In playing some scenarios, it seems like the AI does not shuffle their deck and get the same cards each time. I never get more than 1 move card, the enemy AI seems to get multiples. I move toward them, they move and I am just stuck there waiting for them to finish. I tend to get one or two attack cards and the enemy AI gets 3 often on some scenarios. I can't move and can't attack, I just keep pressing skip while they finish off my characters. Does the AI have a really concentrated deck size of 8 or so, ensuring it always gets good cards? It seems like the enemy AI plays identically for each repeated scenario. I have had 100 gold max, the stuff does not sell for much and the items I have received have rarely been what I want. I am level 6 and have finished most scenarios to date without losing 3 times, but still am seeing some frustration at the time required to complete scenarios. When trying to use the ability to place fire on a tile, the enemy almost always seems to have a move card. Conversely, I rarely have one when they cast it on my tile. I can't seem to get the items to optimize a good deck. Is this common early on? Kraton
Several possible responses. First, welcome. Second, I'm glad you came by with an actual explanation of your concerns: a lot of folks just want to complain and say "the game is terrible," not actually analyze what might have gone wrong. Now: Absolutely. The enemy has pre-built decks. Also, you can see their deck size if you look at the top of the screen: there's the main deck and the discard pile, and they reshuffle once they're out of cards. This is a matter of strategy, caution . . . and a little dumb luck. First, if you're deliberately moving towards them while they still have Move cards, then you know they're now in control, right? So avoid that. Stand still, heal, throw ranged Attacks, or whatever. Enemies that want to get close to you will do so. Then you can lunge. Then change your strategy depending on circumstances. Are you dealing with enemies that want to stay at range? Then try to "herd" them with multiple characters . . . or just stop playing on their terms and load up on your own ranged Attacks. If you're concerned about being stuck on enemy Terrain spells, then likewise conserving your cards as such is now part of your strategy for this map. On the other hand, if you want to make the enemy waste Move cards before casting your own Terrain spells, then you can take advantage of their "annoying" tendency to run when you get close! Also, don't forget that you can see some of your enemy's hand to tell if they still have the default Move card, at least. If you want more information, you can try to get hand-revealing cards like Elvish Insight. Now this statement, unfortunately, needs elaboration--and you might not be able to give it because you haven't seen enough of the game to judge. What is "a good deck"? Depending on how you play, you can make plenty of types of "good decks" early on. You do, of course, get more types of options as you advance (and really cool or weird cards enter play). And again, welcome and thanks for making a well-thought-out post.
By a good deck, I mean having items that have good ranges without negative cards attached. For example, a few range 6 wizard spells and some other good support card. It seems that the money and items early are a little weaker than I am used to. Thanks for the response. I am not the best at these types of games, so the feedback helps. Kraton
Early on most of the items will have weak spells or drawbacks (negative cards). It is important to remember that drawbacks are in some way beneficial to you, since they help you cycle your deck and get to your more powerful spells quickly. Obvious Maneuvers and Fumble, as well as a few others like Mind Leak, end up losing cards for you, but other ones like Wimpy are really not that bad. Once you get a little higher in level you will start seeing more powerful cards and less drawbacks. Good hunting!
Ah, the drawback issue. It's also a little more complicated: New "good cards" show up throughout the game, oftentimes with some minimum level before you see them. They will appear a little "early" (that is, at lower levels) with some drawbacks to counterbalance them. This will actually keep happening as you keep finding new "good cards." You speak of wanting range 6 wizard spells. That's probably because those look like the best available options right now, yes? So it's not too surprising that the "best cards" have some drawbacks. But I need to emphasize that the rest of your deck is good, too. Those Zap cards do a number at range 2 (especially Big Zap), and you get a lot of them. If you have them . . . then the game designers must expect you to win with them anyway, right? Maybe you don't want to, and that's perfectly fine: don't let me stop you in your quest for longer range. You'll find more ranged cards as you go.
Often the enemies are in groups, and each group draws a card or two for each creature in it. With regard to move cards, you can get more if you choose to, but of course most of us prefer to have cards that do better things. That means we tend to skimp on move cards, and that in turn means we must use them carefully and not waste them as the AI can often afford to. A good compromise is to bring 'step attack' cards, and armour and other cards that can be used as move cards if you need to (a surprising amount of armour has that option; it's easy to miss it at the start).
The single player meta currently is, "pass your turns and save your move cards because the enemy AI is programmed to rush you." If the enemy AI never attacked you, the game would be impossible.
