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Advanced Guide to Culdcept Revolt

Where the Beginner's Guide outlined the basics of Revolt and the Intermediate Guide broke down the nuances of combat and troublesome creatures, our Advanced Guide will go even deeper into several concepts. These are some tricks of the trade that can take awhile to grasp, but once you have them down, you should be prepared for just about anything this game has to throw at you.

Some of the items to be covered here include: Book synergy, book building, map selection, board politics and the Meta aspect of Culdcept Revolt.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Gooba QueenBOOK SYNERGY

"Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts." - Organizational Behavior (2008)

Take the above quote and apply it to your Culdcept cards and you have Book Synergy. This involves everything from card ratios to complementing abilities to average casting costs. Mastering the synergy of your book will give you a flexible and capable book that can handle nearly any situation as it arises. Your end goal should be pulling the right card at the right time. If it's not THE card you were wanting, will it at least help you in some other way?

Ideally, your book should be a lean, mean fighting machine. Every card drawn should help in some way to achieve your book's objective. Certain cards are universally useful and are often found in nearly every book. Some cards are fairly useful on their own and have a place in most common concepts. Then there are the niche cards that seem to have little to no use, however, when paired with specific spells can have devastating effects. Finding the right balance of these cards is what synergy is about.

When adding cards to your book ask yourself the following question: Does this belong? Do you want to add a Storm Spear to a book filled with Fire and Earth creatures? Sure, it gives your creature +20ST, but you miss out on the critical hit bonus because the elements don't match. Magma Hammer would be the optimal choice here because you get the +20ST AND the critical hit bonus. Let's say you're making a book focused on Goobas. You'd likely want to add Branch Army, Mudman or Magma Flail because you'll already be flooding the map with Earth creatures and all three of those cards directly benefit from this strategy.

A fine-tuned book will be able to fall back on Plan B, C, D or even E without skipping a beat.

One final note before moving on: Don't include a card that will ruin your own game plan. For example, packing a Discord in a book focused around flooding the map with Powder Eaters could bite you when you find all your marching puffballs have been turned into Goblins. Or casting Waste World when your deck relies on costly S and R cards could slow you down more than your opponents.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

InfluenceTRIM THE FAT

This is where you hone your craft and remove any unnecessary cards. While you'll likely have cards put in to prepare for certain situations, ask yourself how important it is to your deck. Let's say you have Sakuya, Influence and Earth Shift in a book. All three are geared toward changing your territories into Earth lands. Do you really need all three to serve that purpose?

We touched briefly on avoiding putting four of one specific card into your book in the Beginner's Guide. Let's take those three territory changing cards from earlier and bump them up to 4 Sakuya, 4 Earth Shift and 4 Influence in your book. That's a bit extreme, but you're looking at 12 cards all performing the same function. Eventually, these will become dead draws that take up space while you're waiting for more useful cards to show up. Possibly remove Earth Shift altogether. Drop Influence and Sakuya down to two each and you've turned 12 cards into 4.

Be especially wary of cards that recycle like Relief or Chariot. Packing more than 2 of each recycling card can end up bogging down your draws until you find yourself drawing nothing but recycling cards.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

GiftDRAW POWER

A large part of having a book firing on all cylinders is drawing the right card at the right time. Having cards that increase the number of cards you draw can keep you cruising from the beginning to end. Drawing power gives you options for your turn as well as the remainder of the round. They're a great way to dig deep into your book for that specific creature, spell or item you need to deal with whatever scenario.

Culdcept Revolt has done a lot to add extra benefits to the draw spells by combining them with various effects. Cast Disease on that bothersome territory you've been eye-balling all match then draw the item that helps you take out said territory in the very same turn. If you find yourself at the bottom of the rankings, Gift will give you up to four cards AND the G needed to cast them. It's a great way to get yourself back into the game. If you're the unfortunate victim of a bad shuffle, Prophecy can help you dig the next creature, item or spell out of your book regardless of how far down it is.

Be aware that the discard phase makes you discard your hand down to 6 at the end of your turn. Take your time to prioritize what you want to keep through the remainder of the round and possibly formulate a game plan for your next turn given your newly drawn options. The main point is, use it or lose it at the end of your turn.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Old WillowDIVERSION TACTICS

If you're familiar with the old adage, "never judge a book by its cover" then you know it can literally apply to Culdcept Revolt. The actual, aesthetic cover for your selected book in the lobby prior to a match can be used against your opponent. Case in point, say you have a Magma (Fire/Earth) themed book with a water themed book cover. This could prompt your opponent to select a book meant to counter Storm (Air/Water) themes. If you notice a common theme for what people are running with certain avatar skins, you could possibly use this against your opponent's as well when you go against the grain with your book selection.

Certain creatures in this game evoke an automatic response. Kelpie and Old Willow are so effective because they can cause big problems for players as soon as they hit the map. When they appear in your hand or are placed on a lower leveled territory, your opponents' priorities almost always shift toward removing them as soon as possible and by whatever means possible. While they are focusing their efforts on that Kelpie or Old Willow, you could be laying the foundation for more defendable territory with something like a Gas Cloud or an Undine, or positioning yourself to take over a key territory after your opponents waste all of their items trying to take out your Kelpie.

Some players have been known to move their view over larger territories or problem creatures during their turn to give the impression that "This is the problem I am focusing on," while their real target lies on the completely opposite side of the map. This could also distract other players or your direct opponent from your own key territories while they focus on either beefing up their defenses or taking out what you've shown them. Take the time to mull over the items in your hand and give the impression that you're calculating exactly how you'd take the territory out. Then when you invade, bluff them into using the one item they'd need to defend with so you can capitalize afterwards (possibly against your actual target on the other side of the map).

Consider placing creatures with global movement abilities like Wyvern and Dryad in out of the way locations so they're largely forgotten about and left alone until a high level territory is vacated and you can nab it as soon as possible.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

ObliterationRIGHT BOOK FOR THE RIGHT MAP

This was touched on briefly in the Beginner's Guide, but it bears repeating: Know the map you are playing on and pick the right book for it. If your book calls for a slow and steady approach, don't bring it to a smaller map where competition for land is high. The same goes for books that capitalize on strategies like Powder Eaters or Goblin's Lair. If the map has a majority of Earth territories, you may want to bring something that benefits from Earth lands to get rolling quickly, or bring something to counter an Earth book when your opponent decides to go the first route.

You may want to swap in certain cards for certain maps. If there's a Jeweler on the map, you could include a Steal Gem or Obliteration spell to keep players wary of investing in Element Gems. Perhaps, add some Haste enchants to help you lap faster on smaller maps. Tweaking your book for the map you're about to play on can make your strategy even more effective in the upcoming match.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

WoodfolkMY OWN WORST ENEMY

Nobody knows your book like you do. You built it with a strategy in mind to achieve your goals so you know how it's supposed to work. Who is better qualified to say what will stop you in your tracks when you take it for a spin? After a book has a few matches under its belt, its strengths and weaknesses will start to show. If it hasn't performed well, that doesn't mean it's a lost cause. Take the time to figure out WHY it failed or could fail in the future.

Let's take a standard Earth Support book using the standard Earth creatures with Support and some hefty creatures as items. Now, on average, an Earth support creature has 30MHP. This makes them highly susceptible to direct damage attacks from Lightning Dragon, Magic Bolt and any other number of spells. To combat this being an issue, you may want to add Lichenoid or Fat Body to increase their MHP and let them survive a shot or two. If your supporting creatures are inherently expensive and S or R rarity, Waste World could give you issues in executing your strategy. You may want to re-evaluate what creatures you're using as items in your book.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Drain MagicTARGET THE RIGHT PERSON

In a one on one match, your target is easy. Do whatever you can to make sure you win before the other guy. In a free-for-all match, things get more complicated. Let's look at an all too common scenario in a three way free-for-all match.

Opponent 1 has been leading the match all game. They've come across a slight bit of misfortune by paying a large toll, bringing them down to 90G in hand. They have several large territories across the map and have one Storm Shield that is keeping you from taking a key territory you've been eyeballing for several rounds.

Opponent 2 has 1400G in hand, courtesy of Opponent 1 when they landed on their single large territory defended by nothing but a paralyzed Baldanders.

Which of these two do you Drain Magic? You could get more money from Opponent 2, though the real threat in this match is Opponent 1. If you hit them with Drain Magic, you'll only get 30G, but you'll also put them at 60G. Therefore, they are unable to use that Storm Shield because it normally costs 70G.

You hit Opponent 1, drop them to 60G, invade with a neighboring creature, and take over one of the major territories on the map while bringing the leader back from such a dominant lead.

The main point in all of this is that sometimes... the obvious target is not always the right one.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Goblin's LairTHE METAGAME

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When players go online and see a strategy that works, instinctively, they want to make something similar and roll with it. Over time, the dominant trends online fade away when they're either countered or some other strategy rises to the top.

This is where knowing the Meta of the online scene comes into play. If you can guess what your opponent is going to do, you can prepare accordingly. Over time, players will develop habits of their own that you can exploit. If you play the same opponents, you'll get an idea of how their books are composed and possibly even what kind of mood they're in based off their actions in the game.

Player A is somebody who you've developed a bit of a rivalry with. You know their preference is a slow and steady game plan and most of their books are Water or Air focused. Therefore, before you even begin, you're preparing yourself to face a Defensive or slow paced Offensive concept. Or, they have a book that is a favorite of theirs with a specific cover. You can see what's coming if you pay enough attention.

Player B is a newer player online who is still figuring out the nuances of combat. They've shown that they're using items regardless of whether the territory is high level or low level. You can use these habits to draw problematic items out of their hand so you can later take more important territories when they're defenseless.

Be aware of your own habits. It's natural to have a favorite book. You will also have your habits and strategic preferences. If you're comfortable with slow and steady, take a step outside of your comfort zone and try an aggressive strategy. If you enjoy running with Fire and Earth, try out Water and Air, or even go full Neutral. Stick with a generic cover for all of your books to keep people guessing. Use some of your classic books to stay fresh and remember why you made the book in the first place.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Twin SpikeTHINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Truly embracing this frame of mind is required if you want to take your gameplay to the highest level and it can be applied to every aspect of this game. It can help you appreciate obscure cards, prioritize your actions in game or even create a previously unheard of strategy that will revolutionize the game. Masters of thinking outside the box can be highly unpredictable and pull victory out of certain defeat.

Culdcept Revolt has a full and diverse library of cards. Many of these are straightforward and leave little to the imagination on how you use them. Then there are those cards with a bit more complexity that you can figure out with a bit of extra effort. Lastly, there are THOSE cards... the ones that you can't fathom what purpose they have in this game. "Sure, I suppose you could do this with this... but... why?"


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

Powder EaterCARDS THAT MAKE YOU GO HUH?

Newcomers to the game will likely look at the card Powder Eater and scratch their heads. There's a good chance that if you're reading this guide, you've also taken the time to see some card highlights on our website and seen just how effective and useful Powder Eater can be; however, this card perfectly illustrates the point we're trying to make.

Let's look at its text "Multiplies when moving, leaving copies in both former and new locations."

At first, you may say, "Why do I need to copy a 1/1 creatures over and over?" But take another look at the text and notice that it says "copies." That means, if you boost the stats of that Powder Eater, every copy it makes will have the same stats as the original. So, with a little tender love and care, that 1/1 could be a 100/100 that multiplies itself. Put a Spirit Walk on that critter and let the good times roll.


Jump to: Synergy ~ Trimming ~ Drawing ~ Diversion ~ Map ~ Self ~ Targeting ~ Meta ~ Think ~ Cards ~ Toes

QuicksandKEEP THEM ON THEIR TOES

Sometimes, the reasons for a player's action in a match don't become clear until later down the line. Many players adopt a mindset of "me against the world" in free-for-all matches. They'll keep spells in hand until their use is obvious and directly benefiting them and no other and that's the way it should be!

Don't be afraid to help your opponents out if the end goal is to keep another person from winning. This falls back to targeting the right person. If somebody is enchanted with a movement spell that will get them to a gate on their next turn with enough money to win the game, find a way to stop them. What if one of your other opponents has a high level territory between the leader and the gate? Cast a Quicksand on their territory to stop the leader in their tracks. A few things result from this.

First, it stops the leader on your opponent's land for their turn. This provides you and your opponent's at the very minimum with another round to prevent them from winning on their next turn.

Second, either a fight or a toll will take place. Sure, if the leader pays your opponent a hefty toll, your opponent benefits. More importantly, however, this could potentially bring the leader out of contention. If a battle takes place, the leader may have to use an important item to take over the territory that then opens up opportunities to take over other territories they own across the map.

What if you have somebody with a lot of G next to a Magic Trap? Why not cast Holy Word 6 on them to make sure they're paying 20% of that G to the trap. They might think you're helping them out until they're paying the trap.

Finally, let's trade roles. Say YOU are the leader in a match, you're about to win but your opponent casts Quicksand between you and your gate. You could cast Chaos Panic, give everybody the Backwards enchant and take a shot at reaching the gate you just passed to win. You could also overwrite the Quicksand with a normally beneficial enchant to keep Quicksand from stopping you. Sure, your opponent gets a more powerful defender, but that won't matter if you win the entire game.

The main thing you should take away from this is that every card has a use. Challenge yourself to find those uses. Don't get too caught up on one way of thinking and know that this game is very well balanced. Every powerful strategy or card has a counter. Take the time to analyze your strategies and come up with what works for you.

We wrote this guide to help you get to the next level. Remember that these are all suggestions. How you play the game is entirely up to you. Be courteous and respectful to your opponents. Learn from each other and most importantly. Have fun.

Good luck and enjoy.

Last Updated on Friday, 14 July 2017 09:42

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