Combat Basics: What to Check Every Turn
Before playing the first card, read every intent, identify the target that changes the fight, calculate incoming damage, then decide whether this is a damage, defense or setup turn. Sequence resource changes and draw before committing the rest of your Energy.
01
The six-question turn check
The biggest combat improvement is often delaying the first click for a few seconds. Run through the same questions until the order becomes automatic.
Read attacks, buffs, debuffs, summons and special intent before evaluating your hand.
A low-HP attacker, scaling enemy or source of Status cards may matter more than the largest body.
Calculate incoming damage after available Block, Weak and possible kills.
A Power or engine card is an investment. Count how many future triggers remain.
Apply Vulnerable, gain Strength, generate resources or draw before the attacks that use them.
Know whether key cards are in the draw pile, discard pile, Exhaust pile or being Retained.
02
Immediate output and scaling solve different fights
Immediate damage ends normal fights and many elite phases before they snowball. Scaling damage grows through Strength, Poison, Doom, Stars, Forge or Orbs and is needed when a boss outlasts your first deck cycle.
A deck full of scaling can die before it starts. A deck full of front-loaded damage can reach a boss with no way to finish. A working run normally carries both, in proportions set by the next threats.
Can the deck deal meaningful damage in the first two turns without drawing a perfect hand?
Does damage or defense keep improving after the deck reshuffles?
Can you remove or control several threats before their combined actions overwhelm Block?
03
Block is not the whole defense plan
Defense includes anything that reduces the number or size of future attacks. Killing an enemy, applying Weak, drawing the right card and shortening setup can all save more HP than one additional Block card.
Kill the dangerous target before it attacks or completes its special move.
Use Weak or other effects to lower the attack before calculating Block.
Draw and deck cleanup make defense reliable instead of depending on one lucky hand.
Osty, Frost and other character systems can cover damage while the hand does something else.
04
Card order creates free value
The cards are the same, but their order can change damage, available Energy and the next hand.
Apply Vulnerable, gain Strength or change costs before the cards those effects improve.
Do not discover the perfect answer after committing the Energy needed to play it.
Sly, Replay, Orb passives, Doom and end-of-turn effects have timing rules worth checking.
Avoid Exhausting, discarding or covering the card or Orb your win condition needs.
05
Use potions before the run is already lost
A potion is stored tempo. Spending one to win an elite cleanly, preserve enough HP for an upgrade or stop a bad enemy cycle can be worth more than carrying it to the boss.
Changes the current fight or preserves a future route.
Is used after the deck has already taken the avoidable damage it was meant to prevent.
Keeping a weak potion can waste the next drop when the belt is full.
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