E · Optimization & Practice · §16Common Errors

E · Optimization & Practice · §16

Common Errors

Sixteen mistakes that decide games, each with the correction, drawn from where this deck actually loses.

1. Emptying the hand after the combat is secured

Playing units because each one makes another +1. Stop once the exchange is functionally won: every retained unit is a body and a future Legend trigger.

2. Putting every bonus on one unit

Treating the Legend as a Voltron effect. Spread the bonuses by scoring threshold, removal range and Kinkou condition.

3. Missing the Kinkou stack

Resolving Kinkou before using the Legend to reach five other Might. Put Kinkou’s trigger on the chain first and the Legend above it.

4. Buffing Kinkou itself

Kinkou checks the total Might of your other units. A +1 on Kinkou does nothing for its own condition.

5. Playing Noxus Hopeful before enabling Legion

Paying four when a useful preceding card was available. Sequence the cheap card first, unless keeping it as interaction is worth more than the two Energy.

6. Thrilling a unit with no replay value

Treating Trophy Hunter or Ferrous as automatic targets. Prefer play abilities, object resets, repositioning, or an Accelerate line.

7. Thrilling away a unit that was holding a battlefield

Casting for value without accounting for the vacancy during resolution. Map the battlefield both during and after the replay.

8. Assuming Thrill readies an Accelerate unit

Ignoring the normal cost is not the same as paying Accelerate. Reserve the Energy and Fury Power before starting the line.

9. Playing First Mate before exhausting the target

The ready ability is wasted. Use the intended unit first, then play .

10. Attacking with Twilight with nothing to ready

Treating it as a normal three-Might attacker. Build the sequence around the unit you intend to refresh.

11. Falling Star into Deflect

Choosing the same Deflect unit twice without paying the additional cost twice. Account for each individual choice when finalising.

12. Treating Brynhir as immediately protective

The opponent gets a reaction window before the play ability resolves. The lock covers what comes after, not what came before.

13. Leaving one defender at Forbidding Waste

Choosing the battlefield for its offensive value and forgetting the symmetry. Reinforce, move, or accept defending at −2.

14. Using Punch First when a unit would do

Spending a spell and double Body Power instead of adding a body that also triggers the Legend. Unit-based solutions keep more future value.

15. Overboarding

Bringing every relevant spell and dropping the shuffled unit count below the functional threshold. Keep at least 29 in most configurations, and name the exact structural problem each sideboard card solves.

16. Mistaking visible Might for advantage

Reading the game from battlefield totals alone. Count ready bodies, cards in hand, open Power, available Ambush units, and future Legend triggers.