Tips resarcana

Basic Strategy

• Don't put too many artifacts into play. Putting 4 or above is usually a bad idea.
• Don't think the game is all about the essences. They are useless unless you can convert them into points.
• You should discard cards you don't need to get essences you want to play better cards.
• Get a place of power early--their powers can aid you to victory.
• Don't afraid to pass early if it can give you a magic item that you want.
• Dragons are not good ideas, but if it can break your opponents' plans, that will be hell to them! To counter, just keep some life, and in 4 player games you should expect at least 1 dragon. Dragons can also score with Dragon's Lair or Sorcerer's Bestiary.

Which Magic Items are the best?

• Alchemy: Not an effective exchange. Only use it when you really need that 2 gold, e.g. buying a mounment or place of power.
• Collecters (calm/elan, death/life): Good in first turn if you want to buy a place of power or a good artifact.
• Divination: Usually of no use, as you gain nothing. However, you can use it to cycle out useless cards with cards you want.
• Protection: Usually of no use as attacks and dragons are not common. But if you notice potential attacks that may break your plans, grab it.
• Reanimate: Very useful when you have a matching artifact or place of power. However everyone wants it, so get it before your opponents.
• Research: Basically, it is exchanging 1 essence for 2 essences or 1 gold. You can use it to dig for a card, but Divination is better for this. Or you can play it if necessary, therefore it is worth about 2 essences.
• Transmutation: Offen of no use as the game provides lots of methods to exchange essences. However, if you have none of them, try this.

Which Mages are the best?

• Alchemist: First ability same as Alchemy, second worse than collecting. Hmm...
• Artificer: Not obvious, but the discount is useful. Especially when you need to play useful cards for combos.
• Druid: Quite powerless, but with Mermaid or Sacred Grove I may change this opinion. Worst of all mages I guess.
• Duelist: It is nearly 2 essences per turn if you have a death--known to be strong, as other mages mostly produce 1 essences per turn.
• Healer: Hard to win because no combos with other cards. But in 4-player games, it can save your game in some occations.
• Necromancer: Not the best, but good with Catacombs. Why? You can discard a card for 2 life and change to 3 death.
• Scholar: Same as Research, but Research is what everyone wants. Imagine you have access to one yourself.
• Seer: Seems useless, but with Dragon's Lair it's choose 1 from 5 mounments each time. Or you can search for that card you really want.
• Transmuter: Better than normal transmutation, because you gain an extra energy. But there are actually many methods to change essences...
• Witch: This is deadly! I have seen lots of people winning with witch's reanimate ability. Best with Catacombs of the Dead or Dragon's Lair.

How about Artifacts?

For a more detailed analysis, please head to https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2211614/card-card-review-all-artifacts-res-arcana.

Which Artifacts are the Best?

• Chalice of Fire: The collecting ability pays off in turn 4 even if you don't use it, and its reanimate is useful with many places of power.
• Chalice of Life: This strong essence generator feeds itself and doesn't need to be turned. Best with Sunken Reef.
• Corrupt Altar: Expensive, but you can play expensive cards, use it once then sarifice it. If you are tired, just sarifice the Altar itself.
• Crypt: You can discard a card then resurrect it with a discount. Crazy with a sacrifice card. Don't need it? Then get 2 death instead.
• Dragon Teeth: Feeds itself and discounts you on dragons. Although bad with places of power, it is best with Philospher's Stone to get gold.
• Horn of Plenty: Much above average. Pays itself off with 2 turns. Fits itself into any strategy. First pick in nearly all draft.
• Mermaid: You can use mermaid to score while using other abilities of places of power. Better then a novice would think.
• Vault: It's cheap, it's flexable, it can be aimed for small or big! Good with both gold and essence strategies.

Which Artifacts are the Worst?

• Bone/Fire/Water Dragon: Expensive, but easy to dodge. Better to discard for essences.
• Dancing Sword: Its collecting ability only pays at turn 4, and if your opponents see this, they won't play dragons and makes this useless.
• Elemental Spring: The cost is steep, and after 3 turns it is just 0. Most attacks can be prevented by an essence, so this is redundant.
• Hand of Glory: Your only gain is just 1 death, making it even in 4 turns. Only slightly better if the cost is mitigated.
• Windup Man: Worst card in the game. The cost is high, and it is slow to pay off. While you are waiting, the engine is dead and you have spent a bunch of essences for nothing.

Which Places of Power are the best?

• Alchemist Tower: It can be bought on turn 1, and although there is no turning abilities, it can be used for a turn 4 victory with good cards.
• Catatombs of the Dead: Overpowered. With Chalice of Fire (and Witch/Reanimate) you can get 2-4 points per turn, plus death from discards.
• Coral Castle: Purely 3 points. Fine, but without other places of power you cannot win.
• Cursed Forge: Unlike other cards, this partially hinders you. However, it can be defensive with Mermaid.
• Dragon's Lair: Also overpowered, although you need to discard all of your cards to play this. With reanimates you can buy tons of mounments.
• Dwarven Mines: It is 3 essences for 1 point once per turn. Or you can use the 3 gold ability to buy a mounment each turn. Plus it is cheap.
• Sacred Grove: Sounds useless but you can convert all calm to life then to gold with Philospher's Stone. That would be a massive blow!
• Sacrificial Pit: It's ok, but if you have a lot of creatures and dragons you can use the second power to gain gold. Good with Dragon Teeth.
• Sorcerer's Bestiary: It's tricky, as you need to have a lot of energy to steal dragons. Better to have a dragon strategy.
• Sunken Reef: The most effective point-gaining place of power. Plus it has unlimited use. Some people use this to get 10 points in round 4.