I’m mostly in the 1350 to 1700+ bracket with my ABP, but it took me months to learn the do’s and don’ts depending

I’m mostly in the 1350 to 1700+ bracket with my ABP, but it took me months to learn the do’s and don’ts depending on the opponent’s set of axies.

Side reading: Read my introduction to Axies and why they’re so cute

In the arena, you’re given 3 energies (1 energy can be used to draw 1 card (for attack, defense, etc.) in the first round and 2 energies in the succeeding rounds. This is where stealing, gaining, and destroying energies really matter because it also dictates the number of cards you can draw for your play each round.

My first set of Axies

A player needs at least 3 Axies to play the game. For my first set, I got Aqua, Best, and Plant. I would have wanted to get a reptile, plant, and dusk set but I was told ABP would be better in both adventure and arena modes.

After using other axie builds, I realized how great of a team ABP is. And after months of playing, I’ve some tips I’d like to share if you’re also playing ABP.

My plant has leaf bug/disguise, pumpkin/October treat, serious/vegetal bite, and carrot/carrot hammer. This build is more than enough to tank damages.

1. Use pumpkin/October when you feel like your enemy is about to burst attack you, or if you have few HPs (health) left and you think the enemy will just draw 1 more card. Bet you, it can stand the one card attack and this plant will still be alive in the next around forcing your enemy to draw two cards to make sure they kill your plant, in that case, you make them use 3 energies already. Using this card will also give you +1 card in the next round, assuming the shield this card gives you doesn’t break or sustain the attacks of your opponent, making the number of additional cards in the next round 4, instead of the regular 3 cards.
2. You can only effectively use leaf/bug disguise when you combine it with another plant card, in any case, it’s a free turn (no energy needed, it’s zero) to earn energy. Use every time you have another plant card.
3. Serious/vegetal bite is a good way to steal energy from your enemy, but it will only work if combined with another plant card. You must be aware or at least have a good gut feel on whether your enemy still have energies you can steal or none anymore. Otherwise, you will end up using 1 energy in for this card, but only effecting + or -30 damages. This is usually used at the first round, with another plant because you’re sure your enemy has three energies.
4. Lastly for the plant, the carrot/carrot hammer. This gives the plant the highest attack or damage (around 70) and also brings back the energy you used once your plant’s shield is broken, in effect, it’s like attacking with 70 damages (90 if this plant attacks aqua) for free, that is if your plant’s shield is broken.

My beast is called “RIMP” as this has Ronin (single combat) and Imp (ivory stab) cards. It also has two nut cracker cards which are Nut crack and Nut throw. This is my midline attacker, as it has the lowest HP. You use the chance to make the plant (the frontline) as the shield to earn you more energy, wait for the right beast cards to come, and draw all of them for the burst attacks.

1. Rimp cards when combined with any third card will give a crticial damages plus earn you extra energy. That is because, for every imp/ivory stab you draw in a single attack with critical damage, you earn 1 energy.
2. When you use nut cracker with another nut cracker, it will deal 120% more damage to the enemy, same with when you combine nut throw and nut cracker.
3. You can have burst damages when you combine all the four cards in one attack. For you to do that, you must earn energy through your plant axie.
4. Remember to use your Beast wisely as it has the lowest HP. Take note also of when your beast will take its turn to give attacks as order of attacks actually matters. Be sure that your beast won’t be attacked first by your enemy. You will see the order of attacks at the top middle portion.
5. If your enemy has plant or tanker, with high defense, be sure to find the right time to give your burst. If you notice your enemy has already drawn their cards with the highest shield, that’s the best time to draw your burst cards.

Finally, my aqua. This have hear gold fish (swift escape), koi (upstream swim), risky fish (fish hook), and oranda (hero’s bane). This is my major attacker. High HP with pretty high damages and gives enough shield when I draw all the four cards. Pure beast and birds will be completely obliterated when attacked by this aqua. With at least two cards, this can stand up to the back door (dark swoop) attacks of birds. Side note: Axies first attack the axie nearest to them. But there are “backdoor” cards that allow axies to attack the mids or the backliners.

1. Use Upstream swim to increase your speed, which can make you take the first turn. The order of your attack, when playing at the latter rounds with 1 v 1 axies left, is very critical. Be sure to use this wisely to increase your speed, which will dictate the turn of your attack.
2. Gold fish or swift escape is pretty useful, once drawn, every attack this aqua receives brings +1 speed to your aqua.
3. Risky fish is very powerful when attacking reptile, plant, or dusk targets as it increases or “buffs up” your attack.
4. Finally, my favorite, hero’s bane. it has high attack (120) and a good shield around 30. (The photo above shows the first ABP I have. Doesn’t yet include my aqua with Hero’s Bane)
5. Be mindful when you have birds (with dark swoop card) or any backdoor Axies that targets the farthest or fastest enemy, aqua is the fastest (next to birds). (Be sure to check their cards always! as they would dictate your play of the game). If you feel like the backdoor axies will attack in burst, make sure to stack up on cards for your aqua as this would be enough to defend and keep your aqua alive. There are cases also where backdoor cards will be drawn by your enemy twice (or consecutively) to make sure they would kill your aqua. In this case, where you’re not sure whether the enemy will use backdoor cards or will kill your midliner or frontliner, you can opt to distribute your energies to your Axies.

There are plenty of resources in the internet — both videos and blogs — that explain Axie well. Start with: https://www.axiehandbook.com/playing-the-game/battle-basics.

Thus far, here’s the family of Axies I have. Seven left, just sold this morning a plant. One aqua I bred myself.

In the next entry, I will talk about my reptile.