Trials of Fire is a unique game that combines both roguelike card mechanics and tactics-based play.
As you play and unlock the nine different hero classes, you’ll start to see new mechanics unfold.
Types of Units
There are 4 major types of units that exist in the game. There will of course be some enemies, especially bosses that deviate from these standard classifications.
Units tend to exist on a spectrum. These 4 major axes are Melee, Ranged, Magic, and Utility.
- Melee units are typically bruisers who have strong mobility, very strong defence, and strong melee damage potential. They have cards to get into melee range and survive there dishing out damage to adjacent enemies. Melee units often benefit from multiple attacks as they can combo strike when surrounding enemies.
- Archers tend to have fairy poor defence, average movement, and solid ranged damage potential. They typically hit less often but for larger hits.
- Mages, in terms of enemies, generally tend to be elites. Some magic can hit anywhere on the map, other magic will be medium to short range and often hits multiple targets. Mages often have poor defence, and very strong disengage options in terms of mobility.
- The Utility axis focuses on buffing allies, hindering enemies, or causing harmful effects.
Most enemies you’ll face tend to be on a spectrum between bruisers and archers. Generally enemy bruisers will be pure bruisers that have no ranged capability.
Enemy archers tend to lean more into a mix between archers and bruisers. They will generally attempt to act like pure archers, but they can perform well enough in a melee brawl if they need to.
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Trails of Fire Hero Classes
Below we discuss the Trials of Fire Hero classes and what their base kit can bring to a party. Of course these can be changed and augmented through the use of items, but let’s focus on their strengths and base deck.
Alchemist
Ranged damage dealer. Master of chaos and random effects, but results can be unpredictable
Tinker: At the start of your turn, Upgrade a random card in hand.
Primarily a ranged unit however he can provide some minor support. Additionally, he tends to play more like an archer mage hybrid rather than a pure archer.
Due to their ‘Choose a card’ mechanics they can be very unpredictable and from turn to turn they can jump around the spectrum at random. Easily the most volatile class.
When creating new cards, they’re sometimes given the options to be more supportive. You talent will also mean it can be worth holding cards you’ve created for an extra turn so it can have a chance to be upgraded.
Assassin
Versatile damage dealer. Specialises in stealth and taking out single targets quickly.
Flurry: The first time you play an Attack card each turn, draw a card.
A strong set of Melee and Ranged abilities, the Assassin excels when able to jump into a flanking position and get off combo attacks. Can still be played as a stealthy archer though, hanging around the edge of battles and building up big stealth numbers for larger attacks.
Assassins tend to hang around just out of enemy reach throwing pot shots at them until they can safely rush in for a kill. While a Warrior or Warlord doesn’t mind being surrounded, the Assassin is looking to flank enemies and catch them alone.
Noth blinding flash and smoke bomb can provide exactly the kind of utility your party needs if the scenario is appropriate.
Elementalist
Elemental spell caster. Excellent at dealing damage to multiple enemies at one – if positioned correctly.
Powerful: The first card you play each turn costs -1 Willpower.
A generalist class with a minor focus in Area of Effect (AoE) magic attacks and a major focus in mid-range generalist.
With the base set of cards, the Elementalist starts focused on mid-range AoE magic damage, however she can evolve into a utility or long-rage damage role. Some cards seem to hint at a melee option such as Draining Strike but her defence is quite low making her a unlikely front line.
The Elementalist excels at putting status effects on enemies which can often pair well controlling the battlefield and dealing ongoing damage.
Hunter
Deals damage from afar. Uses Ranged Attacks or summoned pets to take down enemies before they can pose a threat to the party.
Lethal: You first attack on a single target each turn deals +2 Damage.
The hunter generally plays like a true archer who wants to keep a bit of distance between himself and enemies’ units. The Hunter likes to accrue damage buffs and perform a few big hits.
Some of his shots provide a little bit of utility such as providing defence, pinning targets or exposing them.
There is also support for a summoner build in his upgrades and level up options, though this is a very specific build to go for.
Occultist
Communes with otherworldly powers to deal damage or buff your party. Beware though, such power always comes with a price.
Convert: The first time each turn that you play a non-movement, non-power card that effects one or more friendly Hereos, one of those Heroes draws a card.
A utility and magic damage dealer. The occultist often does damage or inflicts status effects at a cost of health or negative effects on themselves.
Warlord
Melee support character. Buffs up the team and is particularly effective when close to the enemy.
Herald: The first time you play a card each turn, gain 1 Willpower.
The warlord’s basic class cards push her into a pure support character. Her equipment slots will push her into a front-line bruiser role.
While she starts off as a utility character good at buffing others, over time she’ll gain more capacity to defend herself and other units.
Generally, she plays as a weak bruiser with solid support capabilities.
Warrior
Fierce front line fighter. Specialises in dealing Melee Damage and defending against incoming attacks.
Taunt: Once per turn, after you play a card and are adjacent to an enemy, Defend 2 on all other Heroes.
The archetype tank. The Warrior is a bruiser with excellent mobility and strong melee attacks. While she struggles with a lack of ranged skills it can be patched over with ‘Pull’ actions and ‘Move’ abilities.
The utility she provides is minimal, however she can often defend allies or set up allies to do more damage. Much of her utility involved taking the attention of enemies allowing your damage dealers to unload.
She will pretty much always either be setting up to engage the enemy head on or taking part in a melee brawl.
Witch
Ranged damage dealer and hexer. Perfect for Disrupting enemies or using their strengths against them.
Hexer: The first time you play a card on an enemy each turn, inflict a named effect based on the card played.
- Magic Damage: Shocked
- Ranged Damage: Chilled
- Melee Damage: Weakened
- Other: Burning
The witch functions as a long-range mage who transitions into a debuff based support.
His early game is comparable to that of the alchemist, however as he slots in more and more of his advanced class cards he becomes better and better at supporting his allies not through direct support but rather by crippling enemies in a multitude of ways.
He generally wants to spend time at mid-range from enemies, just out of reach until he needs to contribute to a defensive formation.
Against bosses and elites who like to bury themselves in corners where they can’t be surrounded by your whole party, he will generally be the party member that stays out of the melee.
