If you’re familiar with blockchain games, you probably know all about play-to-earn games that are popular in crypto. Gods Unchained was released last March 2021 and now has over 13 million Gods Unchained NFTs from users worldwide.
Just like the other blockchain games that are popular in the market, you first have to know the basics of the game before you start spending your digital money. For beginners, this might mean that you need to do extensive research about the game, including what blockchain it operates on and the platforms that it runs on.
All About Gods Unchained
Another play-to-earn blockchain game on the Ethereum network is Gods Unchained. It is a free fantasy and trading card game that allows you to collect creatures and relics that you can use to duel with other players.
Genre: Trading Card Game
Platform: PC and MAC
Tokens: $GODS
Blockchains: Ethereum and ImmutableX
Gods Unchained was developed in the summer of 2018 by brothers James and Robbie Ferguson with their first card set called Genesis. It was then auctioned off to Hyperion for 146 ETH, which had a value of about $61 000 USD at that time. In 2019, Gods Unchained was rebranded for its parent company, ImmutableX.
The first card set, Genesis, was sold out by October 2019, and Gods Unchained followed up more sets like Trial of the Gods in 2020 and Divine Order in 2021. Since Coinbase and Ethereum back this blockchain game, it is considered a dedicated crypto space for blockchain gamers.
By January 2022, Gods Unchained has recorded over 80,000 active players weekly, making it one of the most well-known blockchain games in the market this year. The global audience for rare NFTs and digital currency is still steadily growing over the years. Gods Unchained provides a perfect example of how blockchain provable ownership of NFTs works.
Gods Unchained NFTs and Native Tokens (GODS)
The native token for Gods Unchained is GODS, a game-specific token that players can use to mint NFTs or purchase items from the Gods Unchained marketplace. Since this game is built upon the Ethereum blockchain network, you can easily acquire ERC-721 tokens, which are the most common type of NFTs and can be stored in any wallet compatible with Ethereum.
You can trade your in-game cards in the marketplace in several ways. You can either join tournaments, attend play-to-earn events, or forge cards together to improve your game utilities. If you want to eliminate items you no longer use in the game, you can also directly sell them in the ImmutableX marketplace.
Another thing you should know about the native tokens (GODS) is that it gives you voting power within the game, allowing you to have a say in how the game is managed and how it can be developed in the future. This means that the more GODS tokens you own, the more influence you will have as a shareholder of the game.
What is ImmutableX?
If you’re not yet familiar with the ImmutableX blockchain, it is the first Layer 2 blockchain in the world. It is built on the Ethereum network, and this Layer 2 blockchain gives its users instant trades on a platform with great scalability and no NFT gas fees. The following section will provide you with a brief discussion about blockchain layers.
What Blockchain Layer does Gods Unchained use?
Gods Unchained operates on the second layer of the blockchain. The items you earn from its marketplace can be sold on the ImmutableX network, a Layer 2 type of blockchain. What guarantees the scalability and stability of the ImmutableX blockchain lies in Ethereum, a Layer 1 blockchain.
Since Ethereum is now considered a safe and trustworthy platform in the crypto world, players of Gods Unchained can be at ease knowing that there will be minimal scalability problems, and their transactions will be verified by mining nodes for validity.
Learn about Blockchain Layers
Before learning how to play blockchain games, you must first be familiar with the basics of blockchains. Blockchains have two layers, and these layers affect the scalability of their system. This means that each blockchain’s capacity to expand and accommodate a large volume of users will generally depend on its scalability.
Layer 1
The first layer is also considered the base level of a blockchain, which serves as the structure on which Layer 2 is built. Examples of Level 1 blockchains are Ethereum, Bitcoin, Polkadot, and BNB Chain. You can think of this layer as the primary road for all transactions that record the process on their system and create the rudimentary rules for the second layer.
Layer 2
The second layer is considered the extension of Level 1 blockchains. This is where the capability of a blockchain can be tested. Examples of Level 2 blockchains are Polygon and ImmutableX, the parent company of Gods Unchained. Once the primary system rules are in place in Layer 1, the second layer then acts as the service road for the implementation.
How To Play Gods Unchained
To play Gods Unchained, you should first get your account. To do so, head over to their website and register. While creating your account, you may download the game by clicking on the “Start Download” button on the upper right. Once you’re done with that, you may go through the installation process and log in.
Initial Investment
Since it is a free-to-play game, Gods Unchained does not need monetary investment. All you need to do is set up an Ethereum wallet, and you can start playing immediately. You can earn when you play ranked matches and gain more experience levels to collect more cards as you go.
You can also earn Flux, an NFT art project by Solana, by having matches in the Gauntlet of the Gods in ranked mode. You can win up to three gods in this ranked game, which regularly resets.
Gameplay
If you’ve played Hearthstone, Shadowverse, Vanguard, and similar types of card games, learning how to play this game will be very easy for you. However, if this is your first turn-based card game, there are a few things you should know.
Since this is a turn-based card game, you take turns. Each player may play a card of different varieties, including summoning, casting spells, and equipping relics. Each card costs mana, so the number of cards you can play is limited, thus calling for strategy.
Tutorial
Games will always start you off with a tutorial to show you how the game works. You can skip this, but you will miss out on the three core packs they give you when completing the tutorial. They are basic cards, but they will help you if you decide not to buy any cards and play the game for free.
Cards
To understand the game, you need to know how the cards work so you can build a good deck with each card working well with each other. Gods Unchained has GU Decks where you can strategize and develop your deck based on the live stats of other pro players and the current meta.
The GU deck will also allow you to discover your collections’ price and show you where you can buy cards and decks for a low price in the NFT marketplaces. Note that some builds will be expensive to compile, especially if you look at the significantly highest ranking players and their cards.
Depending on your cards, it may only bring you up to a certain rank regardless of your skill, as some cards are just outright better when it comes to the meta and what is currently strong. Decks that are newly released are usually quite powerful. That is why pro players keep their decks updated with newer cards.
Not all of the information on the image above is important to the gameplay, so we will only briefly describe all the parts. Right now, you only need to pay attention to the Mana Cost, Strength, Health, and the description of what the card does as those are the parts relevant to the actual gameplay.
Domain
The domain is the L-shaped frame on the upper left of the card. This indicates what type of God your card belongs to. The Gods you can choose from are; War, Light, Nature, Deception, Magic, and Death.
Set
The set icon on the upper right indicates what set your card belongs to. There are many types of sets you can buy and create a deck with. You are given free-to-play sets as you play the game, and the developers can balance them to keep them relevant.
Rarity
This indicates how rare your card is. This will usually influence how much you could sell it for. Mythic cards are special, and there can only be one of that certain Mythic card, making these incredibly rare and expensive.
Tribe
The Tribe shows which faction the card belongs to. Some cards will synergize with other cards of the same tribe, so you could use these in combination with other cards to create powerful combos, which will be necessary. On the bottom left of the image are the tribes. Not all cards will have tribes.
Mana Cost
The mana cost number on the card indicates how much mana it will consume on each turn. Pay attention to this, as managing your mana and making the most out of each turn will give you the highest chances of winning.
Health
Health indicates how much damage your card can take before being destroyed. For Relics, it describes how many times you can use it, as Relics lose 1 health every time they are used.
Strength
Strength indicates how much damage a card can do to another card or God’s health. When your attack exceeds the target’s health, it will be destroyed immediately.
Pre-match
Before getting into a match, you must first build your deck. You may look up deck makes from other players online or build your paying attention to what each card does and setting it up in a way that the cards will work together.
You must also choose a God as the deck has to be aligned to a god. Each god has its own abilities. God Powers are available to you once per turn, and Ultimates can only be used once per game, so use your Ultimate wisely.
Turns and attacking
After choosing a God, you will go through what is known as the Mulligan phase. At this phase, you may choose cards you want to replace with a random card in your deck. This is especially useful when you think your starting hand is not good, or you’re missing a card for a combo, you can take your chances at getting better cards for your starting hand.
The player who goes first is given only one Bag of Tricks to balance the game. This Bag of Tricks allows the player to access a mana point during a round. The player who goes second is given three.
When doing a turn, you may use these if you lack mana. However, it cannot bring you over your maximum mana limit to avoid being abused. The Bag of Tricks can be handy to surprise the enemy with an unexpected long card combo.
You may use a spell card, and it will do what it says on its description that same turn. For example, if the spell card says it will deal 5 damage, it will deal it to its target as it’s cast on that turn.
Creature cards cannot attack immediately unless they have the Godblitz or Blitz ability. They will usually have to be summoned first by using them on a turn and placing them on the board. They can then attack a target after they are summoned.
Relic cards can also be used to attack, when it is used it will appear on the corner of your God. This will allow your God to attack an opponent or use an ability depending on what is written on the card description. Your God will also receive damage equal to the target’s strength when you attack with a relic, and your relic will receive 1 point of damage every time it is used.
Taking the enemy God’s health to zero will win you the game, but you must be careful not to focus too much on attacking the enemy God, and be sure to pay attention to the enemy mana and cards.
Learn to notice and predict patterns, what cards they use, how much mana they cost, and how reckless or careful they are of their mana and card use. You must use this information to predict when they are setting up for a strike or anticipating your attack. Knowing these patterns will quickly put you at a more competitive rank, earning you more rewards.
Helpful Tips for Beginners
Once you start playing, you must always pay attention to your tactics and the cards you deal with. Sometimes, other players, especially newbies, overlook factors that play a massive part in winning the game.
Here are a few tips for beginners who want to master playing Gods Unchained:
Try each god in different matches
The best way to get a feel of the different gods in the game and their powers. Also, take note of the sort of cards each god has so you can memorize your arsenal and utilities before you fight with other players.
Pick a basic strategy (at first)
Almost anyone who plays online games goes through using basic tactics. This is important for players who are just starting to learn and play the game. When you first build your deck, pick a strategy that is easiest to pull off. An example of this is using Nature and War since their powers are generally basic and straightforward.
You can visit the GU Decks to check what other cards the players are using and how they are building their aggressive deck cards. This can also be a great way for you to learn from the masters of the game.
Keep an eye on your cards in the Sanctum
Other players tend to overlook the great help of Sanctum cards, and this might be the key for you to outsmart your opponent during a match.
The Sanctum can be found on the right side of your screen, and all players can buy three cards during their turns. These added cards can help when dealing damage to your enemy, and you can continually collect them as you kill your opponent or damage their god.
