Deck Building Tips

The following was captured from a very old thread in recs.games.trading-cards.misc. I don't know if any of these email addresses are still valid or if any of the people herein still play the game.

Subject: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: savage@nntp.best.com (John and Denise Castellucci)
Date: 1996/11/26

I am a beginner to Guardians, and I was wondering if anyone could clue me into basic deck ratios?

How many total cards? Shields? Terrain? Spells? Critterz? Others?


Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: darkiczel@aol.com
Date: 1996/11/27

savage
Here's my generic recipe for a deck
- 2 shields
- 2 standard bearer's
- 8 terrains
- 1 Guardian
- 2 15.5 ounce cans fancy red kidney beans, drained
- 3 strongholds
- 3 dispel magics
- 4 medium/large onions(divided use)
- Almost always 1 or 2 curse fo the Betrayed's
- 15 maximum total magic item's and spells(15 if very high, depends on the deck)
- Champs, if you got enough magic items
- Creatures to fill up the rest to get around 60-65 cards
- 3 lbs. of ground meat
make 11 pints
- Darkiczel



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: chrisjhyde@aol.com
Date: 1996/11/28

Do you really use that few shields? I generally use about 8 plus two standard bearers and a shield terrain card (if I have one that matches) in a deck of about 70-80 cards.

Chris



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: crednose@aol.com
Date: 1996/11/28

I use at least 10% shields, 8-9% land, 50-60% creatures, and the rest spells and magic items. My decks usually have between 60 and 90 cards.

C Rednose



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: darkiczel@aol.com
Date: 1996/11/28

Chris

Yes, yes. 6 shields + two standards. If I played with 70-80 cards I would use 3 + 2 and nine terrains, but a mid 60 card deck seems to work the best. I depends on the average vitality creatures you have. If you have a lot of small creatures you don't need as many shields, but then I play with about 70 cards, so I still play with 6+2. I actually have one deck that has 8 + 2 shields for about 62 cards, but that's because I have a lot of large vitaliity creautures in there

- DarkIczel



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: darkiczel@aol.com
Date: 1996/11/29

Lawyers

How far exactly is a 3 from a 7 on the keyboard? These typoes are becoming quite pitiful.

- DarkIczel



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: rk1066@aol.com
Date: 1996/12/01

I don't know if starter decks are optimized for play(I give the creators credit for some thought on this matter) but:

9 shields/56 playing cards = 16% shields(2 sig figs)
7 terrain/56 playing cards = 13%(12.5 rounded)

You can also estimate the shields needed by calculating the total deck vitality divided by 30. I have done this recently and it seems to work pretty well.

I stress shield numbers because you can't do anything in the normal game without them. Yet, too many shields may mean you sacrifice elsewhere.



Subject: Re: [GD] Basic Deck Ratios?
From: Paul Steiner
Date: 1996/12/01

darkiczel@aol.com wrote:
(See above.)

Serves up to 4. Serve cold. Flavor with salt and pepper. Also after making the deck add 5 more normal shields.

Paul

The sharpest blade does not win the duel but neither can you be victorious with mere conviction in your hands.

Homebrew Card: Pandora's Stones

Your Random Homebrew Guardians Card

Pandora's Stones:

Hand Magic Item, 30 Give yourself 1, 2, 3 or 4 power stones. Give your opponent twice as many.

Dumb Card Combos

Dumb Combos

These are the opposite of Trifectas.
These are things that only an Idiot would love.

Every now and then something stupid happens. Like the time you played the Rye Beaner as a command card before checking how many of your creatures would be affected. Then there are combinations of cards that are truly outrageous that only an Idiot could possibly try . . . .

1. War and Crash: Take another turn then pass it. Interesting to note that in Guardians the opposite of War isn't Peace.
   
   
2. Peace and Hands of Chronos: There might be a good reason to try this, but for three power stones, it better be a good reason.
   
   
3. Head of Gudea on top of your opponent's Harkin: If you're this stupid, you deserve to be pounded.
   

Do you have a Dumb Combo of your own (or even just a Really Dumb Move that you might have made)?
Tell everyone about it here.

Luring New Players to Guardians

(undated, original webpage last updated April '98)

I'm trying to make a list of cards that you have to have in a game when you and your opponent are primarily trying to lure other people into the game (to increase your pool of opponents, naturally).

Now the artwork will grab them, but first they have to be close enough to see it. So you have to lure them over with your babble and chatter. This means that the decks should be spiked with cards with either cool names, unusual names, or something that will just naturally attract attention.

I tried to stick to the main set so far, but anything's fair game.

1. "I give your Devil Dog a keg of beer to make him go away!"

First thing, you need Beer and Babe cards, and you both need to stack creatures bribeable by both of these. Gold doesn't attract as much attention, in my opinion.

2. Super Models

"My Supermodel steps in and lures your Knight to his death."
("Knight" sounds better than "Captain".)

3. Gunner/Master Gunner or any Pirate

I had to add this. A couple of friends of mine weren't really interested until I mentioned "pirates". Suddenly, I had their attention. For this reason, use the word "pirate" when attacking instead of the actual card name. And do the voice, too:

"Avast ye! Me pirate fires broadside at your Earth Elemental for 4 points of damage."

4. Giant Penguin

In your best British falsetto: "What's on top of the telly? Why, it looks like a penguin."

5. Floyd, the Flying Pig

Just a silly name. Prompt your opponent to say something like, "When pigs fly!" right before you play him.

6. Cow.

Just the very idea of a Methane attack and gassing the opposition is silly in itself. Unfortunately, the card is otherwise weak.

7. Babe Hound and Pig Dog

The names are funny. And if your playing with lots of Babes and Babes-bribable creatures, they come in handy.

8. Vampire

"My Vampire bites and sucks off two power stones."

If you play it up big enough, you'll get someone to glance at the card long enough to enjoy the artwork. If they're already standing close enough to see the card (and they're male) they'll start snickering at the words "sucks off".

9. Dinosaurs

Doesn't matter the name or that they're really "Saurians". Just roar and call them big dinosaurs and little dinosaurs.

10. Shadow Panty Raid

"I bring out the Babes."
"Well, I'm staging a panty raid and taking those babes away from you."

Ditto for the Shadow Beer Heist, if you're playing with a lot of Beer although you might call it a "Beer Run" or whatever expression you use.

Okay, that's my list, so far. What would you add (or subtract)?

Random Silliness: Playing Without Starter Decks

This was originally posted on usenet (rec.games.trading-cards.misc) when it was easier to find booster cards than starter decks, and, therefore harder to get new players into the game.

The Top Five Ways to Play Guardians
if You Can't Find Any Starters!

C. J. Burke

1. Use the "All Swamps are Shields" rule and put your forces behind the banner of "Parkinson's Murk".
   
   
2. Use Leftover Walls of Wood from Magic for your strongholds -- with a Wall of Stone in the center, providing 0/3, 0/8, 0/3 protection.
   
   
3. New Guardian: El Rey de los Corazones -- The King of Hearts. And remember, they don't call him "The Suicide King" for nothing.
   
   
4. Forget the rulebook -- just play Poker: "My four Slag Beasts beats your Mortal straight."
   
   
5. Turn Phases/Combat Summary Card?? Oh, please! Go out and buy a *real* coaster.

Christopher J. Burke
5/30/97

New Class: Gargoyles

Gargoyles

I wanted to create my own class of creatures for Guardians, but I wanted something based on existing fantasy. I came upon the idea of Gargoyles: those old water spouts on the tops of buildings that came to symbolize the ultimate protectors. I came up with several cards in one batch that I liked.

I decided that to give them a class ability in the way that all Ogres are immune to channeling. This would help in making a deck concept for them. I settled on the line "Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells." I think that is a handy benefit that isn't totally unbalancing to gameplay. On the other hand, I haven't thought about whether or not Ice Storm targets a particular creature or your entire Combat Hand. This may sound a little picky, but there are dozens of rulings on issues like this in the Magic: the Gathering rules.

Here are the cards that I presented on the Guardians mailing list:

Granite Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 12, OCB 3, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
Immune to Hand Magic Items. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Stone Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 9, OCB 2, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
+3 in Dry Heaps. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Ice Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 8, OCB 2, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
Immune to Undead. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Snow Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 8, OCB 1, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
+3 in Mountains. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Iron Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 10, OCB 3, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
Immune to fire. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Guardian Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 6, OCB 0, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
5 pt ranged attack, only usable if primary attacker is a Mortal. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Avenging Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 7, OCB 1, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
-3 as primary attacker, +3 as a secondary attacker. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Argyle Gargoyle:

Elemental, Vitality 5, OCB 0, Large, Flying, Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
Destroys Golfer, Gopher and Caddy. Gargoyles cannot be the target of Spells.

Vampire Gargoyle:

External, Vitality 8, OCB 1, Large, Flying, Undead/Gargoyle, CMP 0, green bar.
If Vampire beats an opponent who has accepted channeling in this combat, your opponent loses 1 Power Stone. This Gargoyle CAN be the target of Spells.

Note that in the Seven Seas fan expansion set, there is a card called Gargoyle Rendevous. If isn't one of my cards. I don't know if it was inspired by my cards. It doesn't appear to be based on the ones above.

New Class: Dwarves

Dwarves

Back in 1998, I mentioned that I'd like to see some of the prime fantasy races that were missing from Guardians. In a message that dates back to at least 1999, I asked what creature class would you like to see added. My first response was Dwarves. Here was my rationale:

"From a fantasy perspective: there are no Dwarves. Elves are
represented by "fairies", though for some reason, Pixies and
Leprechauns aren't included as "fairies". But there are no
Dwarves. And I'd rather see fantasy-inspired (though not
necessarily Tolkien) dwarves than cutesy Disney ripoffs."

Here are all the cards that Dwarf cards that I have mentioned on the list. The only card that isn't here is Dwarven Mining Companies, because I never actually created it. It was supposed to be a land where you couldn't bribe by Gold. (Other possible titles for that land were Lost Cities of Gold or Treasure Island.) I decided not to include it now, mainly because the Seven Seas fan expansion has included a similar terrain card.

On the other hand, the Seven Seas also includes a card that is essentially the same thing as the Dwarven Tunneling Machine with a different name. (Naturally, they couldn't have used my card if the didn't include some Dwarves. And that doesn't mean that they took my card and changed it. Thierry had a similar idea and used it.)

As I did with Gargoyles, I gave Dwarves a class attribute. In this case, it was "Immune to Giants". Why? First, Dwarves would get really squished by Giants. Second, there is some fantasy literature to suggest that they might be. Both classes usually occupy mountain dwellings although not necessarily peacefully. Giants are generally above, and Dwarves below.

Here are my Dwarf cards:

Dwarven Fighter

Mortal, Vitality 5, OCB 2, Small, Beer, Dwarf,
CMP 0, red bar.
+3 in Mountains. Immune to Giants.

Dwarven Weaponsmith

Mortal, Vitality 4, OCB 1, Small, Beer, Dwarf,
CMP 0, red bar.
+1 Vitality to all your Dwarves while Weaponsmith is in play. Immune to Giants.

Dwarven Tunneling Machine

Creature Magic Item, Up 5
An all-Dwarves shield may move past a Mountains terrain that they wouldn't be able to bypass normally. All other movement restrictions apply. Cannot be used on Stronghold spaces.

Dwarven Hammer Thrower

Mortal, Vitality 4/6, OCB 1, Small, Beer, Dwarf, CMP 0, red bar. 4-point ranged attack. Immune to Giants.

Dwarven Mining Operation

Hand Magic Item, Up 13
Play during the Terrain Settlement Phase. If an all Dwarf shield turned in place on a Mountain and did not move, fight or reinforce this turn, gain two power stones.

Dwarven Armorer

Mortal, Vitality 3, OCB 1, Small, Beer, Dwarf, CMP 0, red bar.
C: You may spend 1 stone or discard one Magic Item to increase any Dwarf's Vitalty by 4.

Dwarven Lord

Mortal, Vitality 8, OCB 3, Small, Babes, Dwarf, CMP 0, red bar.
All of your Dwarves gain +3 Vitality for the rest of combat. Immune to Giants.

Dwarven Nomad

Mortal, Vitality 4, OCB 3, Small, Beer, Dwarf, CMP 0, red bar.
Immune to fear, except in the Woods. Immune to Giants.