15 Beginner Mistakes Every Deckbuilder Makes

Every deckbuilding master was once a beginner making these same mistakes. Learning from common errors accelerates improvement and prevents frustrating failures. This guide identifies the most damaging beginner mistakes and explains how to avoid them.

1. Taking Every Rare Card

The mistake: "It's rare so it must be good!" Beginners grab every rare card thinking rarity equals power. This destroys deck consistency and dilutes strategy with incompatible cards.

The solution: Evaluate cards based on deck compatibility, not rarity. A common card supporting your strategy beats a rare card that doesn't. Rare cards are often build-around cards requiring specific support. Skip rare cards that don't fit your current strategy.

2. Ignoring Card Removal

The mistake: Only adding cards, never removing them. Beginners think more cards mean more options. In reality, bloated decks become inconsistent and weak.

The solution: Prioritize card removal, especially basic strikes and defends. Removing weak cards is often better than adding mediocre ones. Most successful decks have fewer than 30 cards. Quality beats quantity.

3. Building for Best-Case Scenarios

The mistake: Creating decks requiring perfect draws to function. "If I draw these three cards together, I win instantly!" But you never draw them together.

The solution: Build for consistency over power ceiling. A deck that performs well with average draws beats one requiring perfect draws. Include redundancy and flexibility. Plan for typical hands, not optimal ones.

4. Neglecting Defense

The mistake: All offense, no defense. Beginners load decks with damage cards, taking massive damage each fight. They win fast or die faster.

The solution: Calculate defensive requirements based on expected damage. Include sufficient mitigation to survive consistently. Dead players deal zero damage. Balance offense with survival.

5. Misunderstanding Energy Curves

The mistake: Taking powerful expensive cards without considering energy limitations. Having three 3-cost cards in hand with 3 energy means playing only one.

The solution: Build appropriate energy curves for your energy generation. Most cards should cost 1-2 energy. Include energy generation if running expensive cards. Consider total energy cost of typical hands.

6. Hoarding Consumables

The mistake: Saving potions for the "perfect moment" that never comes. Dying with full potion slots is criminal waste.

The solution: Use consumables proactively, not reactively. Potions preventing damage are better than potions healing damage. Using potions in elite fights generates more value through better rewards. The best time to use potions is before you need them.

7. Fighting Every Elite

The mistake: Challenging every elite for rewards regardless of deck state. Weak decks get destroyed, ending runs prematurely.

The solution: Evaluate deck strength before engaging elites. Early elites require specific preparation. Skip elites when your deck can't handle them. Living with fewer rewards beats dying with none.

8. Forcing Predetermined Strategies

The mistake: Deciding on a strategy before seeing any cards and forcing it regardless of offerings. "I'm playing poison this run" even when no poison cards appear.

The solution: Stay flexible early, committing to strategies based on actual cards found. Work with what the game provides rather than forcing predetermined builds. Adaptation beats rigid planning.

9. Overvaluing Healing

The mistake: Resting at every opportunity, choosing healing over upgrades. Beginners prioritize current health over long-term power.

The solution: Upgrades often prevent more damage than healing recovers. A stronger deck takes less damage in future fights. Rest when necessary, upgrade when possible. Consider long-term value over immediate comfort.

10. Ignoring Relics/Artifacts

The mistake: Not considering relic synergies when building decks. Relics are treated as random bonuses rather than build-defining elements.

The solution: Build around powerful relics. Some relics completely change optimal strategies. Recognize relic-card synergies and adjust your deck accordingly. Relics are part of your build, not separate from it.

11. Playing Too Fast

The mistake: Rushing through turns without planning. Making obvious plays without considering alternatives. Speed-running into failure.

The solution: Take time to plan entire turns before playing cards. Consider different sequences and their outcomes. Deckbuilders reward thinking, not reflexes. Slow down and make optimal decisions.

12. Not Learning from Defeats

The mistake: Immediately starting new runs after defeats without analyzing why you lost. Repeating the same mistakes indefinitely.

The solution: Review failed runs to understand what went wrong. Was your deck too slow? Insufficient defense? Bad card choices? Each defeat teaches valuable lessons. Learn from failures to improve.

13. Misunderstanding Keywords

The mistake: Not fully understanding keyword mechanics and interactions. Assuming keywords work how you think rather than how they actually work.

The solution: Read keyword descriptions carefully. Test interactions in safe situations. Understand the difference between similar keywords. Knowledge of exact mechanics enables optimal play.

14. Poor Path Planning

The mistake: Choosing paths randomly without considering upcoming challenges. Walking into elite fights unprepared or missing important events.

The solution: Plan paths considering your deck's needs. Need card removal? Path toward shops. Need upgrades? Prioritize campfires. Consider the entire act, not just the next node. Strategic pathing provides what your deck requires.

15. Emotional Decision Making

The mistake: Making decisions based on frustration, excitement, or attachment rather than logic. Keeping bad cards because they were previously useful.

The solution: Evaluate decisions objectively based on current game state. Past performance doesn't guarantee future success. Remove emotional attachment to specific cards or strategies. Make logical, calculated decisions.

Bonus Mistakes to Avoid

Not reading enemy intentions, leading to preventable damage. Enemies telegraph their attacks—use this information.

Upgrading random cards instead of frequently-used ones. Upgrade cards you play every fight for maximum value.

Building hybrid decks trying to do everything. Jack-of-all-trades decks master nothing. Commit to strategies.

Ignoring shop prices and arriving without gold. Plan shop visits with sufficient funds for important purchases.

The Learning Process

Everyone makes these mistakes initially. The difference between beginners and experts is recognition and correction. Conscious effort to avoid known mistakes accelerates improvement dramatically.

Don't feel bad about past mistakes—they're part of learning. Each error teaches what doesn't work, bringing you closer to mastery. Embrace failure as education.

Building Good Habits

Create mental checklists before decisions. Am I taking this card because it's good or because it's rare? Have I considered card removal? Am I building consistently or hopefully?

Develop systematic approaches to common decisions. This reduces emotional interference and improves consistency. Good habits prevent mistakes automatically.

Conclusion: Mistakes as Teachers

These common mistakes aren't character flaws—they're natural steps in the learning process. Recognizing and avoiding them accelerates your journey from beginner to expert. Every master was once a disaster.

The goal isn't perfection but improvement. Reduce mistakes gradually while developing understanding. Focus on avoiding one or two mistakes at a time rather than everything simultaneously.

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