Supporting Characters (hints from designer James Ernest)

Character Class isn't really defined in the rules, it's just a reminder of what a particular die is likely to do. Fighters tend to have nothing but basic Hits. Commanders tend to have 2 or 3 Command sides, and slightly better Hits where they have them. Mechanics have repair, sharpshooters have Backstab or Jump, and so on.

While some characters do fine on their own, others only shine when there are plenty of others on the field. Early in the game, rolling a "Command" or "Repair" won't help you much. But once you have more dice in play, a Commander can make a huge difference.

Command: You should use Commanders only when you have at least two other dice in play. While Commanders have some powerful shots, it's no good to roll a Command side unless there's someone out there to command.

Mechanics: Mechanics are also the most useful when you have lots of other dice in play. Like Commanders, Mechanics often have a few good shots. But their Repair sides are only useful when there's someone to repair. You will tend to use Mechanics more often when you are up against an army with Poison.

Hold and Freeze: While not too useful by themselves, the Hold and Freeze abilities are deadly in conjunction with a reliable fighter. If you have a fighter in a good position to shoot most of the field, everything that you Freeze is something you can immediately kill.

Maneuvering and Damage: Some dice are much more maneuverable than others, and this adds to their strategic value, and ultimately increases their point value. A die that can "heal" itself by maneuvering from a lower side number back to a higher side number is much more powerful than a die that only rolls downhill. Also, a die that can to move to its most powerful face is much stronger than a die that can only roll down.

Immunities: When faced with colored damage, such as Poison shots, it's a good idea to throw a character that's immune, like a Robot. If you're constructing an army, adding characters with color immunities can make your army much more versatile. If you're up against Ice attacks, throw Mull or Jarik. If you're up against Fire, throw Crysis.

Going First

Predictability and Jumping

Learn to Throw