Cactus Game Design Message Boards

1) What is the use of first strike in deck-building strategy?

There are a few EC's (Abner, Sennacherib, King So) that take advantage of First Strike, especially vs. FBTN characters (since their FS is CBN in most circumstances). All three of those characters will outright beat any FBTN Hero except Captain if no enhancements are played.

Also, Emperors are good vs. FBTN Heroes for the same reason as long as Rome is in play.

2) Could an offense be built around such a strategy?

I have an offensive combo that, if it can get set up, can utilize First Strike really well. But I have found that it requires a lot of cards to set up. And it works mostly for T2, though T1 decks could have a smaller, still decent version of it.

However, most offensive FS is more of a detriment. Ehud would be a much more powerful card without FS, since he has to choose an EC with toughness of 8 or higher to have initiative.

However, most offensive FS is more of a detriment. Ehud would be a much more powerful card without FS, since he has to choose an EC with toughness of 8 or higher to have initiative.

So First Strike also passes your initiative in case of a mutual destruction?

I have found numbers to still frequently win on offense and defense.  Especially early in a game before the opponent has much or late in game or after big battles where again the opponent's cards are exhausted. 

However, most offensive FS is more of a detriment. Ehud would be a much more powerful card without FS, since he has to choose an EC with toughness of 8 or higher to have initiative.

This is how I have played it from the beginning.  Recently, I saw it ruled that in fact if Ehud is going against a 10/4 evil character, first strike does not pass initiative and Ehud can still play first.  The reason was that the definition of first strike is the character survives a mutual destruction scenario and that is not determined until battle resolution so first strike does not affect intiative or the battle until battle resolution. 

Would like to know definitively about this.

Same here.  I thought initiative went to the EC in that situation.

Can we get a official ruling on this? I'd realy like to know for sure.

Quote from: REG

First strike is considered when determining initiative and during battle resolution.

I think it's safe to trust the REG on this one.  In the example above Ehud does not get initiative.

Thanks for clarifying that.