Why Factions Matter
Factions are the heart of Goblins & Gunslingers deck building. They decide what your deck is naturally good at, what kinds of risks you take, and how your matches usually play out. A faction is more than a card label. It is a playstyle, a set of mechanics, and a piece of the Wild Frontier's identity.
Most decks can use up to two primary factions, which means your faction choice shapes every card after it. If you are new, start by picking the faction whose plan sounds fun. You can always refine the deck later in the deck builder after you understand the basics.
Humans: Sheriffs, Marshals, and Clean Trades
Humans are a great starting point for players who like fair combat, tactical defense, and reliable board control. Their western identity is classic: sheriffs, bounty hunters, marshals, and duelists who know how to win a standoff before it becomes chaos.
Mechanically, Humans often care about Quickdraw and Warrant. Quickdraw helps creatures strike first in combat, making trades safer. Warrant forces the opponent to attack or answer a specific target, which can protect your other cards and shape the lane fight.
Choose Humans if you want a balanced deck that teaches fundamentals. They pair well with Dwarves for durability, Beasts for flexible threats, or Desert Devils for a stronger control shell.
Goblins: Speed, Scraps, and Explosive Damage
Goblins are for players who want to make the opponent react immediately. They are aggressive, scrappy, and dangerous when they get ahead. Their best draws can turn early lane pressure into Gold, then use that Gold to keep the damage coming.
Look for mechanics like Ambush, Double Barrel, Gold Rush, and Overshot. Ambush lets creatures attack right away. Double Barrel creates multi-attack turns. Overshot helps excess damage spill through blockers, which is exactly what an aggressive deck wants.
Choose Goblins if you like tempo decks and fast games. They pair naturally with Desert Devils for more pressure, Beasts for evasive threats, or Humans if you want a little more structure around your chaos.
Desert Devils: Attrition, Heat, and Punishing Blocks
Desert Devils bring infernal control to the frontier. They can play aggressively, but their real strength is making every trade unpleasant for the opponent. Their cards often reward patience, lane pressure, and efficient mid-game combat.
Desert Devil decks commonly use Warrant, Overshot, healing, and sturdy midrange bodies. They can survive early pressure, force awkward attacks, and then turn the corner with powerful threats that hit harder than their cost suggests.
Choose Desert Devils if you like wearing opponents down. They pair well with Goblins for a brutal damage plan, Straw Elves for longer games, or Beasts when you want utility creatures that keep the curve smooth.
Straw Elves: Patience, Protection, and Late-Game Pressure
Straw Elves bring a stranger kind of frontier magic: scarecrow mysticism, ritual protection, and inevitability. They are a good fit for players who like stabilizing, protecting key cards, and winning after the first wave of aggression has passed.
Their strongest plans often involve survivability, board protection, and threats that become hard to answer once the game slows down. Keywords like Wanted, healing effects, and defensive tools can make Straw Elf decks frustrating for opponents who rely on targeted removal or simple early pressure.
Choose Straw Elves if you enjoy long games and resilient threats. Pair them with Desert Devils for attrition, Humans for control, or Dwarves for an even sturdier battlefield.
Dwarves: Fortresses, Barricades, and Board Staying Power
Dwarves are the faction for players who like building something the opponent has to break. Their fantasy-western role is less about quick draws and more about fortified positions, stubborn bodies, and board states that become harder to crack over time.
Dwarf mechanics often lean into damage reduction, permanent growth, and lane resilience. Cards with effects like Barricade, Fortify, and other defensive tools help Dwarves keep creatures alive long enough for incremental advantage to matter.
Choose Dwarves if you want a deck that can absorb pressure and win through board dominance. Humans, Straw Elves, and Beasts are natural pairings depending on whether you want more control, more inevitability, or more flexible curve options.
Gnomes: Tricks, Timing, and Activated Value
Gnomes are for players who like hidden angles. Their identity centers on inventions, timing, and getting more out of cards than the opponent expects. They reward careful sequencing and a willingness to think a turn ahead.
If your favorite TCG moments involve surprising an opponent with a flexible ability, Gnomes are worth exploring. Their Flip-style play patterns can turn ordinary board states into complicated puzzles, especially when paired with factions that provide reliable blockers or pressure.
Choose Gnomes if you like technical decks. Pair them with Humans for cleaner combat, Dwarves for protection, or Goblins if you want tricky pressure backed by explosive starts.
Beasts: Neutral Tools for Any Frontier Deck
Beasts are neutral support cards that can fit into many decks. They are useful when your factions need a specific role: a cheap body, an evasive attacker, a defensive creature, or a threat that fills an awkward spot on the curve.
Do not add Beasts just because they are available. Add them because they solve a problem. If your faction pair lacks Flying, early defense, or a clean finisher, the right Beast can make the whole deck feel more complete.
Which Faction Should You Play First?
If you want a smooth learning curve, start with Humans. If you want speed, start with Goblins. If you want control and attrition, try Desert Devils. If you enjoy longer games, try Straw Elves or Dwarves. If you like timing tricks, explore Gnomes once you know the rules.
You can learn more in the factions hub, browse every card on the card database, or jump straight into the tutorial and let the frontier teach you the rest.