Last Update: 21 Jan 01


WCW Nitro TCG Main Page

WCW NITRO
TRADING CARD GAME

STRATEGIES


Here you will find strategies for wrestler decks and for the play of cards and combinations. This is also the place for discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of wrestlers and cards. Please e-mail me with your contributions and suggestions.

Some of these items are in the form of strategy Q&A taken from various discussions lists. Others are comments from discussions about cards, decks and wrestlers. I have added some of my own ideas to some of the other posted here. My input will be denoted by the (MB) label.

    An in-depth introduction and strategy guide which contains discussion of all aspects of play along with ideas on many kinds of theme decks can be found here: WCW Nitro TCG Strategy Guide.

(MB) Here's a great combo for Goldberg that can result in a first-turn victory!
Goldberg begins by playing 3 Nitro cards. Then, he uses his Special Ability, discards 2 Nitro and takes another turn. On his extra turn, Goldberg plays 2 Mix in Some Nitro (giving him 5 Nitro for this turn). He follows with 2 Extra Efforts to get a total of 5 Action Points. Then, Goldberg plays Resistance is Useless followed by Backbreaker (discarding RiU). If the opponent fails to stop any damage, Goldberg continues by playing a Pin. If the opponent does not have 3 Nitro in his corner, he loses the round immediately! Disco Inferno can use his own Special Ability to avoid this combo. Any other wrestler will need to have played a Practiced Block on his first turn to avoid it.

Here is a series of strategy questions submitted to the WCW Nitro TCG mailing list for the input of list members:

Q: 1. How many Nitro cards should one have in a good deck?
  • 22-24. Gotta have it to do anything.
  • About 18-22. Depends on the Nitro costs of the other cards you use.
  • 18-22, depending on if I'm going for a pinging deck or monster moves.
  • (MB) I tend to use 18 Nitro cards (30% of the deck) plus one or two Nix in Some Nitro (more if the wrestler has several expensive Move cards). I've experimented with using only 12 Nitro in a Thunder-heavy Rey Mysterio deck where only three of his cards required more than 3 Nitro to play and have had some success with it.

Q: 2. What's the best mix of Corner defensive cards vs. Thunders?
  • I run with 6-7 Thunders and 2-3 Corners.
  • About Half-Half 6-8 of each type.
  • I usually use 7 Thunder and 5 Corner.
  • (MB) I'll normally only use more than 5-6 Thunders if I throw in lots of Paybacks, Late Nitro, or Down but Not Out. 3-4 defensive Corners seems optimum.

Q: 3. What are your most-favorite and least-favorite Attack cards (other than Rares) of each Move color?
Most Favorite:
  • Blue
    • Flying Body-Press
    • Flying Knee Drop (Good damage for Nitro ratio and Ignore Dodges even if it costs 3 Actions)
    • Big Splash
    • (MB) Flying Knee Drop (ignoring Dodges often helps a lot)
  • Green
    • Clothesline
    • Arm Toss or Boot to the Head (again good Nitro/damage ratio)
    • Punch
    • (MB) Missile Dropkick (lots of damage for only 3 Nitro)
  • Magenta
    • Vertical Suplex
    • Backbreaker
    • Backbreaker
    • (MB) Snap Suplex (stringing three of them is a lethal play)
  • Orange
    • Closed Fist
    • Head Stomp
    • Eye Rake
    • (MB) Hidden Damage (big damage with lots of toys in your corner -- and not illegal)
  • Yellow
    • Figure-Four Leg Lock
    • Figure-Four Leg Lock
    • Figure-Four Leg Lock
    • (MB) Bear Hug (huge damage for a sacrifice of one deadweight card)

Least Favorite:
  • Blue
    • Flying Head-Butt
    • Flying Elbow From the Top Rope
    • Flying Elbow From the Top Rope
    • (MB) Flying Elbow From the Top Rope (too expensive for only 2 points damage)
  • Green
    • Fast Punch
    • Kick
    • Fast Punch
    • (MB) Kick (nearly useless)
  • Magenta
    • DDT
    • DDT or European Uppercut
    • European Uppercut
    • (MB) DDT (good damage, but too costly in discards)
  • Orange
    • Anything that doesn't allow weapons
    • Rope Burn
    • none, I love Orange
    • (MB) Rope Burn (even with several weapons in your corner, it will likely not do as much damage as other Orange cards)
  • Yellow
    • Arm Drag and Twist
    • Arm Bar
    • Arm Drag and Twist
    • (MB) Tongan Death Grip (weenie and expensive)

Q: 4. What are your three favorite "Unique" (e.g., Aysa) cards?
  • Only ever use Jimmy Hart
  • Aysa, Larry Zybysko, Spice (My favorite Nitro Girl)
  • Jimmy Hart, Doug Dillinger, Larry Zybysko
  • (MB) Jimmy Hart (absolute requirement for hardcore decks), Aysa (use it to help land the big attacks), Nitro Girls (every +1 to your attacks is precious)

Q: 5. Do you prefer to "ping" an opponent to death with numerous small attacks or set up one or two monsters?
  • I like to "ramp up" at the start, laying 2 Nitros and a Move, until I can play from the set the deck is built around.
  • As I normally play Sting, I like to soften my opponent up with some small Green or Blue Moves (mostly Green) and then go for the Big Yellow attacks that can be Continued. My sister favors a Jeff Jarrett Punch deck -- lots of small Punches that accumulate damage in chains.
  • I'm torn here. I have 2 solid decks of each type. The pinger is Jarrett. The monster is Bret Hart.
  • (MB) "Ping"/Punch decks can totally frustrate an opponent who has big defensive cards in his Corner. Who wants to waste Practiced Dodge or Strong Block on small attacks? Even at that, the threat of a devastating monster attack can change an opponent's entire approach to his game plan. "Pings" likely won't kill him, but a 15-30 point assault backed up by Aysa, Resistance is Useless, Pin/Continue, etc. can end the round.

Q: 6. If you were playing in a tournament using the official Match Play rules, which wrestler(s) would you prefer to build a deck around?
  • Sting. It's my best deck yet, and the built-in RiU is very useful.
  • A Sting submission (Continue the Hold) deck or a DDP Illegal/Weapons deck.
  • Regardless of his Rep working against him, Bret Hart.
  • (MB) Match play is conducive to low-Rep wrestlers pulling off upsets. Scott Hall has only a 3 Rep (which will give him the "upset advantage" against 8 different opponents) and his Making It Look Easy special combined with RiU or Aysa can help set up a winning Outsider's Edge. Also, one can build a strong defensive deck around Disco Inferno that can cause major problems for opponents who rely on big attacks. In fact, Disco just went undefeated and won a double-elimination single-round tournament I played with all 14 wrestlers (beating Goldberg once and Hart twice). Maybe not as much fun to play as Sting, but certainly a match-play threat.

(Comment) Larry Zybysko is a great card. Think of it this way, you KNOW that your opponent is sitting on some Block or Dodge Thunders (or God forbid Crowd Chants Goldberg or Nash's NWO Support), and you don't want to waste that big attack late in the game. Ask Larry what's on top of the deck. If a Thunder is waiting in the first three cards, put the thunder on top and wait a turn for him to pick it up. If not, give him a beating! I don't care what deck you're playing or playing against, thunder's in your opponent's hand is much better than in their deck to knock you back. Or even better. The game is early and your opponent is desperate for Nitro. If he doesn't get any, you're up a huge advantage. Now how do I know he won't get any Nitro? Talk to Larry. If there's no Nitro there, let him keep it. If there is, make him shuffle it up. Better that he doesn't get the easy pull of Nitro than a random one. Simple as that.
Basic Point. Larry gives you knowledge of your opponents future, which can only be good for you.

(MB) After some initial skepticism, I'm coming around to appreciate what Larry Zybysko can do. However, I'm still not sold on it being an essential card. Action Points are precious and too few in number. Since Larry only looks at the first three cards, he won't protect you from a Reversal, Crowd Chants Goldberg, Kidman Gets Help, or other nastiness that might be lurking after those first three cards. If you are launching a big attack, you're still going to have to sweat those cards -- and might not be able to get the attack off at all if you have to spend an AP using Larry. I've found that his best use is when the game is coming down to the last couple of turns and decks are getting very low. You can rearrange your own deck to bring up a key card at a critical moment or remove a key card from the top of your opponent's deck when he might most need it.


Q: Which wrestler is the best one to play the game with? Figuring higher reputation, their unique moves, the types of moves they can use, and which ones they get a bonus to, who do you think is the strongest wrestler?

A1: I believe that Sting is the best wrestler in the game. In my mind his special ability is one of the best. I also like DDP. Especially if you have DDP gets help from Kimberly in your corner, then DDP would get the best attack. I don’t have either of the wrestlers, but Aztec_91 has a DDP deck and it is great. He can deal a total of like 44 for just one attack. Also he lays a Resistance is Useless and then your doomed unless you have a Practiced Dodge.
A2: Good question! I would have to say the most lethal wrestler I have seen is Goldberg. With two high powered special moves and Crowd Chants Goldberg (need I say more?). However, his ability isn't the greatest of all. So far, the only wrestler I think that is every bit as good as Goldberg is Kevin Nash. His special ability is awesome! Also, the Powerbomb is good and the elbow deals 9 and ignores dodges! I got your practiced dodge.... hee hee....
A3: I have to go with Sting or Goldberg. Sting with a ok rep. a corner that is basically a Practice dodge. One of the 2 move that deal 15,16 with a +1,and a continue may be played. Stinger splash that dose 9. And a built in resistance is useless for a special ability.
Now to Goldberg, Goldberg's Jackhammer 16 may pay a pin. Spear does 10 draw a card I think pretty good. Crowd Chants Goldberg Discard a Nitro you opponents takes double you stopped(one time I made DDP take 60 damage with that card no lie.) A Goldberg and Sting deck's are really awesome decks.
A4: Time for me to jump in on this topic of wrestler choices.
Clearly there are a lot of good wrestlers to choose from, and also a lot of sucky ones too! Below I have compiled a list of the top five wrestlers that I feel are the best. This decision is based on several things (rep, special ability, special cards for that wrestler, etc..).
I have also compiled a list of the worst wrestlers, also based on the criteria above.

Best There Is (no pun intended... heh heh)
1. Sting
2. Goldberg
3. Kevin Nash
4. Bret Hart
5. Diamond Dallas Page
Honorable Mention: Lex Luger

Reasons?
1. Sting - Sting is clearly the best wrestler thus far. He has a built in 'Resistance is Useless' in his special ability. Since he makes use of submission moves (at a +1), his special ability can really come in handy for 'Continuing the Hold'. Best thing is Deathlock for 16 while waving the black bat! He has one of the only two moves that do 16 damage! Another reason is his rep of 8, gives you a good selection of cards at the beginning but not too many to really hurt yourself. Stinger's Mask, great card, another Practiced Dodge that can get past those moves that can ignore dodges! Stinger's Splash? Ouch! Ignores Dodges? Awesome! Plain and simple!

2. Goldberg - Goldberg was my number two choice. His special ability works great late in the game when a little more damage just needs to be done. Another reason is that he has the other move dealing 16 damage! Jackhammer! Plus his Spear is a great card as well! Spear, take an extra turn using his special ability, and Jackhammer! Ouch! (Better have a couple Resistance is Useless laying around!) Crowd chants Goldberg? What a rough card... This thing can really turn the tables if it comes up at the right time.

(MB) I agree with these assessments, although I would personally rank Goldberg as the better of the two. Putting two turns back-to-back can be absolutely devastating and is something that no other wrestler can match. Add Resistance is Useless and Goldberg also gets the equivalent of Sting's Special. Add Goldberg's three unmatched Special cards and you have a dominant deck.
3. Kevin Nash - First off, love the special ability! Choose two cards from the discard pile and put them back in your hand! Invaluable! Nice rep of 9 gives you good assortment of cards at the beginning. +1 to yellow? sweet.... love those submission moves! Special cards... Nash's Jacknife Powerbomb = great damage, Nash's Elbow = great damage and ignores dodges!, Nash's NWO support? = It's ok, but I don't bother using it.

4. Bret Hart = The best there is? Well the fourth best maybe according to my list. Great submission finisher in the old Sharpshooter! I'd like to continue the hold for some more pain, thanks! His special ability? Built-in Second Wind? Coolness! This really helps late in the game! Rep of 10 is a slight downfall I think though. 9 is pushing it and 10 is a little over the line. If he had some other good cards.... (I can't even recall what his other card does)

(MB) Bret's other special is Bret's the Best There Is. Combine this with other cards which dismantle an opponent's corner and Bret can be very difficult to beat. Actually, I find that my Bret and Kevin Nash decks are very close in strength. Hint: Add a 1 Nitro attack card like Arm Toss to Bret's deck. Since Bret will go first due to his 10 Rep, if he gets Arm Toss in his initial draw, he can play 1 Nitro and the Arm Toss to get off a 6-point attack on the very first turn.
5. DDP - DDP comes it at #5 mainly for one reason, his additional cards. Diamond Cutter gives good damage, Help from Kimberly almost always proves highly useful, and Rapid Fire Punches can be deadly in the right deck (heh heh). But his main downfalls are his rep (6, I prefer at least 7) and his bonus to orange (+1). I had a DDP deck, and I was very fond of it, but I just can't get use to orange attacks. Weapons can be brutal, but DQs can hurt!

(MB) You can build a great Hardcore deck around DDP. Put a couple of No Holds Barred cards in there and forget about DQs. Then, sit back and wait for the nasty weapons combos to strike!
Top Losers = Who sucks?
1. Rey Mysterio
2. Disco Inferno
Honorable Mention - Scott Hall
(MB) Hall's special ability is the same as Making It Look Easy. Add Resistance is Useless and the Outsider's Edge can be unstoppable and devastating.

Reasons?
1. Rey = Only having one special card available to him is bad, real bad. Special ability is ok in some cases. Rep of 2? What are you going to do with two cards?

(MB) I like the challenge of building up a competitive Rey deck since his Rep of 2 means that he'll usually only have to win one round to win a match against the big boys. A Rey deck can be built around lots of defensive cards along with low-Nitro Moves and Running Starts. This deck can be dangerous if his Thunders and Corners eat up all of the opponent's attacks while Rey chips away with his own attacks. Rey also works reasonably well with a Fan deck.
2. Disco = Disco Inferno, rep of 3, ability is kinda ok, special cards lack power. All around pretty crappy.

Remember these are just my views, so no one get too upset. : )

Created with Allaire HomeSite 4.5 .......... Last Update: 21 Jan 01