Reactions and Traits

Latest revision as of 02:25, 2 September 2013

One of the most unique feature set of Card Hunter lies in its reaction mechanics. In fact, it is so unique that the developer diaries contain three chapters (Jon talks about reactions, Skaff Elias talks about reactions, developers talk about more reactions) worth of explanations on the history, motivation and implementation. Readers are advised to browse the links for in-depth information and key insights. Another distinct gameplay feature revolves around the Trait mechanic. While card reactions provide a subtle way of streamlining gameplay flow, traits present more strategic deck building depth to the player. This guide presents some basics with regard to reactions and traits with examples of commonly encountered cards. Readers are advised to browse the Keywords guides for detailed information.

Reactions

A reaction consists of a trigger condition, trigger effect and a trigger result. A trigger condition refers to the state required for the reaction to manifest/activate. Trigger effect refers to the function of the reaction while the trigger result refers to the outcome of the reaction. As reactions are tied to actions/state of the game itself, bounded action space translates into bounded reaction types. There are currently five broad types of reactions in game (Table 1).

Table 1: Types of Reactions
Reaction	Trigger condition	Trigger effect	Trigger result
Armor	Incoming damage + die roll (optional)	Damage type damage reduction	Modified/unmodified damage value passed
Block	Incoming attack from front + die roll (optional)	Attack type negation	Modified/unmodified attack passed
Boost	Change in game state/action + die roll (optional)	Add/enhance game state/action	Apply additions/enhancement
Handicap	Change in game state/action + die roll (optional)	Add negative state/action	Apply negative state
Special	Unique game state/action	Unique gameplay effect	Modified/unmodified effect passed

Card reactions

A reaction triggers whenever the trigger condition is satisfied. This happens immediately and the card bearing said reaction will always zoom to the center of screen. Figure 1 shows an actual gameplay where a dwarf wizard (hidden from view) plays little zap on an Ogre Bruiser. A card attachment Spark Inductor, reacts to the attack played and modifies the block roll of little zap. Spark Inductor moves from the dwarf wizard to the center of the screen overlapping the little zap to indicate the reaction trigger. Thereafter, it moves back to the dwarf wizard. Figure 2 shows another example of a card reaction: Boosted Heal reacting to damage from the Ogre Bruiser. Boosted Heal moves to the center of the screen to indicate the reaction activated. A dice roll is made to determine if the heal reaction triggers.

Not all reactions trigger from attacks or from being attacked. Not all reactions require dice rolls. Not all reactions manifest as attachments, some like Boosted Heal react from hand. A card that reacts from hand becomes visible thereafter to all players. Below are some examples of common card reactions and the effect they bring.

IMPORTANT: All reactions are represented by a grey text background.

Fig. 1: Spark Inductor reacting to play of Little Zap

Fig. 2: Boosted heal reacting to damage

Examples of card bearing reactions

Figure 3 shows an example of a card with the Armor reaction: Reliable Hide Armor. Reliable Hide Armor is a common armor card found in most low-level items. It reacts to incoming damage and reduces it by 1. As the die roll is 1+, Reliable Hide Armor always mitigates incoming damage by 1 and is therefore an absolute damage reducer. Multiple Reliable Hide Armors will stack the damage reduction as the reaction processes from the first to the next. Also note that any card bearing an Armor reaction has a grey background. Figure 4 shows an example of a Block reaction: Block. Unlike Reliable Hide Armor, the Block trigger effect uses the keyword Block any. This means that the trigger effect will negate any type of attack from the front provided the trigger condition is satisfied. In this case, the trigger condition is an incoming frontal attack with a die roll greater than 4 in order for the Block any effect to occur. Successful trigger result 'blocks' the attack. Note that cards bearing the Block reaction have a green background. Another common reaction is the Boost. There are many interpretations to the boost effect. In general, boosts are commonly used to increase or enhance an action/game state. Arcane Aura (Fig. 5) is a classic example of a boost reaction. It contains two reactions: an Armor reaction followed by a boost reaction. This means that Arcane Aura reacts on incoming damage as well as when the card bearer plays a damaging Magic card. The trigger condition is a play of a damaging Magic card. The trigger effect is to add 2 to the damage. If a card like Surging Bolt is played with Arcane Aura in hand, the total damage dealt to the target is raised from 3 to 5. Not all boost reactions increase damage, some like Dimensional Traveller boosts the game state via enhancements. In this case, the character with Dimensional Traveller gains an additional teleport move of 1 tile at the start of each round. This is a highly useful positional ability. In addition, Dimensional Traveller also contains the Trait keyword which acts as an automatic card draw (covered in the Traits section below). All boost reactions are denoted by orange card backgrounds. Handicap reactions are the polar opposite of boosts. Where boosts add and enhance gameplay, handicaps create detrimental effects. Slowed (Fig. 7) is an example of a handicap reaction. It triggers when a positional change of the card bearer is detected. When the die roll is less than 4, the trigger effect (Encumber) is applied. Slowed therefore reduces the movement range of the character by 1. With the Keep keyword, Slowed is not discarded after it reacts. Instead, it will trigger if another move is detected, creating an annoying movement handicap chain. Handicap reactions does nothing beneficial to the player and are best avoided. However, a game feature of Card Hunter consists of in-game quests requiring players to form parties using items with handicap cards. As such, learning to play with and around handicaps are an excellent way to differentiate between good players and great players. Again, note that Handicap reactions are denoted by black card backgrounds. The last reaction cover the scope of special reactions that fall outside all above classifications. As of writing, the special reaction mechanic exists only on one card: Arrogant Armor. Arrogant Armor contains two reactions, an Armor trigger and a special reaction. The special reaction states "If a card would be attached to you, discard that card instead. Keep." A card is attached to a character when the card effect states "Attach to target/yourself". An example is that of Dimensional Traveller as shown previously. Arrogant Armor's special reaction is designed to specifically negate attachments of any sort, beneficial or harmful. The trigger condition is an incoming card attachment to character while the trigger effect is to invoke immediate discard of said attachment. In short, Arrogant Armor does not allow the character to be buffed or debuffed, acting as a natural deterrent and completely blocks a plethora of stun, traits, damage over time cards. This favors party builds revolving around the use of instants and immediate effects. Unlike the above reaction, special reactions do not have a dedicated card color. In summary, reactions play a huge role in Card Hunter. Dedicated players spend time carefully studying and experimenting with card reactions and deck synergy, making the right build for each character. Understanding what reactions are and how they work form the fundamental basis for successful an enjoyable Card Hunter gameplay. Th following section discusses an equally important game mechanic of traits.	Fig. 3: An armor reaction card	Fig. 4: A block reaction card
	Fig. 5: A boost reaction card	Fig. 6: Another boost reaction card
	Fig. 7: A handicap reaction card	Fig. 8: A special reaction card

Traits

Unlike reactions, traits are not as complicated and follow simple rules. However, it has important and strategic significance in deck building and game play. A card bearing the Trait keyword forces the player to play it when drawn. It takes precedence over all other in-hand cards and play is stopped until all trait cards are played. A player may select the order in which to play trait cards when multiples occur. A player cannot pass while holding a Trait card. Most trait cards are tied to attachments and therefore are subjected to the rule "any card that has to be attached to someone doesn't trigger from in hand". The real kicker of traits are:

Playing a Trait card does not end the player's turn.
When a Trait card is played, draw another card.

Traits as cyclers

Let's study the effect of the traits rule above. A single fully unlocked character in Card Hunter has a deck of 36 cards, regardless of race or class. When playing a game, you draw 3 cards in the first turn and 2 cards thereafter. It would take 18 turns to completely go through a character's deck once. Consider a deck where there are 6 trait cards and 30 non-trait cards in hand. As each trait card forces the player to play it and draw another card at the same time, the character's deck cycles faster. It would take 15 turns to completely go through the character's deck once. This means that the more cards that promote/allow automatic card draws, the faster the deck cycles through. Simple logic indicates that having multiple trait cards mean better hands on average. For a competent player, the ability to get better hands translate to better gains on average. Traits cards are always synergistic with other card cyclers as they promote faster deck cycling. Inspiration, Demonic Feedback etc are classic examples of cyclers. Accumulate enough such cards in a deck and it becomes possible to draw the entire deck in a round. This is known as infinite draw. Infinite draws allow for deck abuse and make for very annoying gameplay.

In general, traits cards either exist on a boost or handicap. Boost cards that carry traits are generally build specific and provide synergy. Slicer is great for warriors that carry multiple chops. While Healing Spirit is designed for priests. Handicap traits are generally danagerous in some fashion or another. However, prudent deck design can completely negate the effect of the handicap. Mind Leak is annoying to a wizard/priest holding a ton of magic cards in hand. However, Mind Leak can be negated by blocks, Impenetrable Nimbus and melee cards. When a handicap trait is negated by deck design, it devolves into a cycler and the detrimental effect is reduced/avoided. Not all trait cards are detrimental to the card bearer only. Traveling Curse is an example of a handicap card that causes problems for the opponent as well. Having multiple Traveling Curses in a single game tends to keep the opponent on his/her toes. It is therefore important to design decks to minimize the effect of handicaps while exploiting the opponent's weaknesses.

Fig. 9: A boost trait card

Fig. 10: Slicer for boosting chop attacks

Fig. 11: Healing Spirit for boosting heals

Fig. 12: A handicap trait card

Fig. 13: A fire handicap trait

Fig. 14: A damage handicap trait

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 {|
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" rowspan=3| Figure 1 shows an example of a card with the {{K|Armor}} reaction: [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]]. [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]] is a common [[:Category:Armor_Card|armor]] card found in most low-level items. It reacts to incoming damage and reduces it by 1. As the die roll is 1+, [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]] always mitigates incoming damage by 1 and is therefore an absolute damage reducer. Multiple [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armors]] will stack the damage reduction as the reaction processes from the first to the next. Also note that any card bearing an {{K|Armor}} reaction has a grey background. <br /><br /> Figure 2 shows an example of a {{K|Block}} reaction: [[Cards/Block|Block]]. Unlike [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]], the {{K|Block|Block}} trigger effect uses the keyword {{K|Block Any|Block any}}. This means that the trigger effect will negate any type of attack from the front provided the trigger condition is satisfied. In this case, the trigger condition is an incoming frontal attack with a die roll greater than 4 in order for the {{K|Block Any|Block any}} effect to occur. Successful trigger result 'blocks' the attack. Note that cards bearing the {{K|Block}} reaction have a green background. <br /><br /> Another common reaction is the Boost. There are many interpretations to the boost effect. In general, boosts are commonly used to increase or enhance an action/game state. [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] (Fig. 3) is a classic example of a boost reaction. It contains two reactions: an {{K|Armor}} reaction followed by a boost reaction. This means that [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] reacts on incoming damage as well as when the card bearer plays a damaging {{K|Magic}} card. The trigger condition is a play of a damaging Magic card. The trigger effect is to add 2 to the damage. If a card like [[Cards/Surging Bolt|Surging Bolt]] is played with [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] in hand, the total damage dealt to the target is raised from 3 to 5. Not all boost reactions increase damage, some like [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] boosts the game state via enhancements. In this case, the character with [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] gains an additional {{K|Teleport|teleport move}} of 1 tile at the start of each round. This is a highly useful positional ability. In addition, [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] also contains the {{K|Trait}} keyword which acts as an automatic card draw (covered in the Traits section below). All boost reactions are denoted by orange card backgrounds. <br /><br /> Handicap reactions are the polar opposite of boosts. Where boosts add and enhance gameplay, handicaps create detrimental effects. [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] is an example of a handicap reaction. It triggers when a positional change of the card bearer is detected. When the die roll is less than 4, the trigger effect ({{K|Encumber}}) is applied. [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] therefore reduces the movement range of the character by 1. With the {{K|Keep}} keyword, [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] is not discarded after it reacts. Instead, it will trigger if another move is detected, creating an annoying movement handicap chain. Handicap reactions does nothing beneficial to the player and are best avoided. However, a game feature of [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter] consists of in-game quests requiring players to form parties using items with [[:Category:Handicap_Card|handicap]] cards. As such, learning to play with and around [[:Category:Handicap_Card|handicaps]] are an excellent way to differentiate between good players and great players. Again, note that Handicap reactions are denoted by black card backgrounds. <br /><br /> The last reaction cover the scope of special reactions that fall outside all above classifications. As of writing, the special reaction mechanic exists only on one card: [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]]. [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]] contains two reactions, an {{K|Armor}} trigger and a special reaction. The special reaction states "If a card would be attached to you, discard that card instead. {{K|Keep}}." A card is attached to a character when the card effect states "Attach to target/yourself". An example is that of [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] as shown previously. [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor's]] special reaction is designed to specifically negate attachments of any sort, beneficial or harmful. The trigger condition is an incoming card attachment to character while the trigger effect is to invoke immediate discard of said attachment. In short, [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]] does not allow the character to be buffed or debuffed, acting as a natural deterrent and completely blocks a plethora of {{K|Stun|stun}}, {{K|Trait|traits}}, damage over time cards. This favors party builds revolving around the use of instants and immediate effects. Unlike the above reaction, special reactions do not have a dedicated card color. <br /><br /> In summary, reactions play a huge role in [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter]. Dedicated players spend time carefully studying and experimenting with card reactions and deck synergy, making the right build for each character. Understanding what reactions are and how reactions work The next section discusses an equally important game mechanic of {{K|Trait|traits}}.
+| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" rowspan=3| Figure 3 shows an example of a card with the {{K|Armor}} reaction: [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]]. [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]] is a common [[:Category:Armor_Card|armor]] card found in most low-level items. It reacts to incoming damage and reduces it by 1. As the die roll is 1+, [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]] always mitigates incoming damage by 1 and is therefore an absolute damage reducer. Multiple [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armors]] will stack the damage reduction as the reaction processes from the first to the next. Also note that any card bearing an {{K|Armor}} reaction has a grey background. <br /><br /> Figure 4 shows an example of a {{K|Block}} reaction: [[Cards/Block|Block]]. Unlike [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]], the {{K|Block|Block}} trigger effect uses the keyword {{K|Block Any|Block any}}. This means that the trigger effect will negate any type of attack from the front provided the trigger condition is satisfied. In this case, the trigger condition is an incoming frontal attack with a die roll greater than 4 in order for the {{K|Block Any|Block any}} effect to occur. Successful trigger result 'blocks' the attack. Note that cards bearing the {{K|Block}} reaction have a green background. <br /><br /> Another common reaction is the Boost. There are many interpretations to the boost effect. In general, boosts are commonly used to increase or enhance an action/game state. [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] (Fig. 5) is a classic example of a boost reaction. It contains two reactions: an {{K|Armor}} reaction followed by a boost reaction. This means that [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] reacts on incoming damage as well as when the card bearer plays a damaging {{K|Magic}} card. The trigger condition is a play of a damaging Magic card. The trigger effect is to add 2 to the damage. If a card like [[Cards/Surging Bolt|Surging Bolt]] is played with [[Cards/Arcane Aura|Arcane Aura]] in hand, the total damage dealt to the target is raised from 3 to 5. Not all boost reactions increase damage, some like [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] boosts the game state via enhancements. In this case, the character with [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] gains an additional {{K|Teleport|teleport move}} of 1 tile at the start of each round. This is a highly useful positional ability. In addition, [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] also contains the {{K|Trait}} keyword which acts as an automatic card draw (covered in the Traits section below). All boost reactions are denoted by orange card backgrounds. <br /><br /> Handicap reactions are the polar opposite of boosts. Where boosts add and enhance gameplay, handicaps create detrimental effects. [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] (Fig. 7) is an example of a handicap reaction. It triggers when a positional change of the card bearer is detected. When the die roll is less than 4, the trigger effect ({{K|Encumber}}) is applied. [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] therefore reduces the movement range of the character by 1. With the {{K|Keep}} keyword, [[Cards/Slowed|Slowed]] is not discarded after it reacts. Instead, it will trigger if another move is detected, creating an annoying movement handicap chain. Handicap reactions does nothing beneficial to the player and are best avoided. However, a game feature of [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter] consists of in-game quests requiring players to form parties using items with [[:Category:Handicap_Card|handicap]] cards. As such, learning to play with and around [[:Category:Handicap_Card|handicaps]] are an excellent way to differentiate between good players and great players. Again, note that Handicap reactions are denoted by black card backgrounds. <br /><br /> The last reaction cover the scope of special reactions that fall outside all above classifications. As of writing, the special reaction mechanic exists only on one card: [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]]. [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]] contains two reactions, an {{K|Armor}} trigger and a special reaction. The special reaction states "If a card would be attached to you, discard that card instead. {{K|Keep}}." A card is attached to a character when the card effect states "Attach to target/yourself". An example is that of [[Cards/Dimensional Traveller|Dimensional Traveller]] as shown previously. [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor's]] special reaction is designed to specifically negate attachments of any sort, beneficial or harmful. The trigger condition is an incoming card attachment to character while the trigger effect is to invoke immediate discard of said attachment. In short, [[Cards/Arrogant Armor|Arrogant Armor]] does not allow the character to be buffed or debuffed, acting as a natural deterrent and completely blocks a plethora of {{K|Stun|stun}}, {{K|Trait|traits}}, damage over time cards. This favors party builds revolving around the use of instants and immediate effects. Unlike the above reaction, special reactions do not have a dedicated card color. <br /><br /> In summary, reactions play a huge role in [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter]. Dedicated players spend time carefully studying and experimenting with card reactions and deck synergy, making the right build for each character. Understanding what reactions are and how they work form the fundamental basis for successful an enjoyable Card Hunter gameplay. Th following section discusses an equally important game mechanic of {{K|Trait|traits}}.
-| [[File:Reliable Hide Armor.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 1: An armor reaction card]]
+| [[File:Reliable Hide Armor.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 3: An armor reaction card]]
-| [[File:Block.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 2: A block reaction card]]
+| [[File:Block.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 4: A block reaction card]]
 |-
-| [[File:Arcane Aura.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 3: A boost reaction card]]
+| [[File:Arcane Aura.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 5: A boost reaction card]]
-| [[File:Dimensional Traveller.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 4: Another boost reaction card]]
+| [[File:Dimensional Traveller.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 6: Another boost reaction card]]
 |-
-| [[File:Slowed.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 5: A handicap reaction card]]
+| [[File:Slowed.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 7: A handicap reaction card]]
-| [[File:Arrogant Armor.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 6: A special reaction card]]
+| [[File:Arrogant Armor.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 8: A special reaction card]]
 |}
@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 ==Traits==
-Unlike reactions, {{K|Trait|traits}} are not as complicated and follow simple rules. However, it has important and strategic significance in deck building and game play. A card bearing the {{K|Trait}} keyword forces the player to play it when drawn. It takes precedence over all other in-hand cards and play is stopped until all {{K|Trait|trait}} cards are played. A player may select the order in which to play {{K|Trait|trait}} cards when multiples occur. A player cannot pass while holding a Trait card. The real kicker of {{K|Trait|traits}} are:
-* Playing a Trait card does not end the player's turn.
-* When a Trait card is played, draw another card.
-<!--
-{|
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" | Figure 1 shows a staple card: [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]]. [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] is a fairly common attack card found in most [[:Category:Weapon|weapons]]. It is of [[Card_Types#Melee|melee]] attack type with a range of 1. Unmitigated, [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] deals 4 [[Card_Types#Crushing|crushing]] damage to a target. The attack type and damage type of a card are found in the card's [[Cards#Information_Bar|information bar]]. The damage value is found beside the lower left sword symbol icon. The attack range is represented by a number beside the circular arrow symbol found in the lower right. [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] is a very straightforward attack. It has no special [[Keywords|keywords]] associated with it and does not carry other complicated [[Cards#Instructions|instructions]]. <br /><br /> <span style="color: yellow">'''IMPORTANT: All attack cards are represented by a red background.'''</span> <br /><br /> Compare [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] against [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] (Fig. 2) which is a different attack card. [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] is of [[Card_Types#Magic|magic]] attack type with a range of 6. It deals [[Card_Types#Acid|acid]] damage type with no damage value. [[Cards#Instructions|Card instructions]] indicate that [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] modifies a target square into [[Card_Types#Acid|acid]] terrain which comes with a set of complicated effects and a duration. Clearly, [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] is unlike [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]]. Where [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] deals melee damage to a target at close range instantly, [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] does not deal any damage. Instead, it modifies a terrain tile with a terrain attachment (see below), impedes movement and debuffs any character standing on the terrain at the start of turn. <br /><br /> [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] is a simple example of an attack that against a target's hp only. While [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] is a complex example of a attack that targets the terrain, opponent's hand, state and hp. However, [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] is not an easy card to use while [[Cards/Bludgeon|Bludgeon]] is a no-brainer.
-| [[File:Bludgeon.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 1: Bludgeon attack card]]
-| [[File:Acid Blast.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 2: Acid Blast attack card]]
-|}
-{|
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" | Figure 3 shows a special attack card. Just like [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]], [[Cards/War Cry|War Cry]] does not contain a damage value. It is a [[Card_Types#Projectile|projectile]] attack dealing [[Card_Types#Sonic|sonic]] damage type up to a range of 10. [[Cards/War Cry|War Cry]] is specifically designed to punish a target's hand by removing all in-hand [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]]. This is especially useful against campaign minions like [[Kobolds#Kobold Warrior|kobold warriors]], [[Goblins#Goblin Grunt|goblin grunts]] and [[Goblins#Goblin Shredder|goblin shredders]]. Unlike [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]], [[Cards/War Cry|War Cry]] behaves as an instant attack, requiring no prior setup. However, [[Cards/War Cry|War Cry]] fails in the case where the target's hand doesn't contain [[:Category:Block_Card|block]] cards. A certain amount of finesse and gameplay awareness is therefore required. <br /><br /> [[Cards/Surging Bolt|Surging Bolt]] (Fig. 4) is an example of a [[:Category:Hybrid_Card|hybrid]] attack card, denoted by its two color [[Cards#Background Color|background]]. It contains a special keyword, [[Keywords#Step|Step 1]] that allows the instigator to move up to 1 square from its original position before delivering a [[Card_Types#Magic|magic]] attack at range 6, causing 3 [[Card_Types#Arcane|arcane]] damage to target. [[:Category:Hybrid_Card|Hybrid]] cards are highly popular in high level game plays. Each hybrid card has dual use, this expands the strategic choices available. 5 hybrid cards are equivalent to 10 cards in hand. Hybrid cards are not without their drawbacks, this is especially true for hybrid attack cards. Using [[Cards/Surging Bolt|Surging Bolt]] as an example, the player can choose not to move during the [[Keywords#Step|Step]] phase. But the player '''MUST''' attack a target in range after, even if the only target in range is an <u>ally</u>. Therefore, be extremely cautious when using hybrid attack cards.
-| [[File:War Cry.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 3: Warcry attack card]]
-| [[File:Surging Bolt.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 4: Surging Bolt hybrid card]]
-|}
-===Using attack cards===
 <p align="justify">
-To use an attack card, simply left click the card. If there are no targets in range, a prompt "There are no valid targets" will show. If there is only one target in range, the character will automatically attack the target. If there are multiple targets in range, the player has to select the desired target. To attack an ally character, '''Ctrl-click''' on the card and select the target. To modify the terrain, left click the card and select a tile in range. Figures below show some examples of attacking an enemy, attacking an ally and modifying the terrain.
+Unlike reactions, {{K|Trait|traits}} are not as complicated and follow simple rules. However, it has important and strategic significance in deck building and game play. A card bearing the {{K|Trait}} keyword forces the player to play it when drawn. It takes precedence over all other in-hand cards and play is stopped until all {{K|Trait|trait}} cards are played. A player may select the order in which to play {{K|Trait|trait}} cards when multiples occur. A player cannot pass while holding a Trait card. Most {{K|Trait|trait}} cards are tied to attachments and therefore are subjected to the rule "any card that has to be attached to someone doesn't trigger from in hand". The real kicker of {{K|Trait|traits}} are:
-</p>
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-| [[File:Attack1.jpg|thumb|280px|Fig. 5: Dwarven priest attacking a single target in range]]
-| [[File:Attack3.jpg|thumb|400px|Fig. 6: Ctrl-click on an attack card to target an ally]]
-| [[File:Attack2.jpg|thumb|280px|Fig. 7: Dwarven wizard casts Wall of Fire under an Ogre Bruiser]]
-|}
-===Using area of effect attacks===
+* '''Playing a Trait card does not end the player's turn.'''
-<p align="justify">
+* '''When a Trait card is played, draw another card.'''
-Area of effect (AoE) based attack cards work differently from usual attack cards. Such cards typically contain keywords of importance: [[Keywords#Cone|Cone]], [[Keywords#Burst|Burst]] and [[Keywords#Linear|Linear]].
-[[Keywords#Cone|Cone]] based attacks affects all characters or squares in a forward arch. It area of effect that starts from, but does NOT include, the square on which a character stands. On playing a cone card, the character may choose one of the four cardinal directions for the target area. Mouse-over the directions to obtain a preview of the AoE. The range of the card defines how far the cone will reach, with an area that is three tiles wide in the first row, five tiles wide in the second row, and so forth. Cone attacks cannot pass through [[Game Terrain#Blocked terrain|Blocked terrain]], only squares within the character's line of sight may be targeted. Within the area of effect, the card's instructions are performed on every character and/or tile as if a number of identical copies were played to each one individually. Figure 8 below shows an example of a dwarven wizard previewing the AoE of the [[Cards/Burning Fingers|Burning Fingers]] card. The left picture shows [[Cards/Burning Fingers|Burning Fingers]] mouse-over preview in the forward orientation hitting two ogre bruisers and a dwarven priest ally in range. The right picture shows the same mouse-over preview if the dwarven wizard were to cast the spell to his right.
+===Traits as cyclers===
-</p>
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-| [[File:Attack4.jpg|thumb|700px|Fig. 8: Cone preview of Burning Fingers]]
-|}
-<p align="justify">
-[[Keywords#Burst|Burst]] attacks affects all characters within the burst range of the target square. Burst creates an AoE counted outward from the target square in all directions to any square within the burst range that has line of sight with the target square. You can preview the AoE by selecting the card and mouse-over a terrain tile. Yellow tile overlays show the AoE of the burst attack. Within the area of effect, the card's instructions are performed on every character and/or tile as if a number of identical copies were played to each one individually. The below figure shows the [[Keywords#Burst|Burst]] preview of the [[Cards/Fireball|Fireball]] card. The picture on the left shows a dwarf wizard ([[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]] denoted by red highlighted squares) previewing the AoE of [[Cards/Fireball|Fireball]]. As [[Cards/Fireball|Fireball]] has the [[Keywords#Burst|Burst 2]] card effect, all tiles within two squares of the targeted square (highlighted by white border) are affected by [[Cards/Fireball|Fireball]] should the dwarf wizard choose to cast. The right picture shows the a similar AoE preview. Note the [[Keywords#Burst|Burst]] attack AoE reaching a tile formerly not in the [[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]] of the wizard. [[Keywords#Burst|Burst]] attacks allow a character to hit targets even if they are not within [[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]] of the character.
-</p>
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-| [[File:Attack5.jpg|thumb|700px|Fig. 9: Burst preview of Fireball]]
-|}
-<p align="justify">
-[[Keywords#Linear|Linear]] attacks affects all characters or squares in a line to the target square. The AoE is equivalent to a line drawn from the center of the character's square to the center of the target square: the area includes every passable square that line crosses, and any characters in those squares, except the character's own square. The area of effect is shown by a yellow overlay at the time the linear card is played. The character must have line of sight with the target square, but not necessarily all the intervening squares, so the area may include squares a character could not normally target. Within the area of effect, the card's instructions are performed on every character and/or tile as if a number of identical copies were played to each one individually. Figure 10 below shows the AoE preview of a [[Keywords#Linear|Linear]] attack: [[Cards/Acid Jet|Acid Jet]]. The figure on the left shows the linear AoE preview of the card if the wizard casts straight ahead. The figure on the right shows the AoE preview if he casts [[Cards/Acid Jet|Acid Jet]] at a target square to his right. The AoE is that of a zig-zag line passing through many squares, including squares which were not in his [[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]].
-</p>
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-| [[File:Attack6.jpg|thumb|600px|Fig. 10: Linear preview of Acid Jet]]
-|}
-===Attachments===
+Let's study the effect of the {{K|Trait|traits}} rule above. A single fully unlocked character in Card Hunter has a deck of 36 cards, regardless of race or class. When playing a game, you draw 3 cards in the first turn and 2 cards thereafter. It would take 18 turns to completely go through a character's deck once. Consider a deck where there are 6 trait cards and 30 non-trait cards in hand. As each trait card forces the player to play it and draw another card at the same time, the character's deck cycles faster. It would take 15 turns to completely go through the character's deck once. This means that the more cards that promote/allow automatic card draws, the faster the deck cycles through. Simple logic indicates that having multiple {{K|Trait|trait}} cards mean better hands on average. For a competent player, the ability to get better hands translate to better gains on average. {{K|Trait|Traits}} cards are always synergistic with other card cyclers as they promote faster deck cycling. [[Cards/Inspiration|Inspiration]], [[Cards/Demonic Feedback|Demonic Feedback]] etc are classic examples of cyclers. Accumulate enough such cards in a deck and it becomes possible to draw the entire deck in a round. This is known as infinite draw. Infinite draws allow for deck abuse and make for very annoying gameplay. <br /><br />In general, {{K|Trait|traits}} cards either exist on a [[:Category:Boost_Card|boost]] or [[:Category:Handicap_Card|handicap]]. [[:Category:Boost_Card|Boost]] cards that carry {{K|Trait|traits}} are generally build specific and provide synergy. [[Cards/Slicer|Slicer]] is great for warriors that carry multiple [[Cards/Chop|chops]]. While [[Cards/Healing Spirit|Healing Spirit]] is designed for priests. [[:Category:Handicap_Card|Handicap]] traits are generally danagerous in some fashion or another. However, prudent deck design can completely negate the effect of the handicap. [[Cards/Mind Leak|Mind Leak]] is annoying to a wizard/priest holding a ton of {{K|Magic|magic}} cards in hand. However, [[Cards/Mind Leak|Mind Leak]] can be negated by [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]], [[Cards/Impenetrable Nimbus|Impenetrable Nimbus]] and melee cards. When a handicap trait is negated by deck design, it devolves into a cycler and the detrimental effect is reduced/avoided. Not all {{K|Trait|trait}} cards are detrimental to the card bearer only. [[Cards/Traveling Curse|Traveling Curse]] is an example of a handicap card that causes problems for the opponent as well. Having multiple [[Cards/Traveling Curse|Traveling Curses]] in a single game tends to keep the opponent on his/her toes. It is therefore important to design decks to minimize the effect of handicaps while exploiting the opponent's weaknesses.
-An attack can leave two types of attachments: a terrain attachment (see [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] above) or a character attachment.
-{|
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" | Figure 11 shows a terrain attachment after [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] is cast on a target square. You can right-click on the terrain to bring up the information about the attachment card. A duration counter at the top right corner is as shown in the image. This counter indicates how many rounds the attachment will stay on the character before being discarded. A terrain attachment can be over written by another. For example, a wizard can cast [[Cards/Wall of Fire|Wall of Fire]] over the [[Cards/Acid Blast|Acid Blast]] terrain. This changes the terrain attachment and the conditions of the said terrain will be updated accordingly. Just like terrains, characters (enemies, allies included) are also susceptible to attachments. Figure 12 shows a War Monkey after being attacked by [[Cards/Bad Luck|Bad Luck]]. Like [[Cards/War Cry|War Cry]], [[Cards/Bad Luck|Bad Luck]] does not damage the target. Instead, it reduces all die rolls of the target character by 1 for as long as the attachment persists.
-| [[File:Attachment1.jpg|thumb|300px|Fig. 11: Acid Blast terrain attachment]]
-| [[File:Attachment2.jpg|thumb|250px|Fig. 12: Bad Luck attachment to War Monkey]]
-|}
-<p align="justify">
-Attachments are not exclusive to attacks only. [[:Category:Assist_Card|Assist cards]] provide beneficial card attachments that buff a character. [[:Category:Boost_Card|Boost cards]] temporarily attach to a character to enhance its actions/reactions. Character attachments have to obey one golden rule. Each character can only have a maximum of three attachments at any one time. Character attachments obey the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFO FIFO] rule. The first attachment is removed when the same character experiences a fourth attachment. The second attachment is removed when the same character experiences a fifth attachment and so on and forth.
-<br />
-Tips:
-#Holding down the Ctrl key while you left click a card allows you to target your own figures.
-#A new terrain attachment will replace an existing one.
-#If an attachment card is used on a character that already has three attachments, it will replace the oldest one.
-#You can right-click on a square to check what kind of terrain it contains.
-#An enemy with no move cards can't escape a terrain attachment!
 </p>
-==Block==
 {|
-| [[File:Block1.jpg|thumb|180px|Fig. 13: Block vs line of sight]]
+| [[File:Immovable.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 9: A boost trait card]]
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" |
+| [[File:Slicer.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 10: Slicer for boosting chop attacks]]
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" | There are two explicit ways of mitigating an attack. You can block and attack or reduce it via armors. If an attack is dealt to a target from the front, ie, the attacker is in the target's forward field of view (see [[Line of Sight]]), the target (holding [[:Category:Block_Card|block]] cards in hand) can [[:Category:Block_Card|block]] the attack via a die roll. A successful roll negates the damage completely. Unlike attacks, blocks are not played. Instead, they only trigger when enemies play cards targeting you from the front in the form of a reaction trigger. As [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]] are highly orientation dependent, the reader is advised to browse the [[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]] basic guide as a prelude. <br /><br /> Figure 13 shows a simple illustration summarizing the various positions where an attack can be blocked. The blue circle in the middle represents a target. The blue arrow facing upwards represents the target's orientation. The eight squares surrounding the target contain red arrows indicating attacks. Of the eight attacks, five of them are blockable while three are not. The three attacks in the dark green squares cannot be blocked. This is because these attacks are considered to be outside of the target's [[Line_of_Sight|line of sight]] and therefore no block can be raised.
+| [[File:Healing Spirit.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 11: Healing Spirit for boosting heals]]
+| [[File:Mind Leak.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 12: A handicap trait card]]
+| [[File:Combustible.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 13: A fire handicap trait]]
+| [[File:Traveling Curse.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 14: A damage handicap trait]]
 |}
-<p align="justify">
-In [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter], [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]] are designed to negate [[Card_Types#Attack_Types|attack types]]. As discussed above, an attack type represents the way in which damage is delivered. By neutralizing the delivery mechanism of an attack, damage is completely negated. Since there are three primary [[Card_Types#Attack_Types|attack types]] currently in game, there are also a similarly small number of ways to block an attack. Four different types of blocks exist:
-* Block any: "When an enemy plays a card targeting you, cancel that card. "
-* Block Magic: "When an enemy plays a <u>'''Magic'''</u> card targeting you, cancel that card. "
-* Block Melee: "When an enemy plays a <u>'''Melee'''</u> card targeting you, cancel that card. "
-* Block Projectile: "When an enemy plays a <u>'''Projectile'''</u> card targeting you, cancel that card. "
-Figures below show card examples of some common [[:Category:Block_Card|Block]] cards. </p>
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-|[[File:Block.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 14: An example of Block Any]]
-|[[File:Parry.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 15: An example of Block Melee]]
-|[[File:Reflect Missile.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 16: An example of a multiple block card]]
-|[[File:Counterspell.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 17: An example of a hybrid block card]]
-|[[File:Icy Block.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 17: A block that attaches to attacker]]
-|}
-<p align="justify">
-A block card is identified by two characteristics: a little shield icon in the lower right corner of the card and its green card background. The key aspect of any block card is the type of attack it blocks and its associated die roll. Figure 14 shows the staple [[Cards/Block|Block]] card with the [[Keywords#Block Any|Block Any]] keyword. It is capable of blocking any type of attack upon trigger. However it has a die roll of 4+, indicating a 50% probability of success. Now compare [[Cards/Block|Block]] against [[Cards/Parry|Parry]]. [[Cards/Parry|Parry]] has a 83% success rate as long as the attack is of [[Card_Types#Melee|Melee]] attack type. However, [[Cards/Parry|Parry]] will not trigger against [[Card_Types#Magic|Magic]] and [[Card_Types#Projectile|Projectile]] attacks while [[Cards/Block|Block]] will. [[Cards/Block|Block]] and [[Cards/Parry|Parry]] represent two very different types of [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]] for countering different types of attacks. Some blocks like [[Cards/Reflect Missile|Reflect Missile]] contain multiple block keywords designed to block multiple types of attacks. In addition, [[Cards/Reflect Missile|Reflect Missile]] contains a nasty effect that applies the damage and effects to the attacker when the attack is successfully blocked. [[:Category:Block_Card|Block]] cards also exist in hybrid forms. [[Cards/Counterspell|Counterspell]] is an example of a hybrid attack plus block. The player can choose not to play the card and have it wait lying in hand to block a [[Card_Types#Magic|Magic]] attack or attack a target to remove two [[Card_Types#Magic|Magic]] cards from its hand at the start of turn. Block cards can also attach to characters. [[Cards/Icy Block|Icy Block]] is a great [[Keywords#Block Any|Block Any]] card that is virtually identical to the staple [[Cards/Block|Block]]. A successful block however attaches to the attacker, slowing it down via [[Keywords#Encumber|Encumber]].</p>
-<br /> <span style="color: yellow">'''IMPORTANT: All block cards are represented by a green background.'''</span>
-==Armor==
-<p align="justify">
-[[:Category:Block_Card|Blocks]] completely negate damage by neutralizing the delivery mechanism of an attack. When a block fails, the damage is delivered to the target. At this point, two things can happen. The damage is either nullified by special [[:Category:Armor_Card|armors]] or reduced. Just like [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]], [[:Category:Armor_Card|armors]] are not played. They are triggered by a reaction to incoming damage and successfully reduce damage via a die roll. Unlike [[:Category:Block_Card|blocks]], [[:Category:Armor_Card|armors]] are not orientation dependent. [[:Category:Armor_Card|Armors]] come in one of three flavors:
-*Absolute damage reduction armors
-*Chance based damage reduction armors
-*Attack/Damage type specific armors
-</p>
-{|
-| STYLE="vertical-align: center; text-align:justify;" align="left" | An armor card is identified by two characteristics: a little armor icon in the lower right corner of the card and its grey card background. The key aspect of any armor card is the type of attack it reduces and its associated die roll. As of writing, there are only two absolute damage reducers in [http://www.cardhunter.com/ Card Hunter] (Figs. 18 and 19): [[Cards/Reliable Hide Armor|Reliable Hide Armor]] and [[Cards/Reliable Mail|Reliable Mail]]. These armors have a die roll of 1 or higher, they will always trigger against incoming damage. The [[Keywords#Armor|armor]] keyword entails that the armors prevent a certain amount of damage, regardless of damage type. The number following the [[Keywords#Armor|armor]] keyword represents the amount of damage against which the card protects. If an attack would do damage less than or equal to the [[Keywords#Armor|Armor]] rating, then that damage is reduced to zero. If the triggering card would do greater damage than the [[Keywords#Armor|Armor]] rating, then that damage is reduced by the same amount as the rating. <br /><br /> An additional keyword, [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] is commonly found in armor cards. [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] returns a card to hand after it triggers. Likewise, cards without [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] are discarded after trigger. If a card has more than one set of instructions, [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] must be specified separately for each use. A card is Kept only when used according to the relevant instructions; [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] does not prevent the card from being discarded during a forced discard or at the end of a round. An armor card with [[Keywords#Keep|Keep]] will return to hand after the triggering, making it re-usable for the next attack. As an example, a character with two [[Cards/Reliable Mail|Reliable Mail]] in hand is guaranteed a 4 damage reduction per attack.<br /><br /> <span style="color: yellow">'''IMPORTANT: All armor cards are represented by a grey background.'''</span>
-| [[File:Reliable Hide Armor.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 18: Reliable Hide Armor]]
-| [[File:Reliable Mail.jpeg|thumb|200px|Fig. 19: Reliable Mail]]
-|}
-{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
-| [[File:Cloth_Armor.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 20: Cloth Armor]]
-| [[File:Solid Mail.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 21: Solid Mail]]
-| [[File:Resistant Hide.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 22: Resistant Hide]]
-| [[File:Grounding Plates.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 23: Grounding Plates]]
-| [[File:Horned Plates.jpeg|thumb|150px|Fig. 24: File:Horned Plates]]
-|}
-<p align="justify">
-Chance based damage reduction armors refer to [[:Category:Armor_Card|armor]] cards whose die roll are not equal to 1. Most armor cards are of such characteristics. [[Cards/Cloth Armor|Cloth Armor]] and [[Cards/Solid Mail|Solid Mail]] are two such examples. For such armors, damage reduction is a probability driven affair. [[Cards/Cloth Armor|Cloth Armor]] for instance has a 66.67% one-time chance of reducing damage by 2 while [[Cards/Solid Mail|Solid Mail]] has a 50% chance of reducing damage by 3 with the armor returning to hand after use. Damage type specific armors are a variant of armor cards that completely nullify damage types. One of the wizard favorites, [[Cards/Resistant Hide|Resistant Hide]] prevents all [[Card_Types#Acid|Acid]], [[Card_Types#Poison|Poison]], [[Card_Types#Electricity|Electricity]] and [[Card_Types#Fire|Fire]] damage types. In addition, [[Cards/Resistant Hide|Resistant Hide]] also reduces all other types of attacks by 2 at 66.67% chance with the armor returning to hand after use. Some armors do not neutralize damage like [[Cards/Resistant Hide|Resistant Hide]] does. [[Cards/Grounding Plates|Grounding Plates]] is one such example. It neutralizes damage from [[Card_Types#Electricity|Electrical]] attacks outright. Only when an attack outside of the card effects is dealt to the character will a die roll be required. A [[Keywords#Melee|melee]] attack against [[Cards/Grounding Plates|Grounding Plates]] will invoke the die roll for a possible 4 damage reduction while an [[Card_Types#Electricity|Electrical]] attack does not invoke the die roll and is cancelled outright. [[:Category:Armor_Card|Armors]] also come in hybrid forms. [[Cards/Horned Plates|Horned Plates]] is a card that behaves as an armor and a [[:Category:Boost Card|Boost]]. It triggers against incoming damage and adds 3 damage to any [[Keywords#Melee|melee]] attack played by the bearer. Like all hybrid cards, [[Cards/Horned Plates|Horned Plates]] is highly versatile.
-</p>
--->
 __NOEDITSECTION__
 [[Category:Basic Guide]]

Reactions and Traits

Latest revision as of 02:25, 2 September 2013

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