Flux Counting

Flux Counting and Improving Your Opening Game

Whats your opening like?

Flux counting is the coin term for a well planned opening game. Generally it should be used to plan flux spending for round 3 or 4 of a match but its possible to plan further. It will give you an edge.

This can be used to plan a rush or be used to find the safest way to get that 3rd domain. Often, you can find a card that would be better replaced with a similar card of different flux cost. Sometimes the difference between 1 and 2 flux costs or 3 and 4 flux costs and so on can mean a huge difference.

The Counting Tree

The absolute best way is to do it with a pencil and a piece of paper. You put turn one in the top middle of the paper and branch out plays. As an example I will make a flux counting tree for a sylvan/elemental deck. In this example I want to cast Vapor Mahal and Bamboo Watchtower quickly to claim the middle flux well but I also want to keep them defended. We also want to plan ahead for the times we don't draw a Bamboo Watchtower.

CARDS:
Grove---------------(7 flux
Vapor Mahal---------(5 flux)
Tenderfoot Archer---(1 flux)
Valedune Arborist---(1 flux)
Cloudburst----------(1 flux)
Thistle Falcon------(2 flux)
Flame Ent-----------(3 flux)
Bamboo Watchtower---(3 flux)

TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THE TREE? THEN YOU NEED TO GET A PEN AND PAPER OUT AND RECREATE IT.

Try to focus

                    TURN 1: 10 flux
                           - 7 flux - Grove  -----(without tenderfoot archer)-->(continued)
                           - 1 flux - tenderfoot archer or valedune arborist
                           = 2 flux left
                               -------------------------
                               |            |          |
                               V            |          V
                          END TURN          |          - 2 flux - Thistle Falcon
                              = 2 flux left |          = 0 flux left - END TURN
                       Turn 2:  5 flux      |_  Turn 2:  3 flux
   -----------------------------------      |              ------------------------>(continued)
   |                  |               |     |________      (not casting) |        (casting)
   V                  |               V              |___                V
  END TURN            |_________     END TURN            |________     END TURN
Turn 3:  8 flux                |____Turn 3:  8 flux               |   Turn 3:  6 flux
       - 5 flux - Vapor Mahal        |_    - 5 flux - Vapor Mahal |          - 5 vapor mahal
       - 3 flux - Bamboo Watchtower    |   - 3 flux - Flame Ent   |          - 1 cloudburst
       = 0 flux left (AND MIDDLE FLUX) |   = 0 flux left          |          = 0 flux left   
---------------------------------------_|--------------------------|_--------------------------
(FINAL      Tenderfoot, Bamboo, Vapor |Tenderfoot, Vapor, Flame Ent| Tenderfoot, Falcon, Vapor,
  CARDS)                              |                            |     Cloudburst      ______________________________________|____________________________|___________________________