Scoia’tael Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to questions you may have after reading our guide to Scoia’tael. If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, drop them in the comments and we will respond to them when we can!
Technical and Mechanics Questions
Should I craft the Scoia’tael strategem, Aen Seidhe Sabre?
Probably not. The main utility of Aen Seidhe Sabre is in triggering Chapter 1 of Feign Death immediately, without giving your opponent a chance to play Korathi Heatwave. While Korathi Heatwave on Feign Death can be devastating in an Elf Swarm deck, that deck isn’t currently in the metagame. The much more popular deck using Feign Death is Orb of Insight Spella’tael, which both doesn’t want to commit Feign Death in Round 1 and doesn’t care as much about having it Heatwaved, since it clears the way for Harald Gord.
I have a unit in my hand and Dunca on the board, but nothing is happening. Why?
Dunca and Circle of Life both buff Scoia’tael units in hand, not Neutral units. If you have only Neutral units, these cards will not trigger their effects.
Why isn’t Call of the Forest showing me all the units in my deck?
Like Dunca, Call of the Forest only applies to Scoia’tael units. It will not show you Neutral units from your deck.
Overall Faction Questions
What are some good tech cards in Scoia’tael?
If you are facing a lot of decks with Defenders, Vrihedd Sappers can provide a flexible offensive or defensive Purify. If you’re facing lots of Nilfgaard, Dryad’s Caress can be helpful to remove Poison and Locks. Making a Bomb provides 4-damage removal while maintaining Devotion. If you’re facing a lot of row-locked units, Vrihedd Dragoon is a cheap 4-provision option for movement (Paulie Dahlberg also works here and can protect one of your own engines). Ciaran aep Easnillen and Morenn both offer locks, though they are worse in points than Dorregaray of Vole. Ida Emean aep Sivney is another nice Purify, since her floor is generally 8-9 points because of the Vitality option. If you’re facing decks that play a big threat as their first play, Serpent Trap with the Spring option is basically a cheaper Curse of Corruption on the first card your opponent plays.
What’s Scoia’tael’s playstyle like? How will I know if I like Scoia’tael before investing my resources?
Scoia’tael is a flexible faction, as it can successfully play Control, Midrange, Swarm, Engine Overload, and No-Unit. For new players, Elves and Nature’s Gift are both solid Midrange options. Scoia’tael also offers a lot of room for growth, as most ST decks can be fairly tricky to play optimally.
Which Scoia’tael deck should I play?
Currently, Orb of Insight Spella’tael is likely your best option. Nature’s Gift and Deadeye Ambush decks, such as Symbiosis, Elves, Traps, or Movement are also options, though they are not as strong in the current metagame. For more information, see Part 2: Beyond the Starter Deck.
Should I upgrade the Scoia’tael Starter Deck using the reward trees?
If you intend to play Scoia’tael, yes, absolutely. The upgraded starter deck, while not 100% optimal, is fairly close. A few swapped cards, and you’ll be able to compete with the deck.
What’s the current state of Scoia’tael?
The Price of Power expansions have provided Scoia’tael with some useful cards. In particular, Thanedd Coup introduced Orb of Insight, Elven Seer, and Simlas Finn aep Dabairr. These cards, combined with Once Upon a Pyre cards like Whisperer of Dol Blathanna and Sorceress of Dol Blathanna, form the core of the current meta deck, Orb of Insight Spell’atael.
Outside of this deck, only No-Unit Madoc is often played on ladder. Other Scoia’tael decks are much weaker than these decks and are likely to get overrun, especially on higher ranks.
Which Scoia’tael premiums should I craft?
If you like Traps, the music on Eldain is a banger. The third-form of Eithné (Wrath of the Brokilon) is beautiful. The premium for Aglaïs has an ethereal beauty that I could watch on loop many times. If you want a cheap but cool premium, Oakcritters is creepy and cute at the same time.
