Message:
"The Engine" showed up to play along with the "Barracuda" and the "Giant Slayer".
We're reached the point where we knew the cards well enough that if we see a good card early, we would take it for payoff later.
The game stared slow. I was chipping a few victory points every round. The game is to 60 points and I had accumulated maybe 15 points.
That's normal. Slow at the beginning.
I lucked out when the "Giant Slayer" plinked "The Engine" early rather than hitting me. It was small points but delayed the engine.
They let me pick up the "Succubus" when it looked like I couldn't play it. I tucked it in my hand and waited. Waited indeed.
"Barracuda" made some noise but miscalculated and spent time reading the rules trying to find the out which was not there. Still formidable but distracted.
I picked up the low value "Goblin" and "Forest Sprite" over a high value Dragon and "Hestia" card which was painful for me to let go. But, I had an angle.
The "Balog" dropped when I was first player and I snatched it up.
"The Engine" knew it was doom and congratulated me. No one else at the table understood.
I sprung the trap in round 6. First 10 points than 20 points and an additional 9 in the recovery phase. It was unstoppable.
There was one moment in the 7th round when a dragon appeared which could breach the engine but no one noticed.
29 more.
But, to do so, I had to leave treats out for "The Engine" and ... he wisely took them.
A discussion on the rules as a point of a broken combo was raised. "The Engine" dropped his 1 cost "Boreas" with immediate recovery. Surely, this was not meant to be possible.
It was ... he rocked it with a 70 point turn. Did I miscalculate?
Maybe, that was a drubbing. But, my recovery phase, netted me 14 points and the win by a point.
The other two players were flummoxed.
The combo was how the kids say "OP" but was in the rules. Further, even as OP as it was, it was not enough to win.
I went on line and looked it up to make sure our understanding was correct. It was:
https://valeofeternity.wiki.gg/wiki/All_Cards
The short of it was "Hey Dummy, don't let your opponent get that combination ... what are you a dummy?"
After maybe 15 plays, I finally calmed my excitement and started playing with focus. Yea, it's nice to win at times but more important to not be a spaz.
But, clearly, when I went to the site on the game, there are players playing on another level. Any of 6 or 8 easy ways to stop both of us. I am humbled.
Still a great game.
Yours,
IronConrad
02-Apr-2026