Order 03
The Pikes
The pierce. One blade, two cards, provided they are lined up.
- 6highest rank
- 21rank total
- VIIStory chapter
- 6games for the Herald
Ability
What the Pike does
Pierces the cards lined up in each direction.
A Pike, once placed, pierces: in each direction, it attacks the enemy right against it and, if it takes it, carries on to the next enemy, always with the same rank, up to two cards (three for the Herald).
The pierce stops dead as soon as a card holds, as soon as a square is empty, or as soon as a card from your side is in the line. It jumps over nothing: only enemies pressed right against each other are threatened.
HeraldPierces up to three cards instead of two.
Four cards
The four cards of the Pikes
The four Pikes carry the same numbers, 6, 5, 4 and 6, each a quarter turn further on: what is on top on one is on the right on the next. Choosing the right card means choosing which rank will face the enemy.
- 6546Card 1
top 6 · left 5
right 4 · bottom 6 - 5664Card 2
top 5 · left 6
right 6 · bottom 4 - 6456Card 3
top 6 · left 4
right 5 · bottom 6 - 4665Card 4
top 4 · left 6
right 6 · bottom 5
In a duel, your eight cards come from your two Orders, four per Order, plus one card from each Order kept in Reserve for Sudden Death.
Strategy
Playing the Pikes well
Look for lines
Against a lone enemy, the Pike is worth no more than any other card. It becomes fearsome when your opponent lines up cards edge to edge: two captures for one placement.
One number for the whole line
It is the Pike's rank that judges each card in the line, one after the other. Do the count: your 6 has to beat the facing rank of the first card and that of the second.
Two 6s, top and bottom
The Pike has its two 6s on top and at the bottom: its strong pierces are vertical. The 5 and the 4 on the sides are for weak enemies, or for the edge.
Open the breach together
A Chimera flips the head of the line to expose its small rank; the Pike then drives in. That is the Treaty The Breach.
The Herald pierces three
The Herald of the Pikes pierces up to three cards instead of two: a whole line can turn in one move.
Facing them
Countering the Pikes
Put a solid card at the head of the line: if the first one holds, the pierce stops. A Guardian, with its 6 guarded up to 7, makes a perfect head of the line. Leave an empty square between your lined-up cards, or slip one of your own cards in: the Pike jumps over nothing. And attack it from the sides, the 5 on the left and above all the 4 on the right.
Two per duel
The alliances of the Pikes
Before each duel, you choose two Orders. Some pairs have a name: these are the Treaties, which your profile tracks game after game. The Pikes sign one.
The Breach with the Chimeras
The molt opens the weak flank; the Pike drives into the line.
The signA successful pierce on a card flipped by a molt.
Story mode
The Herald of the Pikes
Pierces up to three cards instead of two.
The Herald is the superior version of the Order: its four cards keep their numbers, but its ability changes. It is earned by finishing chapter VII of Story mode: six games, from the Pikeman to the Lord of Pikes. It is played against the Echo, in Classic matches and in challenges between friends, never in Ranked or in tournaments.
Questions
The Pikes in three questions
How many cards can a Pike take in one move?
Two per direction, three for the Herald. Each one has to be taken before it moves on to the next.
What happens if the first card holds?
The pierce stops dead in that direction. The cards behind it are not threatened.
How do you earn the Herald of the Pikes?
By finishing chapter VII of Story mode: six games, from the Pikeman to the Lord of Pikes.
Play the Pikes
Two Orders, eight cards, one duel. Choose the Pikes and an ally, and see their ability at work.
Play for freeNo account needed, in English, in your browser or on iPhone · The iPhone app