One two three, one two three.
A delicately balanced dance, step here, sway there, a piece of art in motion, a battle almost, with two sides clashing for control over the rhythm.
One two three, one two three
The pace is picking up, the movements more frantic, the other person pushing faster and faster as you struggle to keep up, unable to match their movements.
And it is over. With a sigh of defeat, you reach out your hand to shake theirs. You exchange a deflated “Good game” with your opponent. They had just beaten you in your card game of choice, as they always do. Another week at locals, another week of “not good enough”. You’d tried everything, from playing your favorites, to the meta, to something completely off the wall, and yet you still weren’t able to defeat your rival, though that was a one-sided relationship. They were your best friend after all.
While cleaning up the game, sulking, your friend chimes in “You almost had me there, it was super close. I think you’re good, you just lack an understanding of tempo.” You pause hesitantly. Tempo?
“What did you mean”, you inquire, while your friend proffers the response. “Well…”
Definition and Origins
Tempo, in regards to card games, is defined as “the amount of control a player has in deciding the current outcome of the game”. It can also be used to define a board or game state, in which a player may have a “tempo advantage” over their rival. It relates to the term “player agency”, which is again about how much a player can impact the game, usually used in terms of how many actions a player can take to change the outcome. You can have high tempo games while having low agency, and vice versa. Momentum is another related concept, as it describes how much a player is able to snowball a “tempo advantage”.
The origin of the term is musical in nature, with it being a derivative of “tempus”, meaning time, with the phrase being Italian, dating back to 1724 where it was properly defined. The term gained notoriety in the 19th century with the invention of the metronome as a way to describe the pace or speed of music, and is a synonym for beats per minute.
Eventually the term began seeing usage to describe chess, originally used by Siegbert Tarrasch, a German chess player and theoretician, who described it as “Tempo is the soul of chess” in his book “Tarrasch’s Schachzeitung”, published in the 1930s. Tempo in relation to chess, boils down to move efficiency, and reaching a desired board state in as few moves as possible. Inefficient moves are referred to as “losing tempo”, whereas efficient moves “gain tempo”.
The term was eventually co opted by Magic: The Gathering player Eric Taylor, who released an article in 1999 discussing the term and concept. Other players such as Scott Johns and Aaron Forsythe began discussing the concept in more detail in 2006 in now deleted articles, while Adrian Sullivan laid foundational groundwork in developing MtG theory in relation to the term tempo.
The idea of a “Tempo deck” had taken shape in the early 2000s, lead by Aaron Forsythe, as an amalgamation of aggro and control archetypes. The aggro portion was to take control of the game early, while maintaining that control into the mid and late game with the control half of the archetype, in order to outvalue and grind down your opponent through pure efficiency.
From there, the term has been applied to many strategy games, from other TCGs to games such as Starcraft and League of Legends. A shared thread through its usage in games is the concept of time and initiative, with players who are able to act first having “tempo” in that situation.
Tempo as it applies to TCGs
With tempo defined, we can start with how it manifests within card games and the applications of it. The biggest part of tempo in TCGs is how much control a player has over the game, which is often measured in competing resources players have. I will go further in depth about resources in a future article, but the player with more resources is usually described as “having tempo”, as they have more options and ability to control the game, though that can break down into multiple categories.
Using the example below, we can see that while both players have “equal” resources, Player 2 has an advantage on board, as they have more cards in play then their rival, and with each card being a “resource”, shows that they are ahead with the current board state. However, while Player 2 has more “on-board” tempo, player 1 has more “in-hand” tempo, where they could have resources in order to come back and take control of the game at a future point.
While both players have equal potential resources, they are spread out unevenly
I would also like to note that while the concept of tempo can be applied to every game, the way it manifests in various games is different. Multiple factors lead into determining tempo and how the theory is applied, such as card velocity, how many cards you are expected to have access to during a game, play restrictions, how many cards are you allowed to play in a turn, and card impact, how powerful cards are within a given game.
This is the crux of how varying TCGs “feel” in relation to others, as well as how they play in a game-by-game basis. High tempo games are more likely to have higher card velocity, fewer play restrictions, and highly impactful cards, whereas low tempo games are usually more conservative with these metrics. Additionally, as the concept of tempo is applied to specific games, you could have high tempo games, where control of the game is highly volatile, with big swings of tempo occurring, or how aggressively the players fight for control. Low tempo games are usually slower, as players have less agency on the impact of the game.
Tempo as it applies to UVS
This is where I dive further into the concept of tempo as it applies to my primary game, UVS. While the concepts will be applicable in any game, the examples will be in relation to UVS.
For those unaware, UVS is very different from “traditional” card games, The basic premise is to lower the opponents health via attacking them, where they have chances to block to preserve health. On a micro level, the game is about pushing damage through by making your attacks stronger by buffing them, with abilities on the attack, or on foundations which are to further your gameplan.
The biggest departure from traditional games is that card velocity is sky high, with you drawing anywhere from 1 to 7 cards every turn at a baseline, in addition to other card advantage effects within the game. The resource system is also varied, with playing cards tied to what is on the top of your deck and how many cards you have played during each turn. This makes the game an excellent showcase of both intelligent play and managing the natural risk and reward of card games.
If you have not checked out the game yet, I highly recommend you do so. The game itself is phenomenal, the variety of viable strategies and depth of the game make it one of if not the best TCGs I have ever played.
With introductions out of the way, the concept of tempo is a fundamental and not-often discussed term within this game. With the idea that tempo relates to control within the game, you can also relate it to how many actions you can take during any given situation.
The most basic concept of tempo in UVS is how many foundations you have on board, with the player with more foundations usually controlling the tempo of the game due simply to having more resources then your opponent. More resources means you can play more cards then your rival, increasing your agency within the game, as you also increase the “number of buttons you can push” during any single interaction within the game due to the effects on your foundations adding a greater variety of effects to modify the gamestate.
While the number of foundations built is a generally alright indicator of which player has tempo within a game, you need to account for any other resources they may have. The opposing player could have twice as many foundations as you, but if they have no cards in hand, you can punish them severely. If a player has momentum (the resource, not concept), that is an additional thing players must account for, as momentum is often able to create huge tempo swings throughout a game, depending on what outlets they have to use this additional resource.
Often a better indicator of tempo in this game is which player is able to exert more offensive pressure then their rival on any given turn. Referencing the above example, it again doesn’t matter if your rival is outbuilding you if their board is mostly committed. This amalgamates tempo in this game to having both solid enough offense to exert pressure, as well as maintaining enough resources to weather a crackback for any given turn. The push and pull of offense and defense is what I’d argue makes this game so compelling.
Furthering on the concept of offensive pressure, a concept that is prevalent within the game is that your health doesn’t matter until you’re dead, which while true, minimizes the impact health has during the game. Health is an additional resource during the game, and should be leveraged as such. The decision of when or when not to take damage is incredibly situational, with it having more ramifications than initially thought. The primary related concept is the idea of having a “clock”, where you are forcing your rival to react to you by threatening to kill them. Being low on health often forces you to act, to attempt to assume control of the game, else your rival stays in the lead and ends the game before you can break through their wall.
Many of the most important decisions within this game exist in this realm, of being pressured to act, and having to decide how to assume control. Building out helps keep you alive while also developing resources for a future offensive turn, however it doesn’t pressure the rival in any way. In contrast, going on the offensive applies pressure, but often weakens your defensive position, potentially compromising the game. The answer as to what to do in the moment is again entirely situational, however the ability to analyze and approach end-game scenarios is one of the most important skills to have within this game.
Tempo Generating Cards
The previous parts have discussed the origins and surrounding concepts of tempo, and now it is time to dive a bit further into how specific cards can generate a tempo advantage. High tempo cards are those that often “trade up” in resources, tempo neutral cards maintain your current tempo, and there are what I call “tradeoff” cards, which can generate tempo in the short term in sacrifice for tempo in the long term. Throughout this section, keep in mind the concept of resources and whether cards are resource positive, negative, or neutral, and remember that most cards are naturally -1 resource due to needing to be played. Foundations break this rule as they “generate” +1 resource on board for -1 resource from hand, though these resources are not always equal.
Starting first with high-tempo cards, the poster child for this would have to be Back Alley Haymaker. One of the reasons this card is so good without necessarily always feeling powerful is the amount of tempo it generates by itself. Back Alley Haymaker is a resource swing of +2, as the cost of the card is playing it is -1, however it quickly recoups that cost with Stun: 2 being a +2 resource swing, as well as the enhance to draw 1 card or build 1 foundation, giving it an additional +1 resource swing, bringing the total up to +2 resources for a single card, which is exceptional in this game. Additionally, it provides an outlet for momentum, which while not often factored into it, is additional icing on the cake that is this generically great card.
Cards can also exist in a limbo where the resource value is flexible, such as Repeated 100% Smash. By itself, it is resource neutral, as it costs -1 card from hand (itself), and trades that for +1 resource on board. However, it scales based on how many attacks you’ve played this turn (assuming a full Punch package), which allows it to become resource positive. This is normally fine as the resources will mostly be used to replenish your board after a turn of swinging, however the card unlocks its true potential when able to be played ignoring progressive, allowing the card to be singularly resource positive. This is the primary reason why it is a perfect fit in Overhaul, as his ability lets you cheat progressive, which also “cheats” the cost of Repeated as you are no longer readying a board that was used to pass it.
One hallmark of high-tempo cards is that they usually transmute resources, turning them from one into another, or end up being resource positive. Examples such as Dual Needle Lunge becoming a momentum, Vile Seizing replacing itself with the draw or forcing your opponent to commit their board, or Rejuvenating Smash replacing itself +1, as well as turning discarding cards into a momentum. Double Jab Pummel also exists as a high tempo card without transmuting resources, as it eases the resource strain of an attacking turn while also letting you filter to find higher value cards.
These examples of high tempo cards have all been attacks as attacking is the primary way of applying pressure within this game, but that doesn’t mean defensive tempo cards don’t exist. Any card with Breaker on it is a defensive tempo card, as it forces the rival to spend more resources in order to continue to try and regain tempo. The best defensive tempo card is easily Barrier Shield, as not only does it ease the burden of having resources to pass a block, but also grants your block Breaker: 2 which heavily disrupts any offensive plans the opposing player may have.
Actions usually exist as situational options that provide incredible tempo when they are applicable. As with Barrier Shield, A Spear And A Shield, Showdown, Hold Hostage, and Run Away are all excellent examples of defensive actions that gain tempo. Offensively, Seizing The Advantage, Sugar Rush Power-Up, and Manifest are high tempo actions for aggressing.
Foundations can also be great at obtaining offensive or defensive tempo, though less common and powerful due to the frequency you can find them in-game. Offensive tempo foundations exist such as any foundation with the ability to interact with the rivals board, such as with Seal effects or effects that ready your own board (which also double as defensive tempo cards!). With Set 6 of MHA, Jetburn, coming out, they have introduced may defensive tempo foundations, such as Hot Pursuit, Soulful Rendition, and Fiery Confrontation.
The last grouping of cards I would like to discuss are the prior mentioned “tradeoff” tempo cards, which trades tempo now for tempo later, positive or negative. The best example would be Indiscriminate Shock 1,300,000 Volts, primarily its second enhance allowing you to commit a foundation to have the rival commit a foundation. This is neutral in resources, giving both you and your rival -1, however it flows into its top enhance giving it not only more damage, but making it more difficult to block due to the nature of this game. The cost however, manifests in both having less resources on board to play more cards on your turn, but also having one less resource for your rivals turn.
Characters can often fall into this category as well, such as Inasa Yoarashi from Jetburn allowing you to destroy 1 resource, permanently putting you at -1, however in return he readies a foundation now. Other examples would be any character that destroys foundations as cost, such as Momo Yaoyyorozu I, and Bakugo II, who both get a bonus now for compromising their board in the future. Assets will also often fall into this space, as they often don’t count as a resource on board due to being unable to be used to play cards (generally), while having more powerful effects to make up for this.
Tempo in Practice
With these concepts in mind, let’s review the recent finals from the Rocchester RLE, with Jacob Masur on Nomu versus Kevin Broberg on Momo. Starting with Game 1, Jacob catapults into the lead two turns into the game, having built 9 foundations to Broberg’s 7, while also hitting for 10 damage with a Back Alley Haymaker, putting the pressure on Kevin to act. Kevin responds by putting offensive pressure on, with an Echoed Double Trouble letting him filter and push a bit of damage through, as well as building in a foundation with a Command Pigeon Flock right afterward followed by building up to 10 foundations while holding three cards in hand. From here the tempo is solidly in Broberg’s favor, with a stage full of foundations and a defensive character who can multiply their resource values.
This truly begins to show with Jacob’s next turn, jamming a Seizing The Advantage into Back Alley Haymaker, giving him a huge tempo swing as he builds a foundation, target flips Kevin’s So Manly, and then proceeds to draw twice off of two built copies of Big Appetite as well as off of the Back Alley Haymaker, which generates a massive resource swing in Jacob’s favor (though notably not a tempo swing). Kevin however is able to half block the Back Alley Haymaker, full block the following Calorie Counter, at which point Jacob decides to stop swinging to build in a Learning The Standards to help halt any incoming aggression the following turn.
While I won’t go further in depth regarding this set, these first few turns highlight many of the concepts discussed in this article, and shows how the interactions work in an actual game. Being able to evaluate tempo during any given point in a match is a highly valuable skill to both understand the board state, and decide on how to act from there. Understanding when you have a tempo lead lets you maintain it and choke your opponent out of the game, while knowing when you’re behind gives you additional pressure in terms of when and how you would like to act going into the mid and end game.
Wrap Up and What’s Next?
Hopefully this gave you an understanding of the concept of Tempo within card games and how it relates to the gamestate and influences how individuals play the game.
Understanding concepts and theory is one of the least explored ways of improving at card games, and I want to bring more attention to this part of TCGs.
I made many references to other related concepts, such as Resources, Momentum, Agency, and Pressure, and will be expanding further on them in future articles. I may revisit this topic as well in the future as I wasn’t able to cover everything, though that will likely be elaborated on within future concept articles.
Do you have any articles you’d like to see? Any topics you wish were discussed more? Any questions, comments, or feedback on this article? Well let me know down below! And if you enjoyed the article, feel free to leave a tip at my Ko-fi.
Have any card game needs? Well visit UnFunStuff to stock up on any TCG supplies or cards, as well as to preorder the next set, Jetburn, releasing November 17th!
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