why do i suck, at ths game?

[dairylea]

as above.

33 hours, i can just about get half way through Act 2. (Ironclad)

what are the common mistakes i could be making?

weehhh

[Zeel Ara]

Some of the more common mistakes:

- Bloating your deck with non-essential cards and not taking EVERY chance possible to remove cards from your deck. Learn when to pass on card rewards instead of picking something sub-optimal.

- Adding filler cards before identifying your deck's win condition.

- Trying to force a particular style of deck instead of basing your deck on what cards are offered early

- Picking bad routes through the levels. Shops and camps take priority over everything else, and ALWAYS pick "?" instead of encounters.

- Being overly reliant on multi-card synergies. Some synergy is needed, but you also need strong stand-alone cards.

[Sinsling]

1 - too many elites (I just recently got over my own tendency to do every elite in sight)

2 - too many cards (sometimes skipping is better)

3 - picking cards of too many types (trying to combine multiple archetypes at once instead of going for 1 or a small mix of 2)

4 - not removing enough start cards or cards that have lost their value in your deck

5 - spending too much on cards/relics when saving or card removal would be better

6 - undervaluing energy relics

7 - not using rest sites to upgrade!

Maybe more?

Edit: partially ninja'd

[bc]

1) Always try to pick 3 early fights (floor 1-3), cause fights become more difficult starting from 4th floor (early shop can be ok, so depends on the route). There is no point to pick ? over fights on act 1, cause regular fights allowes you to build your deck, you can pick couple ? at the end of the act if you think that you build your deck well enough for the act boss and 2nd act, also higher floor battles are more difficult.
2) Card removal generally less relevant then buying a good cards or relics on act 1, and even pots in some cases.
3) As an Ironclad you do want to fight 2-3 elites on act 1, so you have to learn how to build your deck around it. Ideally your route should be 2-3 elites, 3 campfires, 1 shop. Try to hit 1 campfire before fighting elites, so you can upgrade your bash (or shockwave / uppercut if you got any of those)
4) Dont force yourself to make a "thin deck" cause decks with 30-40 cards works well if you can ballance them.
5) You need around 30-40 hp to kill act 1 boss, so there is no point in saving your hp above this number, you better trade them for cards / relics.
6) Pick energy relic from act 1 boss (snecko eye is an "energy relic") (dont pick runic dome untill you learn attack patterns)
7) Just learn the game, its not about making a "certain build" or "archetype", its like a "puzzle" you have to build your deck around the cards that game offers you.

[MHC]

Originally posted by Fluffeh:

and ALWAYS pick "?" instead of encounters.

Oh? I tend to hit encounters a bit more often in act 1 at least, since I'm trying to find cards for a deck. Though I suppose it probably doesn't matter that much, and possibly getting some good relics or whatever is more beneficial than potentially getting a deck straightened out in act 1 rather than 2.

[Awen]

Originally posted by Fluffeh:

Some of the more common mistakes:

- Bloating your deck with non-essential cards and not taking EVERY chance possible to remove cards from your deck. Learn when to pass on card rewards instead of picking something sub-optimal.

- Adding filler cards before identifying your deck's win condition.

- Trying to force a particular style of deck instead of basing your deck on what cards are offered early

- Picking bad routes through the levels. Shops and camps take priority over everything else, and ALWAYS pick "?" instead of encounters.

- Being overly reliant on multi-card synergies. Some synergy is needed, but you also need strong stand-alone cards.

In the context of this discussion, what does "win condition" mean?

[MHC]

Originally posted by Caribou:

In the context of this discussion, what does "win condition" mean?

The primary way you intend to win with your deck. Rather than just haphazardly throwing cards out there, you find a certain card you can focus on more heavily that can more reliably win you games when supported. Rampage with card draw/cycle, demon form, poison and catalyst, etc etc etc.

[Tray]

Originally posted by Caribou:

Originally posted by Fluffeh:

Some of the more common mistakes:

- Bloating your deck with non-essential cards and not taking EVERY chance possible to remove cards from your deck. Learn when to pass on card rewards instead of picking something sub-optimal.

- Adding filler cards before identifying your deck's win condition.

- Trying to force a particular style of deck instead of basing your deck on what cards are offered early

- Picking bad routes through the levels. Shops and camps take priority over everything else, and ALWAYS pick "?" instead of encounters.

- Being overly reliant on multi-card synergies. Some synergy is needed, but you also need strong stand-alone cards.

In the context of this discussion, what does "win condition" mean?

Demon form, Str+ Whirlwinds, heavy cycle, barricade w/ or w/o body slam.

Pretty much the focus of what your deck does to win.

[Loerilia]

Honestly, if you have trouble with the game, I suggest watching good streamers. That way, you see what decisions they make and can compare it to what you would have done, thus learning from them. Reading here only gets you bits of information and you don't get to see them in practice.

[Sinsling]

Originally posted by Loerilia:

Honestly, if you have trouble with the game, I suggest watching good streamers. That way, you see what decisions they make and can compare it to what you would have done, thus learning from them. Reading here only gets you bits of information and you don't get to see them in practice.

Different learning types.

[dairylea]

thank you all, so much for your comments. I really appreciate the detailed replies.

Im going to try following some of the pointers you all suggested - they sound great and im hoping to improve from those.. especially

-using rest sites to upgrade rather than just healing (maybe when not needed),

-learning to remove cards from my deck - i dont think i see the importance of that yet, I guess i always assumed it was 'wasted'

-okay, that makes sense about shops and camps - i guess i figured that ACT 1 was pretty easy for me now, to choose MORE encounters and elites than shops and rest stops - but i will try the other way, to see how it helps

-im going to try and be more 'brave' with my HP, use it as a resource rather than a hindrance.

[dairylea]

Originally posted by Loerilia:

Honestly, if you have trouble with the game, I suggest watching good streamers. That way, you see what decisions they make and can compare it to what you would have done, thus learning from them. Reading here only gets you bits of information and you don't get to see them in practice.

As regards to streamers ETC
I wanted to try and not do that because i wanted to be able to say 'i learnt this game all by ma self!' but i think youre right, i think i should check them out a little bit because its evident that card games are just something im not naturally good at

[Sinsling]

Card removal is a big thing. Adding something like heavy blade and flex is cool and all, but ultimately pointless if your basic strikes and defends keep getting in the way. Taking out those starter cards helps increase the odds of drawing your clutch cards when you need them.

[Ghostlight]

Originally posted by MHC:

Originally posted by Fluffeh:

and ALWAYS pick "?" instead of encounters.

Oh? I tend to hit encounters a bit more often in act 1 at least, since I'm trying to find cards for a deck. .

I would say that ? locations (events) are almost always better than (non-elite) encounters, regardless of floor. Justification:

1) You can end up taking damage in an encounter for no benefit; why risk it?

2) On most encounters, you will (or at least you will once you get better at the game) not take any of the 3 cards on offer anyway, so refer to point (1) above.

3) The vast majority of ? spaces are beneficial, and most of the rest are either neutral or optional - very very few such spaces are actually "bad" in the true sense. And some of the beneficial onces are EXTREMELY beneficial. In fact, in general ? spaces are superior to bonfires, UNLESS you are desperate for the heal.

4) You are going to hit a ton of (non-elite) encounters anyway as many are simply unavoidable; no need to go out your way to meet them, especially when ? events can be SO DAMN good in comparison.

[Ghostlight]

Originally posted by bc:

Card removal generally less relevant then buying a good cards or relics on act 1, and even pots in some cases.

I disagree. Card removal is pretty much equivalent (in overall power increase) to adding a top-tier card to your deck. And it is absolutely better than adding a mid- or low-tier card to your deck. Do not under-estimate it.

[Ghostlight]

Originally posted by Loerilia:

Honestly, if you have trouble with the game, I suggest watching good streamers. That way, you see what decisions they make and can compare it to what you would have done, thus learning from them. Reading here only gets you bits of information and you don't get to see them in practice.

Can you recommend one? All those I have found so far are either mediocre players, or do not explain what they are doing and why.