MTG Tactics Gilded Cage Campaign Guide

Magic: The Gathering Tactics Chapter 2 Gilded Cage Campaign Guide by BananaShtick

So maybe you need some extra help battling through the campaigns, and the numerous dailies that are available.  No matter what you do you just can’t get passed a certain point?  Do not give up!  This game’s campaigns are very well done.  Nice challenging scenarios that are more fun than frustrating. But can still make us scratch our heads from time to time.  I wish now to pass on my experiences to the community.

Just want to say I am not stealing this from UrsaMajor, I am inspired by his willingness to share such knowledge.  And simply want to do the same.

Campaign Strategies – Chapter 2: The Gilded Cage, Mission 1 :Rude Awakening

Your first step into a chapter that is no longer holding your hand.  Here you get thrown into the heat of battle immediately.  At first you see a few goblins slobbering about.  However, in just 3 rounds, you will be up against a horde of them.  What is even worse is the goblins have haste. Which means as soon as they are summoned they get to charge!

Do not panic.  First things first you have to figure out a game plan.  Now there are a couple ways you can go about dealing with these pests:

1. Build a defense to hold off the oncoming horde.
2. Charge the portals and close off the spawners.

If you decide to build a defense, the best thing to start with is eliminating the one embermage and planting a defense in his spot.  It has the least amount of LoS, so future embermages will have to get within strike distance.  Also will give you a few paths to get the enemies in a line for easy pickings.  The biggest priority is taking down the embermages because they are the only offense against your flying defenders.

The spawners will stop pouring out monsters around the 5th round.  By that time you should be picking off the last of them anyways.

If you decide to rush the spawners head on, you will need lots of mobility spells.  There are 3 spawners, 2 send out mages, 1 sends out raging goblins.  If anything take out the mage portals so it limits them to ground units.  I recommend packing lots of shadowsteps, teleports,  gaseous forms, or any card that allows you to get around the barricades easily.

Chapter 2:  Mission 2: First Impressions

Chandra may seem tough but she is more hot-headed than logical.  At the beginning of each turn Chandra causes a random grid near your PW to erupt in flames (perpetual).  It deals high damage, to any creature that begins or ends its turn on the fire.  Your PW takes 10 damage from the fire.

That spell is Chandra’s biggest threat.  Her spellbook mostly contains a general array of fire spells.  lightning bolts, incinerates, fiery hellhounds, etc.  This chick should not be much of an issue if you play aggressively.

Chapter 2: Mission 3: Forest for the Trees

This mission can bewilder you quickly if unprepared.  First thing you need to know is that you need to destroy 3 of the 4 sentry plants.  My recommendation on spell choice, is blue, black, or red.  Blue works especially well here.  Focus on unsummoning the plants.  The elves spawn quickly and can easily be walled off with a few drakes or ornithopters.  Keep your guards behind the fence to stay out of LoS from the sentries.  Red does just as well with burn spells.

For other colors, black – if you can get your hands on boggart loggers, they would make quick work of sentires.  They are immune to green, and have high initiative.  Same with Ashbow’s although they cost way too much to be of use in this mission. White/Green you will most likely have to play far more defensively.  Good luck on this one.

Chapter 2: Mission 4: Elf Patrol

From the start I recommend taking the quickest path out of this map.  If you are using just starter cards, take the Red deck – Seething Rage.  The only cards you will want to use here are movement spells.  Threatening Lunge and Quickness are a must here.  Each turn more enemies are summoned and eventually become overwhelming.

First round – Elf archer, Elf warrior

Second round – 2 Elf warriors

Third Round – 2 Elf warriors, 1 Elvish Lyrist

Fourth Round – 2 Stoutbark Protectors, 1 Elf Archer

Fifth Round – 2 Stoutbark Protectors

(Beyond this point I do not know)

Not to mention the druid can summon his own mess of enemies on you and buff the ones already there.  Your best bet is simply run out of that forest as quickly as possible.  You can use creatures to stop chasers for a few turns by having them block the path behind you.  Unless you feel confident in your spellbook, do not engage these guys whatsoever.

Chapter 2: Mission 5:

You see before you a gaping chasm separating you from the goblin shaman and his goons.  You see two tablets in the center, one on each side and two eggs on the far left and right of the map.

On this map, for best results I suggest a blue deck.  Why blue? Phantom Scoundrel is immune to red and can teleport across the chasm.  Phantom warrior can pass through the gap with ease.  And blue can disturb the enemy’s flow long enough for you to get the mission done.  Don’t worry about the shaman.  He is simply there to distract you from the mission at hand.

The eggs on either side of the map have Ripper Hatchlings inside that can provide some small support but get picked off rather quickly.  You must activate both tablets and both eggs for the mission to complete.  I recommend at the start of the game to run behind the one rock to your left.  It will provide sufficient cover against the many mages on the other side.  Build up your offense behind this rock until you know you can make a successful break for a tablet or egg.

That’s about it.  For a 5th mission this one is probably the easiest in the chapter.  Good luck and kick some booty! Thank you for reading!