Alpha and Omega.

Hey again, now we move on into the actual game of Redakai. Due to it being what I like to call a "resource-funded" game meaning that to play cards they require some sort of resource, I am able to split the game up into Beginning, Middle and Endgame. Similar to Chess... Making a deck requires a balance between beginning, middle and endgame cards for obvious reasons with in my opinion, slightly more attention to beginning and middle game cards.

~"Bgame" Cards - Beginning Game~

So, everyone who plays Redakai knows that we each start with 3 Kairu and work our way up the Kairu Counter Ladder and so a "bgame" card as I dub them are fairly cheap below 6 Kairu Cost. The beginning of the game is the point in the match where players begin to throw "petty" tricks at each other to damage one or two zones perhaps even knocking out a character, trying to spread out the damage for a better looking middle game. Such cards are "Feather Swords", its a fairly weak card when compared to some of the endgame cards, has a low power of 250, a green attack and cost a cheap 2 Kairu with a petty trick, "If this hits, recharge 1 Kairu", it hits the bottom zone, a fairly common zone in Redakai and is a quick and easy card to open the game with. These types of cards are the bgame cards that are fairly weak compared to the middlegame or endgame cards but is easily spammable and can exhaust your hand quickly.

~"Midgame" Cards - Middlegame ~

Similar to chess, there is no set time when the bgame ends and the middle game or midgame begins, however, I have deemed that when a player reaches 6 Kairu, the midgame commences. The midgame lasts from around  6 Kairu to 10 Kairu, and is when the player's main attacking and monsters begin to appear. These midgame cards are generally a heavy-hitting cards and generally part of your opponent's grand orchestrated plan to obliterate you... Unless you obliterate them first of course... Take Fire Tornado, blocking the ability and the middle zone whilst taking out top and bottom zone with a dominant 750 Green Power. It's not easily blockable if a player isn't concentrating on Green Defence and could make a player a whole lot more stressed during the game. These types of midgame cards are definitely threatening and is when the game truly commences with both player's hurling attacks against each other whilst trying to work their way up to their master plan... However, these midgame cards pales in the likes of the long-saved and earned Endgame Cards.

~Endgame Cards~

 Whilst I can very well place a picture of Bruticon or Metanoid and state the word, "Period" and end the article right there, I'm instead going to place a picture of SUPERNAMI!!! The OHKO a character when played which is close to impossible to stop via Defenses (Apparently friend proved it was possible...). But anyways, Endgame cards are generally costing 10 or more Kairu and are nightmare cards which turns the tide of the battle quickly. These cards are like the Queens in Chess or the Aces in Poker, possessing these cards as well as the ability to play them itself remains a direct threat to your opponent. Supernami is a great example, costing a whopping 15 Kairu and a massive red power of 1050 AND the ability to instantly destroy a character of choice is DEFINITELY a card worth freaking out for... But as with these types of cards, a bit of luck and a whole load of patience and endurance is required to play it.

So that's it for this time and hope you learned a bit more about how to budget your deck, remember these are just general guidelines.

The Big Four!

Welcome to Redakai: Down Under, As our first post we're going to "dub" the "Big 4" of Redakai. The term, "Big Four" coming from another well known TCG - Chaotic. The Big 4 Cards may be compared to Redakai Dojo's "Big Guns" but I don't think the Big Guns are necessarily the only game-changing cards there are...

You can argue with me all you want, but I picked the 4 main Gold Animals/Machines from each of the 4 teams to represent the Big 4 of Redakai. Individually they are:
Drudger, Gold Machine
From Team Battacor, Drudger heals the top bar which though isn't a full-healing like Metanoid and Bruticon still remains better than nothing. He also hosts 400 Red Defense and 400 Green Defense which isn't that shabby... And his game-changing ability: "You may play cards in your discard pile as though they were in your hand". This is the key to great control of your hands and not being afraid to discard cards via Doombringer. This also allows you to play attacks that don't necessarily hit so that you expand you hand to above 6. By using Drudger, you'll have no problem in regard to playing your strongest cards first-up and you can play them whenever needed. This gives additional cards in a player's hand if you will and this ability alone is better than Metanoid/Bruticon Gold Machine's ability in the early-mid game.

Metanoid, Gold Machine
If there are any arguments against this guy being in the Big 4, you must be pretty insane. He heals all three zones or a full heal, he hosts 500 Red and 500 Green Defense and art looks pretty wicked. His ability costs a whopping 10 Kairu and has very limited control over the usefulness but is definitely a powerful ability in the endgame when you know what aces you haven't drawn. Because he costs an enormous 10 Kairu and ability costing another 10 Kairu, this dude is a late-gaming card but can easily turn the tide of the battle.

Bruticon, Gold Machine
Once again, very similar to Metanoid, Gold Machine... He heals all 3 zones and hosts a total of 1000 points in defense - 500 in Blue and 500 Red Defense. His art looks pretty sick if looked closely. Once again, his ability costs an astounding 10 Kairu and is similar to Drudger's ability except it is more of a late-gaming ability. Unlike Drudger, Bruticon can ONLY play attacks where Drudger can play both Monster and attacks especially useful in early games with Doombringer, but like Metanoid, in the endgame can create a 3 attack finish on any character and acts pretty much as a Supernami for 10 Kairu. Bruticon is also classified as a late-gaming card and can definitely turn the tide of the battle especially against other Big 4 cards.

Knight Asp Gold Animal
The only animal within the Big 4, Knight Asp is an early game card that can be played in the second round to match up to the swift aggressive play of the Imperiaz Team. His ability has become renowned and feared in the Redakai community especially when characters are knocked out in the field. Hosting only 400 Blue and 400 Green Defense and no healing, it's up to Knight Asp's ability to secure his place in the Big 4. Essentially, you gain 1 Kairu and 1 Card as a starting "tempo", but with his ability, your tempo will increase as you begin to hit middle and end game, going up to as many as 3 Kairu and 3 Cards per turn. This is a pretty scary imagination, simply every round gaining 3 Kairu and 3 Cards to support the additional use of the 3 Kairu. Not including Shadow Punch or 2 more Knight Asp, Gold Animal. His ability is definitely a tide-turner during the beginning-middle game.

Hope you enjoyed this segment on the Big 3 of Redakai.