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With every new deckbuilding game, a question inevitably arises: which cards are the best? The answer depends on a variety of factors, including one’s chosen faction, playstyle, and whether the player is experienced or new to the game. Early on, before the player has unlocked too many additional cards and decks, some cards and strategies will distinguish themselves as being particularly useful. Here are some of the best cards for the early game in Rogue Mage.
Bulwark And The Early Game
Though the game eventually gives players access to three additional decks as a reward for leveling up, in the early game the player only has one available deck: Bulwark. This deck is all about boosting, a mechanic that allows the player to increase the power of their cards, simultaneously making the card harder to destroy and giving the player points towards victory at the end of the match. Beginners need all the help they can get, so it’s fortunate that Bulwark is a straightforward and forgiving deck with plenty of useful cards.
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The combo of Tridam Infantry and Temerian Drummer form a cheap damage engine, with Tridam Infantry dealing 1 damage to a random energy every time that the Drummer boosts it. Aedirnian Mauler is helpful for players who don’t have that many hours in the game yet and want a more dependable way of dishing out damage after a boost.
Vysogota of Corvo’s boost ability regains a Charge when the player draws, which can seriously add up over time, especially since Lylianna (Alzur’s friend and talented sorceress) adds a 3-point boost whenever the player casts a spell, letting the player easily stack boosts from two sources.
New Additions
When Inspired, Anna Strenger acts as a buffed Temerian Drummer, boosting adjacent units. Old Speartip has 12 power and no ability, making the Ogroid useful when all that’s needed is an instant, beefy wall. Mahakam Defender boosts itself by 1 at the end of the round when Inspired, which synergizes well with most of the deck.
Better yet is Keira Metz, a mage whose Deploy ability gives Vitality to all allied units in her row for a duration equal to their base power. Syanna, a Global Card, has an Order which repeats the Deploy ability of the next unit the player plays that turn, which can lead to extremely high or long-lasting buffs when paired with a card like Keira Metz. This can seriously help the player deal with RNG and some of the game’s other troublesome features.
As for spells, Cleanse is a powerful and reliable card as long as the player is using Bulwark, especially since Lylianna’s power will trigger every time it is cast. Portal is good regardless of the deck, providing instant reinforcements for a bit of relief.
Thunderstorm and Rat Swarm are much more situational, their utility varying greatly based on what’s already on the board. Life Bloom is a better option for Bulwark, since it’s gift of Vitality plays right into the deck’s strength. Magic may not be one of the best and most surprising parts of the game, but smart players can still utilize it to win.
Gwent: Rogue Mage is available for PC, Android, and iOS.
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