Introduction #
Clash of Decks is a neat little card dueling and lane defense game where you duke it out with another player or an AI opponent using your drafted deck of just 8 cards. If you want to know more about the game, I recommend starting with our full solo review of Clash of Decks.
The game’s free-to-play Initiation deck is a fun starting point, but with each duel, the thirst for new cards, combos, and chaotic tactics only grows. That’s where the standalone expansions come in, each offering a unique set of cards with special abilities that can change your gameplay entirely.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the Clash of Decks’ Season 2 expansions, breaking down the pros and cons of each from the perspective of solo mode. Much of my critique of these decks is not relevant for multiplayer.
Whether you’re looking for raw power, versatile strategies, or just a deck that’s downright fun to play, I’ve got you covered with my top card picks, expansion analysis, and a recommended buying order to help you build a deck that fits your style. I recommend referring to the rulebook if you are not familiar with all of the available special abilities that are covered here.
General Observations and Preferences #
There are two abilities that I don’t particularly like for solo mode: Vulnerability and Mercenary. There are rule changes for these abilities in solo mode that in my opinion are unfavorable to the player and more beneficial to the AI. These abilities are not necessarily broken and instead force you to strategize in your drafting to avoid taking these cards. On the other hand, it can sometimes feel like I’m getting less value from an expansion overloaded with these abilities since I end up letting the AI handle most of them instead of using them myself. Here’s how these abilities impact solo gameplay and why I’d prefer not buying them:
Vulnerability #
This ability is changed in solo mode so that you can’t use it to deal massive damage to the AI’s stronghold, but the AI can still deal a huge blow to your stronghold. That part feels a bit unfair. The other downside is that this ability can deal massive damage to weaken a creature, but it doesn’t KO it. You have to deal the final blow with another creature or incantation. Taking two actions to defeat a creature or potentially leaving undefeated creatures on the AI’s side of the field on a given round can be detrimental to your chances of winning.
Mercenary #
You basically have to avoid drafting these. A Mercenary that you start with will go to the AI’s deck after it’s removed from the field. The catch in solo mode though is that the nature of the AI’s deck makes it so that here’s a good chance that it won’t come back at all. This can leave you with a one less mana and health point for the rest of the game for each Mercenary you draft. Fortunately, by letting the AI draft these, it also means that you may receive them and benefit from an additional mana and health point and one more play choice in your arsenal.
1. Breaching In #
The Breaching In expansion is straightforward and beginner-friendly, yet it still offers a lot of fun for more seasoned players. This expansion is perfect if you enjoy a simple yet potent strategy–leaning on the Catalyst ability to generate mana to play some seriously high-cost creatures. This expansion has no cards with Vulnerability and very few cards with Mercenary. What I love most about Breaching In is that it makes you feel powerful. The Catalyst ability combined with high-mana-cost cards delivers a punch that can turn the tide in your favor quickly.
Notable Absent Abilities: Vanish and Vulnerability
Top Cards: Frost Wolf, Cunning Spirit, Mana Golem
2. Resistance #
Resistance is hands down my pick for the most well-rounded expansion in Season 2. This expansion gives you varied creatures with unique ability combos, and there’s minimal Vulnerability, so it holds up well in solo play. This expansion thrives on adaptability, offering multiple pathways to victory with its diverse selection of creatures.
Sylvan Protector is an absolute beast in this set–when it comes into play, it’s like calling in a wrecking ball that can wipe the field clean and swing the game in your favor due to the way that its abilities synergize. Add to that the utility of Fearsome Warrior and the raw might of Scourge of the Ramparts with the ability to deal massive damage directly to the enemy stronghold, and you have a team that’s versatile, resilient, and endlessly fun.
Notable Absent Abilities: Price of Blood
Top Cards: Fearsome Warrior, Scourge of the Ramparts, Sylvan Protector
3. Submersion #
The Submersion expansion dives deep with Aquatic creatures and powerful, high-cost dragon cards that add an epic twist to your game. While these cards can be mana-heavy, the expansion provides just enough Catalyst and Price of Blood cards to help you field your heaviest hitters at crucial moments. With Rage abilities sprinkled in, you’re poised for explosive turns that can quickly turn the tables.
Submersion also shines in lane positioning, thanks to its Aquatic cards. There’s something quite strategic about getting those Aquatic creatures into the front of lane to deal double damage, but also trying to shield them so that you can leverage them for multiple turns.
Notable Absent Abilities: Symbiote
Top Cards: Mental Strike, Ritualist, Runes Protector
4. Elusive #
Elusive can be a mixed bag, but it’s a blast for players who enjoy a challenge. This expansion is packed with Aerial cards, which can be difficult to defend with if you draft too many, but also a challenge if your opponent mounts an onslaught of Aerial creatures. This expansion also has a number of Vulnerability and Mercenary cards to deal with.
While Elusive may not be ideal for solo play, it does come with some notable Aerial cards and other intriguing cards that I do enjoy to play with. Animated Armor in particular is fun for turning a high damage creature into a tank.
Notable Absent Abilities: Vanish
Top Cards: Animated Armor, Enraged Snout, Festering Ignominy
5. Treachery #
Treachery focuses on a lot of Vanish cards. The Vanish ability provides an interesting way to defend by essentially letting you spread the damage between creatures in the same lane rather than letting the front creature bear the brunt of a round of attacks until it falls. There are also quite a few Mercenary cards, but no Catalyst cards and very few Regeneration cards to make up the health and mana loss brought about by gifting Mercenary cards to the AI.
This expansion also has very little Rage and the cards that do have Rage are fairly high cost. I typically like to have some low cost Rage cards as a means for poking at enemy creatures with low health.
The Treachery expansion’s highlight is its Aura cards, which can create powerful synergies if played correctly. Scaredy Cat and Democular stand out as powerful Aura cards and Disintegration is a mighty spell that can drill through the enemy defenses.
Notable Absent Abilities: Catalyst and Price of Blood
Top Cards: Scaredy Cat, Democular, Disintegration
6. Deliquescence #
Finally, we have Deliquescence, an expansion that’s brimming with Vulnerability–a big contributor to why we find it at the bottom of the list.
If you can get over that, this expansion is not for those who want to play it safe–between Price of Blood and heavy-hitting creatures, you’ll often find yourself in thrilling high-stakes situations. Sure, you can use Price of Blood to get high attack creatures onto the field, but will you have enough health if the enemy happens to break through? Now, if the AI gets its hands on a high number of Price of Blood cards, you may start jumping for joy as you watch the AI burn through its deck, but that quickly turns to dread when you take a look at the field and set your eyes on the army of creatures the AI summoned in one round. With Deliquescence you’ll often find yourself riding the line between victory and disaster.
Notable Absent Abilities: Instinct
Top Cards: Blizzard, Banshee, Ram-Demon
