into your hand if there is no allied Beatrix, Undying Blue in play or your hand. Evolved (Same as the unevolved form.)	6	x 2
Arthur, Knight KingFollower - Chronogenesis Unevolved Fanfare: Randomly put different Swordcraft followers that cost 2 play points or less from your deck into play until your area is full.	8	x 3
Sky FortressFollower - Dawnbreak, Nightedge Unevolved Rush. Fanfare: Give an allied follower +3/+4. If it is an Officer follower, give it Ward. If it is a Commander follower, give it Clash: Draw a card. Evolved Rush	8	x 3

Unlimited Core Cards

Card
Arthur, Knight King Expansion: Chronogenesis
Gawain of the Round Table Expansion: Tempest of the Gods
Valse, Magical Marksman Expansion: Dawnbreak, Nightedge
Albert, Levin Saber Expansion: Rise of Bahamut
White Paladin Expansion: Darkness Evolved

Gawain of the Round Table: This card actually serves multiple functions. It can be used as a strong rush follower later in the game to help you conserve on your evolution points. If you don't have any evo points remaining, it could still be some some help to give you a little extra push. It also allows you to reduce the cost of your commander followers whenever it attacks. This means that you could actually play a card like Arthur Knight King as early as turn 6! Against some decks, this can be absolutely backbreaking and hard for them to overcome.

Valse, Magical Marksman: This card will probably be in every sword deck until Cygames decides to print something better. This card is an absolute all star in any sword deck providing you with 2 different ways of removing cards from the board.

Holy Purebomb is a great card for helping answer threats or amulets.
Fatal spellbomb is a great spell for helping maintain tempo against your opponents.

Arthur Knight King: A very powerful late game play that allows you to flood the board with a bunch of 1/2 PP followers. Honestly, there isn't too much about this card that hasn't already been said. It is important to note when building your deck to discover what cards you want to be pulling from Arthur when you play him. Here are some of the more common choices.

Bladed Hedgehog
Veteran Lancer
Cuhullin
Sky Commander Celia
Kuniochi Trainee / Innocent Princess Prim
- This can be selected as an ambush option that can be used with Sky fortress the turn after.

White Paladin: This card is usually paired up with Mars Silent flame general but it is a good card in its own right. Unfortunately in control / combo matchups this card won't be optimal but against other aggressive and midrange style decks, this card is an all star. The more followers your opponent play, the better it is as they will have to spend a substantial amount of resources clearing them out before they can attack you directly.

Unlimited Alternative Options

Card
Fangblade Slayer Expansion: Rise of Bahamut
Frontguard General Expansion: Base Set
Charlotta, Tiny Justice Expansion: Brigade of the Sky

Fangblade Slayer: Fangblade Slayer can be a great finisher for your deck on top of Albert, Levin Saber. It has a big enough body that it's hard to kill and it also has bane so it will kill anything it touches.

Frontguard General: This is a great card for grinding games. It's a big ward and also replaces itself when it dies. Can definitely help with walling off aggressive decks.

Charlotta, Tiny Justice: Charlotta can help keep your board safe from damage based removal options such as Evil Eye Demon, Revelation, Nova Flare and others. It also has ward so it can protect your board in multiple ways. Unfortunately though, it doesn't do anything vs Cards like Themis's Decree and Themis's purge so keep that in mind when using it.

Unlimited Deck Mulligans

Any 2 PP Follower
Mars Silent Flame General
- This ends up being an amazing turn 3 play if you are going first. Otherwise, you can consider getting rid of it if you are going second.
- Keeping this going second does allow you to potentially set up the Mars + White Paladin combo would can be devastating for aggressive strategies to break through.
White Paladin
- Only good to keep when you are going second against aggressive / other midrange decks
Gawain of the Round Table
- Excellent Keep going second
Valse, Magical Marksman
- Can be kept going first or second
Arthur, Knight King
- You can Keep this card if you happen to also have Gawain in your opening hand while going second because it allows you to play one a turn earlier than you would normally. This gives you a massive tempo advantage against your opponent.

Unlimited General Gameplan and Tips/Tricks

The Name of the game with Sword is to generate tons and tons of value. That is obtained by using your many cards that generate additional followers on the board for you. Cards that are very good for this purpose will be posted below
- Celia, Hope's Strategist
- Frontline Cavalier
- Arthur Knight King
Gawain is a very important part of this deck. Being able to reduce the cost of your commanders such as Mars Silent Flame General, Luminous Mage, Arthur Knight King, or Sky fortress can accelerate the clock and make it much more difficult for your opponent to counter play you because you are playing this cards at a reduced cost.
This deck has a high amount of rush followers. If you can, try to use those as a way of helping you deal with your opponents followers vs using your evolution points. Those should be used as a last resort in that regard or used to help create even more advantage and value.
Whenever you can play sky fortress on a follower, you play it! You don't want to have that card just sitting around in your hand doing nothing.
Always look for the best possible value you can gain out of your cards.

User Created Decks

Deck	Date Sort ascending	Cost
Machina Deck [65k vials] Deck by Darkcreed	Updated 05-06 Posted 05-06	0
Vow's Midrange Part 2 Unlimited Deck by Sazechs	Updated 03-19 Posted 03-19	43,000
Midrange Swordcraft with Dionne The next Albert? Deck by Subaru	Updated 03-14 Posted 03-13	71,900
Vow's Midrange Deck by Sazechs	Updated 03-13 Posted 03-13	34,500
The Swarm Deck by THEBOZZ113	Updated 03-02 Posted 03-02	28,100

Tournament Decks

Deck	Date Sort ascending	Cost
MotW OotT #3 - Top 8: bionicjanitor/Midrange Swordcraft	Updated 10-27 Posted 10-27	55,700
MotW OotT #3 - Top 8: HSK Tejjy/Midrange Swordcraft	Updated 10-27 Posted 10-27	54,950
MotW OotT #3 - Top 8: Fubuki/Midrange Sword	Updated 10-27 Posted 10-27	58,250
MotW OotT #3 - Top 8: Fubuki/Midrange Swordcraft	Updated 10-27 Posted 10-27	57,650
MotW OotT #2 - Top 4: CaptnDoLan/Midrange Swordcraft	Updated 10-21 Posted 10-21	58,100

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