Card Quest – Hunter Class Dark Elf Build

This guide is for an highly efficient Hunter class build for Card Quest using fairy powers. With this particular build players can wipe the three primary levels of the game. It was designed to increase card draws and keep attacks high. Damage is quick and effective for all enemy types.

Overview

Please note: all credit goes to Deaf Sparrow !

The purpose of this guide is to help new players learn the basics of the Hunter class in Card Quest in order to provide them with an easy playthrough. Unlike the other class builds I created, this one is difficult to put together, but only because the Hunter class, by itself, is the most difficult class to familiarize yourself with in the entire game.

I call this build the “dark elf” because it uses fairy powers primarily, tweaked with a sinister poison attack system. Navigate this guide to see how it works and try it yourself! Note that two cards are provided at the start of the game and are not particular to any of the sets described. They will be explained in the how to play section of this guide.

Card Selection (Style: Fey School)

The following is the selection of cards you should have prepared using Fey School. I will explain how each card works in detail below.

Fey School

The Fey School is unlocked at level 7. Though the Hunter class is difficult to learn, you should find it rather easy to get this feature for your character. Note, however, the Fey School is practically worthless without the other components I will describe in this guide, with the exception of the Fairy Bow (see separate section of this guide). You will likely not use it at all until you gather the items you need to complete the Dark Elf build. Fey School features three cards, described below starting from the leftmost card in the image above.

  1. Phase Shift – Until you understand how Fey School works, this card is totally useless. Phase Shift is great because it can dodge any attack, similar to cards found in other classes (such as Precognition in the Fighter class), but, unfortunately, it comes at a high energy point cost and has no reduction in cost in a CHAIN. It generates 1 fey magic point per use and 1 card per use in a CHAIN, but this does not erase the fact that it is costly when you first get these cards. Considering some enemies have more than one attack in a single turn, you will find it impossible to store enough of these to stop taking damage. When the build is complete, however, this card is indispensable, because when you enter the “fairy realm” it only costs 1 energy point (see the final section of this guide for more information).
  2. Faery Jump – This card is good for defense, but only when it is part of a CHAIN. By itself it costs far too much at 2 fey magic points and 6 energy points. Further, if you were to use this on the first enemy in a line, the others can leap or phase to you to attack (if they possess that ability), or if not slower will simply step back up towards you. In a CHAIN it costs 2 fey magic points and 4 energy points, but it adds a second turn of DISTANCE to enemies and draws 1 card. This still does not avoid enemies who can leap or phase up to you on their turn, please note. Whether or not it is part of a CHAIN it will generate 1 fey turn per card used.
  3. Faery Dust – This card would be OP if it could be used for attack or defense, but note, as it states, it is MELEE only and cannot be used for anything but attack. It is best to use this card when enemies are close because it will make any enemy that can be effected UNAWARE for 1 turn and WEAKENED for 2. It also draws 1 card if not part of a CHAIN. When CHAINED it costs 2 energy points less and draws an additional card for a total of 2 cards. Whether or not it is part of a CHAIN it will generate 1 fey magic point per card used. This effect occurs whether or not enemies are close to you but note that if enemies are DISTANT the UNAWARE and WEAKENED effects will not occur!

Card Selection (Primary: Fairy Bow)

The following is the selection of cards at your disposal using the Fairy Bow as your primary.

Fairy Bow

The Fairy Bow is unlocked in the Enchanted Forest after completing the Forgotten Ruins battle (second battle in the top row after choosing the upper path). This is one of the most difficult components to get for the Dark Elf build because you will likely be working with various build attempts at this point in the game. This battle is also difficult because of the large number of Forgotten Warrior adds dropped by the Fairy Stones. Once you complete this battle you get this critical bow, which is required for any Fey School build to work. It features only 2 cards but both are critical. I will discuss them below starting from the card on the left.

  1. Phase Shot – This card deals a base 4 points of damage when not part of a CHAIN, but it also ignores armor and draws 1 card. It may seem costly at 3 energy points, but when you use it in a series of cards it only costs 1 energy point. In either case it costs 1 arrow, and the arrows are important for any Hunter class build so pay attention to them! The strong feature of Phase Shot for the Dark Elf build is it draws 1 card whether or not it is part of a CHAIN. Thus, in an attack chain it is best to start with this one so you keep your draw rate high. In a CHAIN it also deals 1 less damage point, note, but this is negligible.
  2. Fairy Shot – Like Phase Shot the cost of Fairy Shot is 3 energy points at first, but in a CHAIN it only costs 2. Outside of a CHAIN it deals 6 damage points, but in a CHAIN it is reduced to 4 but draws 1 card as well. The most important feature of this card, however, is that it generates 1 fey magic point per card used, which will keep that aspect of this build stable. Like Phase Shot it only it only costs 1 arrow to use.

Card Selection (Secondary: Mushroom Quiver)

The following is the selection of cards you should have prepared for your Secondary set. I will explain how each card works in detail below.

Mushroom Quiver

The Mushroom Quiver is unlocked in the Fallen City battle of the Dwarven Mountains level (the last battle in the middle row right before the final boss). At this point you will have the Dwarven Quiver, which will make this battle easy, but the Mushroom Quiver will only see full effectiveness with the other components of this build so you will not likely use it until you get the Fairy Bow. This little build tweak is why I call this the Dark Elf. The cards are described below in detail starting from the leftmost card in the image above.

  1. Recover Arrows – Every quiver card set for the Hunter class has a Recover Arrows card, but the one in the Mushroom Quiver in particular costs the least out of any of them. This is important, because your arrows are needed for most of your attacks (other than Faery Dust, see Style: Fey School in this guide for more information). Using this cards gives you back 4 arrows (but not over your current total capacity) and draws 2 cards. All Recover Arrows cards do the same thing, but because the Mushroom Quiver Recover Arrows cards cost less, and at only 2 energy points in a CHAIN, it is more valuable. Unfortunately, I found this Secondary useless for most other builds. Note that as with any other Recover Arrows card from any quiver type, it is a CHAINBREAKER.
  2. Corrosive Arrow – I attempted different poison configurations with the Hunter class, but this card is the only one that works across the board. The reason for this is certain enemies, like statue types, are UNAFFECTED by poison. Corrosive Arrow, however, deals out a different type of poison damage that affects anything it hits and it also reduces enemy armor by 2 defense points per target successfully hit. Though the poison damage is low at only 1 damage point per turn for 4 turns, it can be STACKED. When first used this card draws 1 additional card but in a CHAIN it does not draw a card. You will see how to exploit this when I explain how to use the Dark Elf build in the final section of this guide. NOTE the recover 1 arrow feature of this card, as well as the next card, appears to be bugged in the current version of Card Quest.
  3. Spore Arrow – The functions of this card are the same as Corrosive Arrow with the exception that it also makes 3 enemies UNAWARE for a single turn. Note that if an enemy is AWARE and can dodge they will dodge this attack. The important detail, however, is that the three enemies include the primary target and a target on each side. This means if you use this card to strike an enemy on the far left or right, only 1 additional enemy will see the effects. It thus works in a chain of 3 enemies that are next to each other. If you have enemies with DODGE this card can get rid of it, but it is most effective when they are already UNAWARE because you can continue this status by striking them with a Spore Arrow. The chain feature is the same as Corrosive Arrow and the recovery of 1 arrow also appears to be broken in the current version of this game.

Armor: Brigand Coat

The Brigand Coat is received later in the game in the third level, the Enchanted Forest. It is acquired after successfully completing the Bog battle, which is the first battle in the bottom row after taking the lower path. Like the Archer Mail it increases your health, but only by 2 points instead of 6. It can also grant 1 arrow in a bind and is a CHAINBREAKER when this feature is used. Since the Archer Mail grants 2 arrows in the same way, you may wonder why I prefer this one, but the answer is simple. The Archer Mail reduces your energy points by 2 and those 2 points can make a huge different in the end game as the Hunter class. Technically you can use it, but I found the Brigand Coat more effective in the long run.

Trinket: Wind Charm

I wrestled with the most useful trinket for the Hunter class for awhile, but eventually realized this is likely the best for the class regardless of what build you use. It is acquired after successfully completing the Harpy Nest battle in the Dwarven Mountains level (the second battle in the top row after you have chosen the upper path). When used, the Wind Charm increases the damage of your attacks by 2 damage points and reduces their cost by 3 energy points. It also draws a single card, which is not indicated in the box when you select it. Since it 1 use can be fully recharged in a single encounter, you will find yourself using the Wind Charm for every encounter in every battle.

Bag: Fairy Companion

It took awhile until I was sold on the Fairy Companion. You will, as I, likely find the Bear Traps, Landmines, or Net more useful for the earlier battles in each level, but eventually this is what you need for the Dark Elf build. It is acquired after completing the Troll Thicket battle in the Enchanted Forest, which is the first battle in the upper row after you have taken the upper path. It provides 1 fey magic point per encounter, weakens 1 random target at the start of an encounter, and can be used once per encounter to give you 1 health point and 2 fey magic points. The most important feature, however, is that the Fairy Companion detects all hidden enemies at the start of every encounter. This enables you to avoid selecting that feature for your character to make them more powerful, and the fey magic the Fairy Companion generates is a boost to this build. Note, however, that it takes 2 full encounters to recharge its single use, though its other effects will remain active.

Playing the Dark Elf Build

Now that you know how to set the build, let me explain the basics. If possible, I will add a video later showing you examples of the build in action. The Dark Elf does less damage than my Rogue class build or my Wizard build (see separate guides), but regardless can easily wipe an entire mob of enemies in 1 or 2 turns because of its rapid card draw rate and poison effects. Note that two cards shown near the bottom are provided naturally with any Wizard card set you use. They are not particular to any Style, Primary, or Secondary set.

How to Use Your Card Deck

I have organized each explanation below based on how they were introduced earlier in this guide. Following all of the card sections below is a section describing how to pull it all together.

Once you have all the necessary components, you will find the Dark Elf builds flows extremely well. Phase Shift, as discussed earlier in this guide, has a high cost. However, once you are in the “Fairy Realm” (see the How to Play section further below) and keep your fey magic points at at least 6 when you enter the enemy’s attack phase, Phase Shift only costs 1 energy point. Practically nothing. Since it draws so often this gives you great defense. Faery Jump can be limited in use since it does not provide the status of UNAWARE by itself. This status will remain for enemies if they are already in it, but it does not provide that alone. It can be used to keep your fey magic up and draw more cards to keep the cycle going, however, but I found it less effective than you might think because DISTANCE does not change this build’s damage like the Arcane Crossbow can (for example). Fairy Dust can also keep your fey magic points high and when enemies are close gives that nice touch of UNAWARE so you can deal further damage to them. If you have enemies that cannot close distance, using this before Faery Jump is highly effective, but like it you can use it at a DISTANCE and still receive its effects, other than UNAWARE because enemies are too far away.

The Fairy Bow is self-explanatory in terms of how it is used. This is your primary line of attack. It is always best to use Phase Shot first because it can start your CHAIN and draws a card even if not in a CHAIN, keeping your draw rate consistent. Then, you can start using Fairy Shot more effectively because it will then cost less and draw a card. Remember that Fairy Shot does not draw a card unless part of a CHAIN but it is perfectly fine to start with it if you have no other shot handy.

The Mushroom Quiver is the Ace of Spades for the Dark Elf build and why I give it that name. At first I found this quiver pointless, but when I combined it with the other components of this build I realized how powerful it can be. First off, its particular Recover Arrows card is cheap in comparison to other decks, though it functions the same way. But the Corrosive and Spore Arrow cards are where it gets its power. As I mentioned earlier in the guide, the poison effects work on any enemy, regardless if living or not. Fairy Stones, for example, are not affected by regular poison, but the Corrosive Arrow will damage them over time. The Spore Arrow card’s UNAWARE effect is also useful because you can keep a cycle of the status on targets as you wear down their health. I will explain this more further below.

These cards exist within the other classes as well. Concentration provides 2 energy points and draws 3 cards. Inner Strength draws only 1 card, but provides 5 energy points. With the rapid card draw rate of this build, you will see them appear frequently to keep your energy points high. Both are CHAINBREAKER cards, please note, but because of how often you will be drawing more cards through using cards such as Phase Shift you should find your energy points stabilize rapidly. They also can only be used in attack phases, not during defense.

To How Play the Dark Elf Build

If it was not for how difficult the Hunter class is in general and how long it will take you to get all of the components mentioned here, the Dark Elf build is my favorite out of all those I created and in the end-game I have found it unstoppable. One of the key tricks to learn is how to exploit card draw mechanics. Note any card or item that works as a CHAINBREAKER. What you need to do is use those cards to break a chain to start a new chain. The Corrosive Arrow and Spore Arrow cards are primarily where this detail comes into play.

When you use one of those cards, though they cost 0 energy points, they create a chain so no more cards are drawn when you use another Corrosive or Spore Arrow card. However, if you enact a CHAINBREAKER card such as Recover Arrows, when you use either Corrosive or Spore Arrow this will draw a single card and start a chain again at no energy point cost to you. With this method you can keep the draw rate high, your arrow level stable, and your energy points high.

If you pay attention to how you keep the UNAWARE status active for various enemies you can often wipe an entire enemy swarm in 1 or 2 turns with the Dark Elf, but this is really only possible through keeping your fey magic points high, which is where the “elf” part of this build comes in using fairy powers. Your Fairy Dust and Fairy Shot cards keeps fey magic active during attack (rely on the shot primarily, however), and your Phase Shift and Faery Jump cards keep fey magic active during defense. When your fey magic points reach at least 4 your Hunter will enter the “fairy realm” where damage is higher and your defense cards cost less.

This makes Phase Shift cost only 1 energy point and makes you almost totally unstrikable when the enemy’s attack phase begins. So while you learn how to attack keeping that fey magic active is key. Constantly utilize CHAINBREAKER cards so draw rate is high, juggling with the arrow cards to start new chains and more card draws. Once you see how it works you should find it easy. Any questions or suggestions for this guide, let me know and enjoy!

Volodymyr Azimoff
About Volodymyr Azimoff 15052 Articles
I love games and I live games. Video games are my passion, my hobby and my job. My experience with games started back in 1994 with the Metal Mutant game on ZX Spectrum computer. And since then, I’ve been playing on anything from consoles, to mobile devices.

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