Archetype Index
Spirits are asymmetric, but they cluster. The six archetypes below are the strategic patterns that cross spirit boundaries — a “fear rush” build with Shadows looks different from a fear rush with Bringer, but the pattern is the same: race to Terror 3 via innate + card fear generation, deprioritize board control.
Use this index for two decisions:
- “Which archetype does my spirit fit?” — so you know which chapter to read.
- “Which archetype counters this adversary / supports my partner?” — especially critical for 2–4 player multiplayer where territory splits need archetype coverage.
The six archetypes
| Archetype | One-line identity |
|---|---|
| Energy Denial | Break invader action economy: isolate, push, skip explores, delay builds. |
| Dahan Rush | Scale dahan into offense + defense + fear. |
| Fear Rush | Race to Terror 3; win-condition loosening is the plan. |
| Terrain Control | Move invaders to your kill-zones, or isolate lands from explores. |
| Defend & Outlast | Absorb early pressure; late-game Major-Power engine closes. |
| Major Power Shopping | Aggressively draft Majors; forget Uniques; spike big plays. |
These are not mutually exclusive. Most spirits fit 1–2 archetypes primarily plus can flex into a 3rd. The spirit chapter’s At a Glance table lists each spirit’s primary archetype(s).
Spirits by primary archetype
Energy Denial
Primary: Downpour, Grinning Trickster, Shroud of Silent Mist (partial)
Secondary: Finder of Paths Unseen, Lure of the Deep Wilderness, Ocean’s Hungry Grasp
Dahan Rush
Primary: Thunderspeaker, Hearth-Vigil, Ferocious Warrior of the Lost Lands
Secondary: Sharp Fangs Behind the Leaves (via beasts + Ranging Hunt), Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares (fear cards scale with dahan)
Fear Rush
Primary: Shadows Flicker Like Flame, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, Many Minds Move as One, Shroud of Silent Mist
Secondary: Vengeance as a Burning Plague (late-game fear juggernaut), Wandering Voice Keens Delirium
Terrain Control
Primary: A Spread of Rampant Green, Lure of the Deep Wilderness, River Surges in Sunlight (push/gather), Finder of Paths Unseen
Secondary: Shroud of Silent Mist (Mists Shift and Flow), Fathomless Mud of the Swamp
Defend & Outlast
Primary: Vital Strength of the Earth, Keeper of the Forbidden Wilds, Stone’s Unyielding Defiance
Secondary: Hearth-Vigil, Towering Roots of the Jungle
Major Power Shopping
Primary: Vital Strength of the Earth, Keeper of the Forbidden Wilds, Stone’s Unyielding Defiance, Covets Gleaming Shards of Earth
Secondary: Starlight Seeks Its Form (flexible-archetype spirit), Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island, Wounded Waters Bleeding
Archetype by win condition
| Win path | Archetype(s) |
|---|---|
| Terror 3 flip + invader sweep | Fear Rush |
| No cities + Terror 2 flip | Dahan Rush, Defend & Outlast, Major Power Shopping |
| No invaders anywhere | Major Power Shopping (late-game), Dahan Rush |
| Scenario-specific objectives | any; pick by scenario |
| Denial (you just don’t lose) | Energy Denial, Terrain Control |
Archetype vs. adversary fit
High-leverage pairings; see each archetype chapter for the complete matchup analysis.
| Adversary | Best archetype(s) | Worst archetype(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Brandenburg-Prussia | Fear Rush, Major Power Shopping | Energy Denial (late-game cities) |
| England | Dahan Rush, Fear Rush | Defend & Outlast (slow scaling) |
| Sweden | Defend & Outlast, Dahan Rush | Fear Rush (fear penalties) |
| France (Plantation) | Terrain Control, Major Power | Dahan Rush (dahan removal) |
| Habsburg Mining | Defend & Outlast, Major Power | Fear Rush (long game needed) |
| Russia | Defend & Outlast, Major Power | Fear Rush (fear suppression) |
| Scotland | Fear Rush, Dahan Rush | Energy Denial |
| Habsburg Livestock | Terrain Control, Dahan Rush | Major Power Shopping (too slow) |
Archetype in multiplayer
In 2–4 player, you want archetype coverage, not archetype stacking. Common failure: three fear-rush spirits with no board-control archetype → Terror 3 arrives but the board is a blight cascade.
Healthy 2-spirit pairings span two archetypes:
- Fear Rush + Dahan Rush (Shadows + Thunderspeaker)
- Major Power Shopping + Terrain Control (Earth + Green)
- Defend & Outlast + Fear Rush (Keeper + Bringer)
- Energy Denial + Dahan Rush (Downpour + Fangs)
Healthy 4-spirit pairings span three or four archetypes. See each archetype chapter’s “Best Partners” section for specifics.
When your spirit fits multiple archetypes
Some spirits are genuinely flexible — Shroud, Starlight, Serpent, Trickster. For these, read the spirit chapter first; the archetype chapter gives you the pattern, but the spirit chapter tells you when that specific spirit should lean into which archetype given your adversary + draft.
How to read the archetype chapters
Each archetype chapter follows the same spine:
- Identity — what the archetype actually does
- Core mechanics — the cards, innates, and growth patterns that drive it
- Spirits that embody it (primary + secondary)
- Execution pattern — round-by-round shape of a typical game
- Strong adversary matchups + weak ones
- Multiplayer synergies (how this archetype pairs with others)
- Common mistakes + failure modes
- Source notes
Last revised: 2026-04-19