Board Game Arena

The combat is the only way for players to interact. Other than that, everyone is just praying their combo works with the right draw. Some combo's like getting 2 Dwarf Alchemist, then a master craftsman, have zero counterplay (Turn 1: 2 points/turn, Turn 2: 10 points/turn, Turn 3: 15 points/turn). No other combo can generate as much points as it in the same amount of time. This game needs some extra mechanic to balance out the luck and I think it would have been far more popular.

Agree +++

I agree that the game is quite luck driven, but your gameplay could use a lot of work.

For one, the turn 2 combo you described is impossible. 5 coins, 2 Dwarves = 1 coin left, turn 2 is at 4 coins and Master Craftsman costs 6 (or 5 at discount). It can't happen. Turn 3, sure. Net would be 2+4+6+9 (21) by turn 3. Given that you're 100% losing combat for 3 turns, too many other cards would outpace 21 points by turn 3.

For two, I looked at two of your 1v1 games and you threw both of them. Victory literally staring you in hand, for multiple turns, and you balked.

In this one, you made 3 mistakes. https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=895785096
1) Turn 2, you should've played the Fox and left it at that. You had Book Keeper and Clock Mage in hand, and could have played both Turn 3. The Arcane Guardian put you behind in coin. That combo far out-scales maintaining Wolf's bonus. This is a soft mistake though, I could've even made it.
2) Turn 4, no clue why you didn't play Clock Mage. Your opponent had 2 routes to a tech bonus + Master Craft. They were not going after your combat. Zero reason to fortify your combat potential. Clock Mage would have won you the game.
3) Despite your huge mistake on Turn 4, Clock Mage would still have won the game. Heck, Monk-ey could have won you the game. Now that I think about it, playing absolutely nothing at all would have won you the game due to coin bonus. You threw 100% on this turn. No excuses.

In this one, you kept digging yourself a hole. https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=895799752
Turn 1, you tossed Sword Mage and Performer, and kept expensive cards you don't have scaling for yet. It's ironic too, as the game punishes you turn 2 by giving you Monk-ey. You would've had the game in the bag, right then and there imo.
Turn 2, I can appreciate playing a 2nd a Fire Dragon. Turn 3 though, it was Monk-ey time 100%.
It's no matter though, as the game was still yours to win. Your final turn, you didn't go for the Warrior link bonus. This bonus would have set you up better for the next turn (had it not ended), and would've given you the coin to win.

Obviously, if I'm seeing your games, I'm also seeing that you haven't played that many. I understand that you're still learning the game. I'm just pointing out that what you're calling "bad luck" appears to me as a huge lack in experience with the game.

I think the more I play the less luck driven it seems to be. I've played several rematches of the same person and consistently lost to the same player rated higher than me even when I thought I had a great strategy. Sure, if you've played any card game or TCG like MTG, sometimes even a bad player can draw perfect mana curve and know exactly what they need to play and do well. I think like any good card game, what makes a top player is knowing what to play when you don't draw the obviously play. What is the best bad play to make right now? Do I take something that will score me points right now or do I take a less optimal play and hope I can recover my strat in the next turn?

Now when you get two players of equal skill, will the player with better draw win? Yes. I think that's the same with any card game though. I think around 10 games played, I thought I had the game solved and hit my skill cap. Now around game 30, I'm learning I really had no clue what I was doing.