Crest Haven - Best Deck Recipe

Crest Havencraft Deck Recipe Guide and How to Play. See needed card list, cost, how to use, strategy and tips.

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Crest Havencraft - Deck Recipe and Rating

Deck Recipe

Featured Card Analysis

Encroached World	- You can play this for completely free (0 play points) if you use "Rodeo." - Since this specific Havencraft deck doesn't usually fill up its side of the table with followers, you almost always have room to play it. - It is great when you are losing, because it lets you search the opponent's deck for the perfect card to save yourself.
Maddening Benison	- If you play "Wilbert" alongside this, his ability completely ignores the negative side effects of the card. - It stops opponents from trying to heal themselves safely using "Drain" attacks. - Perfect for surviving Sandalphon's strategy of trying to defeat you over the course of two or three turns.
Wilbert, Desolate Paladin	- Since there are fewer Portalcraft players right now, you don't have to worry about their powerful destruction spells ruining your plans. - "Banish" cards (which remove cards from the game entirely without destroying them) are also very rare right now, making Wilbert incredibly tough to beat in the current game environment.
Jeanne, Saintly Knight	- An amazing card to play on the turn right after you play Wilbert. - She is perfect for wiping out the massive armies that Forestcraft and Swordcraft players like to summon. - If you notice you are facing different kinds of decks, you can easily swap her out for "Vira" instead.

Alternate Cards

Darkhaven Grace	- Heals your leader for 1 health every single turn using its "Engage" ability. - Incredibly powerful if you can play it right away on turn 2.
Temple of Repose	- A lifesaver when you are playing against decks that try to win in a single, massive attack. - It also heals you, making it an excellent defensive tool to buy you more time.
Dose of Holiness	- Very flexible for easily destroying small, annoying enemy followers. - However, it struggles to destroy any enemy that has 5 or more health.
Vira, Luminous Primal Knight	- Forces the opponent into an awkward spot because she is so difficult to destroy in normal combat. - She shines the brightest late in the game when everyone has completely run out of Evolution Points.

Rating

Deck Rating
Tier
Range	Play Difficulty
Control	Intermediate
Detail
- A deck that focuses on stall strat and surviving by taking out enemy followers and healing your leader, all while dealing direct damage to the opponent with special effects - Includes new cards that work perfectly with Amulets - Doesn't have many cards to play during the first few turns, so you'll need to be patient at the start

Control Mixed With Marwynn’s Damage

Crest Havencraft is a deck built to endure through heavy removal and steady restore effects, then close out the game with Marwynn’s reliable burn damage. Its early‑game defenses are thin, so navigating the opening turns with disciplined play is crucial to finish matches.

User Score

Crest Havencraft Deck - How to Play

Setting Up Before You Can Evolve

In the early game, play Serene Sanctuary to draw extra cards, or use Grimnir, Heavenly Gale or a Supplicant to build up your Crests while keeping your leader's health high.

Activate Marwynn's Crest as Soon as Possible

This deck has a really hard time damaging the enemy leader unless Marwynn, Despair Manifest's Crest effect is active, so evolving Marwynn is your absolute top priority. The moment you reach a turn where you are allowed to evolve, try your best to play and evolve him immediately.

Play a Congregant to Knock Out Enemies

If Marwynn, Despair Manifest isn't enough to take out all the enemy followers, play a Congregant to finish the job. Even if the opponent plays dangerous cards like Anne & Grea or Zwei, Symphonic Heart, you can still knock out their toughest followers, even if they are hiding behind defenders with Ward.

Great for Finding the Cards You Need

Congregant is also fantastic at helping you dig through your deck to find what you need. If you haven't drawn Marwynn, Despair Manifest yet, Congregant can grab him for you. Plus, the Devotee of Repose or Supplicant of Repose it pulls from your deck is perfect for quickly increasing your total number of Crests.

Keep the Enemy in Check While Building Up Crests

After you play Marwynn, Despair Manifest, keep the opponent's side of the field completely empty by using cards like Unholy Vessel or Marwynn's Crest to knock out their followers. By ensuring your Crest damage strikes the enemy leader directly instead of hitting their followers, you can safely and steadily wear down their health.

Heal Up or Fight Back When Your Health is Low

When your leader's health gets dangerously low, use Gilnelise, Voracity Manifest and Shining Disenchantment to heal yourself and take down enemies. Since healing cards are much harder to come by now that Maddening Benison has been made weaker, don't be afraid to play Gilnelise in the middle of the game to survive, even though she is also a great card to save for the very end.

Knock Out Enemies and Deal Widespread Damage with Rodeo

When you super-evolve Rodeo, Anathema of Judgment, you can instantly take out a dangerous enemy attacker while also dealing 1 damage to everything else on their side. Since it also puts a cheap Amulet directly onto your side of the field, it's an incredible card for wiping out the enemy's attackers while setting up your own side at the exact same time. 

Restock Your Hand and Health with Amulets 

The Amulets that Rodeo brings out, like Serene Sanctuary, Luminous Censer, and De La Fille's Gleaming Gems, are perfect for drawing more cards and healing your leader. You can even use De La Fille's Gleaming Gems to knock out another enemy follower, giving you plenty of flexible options to stay in the game and get whatever you need.

Win the Game with Disenchantment and Sweetness

Late in the match, when the enemy leader's health is finally low, knock out any remaining blockers and combine the damage from Shining Disenchantment and Sweetness of Voracity to finish them off. If you focus on hitting them with a relentless wave of attacks turn after turn, they simply won't be able to heal fast enough to survive.

Mulligan Guide for the Crest Havencraft

Keep Serene Sanctuary, Grimnir, Marwynn, Congregant

Serene Sanctuary	Grimnir, Heavenly Gale
Marwynn, Despair Manifest	Congregant of Repose

Marwynn, Despair Manifest is the most important card, so redraw for Marwynn, Despair Manifest. To increase your chances of drawing it, you can also keep Serene Sanctuary and Congregant, as they make it easier to draw Marwynn, Despair Manifest.

Keep Grimnir as an Exception

The only exception is to keep Grimnir, Heavenly Gale, because playing it before Marwynn, Despair Manifest can be an advantage. By playing Grimnir, Heavenly Gale first, the Crest activation order upon Super-Evolve will be Grimnir, Heavenly Gale → Marwynn, Despair Manifest, which prevents Marwynn, Despair Manifest's damage from being wasted.

Don't Keep Grimnir Against Aggro Decks

Against decks with aggressive plays, it's more important to draw Marwynn, Despair Manifest, Congregant, or Blinding Faith than to play Marwynn → Grimnir, Heavenly Gale in that order, so it's okay to mulligan Grimnir away.

Keep Blinding Faith Against Opponents with a Strong Early Game

Against decks like Swordcraft that build a board with followers and attack from the early game, keep Blinding Faith and destroy their followers.

How to Counter the Crest Havencraft

Hit Them Hard and Fast

Crest Havencraft doesn't have many ways to deal with a busy field early on, so aggressive decks can usually rush them down easily. Start calling your followers to the field from Turn 1 and keep attacking their leader's defense as much as you can.

Keep Followers at 4 or More Defense

Crest Havencraft has a scary card called Blinding Faith that can wipe out your whole team by Turn 4. However, since it only deals 3 damage, any follower with 4 or more health will survive the hit. Keep this in mind when picking which followers to play.

Block Marwynn or Shining Disenchantment's Damage

If your side of the field is empty, the extra damage from Marwynn's Crest and Shining Disenchantment will hit you directly. It is vital to keep followers on the field at all times so they can soak up that damage and keep your DP at safe levels.

Your Leftmost Follower Takes the Hit First

The damage from Marwynn’s effects always hits the follower on the far left first. If you think your opponent is out of ways to destroy your cards, put your toughest follower on the leftmost side to help your whole team stay standing.

Sometimes It’s Smart Not to Attack

Because of how Congregant and Marwynn’s crest effects work, there are times when you should actually leave your opponent’s followers alone. You don't always have to fight them, especially if the enemy's attack is weaker than the damage from their own Crest or if keeping your follower’s health high protects it from Marwynn’s damage later.

Watch Out for Big Buffs on Turn 8

Be careful if you leave your opponent's followers alone from Turn 8 onwards, they might get a huge boost from cards like Jeanne or Gilnelise. If your DP is low or you don't think you can stop them next turn, it’s better to take them down now.

Bring a Friend for Your Big Followers

Torrent of Despair, which is obtained from Marwynn's Fanfare, can instantly destroy a random follower. If you only play one big follower by itself, it’s an easy target. Always play smaller followers alongside your big ones to give your opponent more targets to miss.

Trick Them into Using Their Best Cards Early

Unholy Vessel is a powerful spell that clears everyone off the field. Try playing a few weaker followers first to trick them into using their Vessel early. Once they've wasted it, you can safely play your strongest cards and take control of the match.

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