0. Bottom line
The plan was simple: build Set 9 Aggro Nightmare and queue a match.
Instead, the real opening boss was inventory control.
The GameWith list captured at 17:59 JST on August 27, 2026 used three Garodeth vs. Zeth, two Suzy, Sincere Hexcaster, and three Hark to the Night Song. The available collection was short by two Garodeths, two Suzys, and one Night Song: five missing cards.
Restoring those five through crafting costs 9,250 Red Ether: 7,000 for two legendaries and 2,250 for three golds.
1. Field test: the unfinished factory reached six straight wins
The budget build went into ranked and reached a six-win streak in the short test. Every Witch encountered in that stretch lost, and the more aggressive Royal builds had not produced a loss either.
Six games are not a long-run win rate. Variance is enormous. But the streak is useful evidence against a narrower fear: the deck does not become nonfunctional just because the expensive parts are missing.
2. Six Lilims: one character, an entire Bat production line
A current Set 9 Aggro Nightmare example runs three Alluring Succubus Lilim plus three Cute Demon Lilim.
The basic Lilim is a 1-cost 1/1 whose Last Words add a Bat. Cute Demon Lilim is also 1-cost 1/1, pings both leaders for 1 when attacking, and also leaves a Bat in hand through Last Words.
3. Lieutenant is annoyingly efficient: remove it and a replacement reports for duty
Set 9's Nether Lieutenant is a 2-cost 1/1. Its Last Words summon another copy, give it +1/+0 and Rush, and remove the new copy's Last Words.
That creates an unpleasant choice for the opponent: ignore the 1/1 and it hits face; remove it and a 2/1 Rush body remains; leave that body and it can receive buffs.
4. Bat Drain is not a healing plan; it is an HP control valve
Aggro Nightmare does not try to preserve 20 life forever. Self-damage is useful because it enables cards such as Garodeth.
Drain from Bats lets the deck climb back only as much as necessary. Buffed Bats heal more because Drain follows damage dealt.
5. “Deal 3 to all leaders with the lowest health” is a math exam disguised as a spell
Cruel Explosion deals 3 to every leader tied for the lowest health.
You 20 / opponent 15: opponent takes 3. You 12 / opponent 18: you take 3. Both 15: both take 3.
6. Witch games can end on turn six before Garodeth enters the story
In the short field test, Witch was beaten every time, including a game that ended on turn six before Garodeth vs. Zeth could be played.
That matches the deck's basic structure: early bodies, repeated face pressure, then Storm and burn.
7. Three Garodeths should be a measured choice, not a religious commandment
The current GameWith example runs three Garodeths. Each Legendary costs 3,500 Red Ether to craft, so three from zero cost 10,500.
If many matches end on turns five or six, and Pirate Royal punishes long games anyway, it is reasonable to test three, two, one, and even zero copies.
8. Pirate Royal is playing a different game
Dread Pirate Flag has Countdown 7, loses one count whenever its controller plays a spell, and deals 2 to the enemy leader through Last Words. Argyll can place a Flag while dealing 2 to all enemy followers; Enhance 6 becomes two Flags and 4 AOE.
That is exactly what a small-follower aggro deck hates: the removal spell also installs future face damage.
9. The old 86.1% Royal matchup number is not a Pirate matchup number
The launch simulator once gave the representative Aggro Nightmare an 86.1% cell against Royal. But that cell was only 36 games, and the larger problem was coverage.
Among 40 public Royal submissions, 18 were Treasure/Pirate shells, yet zero of those were directly evaluable in that version because important generated-card and card-specific behaviors were not fully supported.
10. Why Beginner ranks can still be full of Royal players who look suspiciously competent
Low rank does not mean every opponent is brand-new. New-set queues mix new players, returning players, experienced players testing another class, and people who simply copied a current list.
Current guide material also recommends Royal and Dragon for beginners. Pirate Royal has a readable plan: install Flags, advance them with spells, finish with Barbaros.
11. The WELCOME stamp: you see it, the opponent does not
Welcome Cards are special stamped versions with the same stats and abilities as the original card.
The official rules explicitly state that the opponent and spectators cannot tell that a Welcome Card was used. The owner's side, however, still sees the special stamped version.
12. Why Red Ether feels impossible to accumulate
Crafting costs are 50 Bronze, 90 Silver, 750 Gold, and 3,500 Legendary. Liquefying returns 1,200 for a normal Legendary or 2,500 for a premium Legendary.
There is another brake: you generally need four or more copies of the same card before you can liquefy down to three. Welcome copies do not count for this check.
13. Hidden value outside the main game: five packs from Cygames ID, plus 1,000 rupies on WebStore
Linking a Cygames ID currently grants five pack tickets, and the reward was received immediately after linking in this test.
The official Aug. 22 news page also lists a WebStore-only 1,000-rupie gift for the Set 9 Revenants of Azvaldt release.
14. Final conclusion: run the cheap factory now; optimize the luxury equipment later
The combined lesson is simple: Red Ether is scarce, Aggro Nightmare can still run with cheaper substitutes, short games improve ladder efficiency, and Garodeth count should be tested rather than worshiped. The six-win sample is encouraging but small. Pirate Royal is the structural exception, and the old 86.1% Royal cell must not be reused as a Pirate matchup number.
