Mage Knight Combat Details

Understanding How Combat Works in Mage Knight

In Mage Knight, combat is a crucial aspect of the game that requires strategy and careful decision-making. As a player, I have found that understanding the mechanics of combat is vital to my success in battles.

When engaging in combat, you and your opponent will compare your respective combat values to determine the outcome. These values are represented by dice, which are rolled to determine the number of attack and defense points you have. The higher your combat value, the better your chances of overcoming your opponent.

Considering the Factors That Influence Combat

There are several factors that can influence the outcome of a combat encounter in Mage Knight. One of the most important factors is the terrain in which the battle takes place. Different types of terrain can provide advantages or disadvantages to the combatants. For example, fighting in a forest may provide cover, while fighting in an open field could leave you vulnerable to ranged attacks.

Another factor to consider is the abilities and skills of both you and your opponent. Each character in Mage Knight has unique abilities and skills that can affect their combat performance. These abilities can alter the outcome of battles and provide strategic advantages.

The presence of spells and artifacts can also have a significant impact on combat. Spells can be used to enhance your combat abilities or weaken your opponent, while artifacts can provide additional bonuses or special abilities that can turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Making Tactical Decisions During Combat

In the heat of battle, it is important to make tactical decisions that can give you an edge over your opponent. Evaluating the current situation, you may choose to attack aggressively, using all your available resources to overpower your opponent. On the other hand, you may choose to defend and wait for a more opportune moment to strike.

It is also crucial to consider the potential outcomes of the battle. Is it worth risking your valuable units and resources for a potential victory? Or would it be more prudent to retreat and regroup for a future confrontation?

Conclusion

In conclusion, combat in Mage Knight requires a careful understanding of its mechanics and strategic decision-making. By considering factors like terrain, abilities, spells, and artifacts, you can gain an advantage in battle. Making tactical decisions during combat is also essential for success. It is only by mastering the complexities of combat that you can emerge victorious in the world of Mage Knight.

Combat encounters can be quite challenging in the game, especially when there are multiple enemies involved. It wouldn’t be fair to leave a player to tackle these encounters on their own when they’re still learning the ropes. Additionally, it’s crucial to have someone keeping an eye on the enemy during combat, as players can easily overlook special abilities.

When a combat encounter occurs, the player who has the most experience or was previously playing should take on the role of the Combat Manager. The Combat Manager doesn’t make any decisions for the enemies but is responsible for ensuring that everything follows the rules.

When you first start playing, the Combat Manager function is really useful. It helps you learn the game mechanics and keeps things organized. But it’s not just for beginners! Even experienced players can benefit from using a Combat Manager, especially in advanced scenarios.

The Power of Combat Cards and Abilities

When it comes to combat, cards and Units with “Attack X” or “Block X” abilities are where it’s at. These abilities give you options during a fight. If a card says “Attack X” or “Block X,” you can choose to use it as an attack or as a block, but not both. Just like with Move or Influence cards, you stack multiple cards together to amp up their effects. Plus, you can also use mana to give your cards an extra boost. And don’t forget, you can play non-wound cards sideways as Attack 1 or Block 1. It all adds up! Make sure to keep your cards organized in separate columns for each phase of combat.

In the world of combat, there are a variety of advanced attack techniques that go beyond your typical strikes. These include “Ranged Attack X,” “Siege Attack X,” “Fire Attack or Block X,” “Ice Ranged Attack X,” and more. Ranged and Siege Attacks, specifically, can only be used during the Ranged and Siege Attacks phase. Meanwhile, elemental Attacks such as Fire and Ice come in handy when facing enemies that resist regular physical Attacks (more on that later). For now, treat them like any other Attack.

Now, let’s talk about what it means when a card provides “Attack X.” In this case, it always refers to a regular physical Attack that isn’t ranged. When you play a card sideways to an Attack, it means you’re providing an Attack 1 (still physical, just not ranged).

Lastly, there are Ice and Fire Blocks. Until we encounter enemies with elemental Attacks, treat these Blocks just like any other Block.

Now, let’s delve into the Combat Phases. Here’s what you need to know:

During combat, there are four phases that determine the outcome: Ranged and Siege Attacks, Block, Assign Damage, and Attack.

In the Ranged and Siege Attacks phase, I have the opportunity to take out enemies before they even reach me. This is only possible if I have Ranged or Siege Attacks at my disposal. If I manage to eliminate all enemies in this phase, the combat is finished.

Next comes the Block phase, where any enemies that survived the first phase will launch their attacks against me. Luckily, I can try to block these attacks. If I succeed, no harm will be done to me.

Then we have the Assign Damage phase. If any enemies’ attacks weren’t blocked, they will now deal damage to me and my Units. It is up to me to decide how to distribute this damage among my forces.

Finally, I enter the Attack phase. Here, I can attempt to defeat any remaining enemies using regular Attacks. I can even combine these attacks with any Ranged or Siege attacks that I didn’t use in the first phase. After this phase, whether I have defeated all the enemies or not, the combat comes to an end.

Hey there! So, let me explain how this all works. When it’s time to fight the enemy using ranged attacks, there’s only one phase to worry about. It’s pretty straightforward. If you can take down the enemy using your ranged attacks, great! No need for any other steps. But if you can’t, don’t worry. You’ve got a couple of options.

First, you can block the enemy’s attack. This will prevent you from taking damage. And then, you’ll still have the chance to try and defeat the enemy using your remaining attacks. So, it’s like a second chance for you to come out on top.

A. Ranged and Siege Attack Phase

This is the phase where you get to use your ranged and siege attacks. It’s when you can show off your skills from a distance. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, take a look at this diagram. It’ll show you three different correct ways to generate a ranged attack with a power of 5. But be careful! There are also two combinations that won’t work. So, make sure you avoid those!

Examples

Hey there! Let me tell you about some cool ways to combine different attack effects in the game. Let’s dive into the examples:

First up, in our 1st example, I combine two different ranged attack effects. I use an Action card and a Unit that both have ranged attacks. Pretty neat, right?

Now, in the 2nd example, things get even more interesting. I bring in two Units, one of them with a siege attack. Yes, you heard it right, we can actually combine siege and ranged attacks. The result? We get a whopping 6 points of damage, which is more than we needed!

Hold on, though. Keep in mind that for the second example to work, we had to power up one of the Units with mana to unleash its siege attack ability. Just a little something to keep in mind, but totally worth it!

Let’s move on to the 3rd example, where I pull off a powerful move using a concentration card. This card can strengthen ANY type of attack by 2 points, and that includes our ranged attack too! How awesome is that?

Now, brace yourself! In the 4th example, we have a bit of a problem. Regular attacks can’t be played during the ranged and siege attack phases, so this example is a no-go. Oh well, we can’t win ’em all!

Lastly, the 5th example falls into the same trap. Sideways cards only provide a regular attack of 1 point, not a ranged or siege attack. So, unfortunately, it doesn’t work either.

Just remember, when playing this game, it’s crucial to know how different attack effects can be combined. It can really make or break the outcome of a battle. So, keep experimenting, strategizing, and unleashing your awesome moves on the game board!

If you can deal enough damage to an enemy’s Armor with Ranged and/or Siege Attacks, you win the battle. The enemy is discarded, and your Shield token moves forward on the Fame track based on the number at the bottom of the enemy token.

If you reach the end of the row, you level up at the end of your turn (see the Level Up section later). If you defeat all the enemies you are facing in this phase, the combat ends.

If you can’t deal enough damage to an enemy’s Armor with Ranged and/or Siege Attacks, there’s no point in playing them. They won’t have any effect. You don’t keep track of damage between phases – it’s all or nothing. However, you can still use Ranged and Siege Attacks in the regular Attack phase, combining them with regular Attacks to defeat your enemies.

B. Block Phase

Uh-oh! Looks like there are enemies coming at you in the Ranged and Siege Attacks phase! Don’t worry though, I’ve got some tips to help you out. First things first, if you manage to block an attack, it won’t hurt you at all.

Now, let’s talk about Blocks. You can play Blocks, like Fire and Ice Blocks, just like any other cards. Oh, and here’s a neat trick: you can also play any non-Wound card sideways as Block 1.

Remember, when it comes to blocking, the total value of the Blocks you play needs to be equal to or higher than the enemy’s Attack value. If you can’t fully block the attack, it’ll still go through at full strength, so you might want to think twice about playing them.

Oh no! The Attack Went Through

If you managed to block all the enemy attacks, you can skip this part. But if the attacks went through, they’re gonna do some damage to your Hero and Units. Ouch!

When an attack is unblocked, it deals damage equal to its Attack value. You have the freedom to decide how this damage is distributed. You can choose to protect your Units by having them take some of the damage, or you can opt to have your Hero endure the full brunt of the attack. Just keep in mind that you must assign the entire damage total from unblocked enemies.

First, you have the option to select one of your Units and declare that you want to assign damage to it. Whether the Unit is Ready for action or already spent doesn’t matter. However, the Unit cannot already be Wounded.

If you choose to do so, the Unit becomes Wounded. To indicate this, take one Wound card from the Wound pile and place it on top of the Unit. A Wounded Unit cannot be used again or assigned to any more damage until it has been healed (we’ll cover healing later on). Additionally, the damage total is reduced by the Armor value of the chosen Unit.

If the total damage that I have to deal with is reduced to zero or even less than that, then the phase is officially over. But if there is still some damage left, I’ll have to keep on assigning it. It’s important to note that when I assign damage to a Unit, it immediately becomes Wounded, regardless of its Armor. However, the Armor value is still useful because it tells me how much to reduce the total damage by after the Unit has been Wounded.

If there is still some damage left after the first assignment, I have the option to assign it to another Unit. But if I don’t have any more unwounded Units or if I simply don’t want to assign the damage to them, then I have no choice but to assign the remaining damage to my Hero.

Assigning damage to my Hero works in the same way as it did with the Units. The only difference is that I can do it repeatedly. Each time I assign damage to my Hero, I have to take one Wound card from the Wounds pile and put it in my hand. The damage is then reduced by the Armor value of my Hero, which starts at 2 at the beginning of the game (I can check this on my current Level token).

If you manage to reduce the damage to zero or less, the phase ends. If not, you have to repeat the process and take another Wound card, reducing the damage by your Armor once again, until all the damage has been assigned. Later on, you can find out how to get rid of the Wound cards in your hand in the Healing section.

Remember: If you assign damage to your Hero, you will always take a Wound, regardless of your Armor. Your Armor value determines how much you can reduce the damage after taking a Wound.

Keep in mind: When your Hero takes damage, you can divide the damage value by your Hero’s Armor and round up to quickly determine the number of Wound cards you need to take.

Here are some examples:

Imagine you’re facing an enemy with an attack value of 5. Since you didn’t block the attack, you have to assign 5 damage to either yourself or your Units.

If you have a Unit with Armor 5 and choose to assign the damage to it, the Unit will be Wounded, and the phase will end because all the damage has been assigned. The same goes for a Unit with Armor 7 – once you assign any amount of damage to a Unit, it will be Wounded regardless of how the damage compares to its Armor.

Now, let’s say you have a Unit with Armor 4 and you assign the damage to it. The Unit will be Wounded, but there will still be 1 point of damage left. You can now assign the remaining point of damage to any other Unit, which will also get Wounded. The total damage is reduced to zero by the second Unit’s Armor.

If you don’t have any undamaged Units or you prefer not to Wound them, you must assign the damage to your Hero. Assuming your Hero has an Armor of 2, you take one Wound card, reducing the damage to 3. Then, you take another Wound, reducing the damage to 1. Finally, you take a third Wound and the damage goes below zero, ending the phase. If your Hero were level 3, his Armor would be 3, so you would only need to take two Wound cards to absorb the damage.

Lastly, keep in mind that you can assign damage to both a Unit and your Hero. For example, you could assign a Unit with Armor 4 to take damage, which would make it Wounded. Then, you could assign the remaining 1 point of damage to your Hero, taking one Wound card and completing the phase.

Unyielding Warriors

Hey there! Let’s talk about resistant units. You might have heard this term before, but what does it really mean? Well, resistant units are like those tough, unyielding warriors on the battlefield.

Picture this: You’re in a battle, and you’ve got your troops fighting against enemies. Some troops might have weak defenses and go down with just one hit, but resistant units? They can take a beating! They have this incredible ability to withstand attacks and keep fighting back.

Resistant units act as a shield, protecting the rest of your troops from harm. They soak up all that damage, giving your other units a chance to deal devastating blows to the enemy. It’s like having an impenetrable fortress in the middle of a chaotic battlefield.

But here’s the thing: resistant units aren’t just there to take a hit. They also have their own unique skills and abilities. Some of them can hit hard, others might have special powers that weaken the enemy. They are the ultimate combination of endurance and strength.

So, if you’re in a battle and you want to create a winning strategy, you need to think about resistant units. They are the backbone of your army, the ones who can hold the line and keep your troops safe.

Choosing the right resistant units is crucial. You want to look for those who have high health points and strong defenses. These units should be able to stay on the battlefield for a long time, taking hit after hit without faltering.

Remember, it’s not just about picking any resistant unit. You need to choose the ones that complement your overall strategy. Think about what kind of damage you want to deal and what kind of enemy you’re up against.

So, next time you’re battling it out, keep your resistant units in mind. They are the true heroes of the battlefield, the ones who can turn the tide of a fight in your favor. With their strength and resilience, victory will be within your grasp.

Hey there! Did you notice that little icon next to a unit’s armor? It’s pretty important because it tells you that the unit has physical resistance. So, what does that mean? Well, when you attack a unit with physical resistance, the damage you deal is actually reduced by the unit’s armor.

Let’s break it down. If the damage is reduced to zero or a negative number, the unit is not wounded. Pretty cool, right? But if the damage is still greater than zero, the unit does get wounded, and the damage is reduced again by its armor. It’s like a double layer of protection!

Here’s an example to help you visualize it:

Hey there! Let’s talk about these cool Guardian Golems. They’re super tough, with Armor 3 and physical resistance. Now, if you try to hit them with 3 or less damage, nothing happens. The damage gets absorbed and the Golems stay unharmed.

But here’s the interesting part. If you manage to hit them with 4 or more damage, they’ll get Wounded. That means they’ll take some serious hits!

Let me break it down for you with an example. Let’s say we have a total of 8 damage to assign. We could assign 6 of those to the Guardian Golems, which would wound them. That would leave us with 2 damage to assign to other targets.

Now, here’s a cool trick: Imagine we’re facing an Attack of 5 and the Guardian Golems are the only Unit we have. Ideally, we would assign 2 points of damage to our Hero, and let the Golems absorb the remaining 3 damage with their resistance. But unfortunately, that’s not possible. We have to assign damage to Units first. So, if we choose our Golems, they’ll absorb all 5 points of damage and become Wounded.

Now, let’s move on to the Attack Phase!

Alright, it’s time to wrap things up and defeat the enemy. To do this, you need to play Attacks with a total value that’s equal to or greater than the enemy’s Armor. By doing so, you’ll defeat the enemy and earn some Fame.

Note: During this phase, you have some flexibility. You can play Ranged and Siege Attacks in addition to normal Attacks. You can also play any non-Wound card sideways as an Attack 1.

Special Abilities of Enemies

Now, let’s talk about some special enemy abilities. You don’t need to dive too deep into these right now, but it’s good to know about them when you reveal the corresponding enemy tokens.

Defensive Abilities

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Fortified: When enemies are fortified, only Siege Attacks can be used during the Ranged and Siege Attacks phase to attack them.

Let me explain the difference between Siege Attacks and Ranged Attacks. When you’re facing an enemy that is not fortified, Siege Attacks and Ranged Attacks have the same impact, and you can use both types of attacks.

But here’s the thing – in the early stages of the game, you won’t have access to Siege Attacks. That means you won’t be able to take down fortified enemies right away during the first phase of combat.

What you can do instead is either defend against their Attack or take some damage from them. Then, in the Attack phase, you’ll be able to utilize any type of attack (regular, Siege, or Ranged) to get rid of them. At that point, fortifications won’t have any impact anymore.

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Physical resistance: These enemies are tough and can withstand physical damage. When you attack them, the power of your attacks is reduced by half (rounded down), unless you use Fire or Ice attacks. Let’s take a look at the Ironclad Orcs as an example. They have Armor 3, which provides them with extra protection against physical attacks.

To defeat these enemies with physical attacks, you would need an attack score of 6, since your attacks are reduced by half. However, if you use an Ice attack with a score of 3 or a Fire attack with a score of 3, you’ll still be able to inflict damage. The resistance only applies to physical attacks.

Here’s a clever strategy you can use: combine different types of attacks. For instance, a Fire attack with a score of 2 and a physical attack with a score of 2 (which can be two cards played sideways) would be enough. The physical attack is reduced by half, but the Fire attack remains strong and counts at its full value.

Attack Abilities

Some enemies have special abilities that are active during the blocking phase.

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Swift: When I talk about an enemy being swift, I mean that it moves quickly and attacks with speed. Dealing with a swift enemy can be challenging because it’s harder to defend against their attacks. To effectively block the attack of a swift enemy, you need to play Blocks that have a value equal to at least twice their Attack value, and sometimes even more.

Let’s say you’re facing an enemy with a swift Attack of 3. To block such an attack, you would need to play a Block with a value of 6 or higher. This is because you need to match or exceed the enemy’s Attack value in order to successfully defend against it. However, you also have another option: you can choose not to block the attack and allow it to go through.

If you choose not to block a swift attack, the enemy’s attack will go undeterred and will deal damage to you in the next phase. In this case, a swift attack of 3 would result in 3 points of damage being inflicted on you. So, when facing a swift enemy, you have to carefully consider whether to block their attack or risk taking damage in the next phase.

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Pretty Dangerous: When an enemy is described as “brutal,” it means they pose a significant threat. If you’re unable to defend against their attack, it deals double the normal damage in the next round.

This implies that if an enemy has a brutal Attack stat of 3, you’ll need a Block of 3 to completely negate the damage. If you fail to defend against it, you’ll suffer a whopping 6 points of damage!

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Poisonous: When enemies are poisonous, their attacks have side effects. If I get hurt by a poisonous enemy, I’ll have two Wound cards placed on me. To get better, I’ll need to be healed twice – more on that later.

If a Hero gets hurt by a poisonous enemy, they’ll get an extra Wound card in their discard pile for each Wound card that goes into their hand. These extra cards represent the delayed effect of poison. They don’t do anything right away, but they’ll have an impact in future rounds.

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Paralyzing: It’s super risky to not block the attack of a paralyzing enemy. If I get hurt by one of those guys, I’m a goner (out of the game, bye-bye).

If you’re a Hero and you get wounded, you gotta toss all your non-Wound cards in the trash right away. That means you won’t be able to fight back, unless you have some Units ready to go.

Summon Attack

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Some enemies don’t actually attack – instead, they have the Summon Attack icon. This means they can call upon other monsters to attack you on their behalf.

If you manage to defeat one of these enemies during the Ranged and Siege Attack Phase, you don’t need to worry about the summoning icon anymore because the enemy is already defeated. However, if you didn’t defeat it, the enemy will summon a monster at the beginning of the Block phase. To find out what is summoned, draw a random token from the brown enemy pile.

The summoned monster will then take the place of the summoning enemy for the Block and Assign damage phase. This means you have to either block its attack or suffer the damage it deals. Any special abilities of the summoned monster will also apply.

Whether you successfully blocked the monster’s attack or took damage, the monster will disappear. You should discard its token without gaining any Fame. In the Attack phase, you will be facing the original enemy again.

Hey there! When you introduce an Orc Summoner to new players, it’s important to give them a heads up. I suggest showing them a few brown tokens to help them understand what’s going on. One thing to watch out for is paralysis, so make sure to explain the Knock-out rule, especially since there are Minotaurs involved. It’s crucial for new players to know about the potential dangers they might face.

Knock-out

If your Hero takes a certain number of Wounds during a single combat equal to or greater than their unmodified Hand limit (which is shown on your Level token), they get knocked out right away. This means you have to get rid of all the cards in your hand that aren’t Wound cards, just like when you’re paralyzed.

During a combat, keep track of the number of Wound cards your Hero collects. Some cards actually harm the Hero who uses them, and these count towards getting knocked out too, but only if they’re played during combat. Any Wound cards you already had in hand at the start of the combat don’t count towards this total.

Hey there! Let me break it down for you. Imagine you’re playing a game and I want to explain something to you. So, picture this: there’s this cool enemy token called the Minotaur brown. It looks pretty tough, right?

Now, here’s the kicker. You know that feeling when you’re trying to fight someone off, but they’re just too strong? Well, the Minotaur brown is a lot like that. When it’s unblocked and you’re attacking it with your starting stats, which are Armor 2 and a Hand limit of 5, things can get pretty dicey.

Let’s Look at an Example

Take a look at this diagram to learn how to handle a Wolf Riders enemy token. It’s pretty straightforward, so I won’t go into too much detail.

How to Approach Player vs. Player Combat in Your Game

If you’re thinking about including Player vs. Player (PvP) combat in your game, I want to start by saying that it’s not always the best idea. PvP can add excitement and tension to gameplay, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges and considerations. However, if you’re determined to include PvP in your game, it’s important to understand the main principles and approaches to make it a positive experience for your players.