Teaching with the Vanguard Base Deck

[thenightsshadow]

So now that I have my physical copy back in my hands again, I want to bring up a question.

I teach Summoner Wars by introducing the base deck and what it can do for players. However, it's only the Vanguards where I've struggled to show their strengths.

Even for the Fallen Kingdom, I'm able to show that even though the commons have a 33% chance of having no effect on the board when they attack, like the Vanguards, Reapers having 3 life slows down enemy commons and the Skeletal Archers can deny the opponents Magic.

What would you say to aspiring Vanguards players that don't understand why their commons are weak (doesn't have the power of Warriors, doesn't have the potential of Fighters, doesn't have the board control of Defenders, doesn't have the cheapness of Slingers, etc.)?

[Phoenixio]

Standard Vanguards teach you how you want to control the board, especially where your opponent can really wound you. Guardian Knights are the perfect unit for somewhat having control on that.

They also teach you how much formations are important. That Guardian Knight can protect a little, or a lot, depending on where he is placed in comparison to your other units. Your Archers are much stronger when in packs, but must not block each other from firing. Priests are much better when they aren't easily killed by your opponent.

Vanguards also show you how much a single unit can accomplish if it has longevity. All the healing, if you can pull it off, really makes you save magic while doing a lot of things. The Champions are especially good at that when Sera helps them.

On a lesser extent, the Vanguards also teach you to prepare your tricks. You can save some Priests and Holy Judgments in your hand for a good gang-up, or a Champion, a Wall and a Summoning Surge for a surprise punch.


Sure, the Vanguards are subtle, but if you (the newbie player) can understand all these concepts and apply them, you'll have quite the run for your money.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

To directly answer your question, I would say that Vanguards teach to you to play to your faction's strengths as a whole and minimize your weaknesses.
Healing with Sera is your main forte, so you want to bring a beefy champion early and get him in the brawl with Sera as back up. GK are meant to delay hit on important units, like Sera, Champions and Priests. Priest are meant for some (cheap) extra healing and scare-off (HJ).
Pretty sure you know all this but I think summarized like that it sets the right mind-set for the faction.

[darkbladecb]

Kalon's big, ugly mug and glowing light fist. In everyone's face. All the time. Every time.

[thenightsshadow]

I guess it doesn't help that the first time one of the new players used them, Kalon got Spied on by the Cloaks.

[sitnam90]

I referenced this earlier, but KCU made a really great thread over vanguard strategy here (http://www.plaidhatgames.com/sum_forums/showthread.php?t=894). I think it is a good guide for playing base deck VG.