Axie Infinity isn’t just a card game. It has mechanisc of both turn-based games and strategy games, like chess, your moves need to be precise since mistakes here can often lead to a fatal error. Yes, Axie Infinity can be pay-to-win since more expensive Axies can often win matchups, however, that is not always the case. Even well combined floor axies (near the bottom price), can do well in the arena. With careful observation, you can best top-tier opponents even with a low-tier team. In this article, let’s talk about how can you improve your Arena gameplay and make the best out of your Axies.
Know the Matchups
Similar to other games, Axies have their own classes, the Support/Damage class, Bird 
, Aqua 
, Dawn 
, the Damage/Tank class, Beast 
, Mech 
, Bug 
, and the Tank/Support class, Plant 
, Reptile 
, Dusk 
. Each class have their own strengths and weaknesses, think of it like rock, scissors, paper. For example, the Support/Damage class deals more damage when attacking the Damage/Tank class, however, they deal less damage versus the Tank/Support class. In addition, the Damage/Tank class is stronger than the Tank/Support class and weak against the Support/Damage class. And lastly, the Tank/Support class is stronger than the Support/Damage class but weaker against the Damage/Tank class.
Knowing the matchup gives you a significant advantage. Sometimes, just by looking at the matchup, you can tell if you can be aggressive or just play defensive. It can also dictate the outcome of the match, there are games where you feel it’s an easy win, there are also games where you feel lost already. Though that should not stop you from studying your opponent’s Axie. Learning the Axie Class Cycle increases your win probability, though that is not always the case. Since some Axies are crossbreed, meaning that they might have cards from a different class, so better watch out for that.
Familiarized Yourself with ALL Cards
There are over 132 cards in the Axieverse, I know that’s a lot to remember and you don’t have to memorize all of them. Just familiarize yourself, you see, every card seems unique, however, they have a lot of similarities there are cards that gain energy, there are burst damage types, there are heals, stuns, etc. You can do this in-game, just hover over your opponent’s Axie and click it, you will be able to identify your opponents’ card, what to look out for. Knowing all of this can get you out of trouble especially cards that could steal or destroy energies, those are cards to look out for. There are also cards that synchronize with each other, these are combo cards, prolific with Beast Axies. There are also cards that make Axies jump, cards like the Dark Swoop, Chitin Jump, Smart Shot can easily kill your back, and mid-Axie, destroying any plans that you have. Other cards to look out for are poison cards, Gas Unleash, Barb Strike, Venom Spray could poison your Axies, dealing damage over time (stackable). Another way to remember cards is by how it looks on the Axie! Certain Axie parts are very distinct and you can tell what the card is by just looking. These are just examples of teams that you might face in your Arena journey, of course, your own team will have combos and execution, make the best out of it.
Count your Opponent’s Energy
Though the first two tips are easy to understand, however, counting energy is a bit complex and may take a bit of practice. When a battle begins, both you and your opponent start with 3 energy. Energy is what you need to be able to play a card, most cards require 1 energy to play, however, some cards don’t require energy at all (zero cost). After every round, players will be granted 2 energies, this is where you begin the counting.
Memorize the following cards below, these are the cards that when played right by your opponent, could add energy to his arsenal.
You see most of the time, your opponent will not just attack all of the time, sometimes they will end the turn phase without playing a card (pass). Also, some of the opponents you will face might use a card that gains or steal energy, that is why it is very crucial to follow every card he/she plays. For example, in the first round, both of you and your opponent have 3 energy, you pass or did not play a card, then your opponent played two Vegetal Bite cards, he/she used two of the three energies he/she has and gained them back, because Vegetal Bite could steal your energy, so when round two comes he/she will have 5 energies, while you will have 3. Why five? 3 energy at the start of the battle, you passed, he used 2 Vegetal Bite, stole your 2 energy, now he has 3, end of the round, plus two energies to the both of you, that makes his/her energy 5, while you only have 3 because of the stolen 2.
It is very important to follow your opponent’s energy especially in rounds 1 – 3, as these are the preparation rounds. If you count them correctly you will be able to predict the moves he/she is going to make. One tip to be able to follow the counting is to get a pen and paper and list every moves your opponent makes, this includes how much energy did he/she gained, stolen, how much energy did he/she use. By adding all of these things, you will be able to do your counting correctly, (note is that cards that steal energy won’t work if there is no energy to steal), so if you’re playing with these kinds of opponents, use your energies efficiently, in that way they can’t steal anything from you. Another thing to help you count is that every energy gained or stolen will be indicated when the card is playing. You will be able to see an Energy Destroy or Energy Gained indicator, as seen in the picture below.
Of course, you can also use cards that steal or gain energy to your advantage, you can use this to control and manipulate your enemy’s energy count.
For an in-depth energy counting tutorial, you can watch this video by Chomp Squad Axie Infinity.
Count Your Opponents Card
Similar to energy counting, card counting is a bit complex, even though you already have an indicator in-game of how many cards your opponents have. Card counting does not only include how many cards your opponent has, it also includes what cards he/she already used or what cards he/she has not played yet. In a battle, both you and your opponent are given a 24 card deck (randomly arranged) to play, all of your Axies have 12 cards, so 12×2 is what makes the 24 card deck. Meaning that you and your opponent might draw cards that are the same. For example, you already got your Vegetal Bite card, it is only possible that on the next round of card draw, you will have Vegetal BIte again, in short, you will be able to draw all your cards 2x (assuming that all your Axies are alive). If the deck is finished, you will be given again a 24 card deck (randomly arranged). Also, when an Axie died, that Axies’ cards are removed from the deck, every time an Axie died, card counts become smaller and smaller. Every time a battle begins, each player is given 6 cards to play within the first round. At every start of the round, you will be given 3 cards, though, that is not always the case, since there are cards that can draw cards when played right could add more cards to your opponent.
Here are the cards that allow players to draw cards from the deck when played correctly.
You can also lessen your opponent’s hand card when you played these cards.
On the top right of the in-game screen, you can see your opponent’s number of cards at the end of each round. This could help you indicate how many cards your opponent is holding right now. Note that at every start of the rounds, both you and your opponent will gain 3 random cards from the deck. If your opponent played a card that draws a card, it will be added automatically to the numbers of your opponents’ cards, this will also apply when you played discard at your opponent.
Counting your opponent’s card is a very helpful way to improve your game, as this can get you away from troublesome situations. You knowing what your opponent’s played, or what card he/she hasn’t played yet can give you a variety of options on what to play.
For an in-depth card counting tutorial, you can watch this video by nosebleed gaming.
Play Smart
Now that you know how to save cards and energy efficiently, now you have the use them correctly. If you watch a high MMR game, you will notice that players are patient, and would always wait for the right moment to attack. Yes, there are certain matches that are unwinnable, however, there are also matches where you feel like a winner, then suddenly you lose. In Axie, always expect the worst, do not underestimate your opponent, now what do I mean by this, for example, your opponent plant’s HP is below 300, you assumed that you can kill it by using 3 cards, then the plant shielded up, and you weren’t able to kill it with that 3 cards, now your plan is altered because you underestimate. Instances like this can cause you the game, even if the game is heavily in your favor. Treat every match equally, play safe, play smart.
Utilize Your Tank/Support Axie
In the lower MMR tier, the Tank/Support (TS) Axie is just there to take the first wave of damage. Yes, that is true, even in some high MMR gameplay, however, you can always utilize your Tank/Support Axie and get the best out of it. TS Axies is a nuisance if used correctly, their high defensive capability can alter the course of the game. Similar to what I have said earlier, they can survive if underestimated. There are a lot of helpful cards TS Axies have, and I think they are the most versatile kind of Axies. They can inflict lots of damage, take a lot of damage, heal, steal energy, gain energy, etc. Utilizing them to their full potential not only gives you a good game but also gives you a chance to win even if the odds are against your favor.
Take the L and Move On
Just like any other game, Axie is a game where you are bound to lose. Losing is part of Axie’s gameplay, no matter how good you are, no matter how expensive your Axies are. Since Axie is also a card game, there comes a time where you will have a bad draw, bad cards causing you to lose the game. However this loss should not linger in you, the more it stays, the more you think about that loss, the more it will affect your gameplay. If you do not move on, that loss can turn into a streak, so yeah, the best way to deal with that is to move on and focus on your next game. Your defeated games can also be a way to improve your gameplay, you can always watch your games on the Battlelog, this is a great feature from Axie Infinity as you can always see the replays of your games. Study it, what are your shortcomings, learn from it.
Watch Gameplay Videos
One of the best ways to improve your gameplay is to watch other people play. Not only to watch streamers or Youtubers that have similar Axie to yours, but to watch what’s worth your time. There are a lot of great streamers and Youtubers who give excellent explanations when playing, by this, you will be able to know how to play certain matchups. Watching also makes you familiarize yourself with certain teams, you see, as your rank gets higher the teams that you face become more and more unusual. You might face triple plant teams, triple beasts, different meta teams, that are really strong. To be able to watch good Axie content not only can improve your gameplay, but also gives you a wide understanding of how Axie Infinity should be played.
Here are some of the Axie Infinity Content Creators that could help you improve your gameplay.
