End game strategy tips?

[vilhazarog]

Can a vet share some general tips for the end game? Strategy changes quite a bit once players are both under 5... I don't seem to do well here. I often find myself surrendering because I can see my unstoppable demise in the next two turns. Most of my wins come from when I'm above five and my opponent isn't.

[Slartucker]

The main thing is, obviously, that direct damage is now very important, disruptions may or may not be relevant, and longer or more complex chains of spells are usually out of the question. Of course, implications expand out from that in every direction. This is the opposite of the early and midgame, where disruptions are often the most important consideration and WFP and WPFD and storms are almost never good options. Monsters are still good, but summoning them is generally useless as your opponent will just hit you with wounds the turn you summon. Summons do end in W though so if you happen to have the spellflow, they are good options.

WPFD is arguably the most important spell in the endgame. At least, in many games it is. When both players are throwing Ws WPFD can take control of the spellflow and sometimes even lead to a kill. I'd say over 50% of my kills of others come from WPFD, and the bulk of my deaths, which are from early in my career, came from endgame messups, often delivered via WPFD. WP beats WW, in other words.

Often a simple setup like WP/xW can force a win through. If your opponent defends, they become vulnerable to dummies like WPFWFP, and if they don't defend, they can die. WD (for clap) is not usually a good idea in close games unless you have a way of forcing it through.

Clapping cW generally means handing your opponent the game. Successfully landing PSDF is generally a win. DPP isn't, though it will work that way against mediocre players. PSDF is generally the longest spell you can use without giving your opponent a game-winning opening.

Also, don't forget to take the possibility of stray but fatal stabs into account.

[asgardian]

When your opponent is down to 5, other than what has been suggested already, I recently learned (the hard way) this combo: DPP/WDDc, it's pretty sweet if you can time it right. This combo is also very useful to keep in mind when you are in a dead lock stand off (both around 2-3 health).

If you have at least 6 health left, then by all means consider invis + storm, it's especially good if your opponent is too dumb to notice it, or at least you can fake it a little just to scare the crap out of them for fun (I mean to gain momentum).

Of course when your opponent is down to 4, then the fastest way is to do WFP/WFP, you surrender in the last turn, but if your opponent dies in that turn, you still wins!

These moves will not land you any win againts the best players while they are not drunk, but at least you know what they might do to completely destroy you.

[Dubber]

Aside from all the specifics, the most important thing to keep in mind is "don't get killed". When I lose sight of this, generally I die