Zen Rules of Playing Pox

This isn't extensive, but here you go @Gnomes :

Here are rules. Rules can be broken, but they aren’t made to be, so have a good reason for breaking any of them. These rules can be roughly comprised by the following idea: “Do as little as possible necessary to ensure that your opponent can do as little as possible.”


Fighting

1. When the opponent has fewer and more powerful champs, attack on a second front; when the opponent is more numerous, force them into an engagement. This assumes that the players have equal total strength on the field.
2. Do not engage in protracted fights when you are farther from your deployment zone than the enemy is from theirs.
3. The stronger player may apply pressure, and should do so.
4. “Applying pressure” means taking small actions which threaten larger actions; an attack does not apply pressure if it is an all-out attack, and deployments do not apply pressure if they have no synergy.
5. When you have more ranged units, play defensively; when you have more melee units, play aggressively.
6. “Playing defensively” means not using attack abilities, and moving little; “playing aggressively” means moving to engage the enemy, and using attacks.
7. Do not force a contest over a font, including mid font, if you have a weaker board than your opponent.

Targeting

1. Target opposing champions that you can kill; do not attack champions you can’t harm, and don’t chase champions you can’t catch.
2. When your opponent transfigures, kill their champions, rather than keeping your own alive.
3. When attacking, spend as little AP as possible to achieve your goal.
4. Target first the enemies that deal the most damage.

Deploying

1. Don’t play a rune unless it will save an ally, kill an enemy, or generate nora.
2. While you have less than four champions, favor deploying champions; when you have more than six champions, favor casting spells.
3. Deploy support runes after combat runes.
4. Favor playing long-term effects when they will also immediately benefit you.

Saving

1. Unless you are attacking, leave all your champions with 4 to 5 AP, but no more than that.
2. Unless you are attacking, leave 40 to 50 nora in your nora bank, but no more than 90.
3. Before taking any actions, ensure that all intended actions are being taken in the right order -- that is right which maximizes output compared to other potential orders.
4. If you have nothing smart to do, do nothing.
5. If you panic, that means you have nothing smart to do -- do nothing.

Awareness

1. Know how all mechanics work.
2. Know how much time you have left in your turn.
3. Know potential hidden effects and champions.
4. Know spells your opponent can play on their turn.

A bunch of short rules for playing Pox.

 

You godly man! Thanks ! Put in general for more prais!

 

I am sensing another Art of War enthusiast

 

I love that book. Read it and seen the documenatry at least 100 times

 

Similar time period, but different Chinese work shaped the writing style here. You're right though, Art of War is also an influence. Wanted to take a break from tons of explanations.

 

If you know of similar works I would love to hear about them. I keep an old Art of War copy on my desk and the thing has almost fallen apart from wear.

 

This was well earned. Stickied.

 

Well done!

 

Thanks!

 

perfect man well done!