In my last post, we talked about two different kinds of strategy you’ll find in games. You might have noticed that I used simple card games as examples to demonstrate the difference between Deductive strategy and Executive strategy. This conversation needs to go a step further though; Deduction and Execution are far from mutually exclusive. Strategy games with a good blend of these create a stronger, more memorable experience. They simply have more staying power among their target audience because they are that much more engaging.

Citadels and Magic: The Gathering (MTG) are both games that combine Deduction and Execution to varying degrees using several mechanics to emphasize each type of strategy.

Citadels’ primary strategic mechanic is based on deducing which character your opponents secretly choose. However, the backbone of the game is a simple econ/building Execution game. The two parts compliment one another to create an engaging, cohesive game. Players can imagine themselves as renowned builders who strive to create the largest, most impressive city in the land. That line would get players interested all on its own! Once you sit down to the table to play, the “meat” of the gameplay comes from the deductive drafting mechanics. This is readily apparent, as players spend 80% of the game time in this phase. If it was simply deductive strategy, the game would have no appeal for players who just want to relax and have a good time without much thinking. The simplistic Executive strategy gives players another shiny mechanic to focus on, allowing them to participate in the game with their friends, and maybe even succeed while playing the game in their own way.

MTG, on the other hand, is a game about strategic Execution.

Which land should I play on turn 1? What does that signal to my opponent?

Which creature should I hit with this Spell?

How should I declare blockers?

Is this Creature more important than the 10 points of damage I would take if I choose not to Block with it?

These are common strategic questions that players will face in every game. This type of thinking is primarily execution but more experienced players will use deduction to inform their executive actions. The Deduction is based on the metagame, bolstered by your knowledge of the card pool, and can change drastically with the set up of each “format.” It’s a double-edged sword: as you dig deeper into the game, you can explore more interesting strategy. However, when you are first starting off, you are completely cut out from the deduction strategy.

The importance of each strategy changes every time these games are played. Modifying the setup, implementing small tweaks to the rule set, or creating formal out-of-game structure (like a tournament bracket) will change the experience and thus the type of strategy that players focus on. These games are deep and multifaceted. They create dynamic play that broadens the type of experience you get out of the box. What else do Citadels & MTG have in common? Wide audience appeal!

Tali Judo offers both a Deduction phase (Drafting) and an Execution phase (Playing), tying everything together with a unique win condition.

Each round of play in Tali Judo has two distinct phases: the Play phase & the Drafting phase. During the Play phase, players take turns choosing how to execute the action on their card (called an “effect”). Throughout development, every card effect has been kept simple: I want players to be able to read the effect and know the exact outcome after playing it. However, deciding how to use the effect isn’t as straightforward; you can see what the other players will have at their disposal for this round too. Everyone has just revealed their cards and you see their effects: you know your limitations are, you know your ally/opponents’ capabilities… how do you proceed?

The card effects, board state, and win condition are so malleable that each round is filled with delicious tension. This is elegant execution at its finest; accessible to all players during their first play through yet still engaging for people on their 50th game.

The Drafting phase actually comes before the Play phase. Each player chooses a card that they will use for this round. All of the cards they did not choose will be passed to an opponent the next round! This phase asks you to weigh what you want to utilize now against what you do not want your opponent to utilize later. The same 40 cards make up the deck for every game so you can deduce what cards your ally and your opponents will want to play for the upcoming Play phase. In fact, there are card effects specifically designed to reward this deductive thinking, i.e. Resonate:

It gets really interesting when the importance of deduction and execution is dynamic and changes with each game!

No matter what type of strategy gamer you are, we believe Tali Judo will offer something for you and your friends!

As always, please comment or send me a message if theres a topic you want me to discuss, you have any questions about the game, or if you see a typo!