Many new players has asked a lot of questions regarding "draw" cards, how many allies should one have, how many item destruction cards like Shriek should they put in and so forth. The most common question is regarding deck size.
This guide serves to provide my insight. It's good as a guide for beginners; it serves as a starting point.
1. Deck Size
40 cards including hero. No more. My belief is that if a new player cannot play a 40 card deck well, a 42 or 43 card deck would only serve to make the situation worse.
2. Weapons
If you are playing a weapon-reliant hero, such as Serena, Amber, Gwen, Logan or Darkclaw, you'll need at least 6 weapons.
3. Item destruction
Every deck should have at least 4. It can be a mixture of shriek, acid jet or Ley line nexus. Priests should carry 4 Focused prayer, likewise all rogues should carry 4 Stop Thief!
Exceptions: Your deck has a lot of allies/weapons that can effectively take a lot of hits and hence can smash themselves into weapons/armors, reducing the opponent's weapon/armor's durability.
For example, Amber and Boris decks can do well with 2 or 3 Smashing Blows, not 4.
Another Exception: You are playing Ter Adun.
4. Allies
Every deck should carry at least 8 x 3cc allies. And at least 3 x 2cc (or 1cc) allies. This is to ensure the early game is covered with sufficient defense and offense.
5. Cards that give you draw
You need at least 6 of this.
A deeper look: Must haves:
Warrior: 4 x Blood Frenzy
Rogue: 4 x ill gotten gains
Priests: 4 x Wizient Staff
Mages: 4 x Tome or Bad Santa or Sacrificial lamb or Tainted oracle
Banebow: 4 x Wrath of the forest
Moonstalker: 4 x Wrath of the forest
Supplementary draw: add 2 more to make total to At least 6.
What means, for example, if you are playing a Warrior, you must have 4 Blood Frenzy and 2 Bad Santa. Or 2 tainted oracle. Or 2 Honored Dead.
Access:
Humans: Tainted Oracle, Honored Dead, Bad Santa
Shadow: Wulven tracker, Sacrificial Lamb, Bad Santa
6. "Win Conditions"
If you are using abilities to kill your opponent, ie fireball, Lightning strike, Nova, you must pack sufficient cards of this type.
If you are using a mixture of allies and weapons to kill your opponent, you must pack enough of each.
If you are using allies only to kill your opponent, you need to pack sufficient high cost allies like Aeon, Plasma Behemoth, Raven, Molten Destroyer, etc. These allies have higher health and hence can stay on the board longer to inflict sufficient damage or influence the board.
Long story made short: You cannot win a war if you don't bring sufficient "win cons" or firepower.
You can view my beginner decks here as a reference. These decks are good enough to win in online Player vs Player (Quick matches)
http://www.shadowera.com/showthread....l=1#post230902
Other notes:
(Treat this section as a FAQ) (This is only to be read if you need to have some concerns addressed beyond initial learning phrase)
1. Reserve Weapon card is not a weapon. Do not treat it as an "weapon". That because if a weapon does not go to the graveyard, you cannot use it.
2. There are decks that run with zero allies. These are intermediate decks not for beginners and hence they will not be discussed here.
Bookmarks