Wrack and Ruin - Deck Review

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NEW VERSION
Overview

Wrack and Ruin is a Mastery style Rivals deck that rewards smart positioning and clever use of ploys. It leans into 'ping', chipping away at enemy fighters through small but consistent damage. This is a control deck through and through. If you like wearing your opponent down while keeping your own plans intact, Wrack and Ruin might be your new favourite tool in the box.


Objectives – Mastery Through Attrition

The objectives in Wrack and Ruin reward careful control of positioning and chip damage through well timed ploys:

  • Bloodied and Bruised is a straightforward surge that triggers when you injure a fighter while three others are already wounded. Thanks to the steady flow of ping damage in this deck, it comes up more often than you'd think.
  • Alone in the Dark scores when no fighters are adjacent to each other. It rewards you for spreading out and punishes bunched formations. Make sure you have enough push tech to create space when needed.
  • Stay Close asks that no fighters are on edge hexes. It pairs neatly with hold objectives and slows down aggressive opponents. Even if you don’t score it, you’ll often force your opponent into poor positioning.
  • Unsafe Ground encourages you to punish enemy fighters lurking in edge hexes. Whether by Ploy or attack, make them pay for not staying close.
  • Ploymaster gives you a glory in the end phase for simply playing three Ploys. It can trigger even if your fighters are wiped out, which makes it valuable in competitive play.

These objectives suit players who enjoy managing the board and draining the enemy’s strength over time, rather than rushing for glory in a single clash.


Ploys – Precision Strikes

Wrack and Ruin's ploys focus on slow pressure and positional control, chipping away at the opponent while setting up scoring opportunities:

  • Confusion remains a classic for a reason. Swap two fighters and ruin your opponent’s setup or fix your own. A must include.
  • Damned If You Do forces a cruel decision: take damage or get pushed. Played at the right moment, there is no right answer for your opponent.
  • Fireproof turns a devastating blow into a mild bruise. When your opponent has committed fully to a high-damage attack, shutting it down to one damage feels almost unfair.
  • Vicious Intent adds dice to your next attack. Simple and effective. Every hit gets you closer to fewer enemies and your next objective.
  • Sidle Up gives you a friendly push, great for setting up charges or supporting fighters. Just be careful not to sabotage Alone in the Dark by getting too close.
  • Ominous Rumbling forces more bad choices: take damage or have two enemy fighters staggered. Either way someone is getting hurt soon.

These ploys give you control over tempo and position. They’re not flashy, but they let you shape the battlefield one cut at a time.


Upgrades – Enhancing Control

Wrack and Ruin’s upgrades reinforce its gameplan: keep your fighters alive just long enough to outlast and outplay your opponent.

  • Barge lets you push and stagger an enemy in one move. Perfect for shoving fighters off feature tokens or out of formation. As a bonus no dice roll is required.
  • Desperate Defence reduces incoming damage, throwing off your opponent’s calculations. Combo it with Unstoppable and you’ll have a fighter who just refuses to go down.
  • Wary Tread gives you an end of round push. Ideal for slipping onto a Treasure token or denying one to your opponent. Works nicely with Alone in the Dark too.
  • Fiery Temper lets you take a wound to stay put when an enemy tries to push you. Painful but sometimes positioning is everything.
  • Unstoppable turns your vulnerable fighter into a ping-immune wall. Combined with Desperate Defence, this can create a frustratingly resilient endgame anchor.

These upgrades don’t just support your strategy, they force your opponent to fight on your terms, one difficult decision at a time.


Strengths

  • Incremental Damage – Wrack and Ruin excels at slowly grinding opponents down with steady ploy damage. It’s death by a dozen cuts, not a single swing.
  • Board Control – The deck thrives on positioning. It punishes careless movement and rewards those who keep the battlefield exactly how they want it.
  • Flexibility – Whether you prefer holding ground or poking at range, this deck can adapt. It supports multiple approaches depending on warband and matchup.


Weaknesses

  • Ploy Dependent – If the right Ploys don’t show up when you need them, scoring slows down fast.
  • Low Spike Potential – Don’t expect big damage turns. This deck doesn’t hit hard but it does hit often.
  • High Skill Ceiling – Timing and positioning are everything. New players might find it punishing until they learn its rhythm.
  • Unfocused Objectives – The objective cards do not follow a particular game plan, making it difficult to build towards consistent scoring over the course of a match.


Nemesis Pairings

Wrack and Ruin, as a Mastery deck, brings an added layer of complexity to any Nemesis pairing, forcing opponents to make tough decisions that often lead to damage. It functions exceptionally well as a secondary deck, complementing an existing strategy while adding the benefit of consistent pings.

Here are a few pairing ideas where Wrack and Ruin can enhance your playstyle and open up new strategic possibilities:


Wrack and Ruin and Countdown to Cataclysm - Wracked with Explosions

Typically, Countdown to Cataclysm serves as a secondary deck in a Nemesis pairing, but when paired with Wrack and Ruin, it can take the lead in providing the majority of the Objectives. The combination of two Mastery decks creates a high skill ceiling, making this a complex duo to pilot effectively.

Key Synergy: Pairing Wrack and Ruin with Countdown to Cataclysm amplifies the deck’s ability to deal consistent ping damage. Wrack and Ruin's incremental damage and positioning focus align perfectly with Countdown's long-term attrition-based strategy, allowing you to put pressure on your opponent while scoring with positioning.

Watch Out: The combined complexity of managing both decks can be overwhelming for less experienced players. Additionally, the dual Mastery strategy may result in a lack of a clear core focus, making it difficult to execute a consistent game plan.


Wrack and Ruin and Pillage and Plunder - Chaos and Conquest

In this pairing, Wrack and Ruin adds additional Objectives to Pillage and Plunder that don’t rely on Feature tokens, helping to reduce your opponent’s ability to counterplay your deck. Furthermore, Wrack and Ruin’s ping damage weakens enemy fighters, setting them up for a charge to finish them off.

Key Synergy: Wrack and Ruin introduces new Objectives to replace some from Pillage and Plunder, which increases both the Glory ceiling and the complexity of the playstyle. This makes it harder for opponents to predict and counter. A standout card in this pairing is Damned if You Do, where the opponent is forced to choose between being pushed off a Feature token (so you can claim it) or taking damage. Most opponents will opt to take the damage, leaving you with opportunities to exploit their weaknesses. Counter playing your big Glory cards, such as Strip the Realm, Stay Close, and Alone in the Dark, can be challenging for your opponent when executed well.

Watch Out: Avoid being too aggressive; focus on working towards your Objectives and managing the timing of your Ploys and Upgrades. This deck requires practice to master when to deploy your strategic plays. Be mindful not to telegraph your positional plays too early, as even if your opponent doesn’t stop all your Objectives, denying a few can significantly undermine your final score.


Warband Pairings

Wrack and Ruin pairs effectively with a variety of warbands, particularly those that can capitalize on control and incremental damage. Warbands that excel in positioning and punishing enemy mistakes will make the most of this deck’s strengths.

Examples include: The Dread Pageant, Daggok's Stab Ladz, Grandfather's Gardeners, Ephilim's Pandemonium and Thundrik's Profiteers.


Final Thoughts

Wrack and Ruin offers a nuanced playstyle that rewards careful strategic planning and battlefield control. While it may not appeal to players who prefer straightforward aggression, those who enjoy manipulating the board, outsmarting their opponents, and creating opportunities through precision will find this deck a valuable asset in their arsenal.

Let me know which warband you intend to pair with Wrack and Ruin.

Checkout my Warhammer Underworlds for more articles.

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