TC's 101 - Building a Better Book

[TopCat]

The key to progressing in this game is to learn to be efficient. The enemy of this required efficiency is randomness. After all, if it wasn't present you'd choose where to land and how your book was distributed. However, they are present and must be accepted, expected, and dealt with. What's important is to mitigate the effects of these factors to give yourself the greatest advantage. You'll have to deal with the randomness on two different levels, via Planning and Opportunism. The second comes with much experience; once you've developed not only a feel for the cards but how they are interconnected you gain a sense of what actions to take and when. The first, however, can be addressed right away. I hope to give a somewhat exhaustive and precise method to use when constructing a book to help address this issue.

Planning:

The most important thing to do is to build a book with a theme. The reason is that a thematic book will have cards that are working in unison; some form of synergy is present be it weak or strong. This is important because effective planning requires knowledge of how your book works, ie, what's important to implement combo wise, and how well-timed it is. If your core requires Goblin's Lair to start and you don't anticipate bad draws with book compression spells, then you have planned poorly. If your book is slow and defensive, yet nigh-untouchable when it gets going, and you don't anticipate an opponent's quicker defensive book, then you'll lose the magic race; you have planned poorly. You must remember, nothing matters in the game except attaining the magic goal and reaching the castle first.

Consider a slipshod book, poorly conceived and implemented. It might rely on dropping creatures and leveling up whichever lands have stronger creatures. It doesn't grease its own gears with effective spells/creatures which may facilitate the summoning or protection of these strong creatures. It doesn't have safeguards in place in case of a bad draw, bad rolls, or important creature death. It can't plan ahead and establish card value based on match progression as their is no pre-established "game plan" to shoot for.

A game plan is a focus on bringing about some combo deemed powerful enough to win a match once implemented. It's the level 5 Sea Bonze with Land Protection, or the Leshy - Doppelganger combo. Without determining and implementing one, you are doing little more than running through the rudimentary motions of Culdcept in a very inefficient manner.

Now consider a book based on a solid theme. You can now more easily ascertain not only card value but precise course of action because you know what's important as you've built a book with an effective game plan. Say my book is parasitic and it's late game. I know that the cards that fuel my land stealing are most important; I prioritize them and this makes it easier to decide which cards I will discard if I must, and what steps should be taken now to lure the opponent into a trap or to set up a land stealing combo. For instance, I may realize that once my opponent summons a Frost Beast that he'll level it up, and I'll know whether or not its a land I can plan to take. If so, I know to prioritize spells like Paralyzer, Intrusion, Chariot, Lunatic Light, etc. I may use Find and dump many useful cards to draw ones deemed critical. Without a theme, there can be no game plan, and I've established how bad that is.

So now we know that a theme is important as it creates the opportunity to create game plan. There is still something missing, however, and that is the other important element to planning: versatility. No game plan is inevitable. As you can only mitigate a bad draw or bad rolls so much, you can't ensure that your plan will reach fruition. You also can't ensure that your opponent won't have a hard counter or be luckiest of the players. That being the case, it's very important that your book be able to adjust. It must have multiple methods to attain victory; it must involve many card combos with can work together and lead into any of several game plans. For instance, I run a book centered on green chains and Tokebi's Land Transfer. I can win by having Sakuyas develop my green land chain and Grimalkins holding on to high level lands. If I determine that won't work in a particular match, I can establish quick chains and use Land Transfer to pocket land value and hold on to it. If I fear Drain Magic I can build up slowly and plan on stealing lands with Intrusion + Senility or scrolls. I also have the choice of holding lands with Mudman + Land Protection or Rock Shells if I believe it'll be quicker/more effective. I also have the option of playing any of the choices simultaneously and committing to one or the other later as I observe and predict match progression. That is an example of versatility; in short, constructing a book that has more than one way of attaining victory. Consider it the prime safeguard for counters and poor luck and absolutely essential to any amount of consistent success.

Well, that covers the explanatory steps. Keep your eyes peeled for Part 2 where I'll take a look at card distribution within a book.

[TopCat]

In the first post I explained why a good book should be thematic and versatile. I'll go into a little more detail on book types here. First, let me introduce the kinds of books that can be made.

Slipshod: A book which neglects the concepts of Theme and Versatility. As such this kind of book lacks any kind of cohesion and adaptability.

Poorly-constructed: A book which has a Theme, but is very one-dimensional; it has no Versatility. When the crux of the book is negated the book stalls.

Well-constructed: A book adhering to the concepts of Theme and Versatility. This book is always dangerous due to its potential for adaptability and ability to make strong use of Opportunism.

Balance vs Focus

I've seen a lot of people mention playing a balanced book. They mean balanced in the sense of representing all elements. The claim is that a greater elemental combination of creatures allows the book to be more suitable to play on any map under any conditions. The implication of that thought is that a book focused on only a couple of elements is less likely to be adaptable to varying conditions and is therefore weaker. They mistakenly take balance in this sense to equate to versatility. In fact, this is untrue.

The main problem with this form of balance is synergy. A well-constructed book involves a choice of spells that "grease the grooves" of the book concept. For instance, spells like Upheaval or Mountain Leap work wonders for a book with a heavy red influence. Once you balance out the elemental emphasis of the book, these spells lose value. You can add the other element changing spells and Leaps but at a huge cost. A focused book has all of its facets working together to a high degree and rarely will be ruined by poor rolling. If it can't efficiently move creatures and create chains of its desired color, then it can adapt the lands themselves to suit its purposes. You may include creatures for many elements in a well-constructed book, but the focus remains on only a small number of elemental chains and these off-color creatures are generally chosen strictly for their abilities. Rock Shell is an outstanding choice because it can hold land of any color since it can cast Peace on itself. These creatures don't enlarge the focus and "balance" out the book, but instead concentrate on the book's intended focus, perhaps blue-chains to fuel Sea Bonze or Charon.

Card Percentages

This is by far the most controversial point in book construction. While the actual percentages will and should vary, the relative quantities of card categories are easier to pin down. What I mean is that an ideal book has the highest percentage of its cards in spells, then creatures, and finally items. I will explain why this is most efficient.

As I touched upon in my 5 Tips to a Better Game, items have the least overall utility. A simple analysis is enough to show this beyond any doubt. Items can only be used in a battle. In most games less time is spent in battle than on the map. Consider also that only one item can be used in any battle. Moreover, battle is optional, and by force (not rolling onto an occupied land) or by choice (deciding not to attack) it need not occur. Let's put those three factors together and form a picture on the overall utility of items. As I've mentioned elsewhere, their primary role should be as deterrent. They should force an opponent to consider strongly about invading a land as well as be able to decisively defend said land. This leads into a discussion on effective item choice which we'll come across later.

The problem with items comes because of their lack of usability. They have the largest opportunity cost of any of the three card categories. This is because hand size is rigidly limited to six cards. Each item you keep in your hand is one less creature or spell you can have access to. As I'll point out shortly, creatures and spells are the only cards with true worth as they are the only cards which can "win" a match. You can win with a book of only creatures or spells, but not with a book of only items (technically you can win, but this is not due to any item, it's due only to magic acquisition from lapping which is inevitable).

Creatures are almost essential to any book. With them you can take advantage of the land chain multiplier which is the fastest way to accumulate TM (total magic), as a multiplicative factor is applied to any magic you invest into a chained land. For this reason alone a little thought should indicate just how strategically viable creatures are. (As a corollary, note also that no creature can be the worst card in the game). With this knowledge the question now arises of why one wouldn't simply include the largest percentage of creatures in the book. After all, they are the key to the land chain multiplier. Let us examine closer.

Most important is availability of land. Creatures only have an effect when summoned onto the board. Any board has a limited amount of space being vied for by all cepters in play. "Sure, that may be so," one might say, "but on a large map or with a small amount of players that limitation may have no bearing." Even so, it now becomes an issue of efficiency. For instance, moving creatures to form chains or TA usage can only occur by landing on a fort/castle or lapping and passing them by. Not so with the usage of spells. Specifically desired creatures would have to be obtained through patience (waiting for them to be randomly drawn). Not so with the use of spells. Spells are the grease that keeps the machine running smoothly and efficiently, which brings us into their discussion.

It is obvious that they have the highest usability since you are guaranteed a spell phase each turn in which you can cast at least one spell. This is not the case with creatures as you may land on a special land or enemy land, you may be cursed with Silence, or it may have requirements you have not yet met. You also get the chance to use spells before you can summon a creature or use a TA, so they can make such actions more beneficial, or even possible, opening up many opportunities. They also have the greatest variance in terms of applicability and effect. They can do everything from influencing the random factors (movement and card drawing), to forcing other creatures to fight, immediately increasing your magic, etc.

When I see people disparage the high spell percentage philosophy, I believe it is because their experience lies with spell choices which are slipshod and not cohesive to their overall theme. The poor book creation creates the image that the spells lack utility or slow the book down. Even in a well-constructed book will good spells need to be discarded; the hand may be backed up due to various circumstances. However, so too will it be the case with creatures as their usability is less than that of the spells. Logically speaking, creatures will cause a greater back-up of the hand as on any turn a creature can be played so too could a spell be played, and on any turn in which a creature cannot be played a spell can still be played. The key point is to make not only an intelligent assesment of which spells are useful, but a wise assesment of which spells are truly necessary. Systematic book creation will adress the former and battle-testing will provide the feedback necessary to address the latter concern.

Book Compression

This is a somewhat important concept to understand. At its heart lies the logic that the smaller a book is, the faster any game plan can be enacted as requisite cards will be obtained sooner. All things being equal, the book which cycles faster has the advantage. Utilizing book compression to some degree will be very important to gain efficiency. As I've stated before, the randomness of book shuffle reduces efficiency. Compressing the book is the best way to offset this reduction by quickening the pace at which you can reach essential cards or by decreasing the negative impact of a very poor shuffle.

The key to perfect compression is using cards which give you new cards which you can immediately put to use. Of the cards in Culdcept Saga, only one offers perfect compression and it is Reincarnation. However, it is double-edged as it costs you your entire hand. However, in a well-constructed book focusing on a strong game plan, using Reincarnation can ensure that you obtain the necessary cards very quickly to set your machine in motion before the other cepters have even generated any steam. Coupled with Revival, you can ensure that once you have quickly obtained your cards you can reshuffle your book soon thereafter and make use of all of the cards you've ditched and are only now useful.

Important usage of other semi-compressing cards is also advisable. Gift will move you through your book faster and net you 50G, to boot. Wind of Hope will provide two cards. Find, the most "reliable" of the compression cards because it recycles back to you hand, is very strong, yet, like Reincarnation, is double-edged. It is so because it will increase your hand size very quickly and you'll run into many situations where you must quickly establish card value so that you may ditch the lesser utility cards. However, it can allow you to gain two new cards each turn (one from the draw and one from Find) so it's compression capability is second-to-none.

Prophecy and Foresight are special as they allow you to utilize more pinpoint compression. Note that these cards have very little value in and of themselves, Foresight in particular. This is so because Foresight presents no information to you about what you may be drawing; you simply choose one of the next six cards in your hand. As such, it should always be used immediately providing some other spell isn't more pressing to cast, such as Trespass. Prophecy is more valuable as there may be situations where, say, you aren't sure whether you'll need a creature or item in your hand and you hold onto it until you are certain which card will be more useful. Of note is the fact that Prophecy will draw the next card of the chose category in your book, and not a random one. If you have a Goblin and a Giant Rat, in that order, as the next two creatures in your book, Prophecy will definitely give you the Goblin.

Mana is more a fringe, quasi-compression spell. It gives you a sizeable amount of magic to reduce your hand size which can add utility to compression spells which add to your hand.

Book Types

Here I'll present a classification on book focuses.

Parasitic: This type of focus involves leeching high level lands from opponents and incorporating them into your best land chain. It generally involves use of instant kill spell combos or battle combos, such as Debility -> Lunatic Light or Lunatic Hare -> Ring of the Succubus to ensure land capture.

>>Strengths: This focus is very low-key and is very suitable to the Race for Third! strategy I've outlined elsewhere. The big advantage is gaining very large jumps in TM by snatching expensive lands that you invested very little magic in (no more than the cost of the resources to snatch it and possibly some tolls). In addition, your gain is their loss so this style is able to broaden the gap further than if you had just leveled land up yourself.

>>Weaknesses: This focus can very easily overexpose itself. Due to the combo nature of the cards involved, a bad draw can ruin things (such as drawing all of your Debility spells early game). In addition, having to hold onto cards to use late game will be a telegraphing factor and cause you to be assaulted. It also requires subtlety as you want to perform actions to cause someone to think they have the advantage to encourage them to invest in a land that you plan on stealing. For instance, tossing away a Lunatic Light to encourage someone to level up a Frost Beast when you know you have two others in your book. This can work against you as you very well might not have the resources in place in time to avoid losing the magic race.

Example cards: Assassin, Battering Ram, Intrusion, Senility

Assaulting: This focus involves performing negative actions against another cepter to bring about harm to them directly or benefit you in some way. By destroying a cepter's creatures from their hand you can keep them from gaining lands or playing strong creatures, destroying spells can keep them from staging a turnabout, and stealing their magic can keep them from leveling up key lands or give you the resources to do so. It basically aims to throw a wrench into an opponent's plans and reduce their efficiency.

>>Strengths: This focus can influence the course of events powerfully and immediately. Unlike a parasitic book, single cards can do the trick here and in one turn you can prevent an opponent's victory or gain the upperhand because you've stolen a key item of theirs.

>>Weaknesses: This focus lacks longevity. Sure, you can cause a drastic change in a blink, but it's near impossible to keep someone on the ropes for a large portion of a match. By diretly affecting cepters you'll also be raising your profile and encouraging others to target you as you are pegging yourself as a "to be persistent" nuisance. Most large turnabouts are also quite circumstantial and it's not too often that this style will offer large, discreet, game altering opportunities.

Example cards: Bookworm, Godless Pike, Changeling, Crusher

Offensive: This focus aims to invade lands and destroy creatures very overtly. Unlike the parasitic focus, being offensive is not very subtle and your profile will be fairly high. On the other hand, it is very difficult to obstruct an unfettered and concentrated offense. Intruding with Gladiator or damaging and killing opponent creatures with spells is assurance that you keep them from gaining too much ground over you and allows you to benefit from their magic invested in lands, much as the parasitic focus does.

>>Strengths: Damage spells can be cast on the map during the spell phase and few creatures have protection against them. Having a powerful offense also increases the likelihood you can successfully invade any high level land you may end on, and that can keep the game going when an opponent would otherwise win, or may even turn the tables in your favor late game. With Intrusion, this style is dangerous at any time.

>>Weaknesses: The principle weakness involves having few creatures who can really defend a land that you've acquired from an opponent. Few, if any, items which can be used defensively are also present and an opportunistic opponent can strip you of all of the gains you've made. The cost of offensive spells and invasions can also be stifling to certain strategies. In addition, opponent's will tend to target you more often due to the danger.

Example cards: Gladiator, Storm Causer, Magic Bolt, Insect Swarm

Defensive: This focus concentrates on gaining land chains and holding lands to make optimal use of the land chain multiplier. It is a very self-contained focus, often completely shying away from invading enemy lands to solely focus on attaining the magic goal as soon as possible. As such, it is a style focusing on speed, stability, and reliability since very little involves the particular circumstances of an opponent or their actions.

>>Strengths: This is the fastest style of play. It is vey low profile early game allowing it to slide quickly and quietly into its intended pace. Eventually opponents will take notice but by then it is usually too late to stymie the books progress. Lands are protected by spells, items, or creature abilities and tolls are relatively guaranteed, though generally unnecessary to secure victory. Due to its reliance only on itself, it is extremely reliable in any situation.

>>Weaknesses: The largest weakness of this focus is its inability to stop an opponent who may be progressing faster. Without adequate offensive measures in hand, the book can only keep chugging along and hope that others get involved to slow down the pace of any opponents. Avoiding tolls is also difficult, if even possible. This style also lends itself to very hard counters. For instance, a book relying on creature TAs can be completely ruined by a simple Ebony Idol in play.

Example cards: Rock Shell, Counter Amulet, Land Protection, Reflection

I must make the point that constrcuting a book with only one focus is not the ideal way to build a book. The reason is that each has glaring weaknesses which can be exploited. As I've explained before, versatility is about being multi-dimensional. A well-constructed book should have elements from at least two of the above focuses, but probably no more than three. This is so because including too many cards with a specific purpose will water down the overall card cohesion. A good way to choose cards is to include ones that can serve a dual role, such as Trade, Land Protection, Armored Dragon, etc.


Phew! That's a lot of information to parse. I'm sure everyone agrees and is now asking, "How does one put all of this together to help create a well-constructed book?" Quite simply, it's a procedural affair, and I'll get to running through and offering a systematic approach as well as discussing spell, item, and creature choice. I'll also present an example in Part 3 of the series.

[TopCat]

Reserved for Part 3.

[lippenhoffer]

Great advice.
Thanks for taking the time. I look forward to the follow ups.

[mrw0nka]

TopCat, I've tried contacting you by email but haven't heard back. Is it ok for me to post this information on culdceptsaga.com? You'd be given credit of course. If you would prefer you can have access to authoring the content and posting it yourself. The same goes for everyone here, btw.

You're a very talented writer.

[akazukinchacha]

This sir, is the best guide ever.

I shall shrine it in the 'hall of shrinable online properties that are written about copyrighted products that the author of, has no relation to the developer and has written upon techniques/mechanics/variables and other other autonomus functions in relation to someone else's creative properties- otherwise know as games.' Yea, it's famous n stuff.

good show ol chap, GOOD SHOW!

My top hat shall never endure another dusty brim again!

[Lizardman]

I see posts by people on other forums wanting someone to build them a good book because they are struggling. One of the reasons they struggle is because their books lack focus or they have too many cards that require a lot of MP or certain territories just to play. This thread does a really nice job explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the different book types and the strategies behind them. Nice job TopCat.

[Ben-Ra]

There's two factors which loom very large over book construction: map layout and match format.

It might be possible to construct a book that will do well in multiple formats, but it will invariably be weaker than one designed specifically for 1v1, free-for-all, or alliance. For the most part, spells or effects which target a single opponent become dramatically weaker outside of 1v1, and the opposite tends to be true, that area effect spells are more potent outside 1v1. Obviously books for alliance matches can be constructed much differently than 1v1 or ffa, since it's almost like you have 2 books to work with (assuming you and your partner have effective teamwork).

Maps are a much trickier issue, primarily because there are so many. Generally the larger the map, the worse territory abilities are, unless cards such as telegnosis are included, which eats up book space and costs g. Maps with circles tend to have the opposite effect, allowing one to pass creatures with territory abilities with relative frequency and choice in timing. They also allow cards such as Fairy Light to be used indefinitely, assuming no opponent intervention. Short maps make lap-based cards better. Maps with a large amount of morphing lands make creatures with land requirement easier to use, and to a lesser extent so do maps with a large amount of neutral or multilands, since the territory change is cheap.

Symbol-related cards are either worthless or at least much less useful on maps with no temples. Maps with fortune-tellers and fountains are helpful for extremely combo-intensive decks or those which rely on on a lot of cards with discard cost.

Certainly both match type and map layout can (and will) be discussed at greater length, but for now I just wanted to note them as additional factors which should influence book design.