Play only restriction

One of unique game mechanics in FaB is three roles per card. However, setting a card in arsenal limits the card to be only playable, and no longer able to use for block or pitch.

Normally, blue cards are included in a deck for a pitch and/or block purpose. Playing these cards could mean lowering their expressed values.

For example, Kano’s hero ability requires 3 resources and forms core of deck’s playing strategy. For this reason, more than half of Kano’s deck usually consists of blue cards. Playing these cards usually mean using them at below rate. Therefore, setting these cards to arsenal deviates from their original intended use, devaluing them and lowering turn EV.

Solution

Arsenal a card that has its intended value when played.

If card’s expressed value becomes lower due play-only restriction, it means a player has set a wrong card in arsenal. So the solution is set cards that are included in a deck for play use.

Tempo Loss

If one is putting a card into arsenal from a hand, the player loses a tempo for the amount of the card’s EV during the turn. The tempo loss here can be thought of as a necessary cost of using arsenal.

Solution

Even though tempo loss maybe a necessary cost, there are some ways to reduce or alleviate the demerit effect.

①Temporary loss

The first and most important is to use arsenal properly. When a right card is set to arsenal, one should gain more tempo when playing a card from arsenal than the amount of tempo lost when setting a card.

②Arsenal a card that didn’t get a use during the turn

If a card couldn’t be used during a turn due to lack of action point or resource, you are not losing any additional tempo by setting the card to arsenal.

However, if this situation happens frequently throughout the game, it could mean the deck itself has an issue with efficient four card use.

③Draw card just before end turn phase

If there is a real solution to tempo loss, it is a draw card just before end phase of the turn.

Snatch and draw mode Enlightened strike’s draw card ability are prototypical for this. The card drawn from these cards effect are unplayable due to lack of action point. At first glance, one may think the draw is meaningless other than just drawing a card a split second before end turn phase draw. But this card has an option to be placed in arsenal.

If player ends up setting the drawn card to arsenal, the player was able to use all cards in their hand and additionally set a card to arsenal. There is no tempo loss in this situation.

Double tempo loss

Even though the tempo loss at the time of setting a card to arsenal maybe a necessary cost, one can lose additional tempo when playing the card from arsenal if a wrong card was set.

This could happen when arsenaling a blue pitch card that are included in a deck for intent of use as a pitch or block.

Situation

You’ve used up action point for the turn. Using a blue card, Kano’s ability was activated. It revealed Aether Wildfire. Since it’s the key combo card, I did not want to use it during my own turn as a solo . Instead I wanted to draw this to my hand and set it into arsenal the following turn. So I’ve decided to end my turn.

At this point, a blue pitch card, zap was left in my hand. I can’t play it as there is no more action point left. The arsenal is open.

So I can draw maximum number cards at end phase to improve the chance of getting another combo piece, I had decided to set the Zap to arsenal.

In order to be able to set Aether Wildfire to arsenal during my following turn, I needed to play the Zap from arsenal.

As in other wizard cards, this card will consume an action point. So by playing a Zap, I could no longer play the real cards I wanted play that turn e.g. energy potion, swelling tide etc. So playing zap from arsenal resulted additional loss of tempo.

Solution

Double tempo loss happens due to player’s misplay. It maybe due to player’s wrong thought of fill the arsenal whenever possible, drawing extra card is always a value.

The solution is to ensure the card will not reduce turn expressed value when the card is played from arsenal.

Arsenal Screw

Another demerit unique to arsenal is what I call “arsenal screw”, which is inspired by magic the gathering’s mana screw.

This is a situation where you are unable to play a card from arsenal multiple turns in a raw.

This excludes a situation where opponent intentionally freezes your arsenal using a card like Cold snap. Arsenal screw happens due to a choice of card set to arsenal where the condition to play it fails to be satisfied.

The specific example is from 2022 world championship quarter final, Iyslander mirror match. At turn 3 during opponent’s turn, Hamilton played a fused brain freeze. The opponent reveals sink below and set it to the arsenal.

Hamilton’s play from this point on surprised everyone. Knowing the opponent has sink below in his arsenal, Hamilton decided to not use any physical attack. Since the sink below is a defense reaction, this decision eliminated the arsenal from opponent rest of the game.

Solution

This was extremely situational condition. Opponent knew what’s in the arsenal, opponent had a way to win the game without physical attack, arsenal was important part of play strategy in Iyslander, and the opponent was Michael Hamilton. If any one of the condition was not met, this may not happed.