Since I have a good card pool already from being a backer, I have tried just playing around with odd theme decks recently and it's been a bunch of fun.
My oddest experience with it was yesterday. On the Official forums they run a format called un-heroic where nothing above rare is allowed in the deck build. I decided to make the opposite version of that. I built a Uterra/Alloyn deck that contained no cards below Heroic rarity. Honestly it's not a fantastic deck, however here's what started happening. I played 6 matches with it, on 3 of them the opponent conceded within the first few turns. It wasn't like I was sporting major card advantage or anything... people just seemed to see almost all legendary cards come out for 3 turns in a row and just quit. in the other matches I was 1-2 . Why bother to play if you're just going to concede as soon as you see cards you don't like?
People are silly geese, Snarf. I may as well concede if I see an Everflame Phoenix because I can never beat that card in a million years, but I don't, because games are fun.
Yeah, right now there's nothing to prevent shitheels from doing that. Which is why I don't like chess clock-style timing for games like these.
Duel of Champions has two-minute turns, if you're AFK for two turns in a row you auto-lose.
edit: apparently they're considering five minute turns, but that's really really long. Since you dump your hand each turn you don't need to spend as much time thinking about future moves like you do in, say, DoC, and two minutes is just fine there.
- 30:00 minute timer for each side is excessive. Games last far too long for my taste.
- I have no idea how you earn rewards. I played a couple of games vs. random opponents and lost both games as I have about 0 cards to choose from and I'm playing vs. what seems to be veterans. Zero rewards for losing a 20 minute game feels bad man.
- No resource system/play any 2 cards per turn. Feels like it restricts and simplifies strategy. There's no hand/card management. No balancing a deck of higher and lower cost creatures/spells.
- Board/battle aspects. Also simplified. Creatures attack every turn with no chance to plan strategic attacks.
No resource system/play any 2 cards per turn. Feels like it restricts and simplifies strategy. There's no hand/card management. No balancing a deck of higher and lower cost creatures/spells.
A lof of the strategy is choosing what two actions you want. You can play something that's good right now, or you can play for the longer run and play something that's less good right now but level the card up for later instead. Trust me, there's lots of hard decisions there.
I played Kibler 5 or 6 times at PAX east and he trounced me every time while spending most of his attention on his dinner. Up until that point much of what was going on looked like random luck to me, but watching him dismantle everyone he played was skill not luck. I was still learning the game and working under the assumption that it was important to play what was good now to get an advantage. I learned that it's much more important to know your deck, and your win conditions. Sometimes Ignoring a creature for the first 3 turns is a totally valid strategy, you've got 100 life... use it up.
Almost every card is situational and there are generally no outright better cards, just better cards to play right now. A deepbranch prowler might be an awesome turn 1 creature you'll probably start the game off with a 2 for 1 exchange. However you'll pay for that later in the game.
Yeah, there's a lot of decision-making when making your deck. Creatures that are good at level 1-2 for early aggression but suck at level 3, vs something that's the other way, etc etc.
or instead of focusing your deck, making it varied. and when you see what deck you're fighting, choose and level up only cards that are the counters to that deck
Shardplate Mutant + Furious Roar on turn one (went second) = 11/11 out on turn one. Aww yeah.
...and then only two cards per draw until it's gone. But it's a pretty massive pain to deal with that early. Especially if I can toss Breakthrough on it too.
Is there any actual point to factions? Like, if I run a deck of only Alloyin, or a mix of some number of factions, is there any reward/penalty?
Generally speaking, factions synergize internally (Avatars are the most obvious) but prop up each other's weaknesses.
There's no inherent bonus or penalty.
Huh. That's weird.
As an aside, I'm wondering how this game will stand up to Hex, a more customizable, RPG-like system, and Hearth, which is prettier and (seemingly) less complex. I feel like this game needs a visual update already.
Is there any actual point to factions? Like, if I run a deck of only Alloyin, or a mix of some number of factions, is there any reward/penalty?
Well, your deck can contain at most two factions.
Some specific cards work better based on how many other cards you have of 'their' faction. (The avatars)
Also Uterra packmasters.
Speaking of Uterra, I am really liking Uterra as far as a mono build goes. With dryads, echo wisps, packmasters, and ferocious roar, you can easily snowball out of control.
Anybody else playing in the big reddit based tournament tonight? I know I don't have a shot but there are Door prizes! (I won a random door prize for some gold in the first one)
So, I'm trying to put together some sort of Alloyin/Tempys deck, and I have absolutely no background in card games. Right now I'm trying to do something with Firefist Uranti, an everflame phoenix, a couple of technosmiths and the various alloyin attack buffing cards. Could you fine folks give me some pointers?
So, I'm trying to put together some sort of Alloyin/Tempys deck, and I have absolutely no background in card games. Right now I'm trying to do something with Firefist Uranti, an everflame phoenix, a couple of technosmiths and the various alloyin attack buffing cards. Could you fine folks give me some pointers?
Alloyin specializes in armor and levelling more cards than normal/having more cards than normal.
Tempys is very good at direct damage spells, and aggressive creatures that can do a rush and put more damage through than normal.
Alloyin tends to be more of a late game faction and tempys more of an early game faction. That doesn't mean you can't blend the two, of course.
A lot of this game is choosing which cards to level. If you have too many cards that need to be levelled to be any good in your deck, you will struggle if you get a bad draw. On the other hand, you also want to not have no cards which are good late game.
I don't know what your card base is like, but Alloyin does have several good 'mass' attack buff cards: alloyin general, the tactician that buffs everyone when he is in the center lane (there is an augmentation that makes your character in the center lane stronger and at higher levels it is free to play!). I prefer matrix wardens over munitions drones. Tempys also has some useful attack buff cards. You're quite right that a firefist uranti with attack buffs can be pretty imposing. I don't have the cards to really pull it off myself.
the alloyin assassin's are a pretty decent filler creature card. Decent at L1, extremely strong L2, reasonable L3.
Also consider firestorm. Uranti firefist has high health. He gets to attack twice, essentially. Firestorm might help him clear out more creatures.
So the deck that won the 256 person Tournament last night didn't have a single legendary in it... that's a pretty good sign!
Here was the winning deck:
3 Lightning Spark
3 Flameshaper Savant
3 Static Shock
3 Epidemic
3 Darkshaper Savant
3 Master of Elements
3 Uranti Bolt
3 Magma Hound
3 Cull the Weak
3 Grimgaunt Predator
I made it to the second round, where I lost to a much more experienced player 2-1. Although I wasn't playing my best deck, more going for a unique one... basically Zombies and Xrath so everything kills in one shot.
So the deck that won the 256 person Tournament last night didn't have a single legendary in it... that's a pretty good sign!
Here was the winning deck:
3 Lightning Spark
3 Flameshaper Savant
3 Static Shock
3 Epidemic
3 Darkshaper Savant
3 Master of Elements
3 Uranti Bolt
3 Magma Hound
3 Cull the Weak
3 Grimgaunt Predator
I made it to the second round, where I lost to a much more experienced player 2-1. Although I wasn't playing my best deck, more going for a unique one... basically Zombies and Xrath so everything kills in one shot.
Yep, CCG mechanics stand firm. Removal is key, don't waste cards on pants unless there's evasion (which there isn't really in this game.)
So the deck that won the 256 person Tournament last night didn't have a single legendary in it... that's a pretty good sign!
Here was the winning deck:
3 Lightning Spark
3 Flameshaper Savant
3 Static Shock
3 Epidemic
3 Darkshaper Savant
3 Master of Elements
3 Uranti Bolt
3 Magma Hound
3 Cull the Weak
3 Grimgaunt Predator
I made it to the second round, where I lost to a much more experienced player 2-1. Although I wasn't playing my best deck, more going for a unique one... basically Zombies and Xrath so everything kills in one shot.
Yep, CCG mechanics stand firm. Removal is key, don't waste cards on pants unless there's evasion (which there isn't really in this game.)
"pants"?
Soon... soon I will install you, my precious.
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So the deck that won the 256 person Tournament last night didn't have a single legendary in it... that's a pretty good sign!
Here was the winning deck:
3 Lightning Spark
3 Flameshaper Savant
3 Static Shock
3 Epidemic
3 Darkshaper Savant
3 Master of Elements
3 Uranti Bolt
3 Magma Hound
3 Cull the Weak
3 Grimgaunt Predator
I made it to the second round, where I lost to a much more experienced player 2-1. Although I wasn't playing my best deck, more going for a unique one... basically Zombies and Xrath so everything kills in one shot.
Yep, CCG mechanics stand firm. Removal is key, don't waste cards on pants unless there's evasion (which there isn't really in this game.)
"pants"?
Cards that don't do anything except boost other cards (+X/+X).
So I pledged $100 on kickstarter for this but haven't used the code yet. Anyone here kickstart it? Is the promo, packs and such any good?
With that level of backing you'll probably get like 25 boosters and a few faction decks of your choice plus $100 in credit in their store to buy more stuff. I'd start logging in to get my daily rewards now just to build up my collection and you can save the credit for when you want to spend it or there's a sale.
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I could have won but I didn't know that little detail.
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
My oddest experience with it was yesterday. On the Official forums they run a format called un-heroic where nothing above rare is allowed in the deck build. I decided to make the opposite version of that. I built a Uterra/Alloyn deck that contained no cards below Heroic rarity. Honestly it's not a fantastic deck, however here's what started happening. I played 6 matches with it, on 3 of them the opponent conceded within the first few turns. It wasn't like I was sporting major card advantage or anything... people just seemed to see almost all legendary cards come out for 3 turns in a row and just quit. in the other matches I was 1-2 . Why bother to play if you're just going to concede as soon as you see cards you don't like?
gamertag:Maguano71
Switch:SW-8428-8279-1687
This can be useful in causing a non fight in a lane where an opponent thought there would be a fight.
(I got another Xerath in a basic pack. I can confirm that the savants and sorcerers get his powers. Pretty darn neat!)
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
you can take away the win/loss record and rewards, but you can't take the sore loser out of waiting for the match to time out. I guess.
Duel of Champions has two-minute turns, if you're AFK for two turns in a row you auto-lose.
edit: apparently they're considering five minute turns, but that's really really long. Since you dump your hand each turn you don't need to spend as much time thinking about future moves like you do in, say, DoC, and two minutes is just fine there.
http://i.imgur.com/CIBio8W.jpg
My thoughts:
- 30:00 minute timer for each side is excessive. Games last far too long for my taste.
- I have no idea how you earn rewards. I played a couple of games vs. random opponents and lost both games as I have about 0 cards to choose from and I'm playing vs. what seems to be veterans. Zero rewards for losing a 20 minute game feels bad man.
- No resource system/play any 2 cards per turn. Feels like it restricts and simplifies strategy. There's no hand/card management. No balancing a deck of higher and lower cost creatures/spells.
- Board/battle aspects. Also simplified. Creatures attack every turn with no chance to plan strategic attacks.
So far I'm not really a fan.
A lof of the strategy is choosing what two actions you want. You can play something that's good right now, or you can play for the longer run and play something that's less good right now but level the card up for later instead. Trust me, there's lots of hard decisions there.
Almost every card is situational and there are generally no outright better cards, just better cards to play right now. A deepbranch prowler might be an awesome turn 1 creature you'll probably start the game off with a 2 for 1 exchange. However you'll pay for that later in the game.
...and then only two cards per draw until it's gone. But it's a pretty massive pain to deal with that early. Especially if I can toss Breakthrough on it too.
edit: today's login reward: a Metasculpt. Woo!
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
Generally speaking, factions synergize internally (Avatars are the most obvious) but prop up each other's weaknesses.
There's no inherent bonus or penalty.
Not the next one, I don't think, but I believe they're planning on it by the end of the year.
Huh. That's weird.
As an aside, I'm wondering how this game will stand up to Hex, a more customizable, RPG-like system, and Hearth, which is prettier and (seemingly) less complex. I feel like this game needs a visual update already.
Actually I think on a stream they said they were trying for the next one for the exchange system. Trading is the thing coming by end of the year.
Well, your deck can contain at most two factions.
Some specific cards work better based on how many other cards you have of 'their' faction. (The avatars)
Also Uterra packmasters.
Speaking of Uterra, I am really liking Uterra as far as a mono build goes. With dryads, echo wisps, packmasters, and ferocious roar, you can easily snowball out of control.
How is that even possible? There are like 8 different abominations, many of which are common!
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
Comedic exaggeration.
Edit: Oh, also 3 tech upgrades.
So not really mono-color at all.
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
Alloyin specializes in armor and levelling more cards than normal/having more cards than normal.
Tempys is very good at direct damage spells, and aggressive creatures that can do a rush and put more damage through than normal.
Alloyin tends to be more of a late game faction and tempys more of an early game faction. That doesn't mean you can't blend the two, of course.
A lot of this game is choosing which cards to level. If you have too many cards that need to be levelled to be any good in your deck, you will struggle if you get a bad draw. On the other hand, you also want to not have no cards which are good late game.
I don't know what your card base is like, but Alloyin does have several good 'mass' attack buff cards: alloyin general, the tactician that buffs everyone when he is in the center lane (there is an augmentation that makes your character in the center lane stronger and at higher levels it is free to play!). I prefer matrix wardens over munitions drones. Tempys also has some useful attack buff cards. You're quite right that a firefist uranti with attack buffs can be pretty imposing. I don't have the cards to really pull it off myself.
the alloyin assassin's are a pretty decent filler creature card. Decent at L1, extremely strong L2, reasonable L3.
Also consider firestorm. Uranti firefist has high health. He gets to attack twice, essentially. Firestorm might help him clear out more creatures.
PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
Here was the winning deck:
3 Lightning Spark
3 Flameshaper Savant
3 Static Shock
3 Epidemic
3 Darkshaper Savant
3 Master of Elements
3 Uranti Bolt
3 Magma Hound
3 Cull the Weak
3 Grimgaunt Predator
I made it to the second round, where I lost to a much more experienced player 2-1. Although I wasn't playing my best deck, more going for a unique one... basically Zombies and Xrath so everything kills in one shot.
Yep, CCG mechanics stand firm. Removal is key, don't waste cards on pants unless there's evasion (which there isn't really in this game.)
"pants"?
Cards that don't do anything except boost other cards (+X/+X).
With that level of backing you'll probably get like 25 boosters and a few faction decks of your choice plus $100 in credit in their store to buy more stuff. I'd start logging in to get my daily rewards now just to build up my collection and you can save the credit for when you want to spend it or there's a sale.