Question on max hand size and damage from empty deck

[Crystalite]

Hi all, i am very new to the game and have never played any other card games like Magic:The Gathering before, so I'm a complete noobie at this. I have 2 main questions:

1) What exactly does "the max hand size is always enforced" mean? i.e. is it 6 or 7? (website says initially is 7. does initially refer to start of a match, or start of a round?) The reason I ask this is because I have lost many matches recently when I thought I was winning. Not sure if this is the so-called Defeat bug that many have mentioned, but I also happened to have around 6 or 7 cards in hand, a bazaar out, 10+ cards remaining in deck and I lost the game.

2) Is there damage taken from empty deck? e.g. 0 cards left in deck, 4 cards in hand, bazaar is out, or opponent plays a bad santa, etc.

Any help in understanding these issues would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Crystalite]

Well there it happened again. The 5th time in a row that I lost a match when I did not expect to - Defeat when it seemed like I was winning. This time against a hunter using Arwenlis (rated 226).

Still hoping for someone to explain to me the game mechanics mentioned above. Would like to know if I lost due to my own error, or simply to some exploit.

[Ringel]

The maximum hand size is 7. If you have 7 you wont draw a card. If you would draw a card but have none to draw you take 1 hit. (So 2 hits if bazaar is in play. 3 hits from Bad Santa).

It sounds like you hit the defeat bug/cheat. Cards alone wouldn't do it.

[Kadun]

Your max hand size is 7, it can never be higher than that. If you have 7 cards in your hand at the start of your turn, you will not draw a card. If you have 7 cards in your hand and play a Bad Santa you will not draw any cards. If you have 7 cards in hand, your opponent can't play Retreat on any of your Allies.

If you have zero cards in your library and are forced to draw a card (at the beginning of your turn or from Bad Santa), you will take 1 damage for every card you were forced to draw but could not.

From the sound of it, it seems like you've encountered Forced Defeat hackers.

[Crystalite]

@Ringel and Kadun

Oh thank you so very much guys!

While I am somewhat glad that I didn't lose due to my own errors, I find it depressing that there are so many players exploiting this bug/feature. Winning isn't everything, from a newbie's point of view, this cheating might very well ruin an otherwise great game.

Once again, thank you very much again!

[MattOG]

@Ringel and Kadun

Oh thank you so very much guys!

While I am somewhat glad that I didn't lose due to my own errors, I find it depressing that there are so many players exploiting this bug/feature. Winning isn't everything, from a newbie's point of view, this cheating might very well ruin an otherwise great game.

Once again, thank you very much again!

Agreed, but stick it out if you can. There are many good things in the pipeline here.

[Crystalite]

I would love to, but its really demoralising.

Not sure if I'm just plain unlucky, but 8 out of my last 9 games I have encountered such exploits. It always happens when I get the upper hand.

[AnAdolt]

Not much of an advice but trying to play at a different time may help. Some people don't run into as much exploiters, such as myself, and it may be due to the times that I play. Also, once you're higher up in rating, you don't run into as many people exploiting; at least I think so.

[rumsey]

Also it could be the network connection. Try playing on PC and see if that's helps.

One thing the other posters forgot to mention is if you have 7 cards in your hand you will not take draw damage even with an empty deck.

[danae]

I find it hard to believe that you would meet so many exploiters in such a high percentage. Maybe you're missing something out? Were you poisoned or on fire? What was your health at just before you died? I've played arwenlis before I think and I don't remember anything suspicious about the match which I won I think.