Duelist

A fencer on the Footwork Track: forward for +3 damage, backward for +3 prevention – position is everything.

• Footwork: forward positions add +1/+3 to attacks, backward +1/+3 prevention
• Reposition (passive): 1–2 free steps every round; moving back grants Guard Break
• Strike: 7/10 damage from straights with no token needs
• Disarm: discard a card OR lose the income phase

• Retreat blocks almost nothing (~1) and forces you backward
• Only ONE bonus per turn: never offense and defense at once

• Blade Flurry

  Standard route

  Reliable damage route for turns without special setup.

  Take it as soon as 3× 🗡 Blade is mostly on the table after roll 1 (98% across all three rolls): safe damage beats rerolling working dice for a harder route.

  3× 🗡 Blade · 4 damage

• Feint Attack

  Burst

  High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

  Only go for it when at most one symbol of 2× 🗡 Blade + 2× ➹ Pierce is missing after roll 1 (49% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

  2× 🗡 Blade + 2× ➹ Pierce · 2 damage

• Balestra

  Burst

  High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

  Only go for it when at most one symbol of 2× 🗡 Blade + 3× 👢 Boot is missing after roll 1 (49% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

  2× 🗡 Blade + 3× 👢 Boot · 6 damage

• Strike

  Burst

  High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

  Only go for it when at most one symbol of Small straight (4 in a row) is missing after roll 1 (59% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

  Small straight (4 in a row) · 7 damage

• Bladestorm

  Control

  Control route: damage plus an effect against the opponent's next turn.

  Worth it when the opponent is hunting their strong route next turn (10% across all three rolls): the effect beats a few extra damage points there.

  4× ➹ Pierce · 8 damage · disarm

• En Garde

  Standard route

  Reliable damage route for turns without special setup.

  Take it as soon as 3× 👢 Boot + 1× ➹ Pierce is mostly on the table after roll 1 (60% across all three rolls): safe damage beats rerolling working dice for a harder route.

  3× 👢 Boot + 1× ➹ Pierce · 8 damage · disarm

• Master of the Blade!

  Finisher

  Ultimate: the board's highest damage value with the hardest requirement.

  Do not force 5× ➹ Pierce (1% across all three rolls): only when the requirement is reachable after roll 1 is giving up the safe route worth it.

  5× ➹ Pierce · 11 damage · disarm

• Footwork Track: The token starts at Neutral: forward +1, far forward +3 on attacks; back +1, far back +3 prevention. Only ONE bonus per turn. The Reposition passive 1–2 steps per upkeep, Balestra/Bladestorm up to 2, ultimate up to 4, a Blade Flurry four-of-a-kind 1. All the way forward before your burst turn, backward before enemy burst rounds – budget for Retreat's forced steps.
• Guard Break: Max 2: spend at attack conclusion and roll – on 4–5 the attack becomes undefendable. Feint Attack, Bladestorm, backward steps via Reposition, ultimate +2. On Strike (10) or En Garde (8) – a one-third chance the big blow becomes unblockable.
• Guard Break (positive) and Disarm (negative, via Bladestorm/En Garde/ultimate).
• Spend the +3 Footwork bonus only on attacks of 6 or more; it is wasted on Blade Flurry (4).
• Footwork Track: The Reposition passive 1–2 steps per upkeep, Balestra/Bladestorm up to 2, ultimate up to 4, a Blade Flurry four-of-a-kind 1.
• Footwork Track: All the way forward before your burst turn, backward before enemy burst rounds – budget for Retreat's forced steps.
• Guard Break: Feint Attack, Bladestorm, backward steps via Reposition, ultimate +2.
• Guard Break: On Strike (10) or En Garde (8) – a one-third chance the big blow becomes unblockable.

Retreat: 4 dice – 1 counter per 2 blades (~1), each boot/pierce pushes you a step back. The real block is the far-back Footwork position (+3 prevention).

• Cursed Pirate

  Cursed Pirate adds the attack denial that Duelist lacks.

• Monk

  Monk takes over damage and fills the open team role.

• Moon Elf

  Moon Elf adds the attack denial that Duelist lacks.

• Cursed Pirate

  Duelist pushes damage through that Cursed Pirate barely stops with Ahoy Matey.

• Gunslinger

  Duelist keeps Gunslinger tied up with Disarm, and Gunslinger already needs tight rolls.

• Pyromancer

  Pyromancer lands ~6 damage per turn once Fire Mastery is up – and Duelist has little to absorb it.

• Storm

  Storm pushes damage through that Duelist barely stops with Retreat.

• Huntress

  Huntress keeps Duelist tied up with Bleed, and Duelist already needs tight rolls.

• Forgemaster

  Forgemaster keeps Duelist tied up with attack denial, and Duelist already needs tight rolls.