Spoils Trading Card Game: Arcanist Decks

The Spoils trading card game is host to a variety of factions. Each faction has their own special type that sets them apart from everyone else. Bankers for instance have the ability to draw cards like crazy, while Warlords just go for pure power and devastation. These two decks are fairly easy to play with and can be used with not too much of a learning curve. On the flip side of these decks you have the obsessive and dark faction known as the Arcanists. They revolve around manipulation tactics and do a great job of messing your opponent up in many ways.

Arcanists characters are not the most powerful in the game by any means. Most of the characters have a mere 2 or 3 attack, even on turn 4 and 5. This means that unless you have a large group of characters in play at once you're probably not going to be doing a lot of damage. Also the characters have terrible speed. A good character in any deck will have 4 speed, an average character has 3 and many of the Arcanists characters only have 2 and then some only have 1. Yes there are those that have average speed, but there again they are weak.

So you may be thinking that the Arcanists characters are bad right? Well maybe to a new player yes, but they work perfect for their faction. Arcanist are all about manipulation and this aspect is shown through many of their powers and abilities. Many characters discard cards from an opponents hand when they enter or leave play. Other characters can add useful power ups to their teammates and still others allow you to search for specific cards out of your discard pile and or deck. This allows for a massive amount of technical play in the deck, also many characters have the Covert ability. This means they can't block an opponent, but rather attack their factions influence points directly.

Their items are a bit weak, at least as far as strength goes, but they fit in with the hand destruction and deck manipulation theme of these decks. Many items, like Zenobia's Spyglass allow you to manipulate the cards you draw, and Knobby Stave allows you to destroy an opponent's hand one card at a time. Another great thing about these items is that their cost is extremely low, meaning you can play them at anytime as long as it's your turn.

Tactic cards are the heart and soul of this deck. Again the theme is hand destruction and deck manipulation and the tactic cards here are perfect. Obsessive Compulsion is a great card allowing you to have some draw power, while manipulating cards that you draw, and Ritual of the Screaming Cheese can wipe out an opponents hand in no time. Other cards like Quotidian Disappearance will eliminate field presence of an opponent for absolutely no cost. Other cards in the deck allow you to manipulate opponents drawn cards, the amount of Resources in play and much much more.

Locations are not really a key element in this deck, but help a lot when you get the chance to use them. Voidal Observatory allows for some extra draw power for a minor cost. The great thing about this location is the fact that it stays in play and the effect can be used multiple times. Normally you have to pay three Resources to draw a card, well with this location you need only pay 2.

Arcanists decks should not really be played by beginners looking to start this game. They have a lot of tricky aspects and require a basic knowledge of other deck types in order to succeed. Once you have a good feel for the game and understand the mechanics well enough then you may find the manipulation factor of the Arcanists to be quite appealing.