A simple guide for new players across the obelisk, with general tips for Act I and Ylmer boss fight. This guide is intended to help new players with some game mechanics and how they work, as well as giving some tips on how to defeat Ylmer.
General tips for Across the Obelisk
- In the game’s setting menu, there is an option to enable the extended tooltips, I suggest enabling it on the first runs, it provides additional information of each game effect that easy to understand. You can disable it afterwards.
- Hero/monster speed is one of the key stats in the game, speed determines the turn order “showed in the top character bar”, acting before enemies it’s a big advantage and should be exploited. Cards like Piercing Howl or Rupture slow enemies, use them. Any card that provides a “Fast/Haste” bonus should be a priority (like the chant of initiative).
- The energy to cast cards is kept between rounds, so energy management should be taken into account. Don’t spend always all the energy every round. Track your deck cards and turn order. (for example, using block cards in the last hero in the round it’s a waste of energy)
- Check enemy resistances/immunities, ALWAYS. Don’t waste a fireball onto a fire imp or bleeding cards on trunks. (enemy resistances are quite relevant in this game, seriously)
- EVENT ROLLS, they can be quite punishing. Read the possible outcomes of the event and consider your current party status and decks, it’s not mandatory to roll, almost all events have options that don’t require rolls. Don’t feel forced to roll, a bad roll can have consequences that can ruin a run.
- Try different paths, you will see different enemies with different stats/decks/resistances, and further in the game, you can pick the path that fits your party/decks.
- Corruptions are difficult but have outstanding rewards. They are tempting but I would suggest skipping them in the early runs.
- At the end of each run, you get hero perk points, unlock new cards and a reward chest. After the first couple of runs starting decks can be heavily improved easily. A single area of effect heal or dispel can be a game-changer in early runs. Also, keep in mind that you can cash in 3 chests in a single run.
- Divination unlocks all the cards that are shown. It’s a great way to unlock cards at an early game, use it.
Quick tips for Ylmer
Ylmer can be a thought boss in the first runs, but once you know him it can be beaten with almost any deck.
- Try to reach him with your party above 50% of health, if you are below 80% I suggest resting before combat. (it’s a roguelike so sometimes you will have a bad run).
- DON’T attack Ylmer if he has Thorns! He removes the thorns himself so you can hit him the next turn. Attack the minions or save energy (if I recall correctly is on turns 2, 4 and 6).
- Seems that he heals himself for a lot, but after turn 6 there are no more Thorns or heals.
- I usually kill the dryad and then the trunk, keep the energy balanced and poke him when there are no thorns. At turn 4 kill the small trunks that summon. Protect from the death ray from turn 5-6 and after it goes full dmg to him, you should be able to kill him before turn 10. Insulation and courage are very useful for mitigating Ylmer’s death ray damage.
- If you still have issues ignore him totally till turn 7, kill the adds and protect your party. Then go full dmg on him after turn 6.
Quick tips deck building
- Deck space, can be counter-intuitive if you are not used to card games, try to keep the deck as “slim” as possible. Every card that you add to your deck decrease the chances that your god/combo cards pop up. Don’t feel forced to pick a reward card in every combat. And remove cards that don’t fit your build/strategy.
- At least for me half of the fun, it’s trying new crazy decks/comps, play with 2 priests, convert the mage in an energy battery for the party, use the priest as shadow dmg, etc…
Guide by Trencaferro.