Today we will take a look at the combat mechanics in Puzzles and Conquest. Combat (also known as Challenge or Battle) is part of the game includes a “puzzle”. You can go to battle in two locations: Arena and Campaign portal. To join a duel you need to choose from one to five of your Heroes to fight in match.
Your team enters the battlefield and stones in the field are generated in front of you. You take turns with your opponent to create various combinations of multi-colored stones that represent destructive energy, which in turn causes a loss of HP (health points – HP). The battle continues until one of the sides loses all HP.
Battle typology
The game mechanics provides for several types of battles:
- Campaign
- Arena
Campaign battles are fought against a group of undead mobs or monsters in various forms. To get to the Campaign menu you can activate by clicking on the main screen of the Castle on the Campaign portal. This will allow you to take part in battles as part of the storyline. You and your chosen Heroes will have to confront three waves of monsters, each is stronger than the previous one.
A standard wave can consist not only of two monsters (like at the beginning). Their number can reach 4 – 5 and more. When there are many monsters they line up in two rows. Those who are in the front row can be damaged while those mobs that are behind the frontal line are protected from your direct damage by stones. However, they all damage your Heroes.
The third wave is a “boss” wave. One (or more) of the most powerful monsters (or Heroes) appear usually surrounded by a couple of lower level monsters.
In the Battle of the Arena everything is a little simpler mechanically, since these are standard PvP battles. In the Arena you fight with another player who sets up a defense team from one to five of his Heroes. You set up an attack command. There is only one wave to the bitter end in this type of battle. The rest of the battle mechanics in the game Puzzles and Conquest are very similar – a moving field of stones and regeneration MP for ultimate charge.
The basics of combat mechanics
- Battlefield.
The battlefield is divided into three parts. The upper part is a group of opponents (Heroes or monsters). The bottom part is the team of Heroes you have chosen. The middle part is a generated grid of stones of various elements. With this stones you can inflict damage on your opponents.
- Creation of elemental force.
The item grid has five rows and seven columns. You are asked to swap any two adjacent cells with stones to form a “coincidence” of three, four or five stones of the same element type. The exchange can be horizontal or vertical. Sigils (magical seals on stones) diagonally from each other cannot be replaced or matched. If the exchange does not result in a match the sigils return to their positions without losing their turn.
Combo-3 or combo-4 results in either a row or a column of three or four stones of the same element. Combo 5 can be a row of five sigils, a column of five sigils, five sigils forming an L-shape, or five stones forming a T-shape.
When a match is found the elements merge into destructive energy, which then rushes across the field and directly at your opponents. The more seals in a combination the more destructive energy they carry, which is part of the combat mechanics. Only opponents who are directly in the line of fire are damaged, although several opponents can be hit with one piece (for example, a horizontal five of stones).
- Extra damage.
When you find combinations of 4 or 5 elemental seals extra damage stones are automatically generated. These are elements of combat with a delayed action that can only be activated in the next turn. Combo 3 does not create new damage stones. You can use the bonus damage to create new more advanced combinations when using such objects as replacements for regular stones. This deals more damage to targets.
This additional damage can be of two types:
- Elemental Bomb
- Elemental Crystal
Matching four stones of the same suit creates an extra damage unit called Elemental Bomb. It resembles a demonic mask which is executed in the color of the elements.
The Elemental Bomb appears at the position on the field of stones to which you moved the final seal in the combination. When you activate the Bomb on the next turn by moving or pressing it, it blow up each position with elements around it vertically and horizontally. If you substitute it in a combination of stones then it will complement this combo with its effect, increasing elemental damage. You will form a chain reaction. Elemental Bombs are a powerful weapon for dealing damage in combat.
The Elemental Crystal appears when five stones or more of one element are lined up in a combination. It looks like a shining gem colored of its element. It is also an element of additional combat damage in Puzzles and Conquest.
The Elemental Crystal is generated in the position on the grid you moved the final combo of the element. When activated on the next turn he will blow up stones of the same elemental type from all over the grid. Remember that in order to make the best use of the crystal there are as many of the same elemental stones on the grid as possible.
- Ultimate abilities.
When composing elemental combinations the system calculates the number of stones of the same color that you activated on the field and thus the amount of mana of the Hero of this element is accumulated. When a sufficient amount of mana points (MP) accumulates the Hero is charged and his aura begins to shine. You can select a character card in your deck and click on it. There is an attack on the enemy with a special skill.
Elemental Advantage
Each of your Heroes and their opponents is associated with the element. This is indicated by the color of the ground under the enemy. During the battle you are encouraged to use the “Elemental Advantage”. Each element is strong against one element and weak against another. Strength deals double damage while weakness deals only half damage so it’s important to understand this relationship.
There is a simple diagram in the upper left corner of the battlefield that gives you an idea of this Advantage. Up to five colors participate in the battle. Color is a priority for calculating a battle strategy. The counter color deals double damage.
While there is a specific strategy you can apply to defeat your enemies in battle most of it depends on pure luck. You have no control over the initial layout of the game board. You have no control over which stones randomly fill the grid.
Moving stones successfully results in multi-combo attacks. They are very powerful but they are usually quite random. In one battle the filed flies in a continuous combo strike and in another battle there are practically no coincidences for elementary combinations. You should try to launch multi-combo attacks but they can quickly stop without the bit of luck on your side in Puzzles and Conquest.
