The Gate Cards
Before you sit down to
play Bakugan, you'll need to choose 3 Gate cards
to go along with your 3 Ability cards. There are lots of ways to choose
your Gate cards, but you'll need to remember to pick just one of each
of the three colors (just like you did with your Ability cards). There
are lots of different strategies in putting together your choice of
Gate cards, and I'll be going into specific strategies in following
articles. Here I want to give you a brief overview of the differences
in the types of cards, what makes them special and some quick tips that
will get you on your way.
Basics: There are two things to look at
when you pick
a Gate card. The first is the attribute bonuses and the second is the
special ability. The attribute bonuses are the numbers that appear with
the various attribute icons (Pyrus, Aquos, etc...). This value will be
added to the Bakugan's G-Power when in a battle on the card, so you'll
want to try to pick Gate cards that have high values for the attributes
that match the attributes of the Bakugan you are playing. The special
powers take more time to figure out - some are simple, and some are
down right wacky! Here is a quick look at the various types.
Silver: These are the most basic Gate
cards, in fact
most don't even have a special ability! Best bet here is to pick one
that gives your Bakugan the highest bonus possible here. It's probably
not a good choice to use Fire Pit which only gives big bonuses to Pyrus
and Aquos if all your Bakugan are Darkus!
On Silver cards in
particular, but others as well, you'll want to not
just pick one that has a high bonus for your Bakugan, but one that
provides very small bonuses for other attributes so that the card is
unlikely to be helpful to your opponent.
Gold: The Gold cards focus a lot on
specific Bakugan shapes. If you choose one of these cards, like
Terrorclaw, you'll obviously want to include at least one Terrorclaw
Bakugan
when you play! Most of these cards allow the matching Bakugan to get
the attribute bonus from this card two times instead of just once. Some
other cards like Gorem are more tricky. These cards are fun to use,
particularly if you are using two or three Bakugan of the matching
type!
There are a few other
types of abilities on Gold cards as well, and
they can be very powerful if used correctly. For instance, the card
Lighnting Storm
gives all Aquos, Haos, and Ventus Bakugan +50 G-Power once the Gate
card is put into any player's used pile, which usually happens after a
battle ends. This card is great if you are using Aquos, Haos, and
Ventus Bakugan, but you'll want to play this Gate card early in the
game so that you get the bonus for the longest amount of time. The only
downside is that if your opponent is playing Bakugan of those
attributes as well, then they will get the bonus too!
Copper: Copper cards are the trickiest
cards to pick,
but they are also devastating when used correctly. Many of the cards
completely change what the battle is all about and can mess with your
opponent's strategy big time. For instance, the card G-Power Exchange
swaps the printed G-Power of the Bakugan at the start of the battle!
Imagine the look on your opponent's face when his 500 point Bakugan
swaps G-Power with your 300 point Bakugan!
Some of these cards are
really tricky to use to maximum effect
and require some planning, but if the situation comes up, you can
totally shut your opponent down. For instance, let's say that you've
played all of your Ability cards already in order to win two early
battles. Your opponent hasn't played any Ability cards and is clearly
waiting until later so that he can dominate you at the end of the game.
Just as he's ready to turn the juice on, he finds himself fighting a
battle on the card Stand Off
which doesn't allow players to play Ability cards! You easily win that
battle and the game ends while your opponent is left holding a hand
full of unused Ability cards!
Chosing the right Gate
cards is just as important as choosing
the right Ability cards and Bakugan. As you play more, you'll find all
sorts of hidden combos that can add real power to your game. You can
spend a lot of time studying the cards, but I find the best way to find
out what works for you is to play the game a lot and try different
cards to see how they work. Be patient if you lose some battles while
you try to find the best cards for you - every game is a chance to get
a step closer to being the best Bakugan player around!
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