Higher-Level Thinking: Influence

Kaijudo_Kid Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:38 am

Higher-Level Thinking: Influence
Written by Tom Rogers

In Duel Masters, most players feel they have acquired a general understanding of the game at a certain point. It is hard to pinpoint when players experience this feeling, but I'd say it's somewhere around the time where you've understood certain players make certain moves regularly, and why they do them. You also tend to pick up small combinations you use in your deck, and perhaps think of new ones you discuss with other players.

For me, this time was when I understood my friend Andrew would always prefer to go first because it allowed him to gain resources more quickly than I could, thus slowing down my very aggressive strategy at that point in time. Andrew would always like to summon Szubs Kin, Twilight Guardian on turn six and it would make him feel very secure of his position in the game if he had a few shields behind it. He would use Barkwhip, the Smasher and other Beast Folk creatures empowered by it's effect to halt my attacks, and attack when he could afford to. This, in his mind, assured I would not be able to come back to clench the game -- no matter what cards I had at my disposal.

Little did I know...well, that little did I know! I had thought I knew a lot about the game, as far as card games could go anyway. I had no clue this was the very beginning of my quest for what I call higher-level thinking in the Duel Masters Trading Card Game. Playing games with Andrew in school is where I discovered the first and foremost underlying tactic in the games I use today. I call it "influence."

The reason I call this concept influence is because it is just that. The most powerful tool in any strategy is the human mind. Manipulating the mind of your opponent can result in unachievable victories, unspeakable comebacks, and mind-bottling plays that can be found in no other way. Being able to use your mind to accomplish your own strategy while offsetting your opponent's is invaluable to any player.

My first use of influence was when I knew my opponent very well, and knew he'd want to summon that Szubs Kin on turn six. It essentially convinced him he'd won the game when he did....so if he doesn't, does that mean he'd lose the game?

I was sure to find out, as I summoned small creatures turn by turn. Surely enough, Andrew followed with Beast Folk creatures and preparing for Barkwhip, the Smasher to come flying down on me. However, I changed the game by making a very subtle move -- I did not attack. I ended my turn with Immortal Baron Vorg, Brawler Zyler, and Reusol the Oracle untapped. This left him with no option but to think of why I just went off from my strategy. He reasoned that it was because I didn't want to attack his shields...

But why wouldn't I want to attack his shields? Was there something in there I didn't want him to have? He thought carefully for a moment, and thought the worst case scenario -- Szubs Kin may in fact, be in his shields zone. He summoned another Beast Folk and ended his turn, insisting on not attacking. Giving me more resources without his blocker would be bad. He had a turn or so to draw it.

That's when I made my move. I summoned Bolshack Dragon and broke shields with my humans and light bringer. Even if they would be destroyed, my Dragon would still break the remaining two shields. But if he summoned Szubs Kin, he could lose it in battle to my dragon if he destroyed one of my fire creatures! He realized this immediately and summoned two copies of Senatine Jade Tree instead, whilst attacking Reusol since it was no harm to him.

By playing on Andrew's fears, it allowed me to distract him from one of my key cards -- despite it's obvious nature. On my turn I cast Moonlight Flash, tapping both of his blockers and breaking the final shields with Bolshack Dragon. Andrew's Szubs Kin was not in the shields zone, and he had it in his hand as he flopped it over while I tapped my Baron Vorg to win the game. "If I summoned it I'd have to attack those guys or I'd lose anyway, and that'd make me lose it so there was no point," he said.

Playing off of your opponent's movements won't always be able to be achieved in that manner. However, every little piece helps. I will be writing more articles on influence and another integral concept, "emphasis," shortly for new players looking to understand the deep and psychological nature of this strategy game, and by association others as well. Check back for more as I explain the basics of these concepts, and how to gain influence in various ways despite not even knowing your opponent before you sit down and play.

~Tom Rogers