THE TRAMPLE ATTACK

GAMEPLAN THEORY & DESCRIPTION

The Trample Ability allows a moster with melee attack to hit 2x in one turn if their first strike is a kill shot vs. the opposing defense. This ability is usually found in an offensive Tank card that is the first or second position in your hand. The key to using this strategy successfully is timing your Trample attack to hit the enemy's front line when it is weak and vunerable, this means the card with the Trample ability is the star of the show, but his supporting cast is critical to setting up the battle for him to dominate. Speed is the most important factor to consider when setting up your hand. Your Trample attack should hit after his support team wears down the enemy armor and life to a point where his strike deals the death blow and then hits the second line of defense, which often times isn't placed to withstand a heavy melee attack. Often times this attack sets up your hand so it's defense after the tank are more vunerable than normal, which is another reason it's important to time your attacks properly and get your hits in before the enemy attack is delivered.

FACTION SPECIFIC SUPPORTING CARDS

FIRE: The Flame Imp and Goblin Shaman pair to give your hand a +2 speed advantage and weaken the enemy cards. Fire Demon's blast attack works to wear down both 1st and 2nd enemy positions armor / life which offers better opportunity for a double kill shot with your main attack. Exploding Dwarf can deliver a powerful blast attack to set up the rest of the battle. Fire Demon, Naga Fire Wizard, & Imp Bowman are all options to provide initial damage to wear down the enemy defense before your main attack lands.



WATER: Crustacean King with healing and armor bonus is nearly always a useful addition to Water hands. Pirate Captain with his Inspire gives your melee attackers +1 damage. Naga Windmaster with shatter is useful in removing enemy armor and the Ruler of the Seas provides a powerful attack, speed advantage, and reduces enemy magic attack. The Mischevious Mermaid, Pirate Archer, & Water Elemental all provide initial damage to wear down the enemy defense.



EARTH: Brownie providing +1 speed & attack at only 1 mana is a must have for the Earth deck. Swamp Thing reduces enemy speed & life. Goblin Chef can negate the enemy healing which pairs well with this offensive strategy and the Mushroom Seer, Javelin Thrower, & Minotaur Warrior provide the initial damage to wear down the enemy defense.



LIFE: Divine Healer provides healing to my hand while lowering the opponents speed. Silvershield Knight boosts my melee attack (and has the Trample ability at higher levels). Defender of Truth & Armorsmith give an armor bonus while Peacebringer and Air Elemental provide the initial ranged damage to the opponent hand.


DEATH: No Trample attack for the Death deck in the weeks before the Untamed Series is released. Perhaps one of those new cards will give this deck an opportunity at the trample attack.



NEUTRAL: Enchanted Pixie giving a melee attack bonus is a good card to use with this offensive strategy, Creeping Ooze and it's -Speed ability is also something to consider when using a Trample Attack.

FACTION SPECIFIC MAIN CARDS

FIRE: Trample Attack with my Fire deck is unique in that I have 2 cards with the ability in this deck. The Molten Ogre & Giant Roc (also the Exploding Dwarf at higher levels) can be used individually or paired up with the Ogre anchoring your 1st position with his high life and negative enemy melee attack while the Giant Roc fills in the 2nd position and utilizes it's Reach attack. Both cards are on the slower end but the main ranged/magic attacks are also ones with mid/slow speed ratings so they still provide a well timed offensive strike when used as a team.



WATER: The legendary Frost Giant will be the primary attack for the Water deck. He is vunerable to magic attacks and at the very low end of the speed rating so it's best to use this attack in the Water deck in games that are Reverse Speed, Weak Magic, or Melee friendly rule sets



EARTH: Rexxie provides the primary attack for the Earth deck, with massive damage but a more vunerable defense it's crucial to get big speed boosts with this faction so your cards break through the enemy defense before they have a chance to start their main attack.



LIFE: The Sacred Unicorn combines healing ability, good speed, & the Pierce ability to provide a powerful Trample that makes the Life faction one of the best suited to this particular strategy.

Favorable Rule Sets

Unprotected eliminates pesky armored defenses which can stop the attack.
Melee Mayhem means you can place your main attack card somewhere it will be protected
Up Close & Personal mean you can set up your Trample Attack to hit in later rounds after the enemy defense has been worn down.
Super Sneak means the opponent will likely be diverting defense to the back of his line, leaving your supporting attacks & main attack better chances of hitting a weaker defense.

Unfavorable Rule Sets

Snipe eleminates your supporting attacks from hitting the front line
Armored Up means the enemy will have extra melee / ranged defense to break through
Broken Arrows removed many of the supporting attack cards from the battle
Keep your Distance completely eliminates this attack strategy from the game

Example Hands

Hand #1: Life vs Earth
Life vs Earth: Weak magic and I like the Life deck because of the large armor bonus / repair they have exclusive access to in the final weeks before a new Untamed set of cards comes to the game. Against one of the toughest summoners in the game the Sacred Unicorn shows how dominant it can be, especially against a weak defense. Peacebringer provides the ranged firepower and the armorsmith compliments the tanks healing ability with armor repair to resist the opponent attack long enough for the trample attack to devastate the enemy line and take the battle.

Hand #2: Dragon vs Earth
Dragon (Water) vs Earth: Reverse speed / melee only and the Frost Giant becomes one of my most valuable cards. Electric Eels blast is a good compliment to the Frost Giants lead attack and trample ability. With the sabre shark and harpy providing back of line damage and a stout rear guard that wasn't even tested I come up with a big underdog win.



Hand #3: Earth vs Fire
Earth vs Fire: Unprotected / No Legendary Monsters and my Earth deck is probably the best choice I have. The Archer Prince, Brownie, & Creeping Ooze give me first strike advantage, with my support attack taking out the opponents tank in the first round & Rexxie giving a kill shot to the 2nd & 3rd cards as I take the battle without losing a card.