Shadowverse CCG is Cygames' digital collectible card game, and it is no longer running. Cygames announced the end of service on 25 March 2026 and shut the servers down at 7:00 pm Pacific on 30 June 2026, almost exactly a decade after the original 2016 launch, with the Steam client released on 27 October 2016. The Steam store page now carries a notice that the game is no longer available there, and accounts cannot be linked across to the successor. Anyone searching for Shadowverse today should be pointed at Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, the direct sequel that launched on 17 June 2025 for Steam, Epic, iOS and Android, or at the physical card game Shadowverse: Evolve. This page covers what the original client was and how its systems worked, because most of that design carried forward, but treat every mode described here as history rather than as something you can queue into tonight.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm followers | S | Aggressive decks that need to finish before the opponent stabilises | Storm let a follower attack the enemy Leader the turn it was played, which is how decks closed out a game through a stalled board. |
| Ward followers | A | Control and midrange decks protecting a life total or a key follower | Ward forced the opponent to attack that follower before they could touch anything else, including the Leader. |
| Bane followers | A | Answering oversized followers without spending a removal spell | Bane destroyed any follower it dealt damage to in combat, regardless of the target's remaining defence. |
| Spellboost cards | B | Runecraft combo decks counting exact casts toward a single turn kill | Spellboost tracked how many spells you had cast and reduced costs or improved effects accordingly. |
| Necromancy cards | B | Shadowcraft decks turning early board losses into a mid game advantage | Necromancy spent accumulated shadows, which were generated when your own followers died. |
S-Tier: Storm followers
Storm let a follower attack the enemy Leader the turn it was played, which is how decks closed out a game through a stalled board. Against a 20 defence Leader, a pair of Storm followers was frequently the whole win condition.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Aggressive decks that need to finish before the opponent stabilises |
| Key Mechanic | Twenty defence leader life total |
| Recommended Build | Forestcraft |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Storm followers: Pairs naturally with Forestcraft thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Ward followers
Ward forced the opponent to attack that follower before they could touch anything else, including the Leader. It was the primary defensive tool and the reason aggressive decks packed removal alongside their threats.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Control and midrange decks protecting a life total or a key follower |
| Key Mechanic | Play Points ramping to ten |
| Recommended Build | Swordcraft |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Ward followers: Pairs naturally with Swordcraft thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Bane followers
Bane destroyed any follower it dealt damage to in combat, regardless of the target's remaining defence. A cheap Bane follower answered an expensive threat, which kept big single card strategies honest.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Answering oversized followers without spending a removal spell |
| Key Mechanic | Evolution Points |
| Recommended Build | Runecraft |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Bane followers: Pairs naturally with Runecraft thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Spellboost cards
Spellboost tracked how many spells you had cast and reduced costs or improved effects accordingly. It is the mechanic that defined Runecraft and the reason its decks read as unplayable in the opening hand and lethal by turn seven.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Runecraft combo decks counting exact casts toward a single turn kill |
| Key Mechanic | Eight class crafts plus Neutral |
| Recommended Build | Dragoncraft |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Spellboost cards: Pairs naturally with Dragoncraft thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Necromancy cards
Necromancy spent accumulated shadows, which were generated when your own followers died. It rewarded trading rather than preserving a board, which is the opposite instinct to most card games.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Shadowcraft decks turning early board losses into a mid game advantage |
| Key Mechanic | Vials and card crafting |
| Recommended Build | Shadowcraft |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Necromancy cards: Pairs naturally with Shadowcraft thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Rotation ranked
- Ward followers → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Bane followers → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Storm followers → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- The original Shadowverse client is offline. Service ended at 7:00 pm Pacific on 30 June 2026, and the Steam store page for app 453480 now states the game is no longer available there.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Shadowverse CCG Guides
- Shadowverse CCG Shadowverse CCG Overview
- Shadowverse CCG Best Builds
- Shadowverse CCG Tier List
- Shadowverse CCG Walkthrough
- Shadowverse CCG Beginner's Guide
- Shadowverse CCG Tips & Tricks
- Shadowverse CCG Combat Guide
- Shadowverse CCG Boss Guide
- Shadowverse CCG Maps & Locations
- Shadowverse CCG Crafting Guide
- Shadowverse CCG Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Shadowverse CCG, check out these related guides:
- Slay the Spire Weapons Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics
- Balatro Weapons Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics
- Sultan's Game Weapons Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics
