Building a deck in The Elder Scrolls: Legends - the basics
Last update: 22 December 2016
This chapter contains useful hints concerning the process of building your own deck. Although it is not easy, you should find it entertaining.
Advantages of building your own deck
- By building your own deck, you will know exactly which cards it consists of, and how to use them best. It's obvious that you take time to think about their use, synergy and benefits that you will receive for playing certain combinations of cards.
- Most players that duel in the Ranking mode know exactly the decks (especially higher ranks), so if they come across a new variations of a deck, they can be clueless on how to deal with it. Thus, it's possible that they will use their removals on trivial threats, instead of keeping them for further stages of the duel. This would be your greatest advantage.
- Creating your own deck will let you adjust to your own game style. If you feel confident about your cards, this will surely affect your winning streak. Every player has his own style, so playing a deck that you don't like will only discourage you
- You don't have to wait until the Meta is stable. Who knows, maybe your deck will be the most popular one in the coming season?
- By playing your own decks, you will definitely learn more about the gameplay, than any other way.
Magic curve
Mana Curve is the relation of number of cards to their cost. This system is a quick way to determine if there are not too many cheap or expensive cards in your deck. This will save you trouble of getting rid of all your cards too early, or not being able to play any card at all (too expensive cards). You should draw cards in a matter that will let you play at least one card per turn. It's obvious that there should be more cheap cards (1, 2, 3 mana) than those that cost a lot (6, 7 and more).
Drawing cards
The more cards you have, the more variations you have. Thus, cards that allow you draw additional cards are very important. In The Elder Scrolls: Legends you will come across "drawers" such as Varanis Courier, Rajhin Rouge. Just make sure that you don't have too many cards like that, or you can run out of options way to quick.
Removals - neutralizing your opponent's cards
In every good deck, there ought to be cards that can allow you eliminate hostile minion/s right away. There are many powerful and low cost minions. It's crucial to be able to get rid of such a card, because receiving 7 damage per turn can end the game quickly. Each class has its own removals, e.g. Sharp Javelin, Exile.
Card synergy
It's crucial to add cards that can be combined with one another. There are many synergy effects, e.g. increasing damage, healing, summoning additional minions, reviving fallen troops, activating additional effects and more. If you have cards that go well together, you have greater chance of succeeding.
Rows
The board is divided into two rows. Players can play up to 4 creatures in each of them. While playing a creature, the player will decide which row it should go to. One should keep in mind that creatures located in one of the rows cannot attack creatures situated in the second one.
Front row
The most basic of all the available rows, as there are no additional rules to follow. Creatures in this row can fight between each other freely. You can display up to 4 creatures at once.
Tactical row
There are some additional rules that one needs to follow. Each displayed creature receives Shield for one turn and cannot be attack until next turn of the player who played this card. (apart from damage caused by area spells). You can display up to 4 creatures at once
Special row
In The Elder Scrolls: Legends there are special rules can be defined by several rules, such as:
- Mirror cabinet - if this row is empty when you place a creature in the second row, a copy of this creature will be added to the special row.
- Graveyard - For each killed creature in this row, a 1/1 Skeleton will be summoned.
- Nightmares - Summon a creature in this row to draw a card.
- Siege - Creatures will have Breakthrough.
Decks and their synergy
In The Elder Scrolls: Legends you can play 5 different decks (apart from neutral cards) that will differ from one another in terms of game style. Furthermore, you can build a unique deck by combining two decks. This makes the gameplay more interesting and provides players with wider variation of combinations.
Agility
A deck for rogues. It focuses on quick and cheap minions, vulnerable to damage. Thus, such units are often helpless when it comes to direct combat with armored minions. To make up for their weak statistics, many minions have Lethal, which can be very helpful to deal with various opponents. The key to success is to strike fast and not let the opponent take control over the board.
Endurance
A deck which focuses on keeping minions alive and improving their HP and attack. This will allow you to engage in direct combat with hostile minions, and thus make it much harder for them to take you down. Many minions have Regeneration which will restore their HP in the next turn.
Intelligence
This deck focuses on magic, thus you will encounter many offensive and defensive spells that can easily neutralize hostile minions. Your minions won't have many HP or solid Guards.
Strength
This deck focuses on brutal force. You will come across many powerful minions, some of which have Charge. You can also pick one of many power ups that will increase statistics of your minions even further.
Willpower
This deck is all about quantity and taking control over the board. You will have many creatures with solid statistics and Action, which allows filling both rows with new creatures immediately. Furthermore, you can choose from a wide range of boosts and creatures with Guard.
Neutral cards
Neutral cards are those that are not assigned to any specific deck and can be used in every deck that you build.
To create a good deck, you should find the right balance between balance and attack. Some combinations work better than other. The can find some solid combinations bellow:
Strength and Willpower - Very solid attack and defense.
- Willpower and Endurance - one of the best defenses sets available.
- Agility and Intelligence - quick attack of buffed minions.
- Strength and Intelligence - minions with good stats that can be buffed with power ups based on Intelligence.