Foreword
Games are complex, design principles, their inner workings and effectiveness are difficult to navigate, many resort to existing foundations to iterate and critique. As players, perception is powerful, but brittle under scrutiny. Words in this guide are not scientific and should be taken as a grain of salt, but if you are open to reasoning, please do continue reading.
Artifact is an innovative digital card game that should not be treated like older card games, but as its own. It is easy to let expectations ruin an otherwise game with merits, putting it aside just because the learning process isn't as comfortable as picking up similar genres. In this guide, we will attempt to dissect the game's outlines and come to understand how the game seeks to function versus our stubbornness and fallacies.
I don't understand what you just saidTOP 5 REASONS why ARTIFACT needs its RNG AND HOW we can LIVE WITH IT. OWO
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Crisis And Risk Management
Unlike more traditional-inclined card games where most of the action comes from optimizing your deck and getting to your end game before your opponent does (or surviving theirs and countering with your own), Artifact add another element to it, that's right, deployment and arrow RNG, in order to spice up the variety so no two matches end up contesting the same lanes with the same composition.
Instead of insisting on perfect positioning, Artifact wants players to rely on their grand game plan to win instead of playing on curve. Instead of focusing on one or two immediate losses due to 50/50, assess your course of action in each lane first, deploy strategically and expect the worst.. Instead of solely deploying to survive or kill, although they are legitimate reasons, also consider what you want to do for that turn, and the turn after should any of your hero die.
The random deployment forces players to consider risks and contingencies in addition to answering their opponent's moves. Without it, contesting lanes would be a lot less dynamic.
From where she's kneeling must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. Truth is, her fate was sealed from the start. Crystal Maiden may have ~50% chance to live in mid, but letting her die in lane 3 is probably a smarter choice than to take the risk and lose out a lane worth of aura, not accounting her respawning two turns later.
During deployment phase, all existing and incoming units are accounted first, then empty combat positions across them are to be randomly filled. With this information, players can calculate the safest lane to land on, despite still susceptible to land in front of a threat. Same goes for the player mounting the offensive, guessing their opposition's deployment to extend their coverage and dominance. Because deployment phase happens simultaneously, there is always the missing piece of information: your opponent's move. Regardless, if there's even remotely a chance for an unfavorable outcome, consider it.
Always have a backup plan should a won situation thwarted by arrows, reserve cheap removals or redirections, instead of spending them greedily on turn one. If all else fails but the fight do continue beyond current lane, look at mobility options and other lanes. Being flexible is the best asset an Artifact player can have; obstinate loses games.
If you need a lucky deployment to save a game, it is often too late.
Don't blame RNG when things didn't go exactly as optimistically hoped, get used to playing from the bottom, use it as a means to exercise risk aversion. Heroes come back, think long term.
Player Vs System Vs Player
Artifact isn't just two duelists fencing each other with cards, they also have to juggle inconveniences hurled at by the game. With a bit of positive thinking, these 'inconveniences' are challenges presented by the game like any other game would do, overcoming them is part of the fun.
To reinforce what the previous suggestion meant, those systems are:
Melee Creeps being deployed by the game every round.
Combat arrows during the deployment phase.
Hero respawn and initiative acting as 'comeback' mechanics.
Melee Creeps introduced into lanes function as 'blockers' that funnels damage and limits empty combat positions, forcing players to reconsider presence potential and immediate strategic value of each lane. A crowded lane would benefit blue and green, but potentially hurt black and red, as the former enjoys being out of reach, the latter would be punching creeps. The opposite happens with less inviting lanes. This ensure both players constantly have to fight on uneven field throughout every lane, reevaluating each lane's strategic value based on creep deployment. The better player would do their best to spend just enough to secure a lane, than to carelessly overcommit resources.
Much like random card draws present in every card game, it is the player's responsibility to optimize their deck to at least perform even during their worst. Yet, deckbuilding is an activity adored by many. Analogically, it is better if both the player's skill and deck can endure harsher circumstances, think on their feet, and manage to turn it around while their opponent had their guard down due to their advantageous position. If not, there's always the next lane.
Won in one would often mean loss in another. Even then, who is winning in overall?
The comeback mechanics make it so that players are constantly compensated for taking risks, a constant swing back and forth instead of 'you lost card advantage, therefore you lose'. Even as your opponent's heroes are dead, they will only be for a turn, and they will return, in full, and free reign over deployment, likely with initiative, and a replenished hand. There's rarely a moment where victory is assured right out the gate against a competent adversary.
You have more than just your opponent to worry about. While the obstacles the game throws at you aren't as perceptible, they do exist, and should be respected.
Minimizing Randomness
Most of the random elements Artifact can be remedied with abilities and cards (with some exceptions, chiefly RNG that occurs AFTER committing), but don't spend them needlessly, they are much more valuable than to mitigate a few points of damage. However, there are also many ways to minimize randomness without spending anything extra, just involve considerate play.
One way is to minimize sample size. Having less headcount means higher chance to hit critical target. Cards that Pulse are especially important, such as Chain Frost and Eclipse, instead of hoping, manipulate the board until those cards becomes a guaranteed wipe, removing any hint of randomness in them. This also includes improvements that target random units.
By using Kanna to draw creeps away from the lane, Path of the Bold was able to hit exclusively heroes. Assassin's Veil redirects excess damage, and Blink Daggers can be used to rotate heroes.
Board arrangement can be another way to lessen unfavorable combat targets, citing the infamous 3-vs-creep phenomenon that robs many of their lethal damage towards the tower. On the offensive, by spreading out damage dealers instead of clumping them as neighbors, it decreases the chance of all of them curving into a single enemy; on the defensive, consider leaving low-damage enemy creeps alive and in front of your important units, to ensure opponent's hero-killers wouldn't naturally land in front of them.
Sure it is tempting to place the Thunderhide next to Lycan for +2 damage buff and possibly killing that accursed Bristleback, it probably isn't wise for long term, such high concentration on the right side is a magnet for a melee creep to waltz right in and tank all the damage.
It isn't necessary to expense resource immediately when given chance unless it is a golden opportunity. If using them either the next round or the next lane yields better results, hold onto it. In addition, don't be afraid to manipulate, or even killing, your own side of the board so you are able to slot in a large creep or the next hero safety (or offensively). Upkeep kills are a good way to guarantee tower damage.
RNG often can be manipulated by different arrangement or reservation. Most information are presented before randomness occurs, so try your best to force a 100%.
Negativity Bias
Psychologically, bad news tend to affect us way more than the good ones, and without understanding that deployment RNG is the core component in Artifact's challenge, it is easy to get disgruntled by an unfortunate arrow that leads to the death of a hero. Yes, sh*t happens, but it is to be expected in a game that constantly dabble in risks.
Fact: Arrows have 50% to push forward, and 25% to curve either side.
When arrows favors the player, "ok"; but when it curves because 50%, "crap, rngesus at it again".
Even 75% is unreliable. Don't rely on 75% to win games. Detach from that risky plan and find alternatives unless you do not mind this particular gamble to not work... Even then, who is to say your opponent doesn't have a chump blocker in hand, just in case? Them not playing it doesn't mean that they do not have it, they might be keeping it for the next lane.
Prellex and Debbi deploying into this lane is death sentence, no matter the probability. If my opponent doesn't not have any trick up their sleeves, it is completely their fault for even attempting to deploy both heroes into this lane. RNG is not to blame here.
A quick way to counter this unpleasant sting is empathy. Do know that the most core mechanics that involve randomness have rules that are consistent and overall symmetrical. Your opponent, too, are subjected to them, and it is easy to dismiss their unfortunates but curse their jackpot. It is difficult to pinpoint when things aren't going their way on their side, especially when replays still isn't a thing. Both players are fighting uphill battles, regard their efforts.
It isn't always clear-cut what being offered in side shops are 'lucky'. Perhaps a Teleport Scrolls is exactly what's needed by my opponent, but they just couldn't get it. Instead, they spend their gold on heals and stood their other lanes better. Nevertheless, try not to grow dependent on side shops.
To add, abundance of randomness, each with little impact, are much better than few randomness, each with larger impact. Having more die rolls means the average plays out more often. However, with unfavorable rolls occurring more frequently, it is easy to see how it can be so upsetting. By curbing your expectation that everything should go well, it becomes easier to maintain a calm composure. Getting tilted will do no one good, maybe except your opponent, who's trying to win.
Most of the engagement and interaction happen during action phase, where both players work towards their desired version of the board state, through bluff, denies and assets. Focus on remedying bigger problems instead of brooding over minor inconveniences.
A change in perspective, in a game where the unexpected always happen, expect them. When things do go your way, acknowledge them.
Delayed Gratification
Resisting smaller but more immediate reward in order to receive a larger or more enduring reward later, relating to skills such as patience and impulse control.
Unlike modern design, which rewards constantly for every small achievements, every intense Artifact match is a bitter fight until the very end. Every small victories are quickly met with more resistances, players are rewarded for holding their actions (initiative), compensated for their losses (heroes respawn), and coupled with system-generated obstacles (creeps and arrows), Artifact can be a very gruelling game to play, but the payoff can be gratifying after a long fight.
The match isn't over until the towers fall.
There were no aggressive dailies to hold the players, it is not to say that people don't find the game fun, they are just not 'obligated' to routinely grind the game.
Learning process in Artifact can be difficult as well. It isn't immediate whether concepts like initiative is really that important, or whether getting your heroes killed can be a good thing, or spending a little too much just to remove that splash Red hero was worth it. The in-game tutorial only covers the absolute essentials and nothing more, many details are omitted. It is a long journey to truly understand the ins-and-outs of the game, much like its ARTS origin: Dota 2. As long you are exposed to advanced techniques and are doing them with intention, the game's complexity should be manageable, within your skill level.
Ultimately, it is important to have a direction, a goal for most of the activities we indulge in. Getting better at the game is a broad statement, perhaps trying to perfect a specific deck, or getting to know undervalued cards better in draft? Regardless of your agenda, Artifact is an intricate game that isn't designed to pamper, and the long haul may prove rewarding. There is no denying that the game could use additional features and incentives, but it is best to either make do for now, or to enjoy the game at own pace without pressure.
As is any mastery, patience is integral to success. Material rewards are rare in Artifact.
Final Words
Thank you for reading! I believe finding Artifact enjoyable to be an acquired taste, it is difficult to appreciate its merits given it not following conventional norms, and generally bad habits, craving for instant gratification and validation. Of course, the game is not without its flaws, so here's hoping that Valve figures them out while most of the playerbase hibernates. Maybe the game will cave and makes changes to appeal to masses, but we should generally accept anything that improves the game while managing to keep its identity. Keep a positive outlook and let me know if you have anything to share!
Decks are core components for all card games. Get to know them better.https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1630132756
Want to have casual fun fighting bots? Use ANY card against them!https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1644886985
Admire the complexity of Artifact by recognizing every keyword.https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1664400019
Changelog 8th February 2019 Created guide. 25th February 2019 Added link to my fourth Artifact guide. 2nd April 2020 Minor tweaks after proofreading. Also, 2.0 so(o)n!
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Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1646956312
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