Whispers in the Well Starter Deck Review: Sapphire & Steel (Judy Hopps & Robin Hood)

Leaning heavily into a hard-boiled detective mystery aesthetic, the Sapphire and Steel Whispers in the Well starter deck brings tactical investigation to the tabletop. By combining Sapphire’s unrivaled resource management with Steel’s unmatched defensive capabilities, this deck allows players to systematically dismantle an opponent’s field layout while gathering clues to pave their own path to victory.

Overview & Price Point

• Release Date: November 14, 2025
• MSRP: $16.99
• Ink Combination: Sapphire (Ramp/Items) and Steel (Defense/Direct Damage)
• Core Strategy: Control-oriented challenges, and defensive bottlenecking.

This deck functions primarily as a mid-range control deck. It uses early defensive characters to keep the field clear, shifting smoothly into a high-resource late game where resilient characters take over.

What’s Inside the Box

• 1 Prebuilt 60-Card Deck (featuring foil versions of Judy Hopps and Robin Hood)
• 1 Whispers in the Well Booster Pack (12 randomized cards)
• 11 Cardstock Damage Counters
• 1 Detective-Themed Paper Playmat with built-in tracker
• 1 Quickstart Rulebook

Full Card List

Card Name	Ink Type	Rarity	Card Type	Qty
Judy Hopps – Uncovering Clues (Foil)	Sapphire	Rare	Character	1
Robin Hood – Ephemeral Archer (Foil)	Steel	Rare	Character	1
Kristoff – Mining the Ruins	Sapphire	Rare	Character	1
Zeus – Missing His Spark	Steel	Rare	Character	1
Nick Wilde – Persistent Investigator	Sapphire	Rare	Character	1
Judy Hopps – Lead Detective	Sapphire	Rare	Character	1
Castle Wyvern – Above the Clouds	Steel	Rare	Location	1
Daisy Duck – Ghost Finder	Sapphire	Uncommon	Character	2
Pluto – Clever Cluefinder	Sapphire	Uncommon	Character	2
Minnie Mouse – Ghost Hunter	Sapphire	Uncommon	Character	2
Mickey Mouse – Detective	Sapphire	Uncommon	Character	4
Francine – Eyeing the Evidence	Sapphire	Uncommon	Character	2
Basil – Tenacious Mouse	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
David Xanatos – Steel Clan Leader	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
Anna – Making Snow Plans	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
Jasmine – Soothing Princess	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
Donald Duck – Ghost Hunter	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
The Headless Horseman – Relentless Spirit	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
Genie – Investigative Mind	Steel	Uncommon	Character	2
Hen Wen’s Visions	Sapphire	Uncommon	Action	4
Promising Lead	Sapphire	Uncommon	Action	4
Putting It All Together	Sapphire	Uncommon	Action	4
Nick Wilde – Sly Fox Sleuth	Sapphire	Common	Character	3
Hen Wen – Prophetic Pig	Sapphire	Common	Character	3
Black Heron – Real Bad Egg	Sapphire	Common	Character	3
Judy Hopps – On the Case	Sapphire	Common	Character	3
Scuttle – Birdbrained	Sapphire	Common	Character	3
Zootopia – Police Headquarters	Sapphire	Common	Location	2

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Excellent Hand Consistency: The high volume of investigative filtering actions ensures your hand stays full of options.	Slow Game Speed: Relies on a slow, methodical setup that can find itself on the defensive against aggressive decks early on.
Strong Single-Target Removal: Features excellent Steel interaction tools to handle individual opposing threats cleanly.	Lack of Combo Synergy: If your early search engines are delayed, your resource development drops off significantly.

Final Thoughts

The Sapphire and Steel Whispers in the Well deck stands out as one of the most cohesive and satisfying control decks in the casual format. Delivering great draw power, sturdy defense, and a highly immersive theme, it provides intermediate players with an airtight strategic foundation that can easily be upgraded into a competitive-tier threat.