Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island
There are several ways to play the Serpent, but all require patience: early game involves slowly building up Powers and Presence. It's not helpless...
There are several ways to play the Serpent, but all require patience: early game involves slowly building up Powers and Presence. It's not helpless during this time, but it isn't as effective as anyone else. It becomes incredibly powerful after awakening, but getting there requires a lot of time.Make sure to Absorb Essence before you run up against your Presence cap - and to get other players' buy-in before using Absorb Essence on their Presence. Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island Officia...
Setup
Put 1 Presence on your starting board, in land #5. You start with your 4 Unique Power Cards and 0 Energy.
Openings
Multiplayer Support
A multiplayer-focused opening for Serpent that emphasizes supporting allies with Gifts while building toward Majors. Rush 2 card plays for consistent innate access, manage your presence cap, and track ally reclaim cycles.
Growth: +1 Energy, gain Minor, place presence (bottom). Cards: Gift of Flowing Power OR Primordial Deeps. Rush 2 card plays for innate access. Take Moon/Fire+Earth Minor. Place presence touching several same-type lands, ideally Build land. Gift slower Spirits extra play; faster Spirits get Minor access. Notable combos: Bringer (Deeps for Moon/Earth), Vital Strength (Flowing for Growth 3), Wildfire (Flowing for Flash+Smoke), Lightning (Flowing for Fire).
Growth: +1 Energy, gain Minor, place presence (bottom). Cards: Absorb Essence + Elemental Aegis. Place in land with Town or touching several Ravage lands. Absorb = +3 Energy + ally Element. Aegis defends your land + adjacent. Serpent Rouses crushes or pushes a Town.
Growth: +4 Energy, place presence (top). Cards: Remaining Gift + weaker Minor. Spread presence for Major targeting next turn. Extra Energy can pay for expensive Events.
Growth: +1 Energy, gain Major, place presence (top). Cards: Other Minor + Major. 'Any' element unlocked with decent Energy. Target mid-cost Major, forget Minor from discard. Place presence for targeting. Reclaim All next turn.