Read on. dear mate, as this thread involves the thought of like, "Why did I lose DESPITE (x,y,z)..." You've spent many thoughts and considerations until you utilise all your best items despite a ridicule of say burst wizs, nimble elves, dwarves and what-not. You've actually watched high ELO players intently for a while, and still lack capacicity to win beyond 50/50. If those are your thoughts, this thread is for you, read onward, dear mate. For those who don't know me, well I did several posts on thinking of decks, just check my profile. THE VERY FIRST AND FOREMOST THINGUMMY'S. Whether you want to or not, the essential build comes to one of three choices below, and when considering choices you are almost certainly (definately, likely) to be stuck in some sorta loop between the list below. (1)ARMOR (2)MOVEMENT (3)TRAIT (I've rated these in terms of what I believe is most important, 1 being least important to 3 being most inportant) (1) ARMOR. The general use for amor is to reduce damage, in which case, you are probably thinking about adding additional resistances through other slots, such as helm, or shoes. WHY IT IS GOOD (Barbed Platemail, Officer's Harness, Enchanted Harness, Reliable Mail) By usingarmor builds, you're playing the dance of "tank", and you're tanking very well! Infact just two reliable mails in hand means a reduction of damage by 4. Stacking those sorta mails is very difficult however. You need to dedicate alot of deck to make up for armor using officer harness' to add up the difference of lack of movement. WHY IT IS BAD There are two conventional ways to look at armor- It can be easily removed due to (Boiling Armor (first problem) The reality is that, you're most likely using armor is to reduce damage that cannot be, in some form or another, recturned afterwards to the opponent. Basically extending yourself to the thought of "I need my armor before I get to attack" (thus comes the second problem). From that idea alone, you're upset if you don't draw armor first turn. As the usefulness of armor depends on what turn you gain it. A good example of this type of thought process is whether you discard a 4+block for a 5+ dice roll type armor...(*Thickened Mail) This card protects against 4 damage. In general even a +5 roll is regarded fairly highly if the damage has more chance to reduce that much often (getting it first turn). If you do not, then it could be considered as wastage, (in general) and only serves a turn before discard. With armor, ask yourself; Is 5+ and 4+ that much different?... Then ask if 4+ to 3+ is much MORE different?... Then think, why roll badly, and are you suddenly looking at Enchanted Harness again? Well, that's the pitfall to armor. To make decent armor builds, do you rely on a warrior with 6/8 cards dedicated to the cause of tank? 1 up! Arnor sync's very well with a decent blocker, in which case, one gold token for defender is not just an idea, but essential! A helm say, with two enchanted armor is not worth 2 defenders block. Why? Well I guess it's all about draw man! WHAT CAN MAKE IT UNIQUE. Armors also have, as you may tell... other capabilities! OFC, you can build decks designed around Frenzy Aura! It's a very good example of armor that increases DEPTH in an attack; much as the same for wiz's Arcane Aura. Whether the risk outway's the reward is entirely up to yourself. (2) MOVEMENT Decks first and foremost problem is when/where to move. In the deck building section (HERE NOW!) I hate discussing this because movement is about timing. Your own perfected deck is largely depenedant on when you play cards, and what you discard. Now can open the debate of luck. Move over attack? Perhaps, discard move?! Move over block!? Hmm ...used to discarding Move, discard that Move man! Armor over move....hmm.... welll you get the idea. WHY IT IS GOOD! Boots, and there-of sorts (elven traits,- heck even dwaven charges), are pretty much for one thing and one thing alone. Moving! It's simply entricisically designed. Best way to move is not so much distant, but when to move. As such the only advice I can say is anything that cantrip's is the best move. WHY IT IS BAD! Movement is not just about move cards, infact, it's alot about cards that cause movement.Telekinisis is a very good example of influence if stacked appropriately. So why is move ever bad? Well, wizards can stack movement better than any other class. To combat such things requires always a lack movement (using immovable trait) ((Or EVEN WORSE, an item that contains nothing good other than Stone Feet)). Thereby you dilute the problem of move. Movement isn't about distance, it's about how many cards give you that move. WHAT CAN MAKE IT UNIQUE. Movement is only unique when it is unexpected. Cantrips to attack are the obvious answer, telekinsis to void gaps/push away is the second. (3) TRAIT Why do people obsess over trait so much? It's actually counter-intuative (reduce deck, gain chance of GET an Ace!) but, you can watch many high Elo players and see they are barely bothered about the cycle of cards. So why does it matter so much? Well, because, having trait's is like a responsibility. You're usually denoting an item to make room for another item that is very key in build. Sed item might be amazing, but niw you lose a slot for an item that makes it perfect... to bridge the gap you use trait cycling to get to what you want to get to. WHY IT IS GOOD! Makes any deck refined,The average players should strive for 8 cards that cycle without aid from a priest. (IMO) The trait oriented player should strive for 8 truly traited cards, +2/4 cards that involve draw in some capacity. Reaching the 10 limit card draw, simply, is never so frustrating if organised correctly (in which one character should cycle, the others should cycle slower) WHY IT IS BAD! Cycling requires alot alot of considertation, because lots of slots have lotsa traits but very bad ones. Wimpy is bad, Vulnerable is bad etc. So you can think some are better in comparision, but yet no, they tend to add a lackluster card. It's very difficult to get good cards from a card with a trait. WHAT CAN MAKE IT UNIQUE. Till you reach end of cycle. Then watch as the other oponent thinks... what a dork, cycling 10 traits per character, thats 30+ traits. No wonder his draw ended badly... (coughs, splutters) ((never again)) END!
