Emberstone Sentinels
Welcome to our rundown of Emberstone Sentinels. Make sure to catch our podcast coverage of the release too. For everything out with this release window, follow these links:
Release Rundowns
Podcast
Thanks go to GW for providing a review copy to make this content possible.
Introduction
[D]AVY, [P]HIL, [B]RIAN, & [S]KYLER
D: Here comes the first Take and Hold archetype rivals deck. This one should be really interesting as it potentially sets the tone for what and how warbands can score when they're not just punching people in the face. Is this a viable plan in Embergard? Let's take a look.
Objectives
P: A simple enough surge, but with the timing being after the opponent and needing a charge token you will likely need a ranged fighter for this to be reliable.
B: That would be an ideal scenario, but this is just good in my opinion. The opponent certainly has options to counter play, but Overrun also makes this enticing to melee with a lot of dice.
P: This surge feels like it could be easily countered. The only way this might end up being doable is if you can get too many staggered fighters on tokens that your opponent can't push off.
B: As a Gitz player, I accept! Counter play should be a factor in any objective card. I think this is very reasonable as objective holding surges after your own activation get too strong easily.
B: But also there's nothing about Stagger tokens that prevent Delving, so you can get onto a token, delve it(only one delve per warband per turn), then delve it back prior to their activation.
P: Another one that I think I need to see in action. Having to have a move token at least half the time means this could be inefficient but if your opponent can't get all your fighters off treasure tokens then at least you could brute force it.
B: Fun photography on this one.
B: So that I don’t get repetitive throughout this Hold Objective/Take and Hold deck, I'll just say "GITZ" from here on out when I gitz excited.
D: That’ll be much easier.
B: I like it, cuz GITZ. We'll see how the meta shakes out, but I feel like clever token placement can serve you well with this. The opponent warband will feel like futbol goalies knocking fighters off their home territories.
P: If you can get a fighter to be hard to drive off a treasure token this becomes pretty appealing. These kinds of surges, while out of your control, seem to often work out well.
B: Can we all agree lets not make a Rules-As-Written argument that, "technically it doesn't say I have to STILL be holding it". I think the intent is clear here.
D: I agree to nothing.
P: Wow, this feels like an auto-include. Not needing to hit the attack makes this so simple.
B: *Add to cart*
B: GITZ
D: He’s a poet.
P: Interesting. A pretty simple surge, but needing move tokens specifically could make this less efficient. I'd like to see this in practice to know for sure how I feel about it. If we get warbands like Sepulchral Guard this could be very strong.
B: Easy money for move shenanigan warbands like Phill said, Hexbane with his dogs, and GITZ. Like it!
P: Simple and straightforward. Having the flexibility of holding one of two treasure tokens makes this feel like a reasonable play.
B: Getting a peek at some terrain/diorama modeling the photographers are adding into their shots. Me thinks someone is using this to build out their own dungeon terrain, lol.
P: Same as hold 1 or 2.
B: A nice option to have in a starter box. Originally I thought they had taken a photo of the new Treasure token art lol. Really cool painting on the Emberstone in the chest.
P: Well dang. Having the other end phases give you two options makes this feel very disappointing. No one has ever run this type of card and I can't see that changing in the new edition.
B: First cut.
P: Now that one treasure token will always have to be in neutral territory this is a reasonable two glory end phase. If your opponent expects your plan, be ready to fight over those neutral territory treasure tokens.
B: I'm in. I'm buzzing with how many warbands I want to test with new Take & Hold.
P: I like that this could be set up pretty easily during deployment to be a hold one or two treasure token score. For two glory this is about as good of a hold end phase as you could hope for.
B: Remember the name "Iron Grasp" I believe this will be a staple in the same way as "Dominant Position" was.
P: Wow, big change from OG supremacy. This should, most of the time, be a hold two treasure tokens score from what we have seen in Embergard. This feels like an auto include, I think.
B: Love it Love it Love it. Also, GITZ.
B: Fascinating change to this, when a resurrection warband like Sepulchral Guard has a bunch of Raise tokens out on fighters, they no longer have bounty, and thus wouldn't contribute to the Bounty requirement portion here. Big balance tweak here that I love, and so do GITZ!!!
Gambits
D: A neat ploy we have seen in first edition, but with only three cards that care about treasure token values makes this feel like an easy cut.
B: Like Phil said. Yet still a fantastic tool to have available as new decks come out. Perhaps paired with Pillage and Plunder could make some fun combinations.
P: An oldy but a goody. So much use for this card when there are not a lot of stronger pushes.
B: GimmeGimmeGimme. I'm so glad that they didn't reuse the photo for each iteration of the card across decks. Also appreciate this effective photo illustrating the narrative situation well.
D: You just got juked by a duardin, Rikkat. Ya burnt.
P: Kind of an odd push. This feels like a roundabout way of giving plus one move.
B: I'm just happy there's a lot more push in the power decks and not more Pings.
P: On that we can most certainly agree
P: Solid way to get a bit of a defensive boost. Being able to use this to prevent drive back is a nice benefit in this deck as well.
B: This works so well with many of the Surge Objective timings we have seen. Solid include.
P: The wording is a bit different, but this is essentially the same card as first edition if you are the underdog. Either way, being able to heal is always pretty strong.
B: Uhh not sure I'd have what Snirk is having.
D: Smart.
P: Another reprint from first edition and man am I happy to see this one back! Being able to teleport around the board opens up so many potential strategies. The underdog condition makes this feel like a good play to set up for a later game ambush.
B: Yes please! Also works well with Slow Advance.
P: Another oldy but a goody. Very useful for these hold strategies!
B: *Slams into shopping cart* Never leave home without it!
B: Also, GITZ
P: Definitely has some play. We have seen this type of card used to good effect before. This one will probably be necessary to help guarantee the after opponent activation surges.
B: Needs healthy fighters that wont get one shot. Otherwise you're just using this to negate drive back on ties.
D: Contractually obligated to read this card like the band Toto.
P: Being able to reposition a fighter around you rather than drive them back seems like it could be situationally powerful. I'm not completely sure this makes the cut but sometimes you will just need to be able to get a fighter off a treasure token and this kind of card will be the only way to do it without a kill.
B: Quick draw Grapple keyword. Nice! If lethal hexes come back, this will get nasty!
D: More like… weird Grapple.
B: GITZ!!!! However Snirk works now, I cant wait to Shoulder Throw somebody into Snirk's path.
P: Card draw is very good. I imagine this will often be a drawing you two and with some work going to three somewhat reliably. Anything more shouldn't be expected but if it happens it will be super strong.
B: American Express card. "Never leave home without it."
Upgrades
P: Eh, pretty minimal benefit. While preventing an opponent from jumping on your treasure tokens is definitely good, the fact it shouldn't happen that often makes it less important to prevent.
B: Niche effect. But Overrun will be your worst nightmare playing Take & Hold.
P: Here we go, this is nice. No supports for your opponent should be a nice defensive boost for a fighter you need to keep on a treasure token.
B: Love the photo. I'm not too impressed, but it's not bad by any means. Meta call if there's a lot of swarm warbands out there.
P: Oldy but not always so goody. Being that this upgrade costs zero glory makes it seem a lot better. I think I like this idea of zero glory upgrades.
B: Zero cost is the real talking point here. Mobility is good, but the boards are closer so its okay. I'll be fascinated to see if they return to the design idea of upgrades stacking on one fighter to unlock more effects like Deserved Confidence. They would probably need to lock those effects behind an amount of glory cost on upgrades the fighter has.
P: Plus one save is a historically very strong, but being capped to two makes this seems pretty hard to use for two glory. As we see more warbands this might be a more valuable upgrade.
B: Love it! More defense in the game!
D: You say that now…
P: Love it. Being able to prevent drive back has been very useful. Needing a charge token is a bit of a hoop to jump through but not too tough.
B: Better than Stubborn to the End.
D: Low bar.
P: Defensive rerolls seem better in this edition now that crits are less powerful. Will it be worth two glory? Probably. Definitely look forward to playing with this one.
B: Taking this! Thank you!
P: Guess who's back, back again, duellists speed is back, tell a friend! Always a strong effect so I'm happy to see this one make the jump to second edition.
B: Push tech For The Win! *Add to cart* GITZ
P: Without a large fighter rule bonus health is back to being a very powerful effect with no downside. Definitely makes sense for this to cost two glory but I'd still bring it all the time.
B: Always a welcome option in the deck. I'll be curious to see the meta's take on how much glory cost is/isn't healthy in an upgrade deck.
P: Dang, plus one dice has also been historically very strong. Happy to see this is restricted to range one and two attacks but it should still be an auto include.
B: Excellent upgrade. Due to the glory cost of an upgrade deck, I'm hesitant to include it since it doesn't directly contribute to holding tokens better. But it does increase the chances of rolling Overrun!
P: Plus damage is also historically very strong. Having to choose between this and any other weapon effects helps keep this somewhat in check though. Still expect this to be taken early and often.
B: Excellent upgrade. Due to the glory cost of an upgrade deck, I'm hesitant to include it at 2 cost, since it doesn't directly contribute to holding tokens better.
Summary
D: Well there are some very solid two and three glory end phase objectives here. From a Rivals perspective, that should help keep pace with a deck like Blazing Assault which is saddled with the big ask of Annihilation for five (!) of its glory. I think some real magic happens when you can start salting in some other objectives, with something like Set Explosives from Countdown to Cataclysm. Couple that with a power deck that has a solid core of positioning and survival tools, and baby, you got yourself a stew. I think Take & Hold players are off to a great start here.
—
What do you think about Emberstone Sentinels? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below or join the conversation on our Discord!