Culd-snapped

[ManekiNeko]

You know, I really, really want to like this game. I'm sure I'd enjoy it, too, if it weren't for the fact that I get stomped by the computer opponent EVERY TIME I play it. Words cannot express the frustration I feel when I send a card into battle against an opponent which the computer clearly indicates I can beat, only to have my ass handed to me because the enemy pulls a spell card out of nowhere and proceeds to beat my ass like I was the beagle in those Foghorn Leghorn cartoons.

Making matters worse are the facts that 1) This is the first round, deemed a tutorial stage by the FAQ I downloaded and 2) The first computer opponent makes it a point to gloat about every victory, raising my blood pressure to the point where the vein in my forehead nearly explodes. What the heck am I doing wrong? Why does this smug jerk get all the good cards while I'm stuck with an avalanche of complete crap? Someone out there, please help me!

JR

[IntvGene]

I don't know what you know about collectible card games, but many of the principles follow here:

- make sure that you have the right mix of weapons, spells and creatures. You need to get the right type of card when you need it. Having said that, you also need to know which ones are good, which ones are bad, and what combos are useful.

- I usually try to limit my deck to two colors (or two types of elements), and try and capitalize by taking those regions.

- don't forget the bonuses. the defensive bonus for being on your home element is huge, and so is the attacking bonus for having your creatures in the adjacent squares.

- learn what spells are good. A couple of key spells are essential to the game, like something to get rid of creatures and a few to help/hinder the spellcasters themselves. A lot of spells are crap, especially early on when you can't do some of the good combos without the rare cards.

- learn your opponents' decks. Once you know who you're playing, you can stack your deck against them with items and creatures that will hurt them the most.

- You can really hammer your opponent on some maps with the right movement cards. If you can turn them around just when they're about to reach the castle, they have to go through the entire map again, with almost no mana. With the right movement cards, you can also increase the chance of them landing on your powerful squares too.

- the items can really be key to the game, so learn to save them for a big battle. Don't waste them on capturing a useless territory. Save some armor up for a battle where you know that the computer will be using a weapon too. A simple strategy is just building up a single square and forcing or waiting for the computer to land on it. Save cards that you know you'll need for that battle, even if it costs you some other territory.

Anyway, those are the simple ones that come to mind. I've yet to play the English version, only the Japanese ones, so I don't know the proper terminology in English. Hope this helps, and keep us updated on your progress. It's one of my favorite series, and I love to hear about it.

[AB Positive]

My usual plan is to take as much land as possible, use defensive spell/item cards, and to obtain more land using the 'move creature' option. Try to get a dual KO on a huge CPU invested land, and have a nearby creature move to that spot ASAP.


-AG

[ManekiNeko]

This post is way overdue, I know, but I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of this game. I took the advice of the posters here, and paid close attention to a FAQ written for Culdcept's Playstation counterpart, and all this information has helped me better understand the game's play mechanics, and how to use them to my advantage.

One thing I've learned (from watching the computer opponent) is that it's sometimes a good idea to battle your opponent even if you know you can't win. Sure, you'll wind up losing a card AND paying the toll for that square, but you'll weaken the monster that occupies it, and it can be difficult to heal them. By the time you come BACK to that square, there's a good chance that you'll be able to claim it as your own.

Also, it's important to claim consecutive squares, as they're the key to raising the power of your monsters, and the amount of mana your opponent will be forced to pay when they land on them. It also increases the likelihood that your rival will land on the squares, since there are so many of them grouped together.

The less linear boards in the later stages come in handy as well. They're designed so that you never HAVE to land on a dangerous square if you don't wish to do it.

Finally (and this is most important), cover the bottom left hand corner of the screen with your hand whenever Zenes starts gloating about the squares he's won or whenever he screws you out of your mana. It'll keep you from losing your temper and punching the television. Damn, I hate him so very, very much.

JR