Ruralfriend's Urban Rivals Blog

Sponsor!

2009-07-15T21:11:00.003-04:00

NOTE: Good beginner decks and beginner walkthrough below.

Hey all, just reminding you that I can become your sponsor if you decide to create a new account. Simply follow this link: http://www.urban-rivals.com/?sponsor=1860712
All my sponsorees get my full help in-game, which includes tips, battle strategy and personalized deck help. Also, I'll start you out with some basic cards (likely the ones you'll find in this blog) for the clan of your choice, free of charge (well...50 clintz :P).
I hope to see you in-game!

Recap: Good Beginner Decks

2009-07-07T22:30:00.012-04:00

This post is just a recap of all the previous ones to make it more readable. Here are the best to worst beginner decks in the...

Short-term:
(note: if no suffix is included after the clan name, assume 'half-deck')

Montana full (9.5/10)
Pussycats half (9/10)
Sentinel full (9/10)
Junkz (8.5/10)
Uppers (8.5/10)
Freaks (8/10)
Rescue full (8/10)
Sentinel half (8/10)
All-stars (7.5/10)
Montana half (7.5/10)
Pussycats full (7.5/10)
Sakrohm (7.5/10)
Roots (7.5/10)
Bangers (7/10)
Piranas half (7/10)
Ulu Watu (6.5/10)
Gheist (6/10)
Piranas full (6/10)
Nightmare (5.5/10)
Fang Pi Clang (5/10)
Jungo (4/10)
La Junta (4/10)

Long-term:

Roots (9/10)
Freaks (8/10)
Junkz (8/10)
Montana full (8/10)
Pussycats half (8/10)
Uppers (8/10)
Rescue full (7.5/10)
Sakrohm (7.5/10)
Sentinel full (7.5/10)
Bangers (7/10)
Nightmare (7/10)
All-stars (6.5/10)
Montana half (6.5/10)
Pussycats full (6.5/10)
Sentinel half (6.5/10)
La Junta (6/10)
Gheist (4/10)
Piranas half (4/10)
Piranas full (3.5/10)
Ulu Watu (3.5/10)
Jungo (3/10)
Fang Pi Clang (2.5/10)

Let me know if you have any disagreements with the ratings (I wrote most of the posts disjointedly, so it's quite possible) - all feedback is welcome!

Beginner Walkthrough

2009-06-22T16:51:00.012-04:00

I think it is very important to get off on the right foot when you're starting out, so that the positive experience will keep you hooked on the game, like it did for me and many others.

Anyways, to start with, visit the website at http://www.urban-rivals.com or at http://www.urban-rivals.com/?sponsor=1860712 if you want me to sponsor you. In any case, register an account and after you fill out the basic information, you'll be given the choice of 3 starter decks: Action, Cool, or Danger.

The Action deck gives you the following 4 La Junta cards and 4 Sentinel cards (at level 1, however):

Leo

-2 opp damage, min 2

Damage +2

Mitch

Stop Opp Bonus

Damage +2

Myke

-2 opp power, min 2

Damage +2

Winifred

No ability

Damage +2

Carlos

No ability

Attack +8

Rebecca

No ability

Attack +8

Robin

Power +2

Attack +8

Zdrone

No ability

Attack +8

The Cool Deck gives you the following 4 Roots cards and 4 Ulu Watu cards (at level 1, however):

Ataoualpet

-5 opp damage, min 5

Stop Opp Ability

Ben

No ability

Stop Opp Ability

Tshern

Poison 3, min 5

Stop Opp Ability

Yaman

No ability

Stop Opp Ability

Coraille

No ability

Power +2

Mac Hen

No ability

Power +2

Razor

No ability

Power +2

Warren

Power = power opp

Power +2

The Danger deck gives you the following 4 Gheist cards and 4 Montana cards (at level 1, however):

Gheistling

Poison 1, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

Poison 2, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

Vryer

-4 opp attack, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

Giovanni

No ability

-12 opp attack, min 8

Mort Bax

No ability

-12 opp attack, min 8

Ricardo

-3 opp damage, min 4

-12 opp attack, min 8

Simon

Stop Opp Ability

-12 opp attack, min 8

Of those three, the edge definitely goes to the Action deck, and it would be my recommendation because the Sentinel bonus is very useful, and the cards in general are of a higher tier than the other two decks. Another option would be Danger, but it's really a distant second; the only thing going for it, really, is the strong Montana bonus. Finally, my third choice would be Cool, because all of its cards are significantly underpowered and you'll find yourself building an entirely new deck rather quickly.

Next, I would strongly recommend for you to read the game rules, if you don't know them already. Simpy move your mouse over 'The Game' in the top menu, then select 'Game Rules'. They should only take a minute or two to read, and you'll be much better off once you know the basics. You can also browse the other menus at top, but there's really not much to explore for the moment.

Thirdly, there's no better way to learn than with basic application, so practice, practice, practice! Click on 'Play!' on the side-menu to the left, then join the room 'Welcome to Town'. Once you're in the room, wait for a while and you should receive a challenge from another player (or you can click on the crossed swords near the bottom to 'Quick Challenge' other players). Once you accept the challenge, here's where reading the game rules from step 2 should help you out. Here are some basic words of advice, however: it's almost always good to put at least one pill on each of your guys, and be willing to pill a lot (i.e. around 6 pills) to win a round (usually for cards with lots of damage) - many more general tips for battle will follow in subsequent posts.

Once you've finished the match, you should see you've earned clintz (the currency in the game), and your characters and account have gained some experience. Eventually, as you play more and more matches, your account and your characters will level up. When your account levels up, you gain free Leader cards at every 5 levels (see 'The Game' -> 'Game Rules'->'The Leaders' for details) and they should strengthen your deck; they also unlock various rooms and game features. When your characters level up, however, it is them that become stronger - their base power and damage stats often increase and they might also gain an ability. By the time you're level 5 and you've received the leader Timber, add him to your deck, and start selling your weakest card. Look above to see the cards at their max levels and decide which one you want to get rid of. Then, go to 'My Collection' in the top menu, then 'My Collection'. Begin by clicking on the picture of your weakest card: it should bring you to a page with the card's prices at various levels. With those prices in mind, go back to the 'My Collection' page and click on 'Sell this character' under your weakest card. Then, select 'Public' and enter a competitive price to the ones you memorized. Click on 'Okay' and your card should be on sale! You are able to sell only one card on 'Public' every day, unless you buy credits at 'My Collection' -> 'The Shop', in which case there is no limit. However, you can also sell your cards to 'Kate' at a set price and instantly receive clintz (you will never get full value, however).

After you've sold a card for some clintz, it's time to start purchasing new ones! (See my posts below for detailed analysis on cheap, good cards in all the different clans. ) Go to 'My Collection'->'The Market' and start browsing. I would advise you not to buy the cheapest cards available, as they are often not very powerful. Instead, be patient and save up for cards that are long-term investments. If you're lacking clintz, you should just go back to the battle rooms and play some more matches.

Once you reach level 7, you can now enter the 'Fights Type 1' room and begin making much more clintz. There are tournaments at every other hour (e.g 12h00, 2h00, 4h00,etc. or 1h00, 3h00, 5h00, etc. depending on your time zone) and just by participating in one match during tournament time, you gain an easy 50 clintz. Don't worry about losing, as you'll be going up against much stronger opposition than in the beginner rooms - just don't quit matches. You earn negative battle points for that, while you gain a small amount of positive points even for losing (you need positive points to get the 50 clintz). Hence, try to take part in as many tournaments as you can - even if it's only 1 match per 2 hours - to gain 50 clintz.

At level 10, you will receive the leader Vansaar, who really has no battle potential, but is used to level up other cards; two leaders also cancel each other's abilities out in the same hand, so you shouldn't put two in the same deck. Join the 'Lost Warehouse' room with all your cards that haven't reached max level yet and get them to their highest levels. You will receive much more experience by playing in this room and your wins/draws/losses don't count on your record; however, you receive very little clintz. When you buy cards later on from the Market or Shop, use the fully-levelled Vansaar to make the levelling process even easier.

Once you reach level 15, Hugo will be yours. He is one of the better leaders in the game and should bring your deck to another level. At this point, you might start thinking about playing in the ELO or Survivor Rooms. In the ELO Rooms, begin by aiming to get over 1000 ELO in five matches or more. It's a good idea to shoot for that on Saturday, as once you get over that hump you can exit the room; the next hump is at the faraway 1200 ELO, and you shouldn't attempt it for the moment, especially at the risk of falling under 1000. Your ELO value naturally calibrates to 1000 ELO when you don't play for long enough, and you need 1001 to 1200 ELO to receive 2 credits (which you can use at the Shop) and 150 clintz. Hence, playing on Saturday will not make you susceptible to the calibration, as ELO resets every Sunday night. Don't worry if you weren't able to get to 1000 ELO at the beginning; just try again next week, because everyone will restart at 1000 ELO then. In Survivor rooms, do NOT attempt Type 2, as the cards you'll face in there will be advanced. Instead, see how long a streak you can build in the Survivor Type ELO room; try mixing up your deck for better results. During non-tournament hours, the Survivor rooms are a decent place to make some clintz, and are certainly better than regular rooms for that purpose.

Finally, you should have a good grasp of the game by now and I leave it to you to discover the other aspects in the game. Joining a guild is certainly a great experience (mine is always accepting! http://www.urban-rivals.com/guild/?id_guild=600674 ) and you should start aiming for other accomplishments, as well: get ~125 battle points in daily tournaments to be in the top 1/3 (you get 50 clintz + 1 credit), aim for 1200 ELO, and, of course, start building your collection of cards. Obviously, the ultimate prize is to win the ELO tournament, but let's just say it's a long and hard journey to that one...

Before all else, good luck and have fun - I hope to see you in-game! :)

Up, Up, and Away! The Uppers!

2009-06-22T02:09:00.017-04:00

Last, but certainly not least, here are the Uppers' affordable beginner cards:

Beetenka

Damage +2

-10 opp attack, min 3

Burt

-3 opp damage, min 2

-10 opp attack, min 3

Frankie Hi

-3 opp attack, min 3

-10 opp attack, min 3

Oxen

-3 life opp. min 5

-10 opp attack, min 3

Samantha

Stop Opp Bonus

-10 opp attack, min 3

Wendel

Courage: Stop Opp Ability

-10 opp attack, min 3

A mono Uppers deck for beginners would be quite plausible if not for the lack of a seventh decent Uppers card (th eabove six are good, but you'd have to fill the 7th spot with someone like Stanford; not the best option, but a possible one); the eighth spot would likely be filled by Hugo, once again.

Hence, I'll be concentrating on building a strong Uppers half-deck. You should begin by procuring Samantha; she's got the ever-useful SOB ability that's especially effective when getting rid of your opponents' nasty +/- attack bonii.
After Samantha, you're already faced with a choice: Frankie Hi or Burt for a 3-star. Personally, while Frankie Hi is the superior card in T1 tournaments, it'll probably be a while before you can tap out on his full potential (you're going to need very good and expensive complementary Uppers cards (Zatman, Jackie, etc.) for that). Thus, Burt is probably the better option at this stage in your young career. He provides you with a solid damage reduction ability and decent base stats for a 3-star.
The next card is a must: Oxen. He's a beast for a 3-star and certainly a staple in all Uppers decks. His six-damage potential to start off a match is terrific and he's got very solid base stats for a 3-star to get that damage through. You'll be hanging on to him for a long time.
Finally, I would finish up the half-deck with either Wendel or Beetenka. Wendel is probably the Uppers' best 2-star card, as he has the ever-useful SOA ability,while Beetenka is also decent card, but nothing more; she suffers more than you'd think, later on, due to the greater prominence of SOA. Anyways, if your heart's set on the elegant beauty (lol, j/k), I would still recommend for you to get Wendel and instead replace Samantha with Beetenka.

To sum it all up, the Uppers have long been a favorite in the ELO tournaments since the dawn of time and it's easy to see why. Not only is their bonus among the best in the game, but they've got solid cards that take full benefit of it; not to mention some very solid beginner cards. The only downside to investing in them early on might be their lack of damage, but that is a minor issue (8.5/10).
Once you get the hang of them, you'll find that Oxen is really a tremendous card, while Wendel is almost always the Uppers' 2-star filler. In the instances that he is not, Samantha usually holds the fort quite admirably, and even Burt might get the rare appearance. They only lack the solid punch someone like Zatman or Dorian bring to the table, but those parts can be added later on. Hence, these Uppers card should last you long, as they remain competitive even against more advanced players' decks (8/10).

Ride the Wave with the Ulu Watu

2009-06-22T02:09:00.013-04:00

The Ulu Watu can be obtained in the Cool starter deck, but you'll soon find that they can use some upgrading. So, without further ado, may I present to you some of their better beginner cards:

Ice Jim

Stop Opp Ability

Power +2

Kirk

-3 opp damage, min 3

Power +2

Lin Bee

Courage: Stop Opp Ability

Power +2

Lucia

Stop: damage +2

Power +2

Nanook

No ability

Power +2

Taigo

-8 opp attack, min 3

Power +2

I wouldn't attempt a full-deck with Ulu Watus...so neither should you ;)
However, if you want a half-deck of Ulu Watus, first get Taigo, a very affordable option who has the ever useful - attack ability. If his bonus goes through, too, you've also got yourself a solid wall.
For the second card, choose between Lin Bee and Kirk. To make that decision, see whether you're lacking an SOA in your other half-deck. If you are, get Lin Bee because it's good to have at least two SOAs in your deck (Ice Jim is another option for SOA in the Ulu Watu clan, and is quite interchangeable with Lin Bee). I've gone with Kirk because I find him to be underrated for what he brings to the table: solid stats for a 3-star along with a decent damage reduction ability.
Thirdly, target Lucia to get a 4-star with solid base stats and an okay Stop ability; she gives the half-deck some much-needed damage.
Finally, complete the deck with Nanook, a staple Ulu Watu card whose 8 power (10 if her bonus goes through) will win you many a round (not to mention she also digs the Geordi La Forge :D).

The proposed deck that I've just gone through has its weaknesses, most notably the fact that it lacks damage. Also, compared to the other clans with +/- 2 power as their bonus (All-Stars and Bangers), Ulu Watu offers a smaller selection of cards that are also somewhat under par. In any case, they're still a fun clan to play due to their very strong power, and a beginner might enjoy that (6.5/10).
Once you get more experienced, you'll find that Ulu Watu has a hard time competing in ELO, and only Nanook really earns her spot as an inexpensive card that can compete with more advanced players' cards (Taigo is also a decent 2-star filler later on). Furthermore, Ulu Watu sees most of its playing time in T2, where high-priced 5-star cards are required (3.5/10).

Skeelz placeholder

2009-06-22T02:02:00.004-04:00

This post is a placeholder, seeing as how the Skeelz do not have enough released cards with which to make a beginner deck. Thanks for your consideration.

Did Someone Say Sentinel?

2009-06-22T01:57:00.006-04:00

Yay, one of my personal favourites, and likely a clan that many beginners will start out with. Here we go:

Aurelia

No ability

Attack +8

Dayton

Damage +3

Attack +8

John

Support: Power +1

Attack +8

Luis

Stop Opp Ability

Attack +8

Malia

Stop: +3 life

Attack +8

Rick

Support: Damage +1

Attack +8

Skiner

Attack +12

Attack +8

Sentinel is another clan that is versatile enough to produce either a half-deck or a full-deck; the choice is up to you, as both are pretty strong.

Starting with the half-deck, you should already have Rebecca if you decided to get the Action starter deck, and she's a solid card until you afford Aurelia (if you didn't choose the Action deck, just skip over Rebecca and go for Aurelia). Next, I would go for Luis, because he's one of only two SOA cards in the Sentinel clan (in more advanced decks, you'll either replace him with that other Sentinel SOA card (Hawk) or your other half-deck will provide you with enough SOA). In any case, I think Luis is worth the investment for a beginner. After that, go for Dayton, a very solid 3-star, and finish out the deck with either Malia or Skiner, depending on star-count. I'd go with Malia because she's a very cheap option for a decent 4-star with the useful Stop ability.

If you want to get a Sentinel full-deck, a route I would recommend over the half-deck, get all the cards mentioned above, and add John, Rick, and Skiner. That should leave you with enough place for a leader (Hugo is once again a great option once you hit level 15). John and Rick have the Support ability and they'll thrive in a full-deck, while Skiner often forces your opponent to pill or suffer considerable damage.

To wrap it up, the Sentinel half-deck has its strengths, the primary one being it's easy to transition to from the Action starter deck. Rebecca, Carlos and Zdrone are competent placeholders for the cards mentioned above, and you should do very well early on (8/10). However, as you progress, you'll find that Luis lacks somewhat in base stats and Malia lacks power for a 4-star. Only Aurelia and Dayton really last you very long, and you'll be looking at fairly expensive cards to fill out the remainder of your half-deck - I would thus advise you to start building another deck after the one above should you choose this path(6.5/10).

The full Sentinel deck is definitely a touch below the full Montana deck, but not by much. I think that the difference between the Action (which contains Sentinel) and the Cool (which contains Montana) starter decks makes up for that, as the former is significant stronger. Otherwise, they definitely have their similarities with the two cheap Support cards, Dayton/Sharon, and the fact that both take full advantage of Hugo (9/10). Much like the Montana full-deck, the Sentinels will also face a decline over time, so make a decision to either jump ship or stay the course once you've built the deck - realize that the best Sentinel cards (Hawk, Coby (another Support card), and Copper) are quite expensive, so choose carefully (7.5/10).

I Will Survive... with Sakrohm

2009-06-22T01:55:00.006-04:00

Sakrohm are a relatively cheap clan, so there are a good number of cards that you can get for a bargain:

Corrina

Attack +8

-8 opp attack, min 3

Lunatik

Damage +3

-8 opp attack, min 3

Murray

+3 life

-8 opp attack, min 3

Na Boh

-3 opp damage, min 3

-8 opp attack, min 3

Nimestiec

-6 opp attack, min 3

-8 opp attack, min 3

TrinmkkT

-4 opp damage, min 3

-8 opp attack, min 3

Wakai

+2 life

-8 opp attack, min 3

Making a Sakrohm full-deck is a realistic possibility (I would replace Lunatik with Petra, or - a cheaper option - Corrina with Eris)., but it's not the best option. Hence, I'll be focusing on the Sakrohm half-deck.

The first card to get would be Nimestiec, since he's dirt cheap but forces your opponent to pill a fair amount most of the time.
Once you've saved enough clintz, then go for Murray, a staple Sakrohm card that is quite possibly my favorite card in the game. He is very powerful for a 3-star, giving you both high power and damage.
After getting Murray, you're faced with a number of different choices: you can go for damage, for damage reduction, or for a mix of both. My picks would be for Wakai and TrinmkkT, the former because he's the staple Sakrohm 2-star and the latter because he has a good combination of damage and damage reduction. However, if you want to build a half-deck that complements a poison half-deck, go for Na Boh instead of TrinmkkT to save you some stars. Ultimately, you have some sway with your remaining picks (you can even switch out Nimestiec later) and the deciding factor should be the star count of your deck - Corrina is like a bigger version of Nimestiec, while Lunatik is a slight downgrade over Wakai.

To summarize, a Sakrohm half-deck is definitely quite powerful, but the Sakrohms remain a support deck; they have a number of great damage reducers - Uranus being the best - that are useful against your opponents' strong, high-damage cards. For a beginner, their bonus will definitely help out, but they lack a good SOA card and lack damage (in the form of + life) when they face opponents' SOA cards (7.5/10).
Should you decide to go this path, however, you will eventually be rewarded, and Sakrohm is personally one of my favourite clans to play. Uranus is definitely required for a competitive Sakrohm half-deck, and Petra is not too far behind, but cards like Murray and Wakai often fill the remaining two slots; the other cards mentioned above are also seen less frequently (7.5/10).

The Roots of All Evil

2009-06-22T01:46:00.008-04:00

If the Roots are your thing, you won't regret getting some of cards below for low prices:

Amanie

+4 life

Stop Opp Ability

Jeena

-4 opp damage, min 2

Stop Opp Ability

Miken Moose

Attack +8

Stop Opp Ability

Noodile

No ability

Rico

-6 opp attack, min 4

Stop Opp Ability

Yookie

-2 opp damage, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

I suppose you could create a full deck of Roots with some minor adjustments to the cards mentioned above, but their SOA bonus is really not all too useful 4 times in each hand :P. Instead, getting a half-deck of roots allows you the luxury of not having to have any SOA cards in your other deck (of course, you still can).

In any case, let's omit the full-deck case and concentrate on a Roots half-deck. The first card to target is somewhat high-priced as a first card, as are the following three. Hence, you might want to consider building another cheap half-deck before starting on the Roots. Rico should be your first card, as he has the effective - attack ability. Next, get some damage reduction in the form of your friendly Chewbacca Yookie, a staple in Roots decks. Follow that up with Miken Moose, another card with an attack manipulation ability, and with Noodile, a 3-star with the very solid 8 power/4 damage base stats. Jeena is also an option to replace Rico or Miken Moose, if you really want more damage reduction. All these cards are in the mid-range for beginner cards, but rest assured, they are really first class - probably more so than any other clan. The major knock on the Roots cards, however, is that they lack damage; you can address that problem with Amanie. She is a weaker card than the much more costly Ratanah, but she can be very effective if your other half-deck has a poison card (most of her 'damage' comes in the form of + life to you, so you're not wasting the poison). Otherwise, if you don't have poison in your half-deck, I would recommend not getting Amanie and spending your star count strengthening your other half-deck.

The deck mentioned above is more of a support deck that allows you to spend your star count in your other half-deck. The lower-levelled Roots cards are very powerful and can win you rounds, but they lack damage and are thus not optimal for beginners who cannot afford high-priced, 5-star cards (7.5/10).
In the long-term, however, these cards will stick with you - especially Noodile and Yookie, two staples in Roots decks. Miken Moose is also probably the best 2-star Roots (for lack of competition), and has its place in some decks, as does Rico. Hence, the cards mentioned are far from being just beginner cards, but more advanced players' cards, as well (9/10).

Rescue to the Max

2009-06-22T01:18:00.010-04:00

If you want to get a Rescue deck as a beginner, prepare save up for some of the following cards:

Bobby

Damage +3

Support: Attack +3

Ghoub

No ability

Support: Attack +3

Glosh

Stop: power +3

Support: Attack +3

Joana

Power = power opp

Support: Attack +3

Larry

Support: Power +1

Support: Attack +3

Lea

Stop Opp Bonus

Support: Attack +3

Lobo

No ability

Support: Attack +3

Slyde

-3 opp damage, min 1

Support: Attack +3

Suzie

Support: +1 Life

Support: Attack +3

For other clans, building a half-deck is much more feasible than a full deck...for Rescue, it's the complete opposite. Hence, let me give you this very important warning: you will need dedication to get a truly full deck of Rescues (it's not worth using Hugo in place of an eighth Rescue card) and you will not see the entire benefits of this build until you've gotten eight Rescues (at this point, every hand will give you the +12 attack bonus), so be prepared for some mediocrity initially.

If you do persevere, however, you will end up with a pretty strong deck that should present a challenge to your opposition. Begin by deciding whether you're patient or not. If you're impatient, Joana is a pretty decent stopgap solution that should not set you back too much until you can afford Bobby. If you're patient, skip Joanna and get Slyde as your first card, one of the two reducers in the Rescue clan. Next, get Ghoub, Glosh, and Lobo, two big guys and a kangaroo that can give you the 2HKO (Glosh's value also climbs higher and higher as you fight tougher opponents and SOA becomes more common). If you haven't gotten Bobby yet, now is a good time to do so. Afterwards, save up a bit for one of the best cards in the Rescue clan, Lea. You really can't ask anything more from a 2-star and that makes her a staple in all rescue decks. Finally, fill out the deck with the cards with Support abilities: Larry and Suzie. With a full deck of Rescues, they will be able to reach their full potential.

It is certainly an endearing process to collect all these Rescues, but I believe the end result is worth it. You'll likely end up spending a lot of time losing and then a lot of time winning as a beginner(8/10).
However, the Rescue clan is not the powerhouse it once was and thus, there are limits as to how much you can upgrade the deck above (Elvira would definitely be integral should you choose this path, as she is the only SOA in the Rescue and can replace Bobby; Anita is also recommended over Lobo). Nonetheless, you can still retain a majority of the cards above and the Rescue bonus is the best in the game, always giving you a chance to win (7.5/10).

The Pussycats Pretty Please?

2009-06-22T00:20:00.007-04:00

Well here you go, the best, cheap Pussycats:

Baby Q

Stop Opp Bonus

-2 opp damage, min 1

Betty

+2 life

-2 opp damage, min 1

Effie

Damage = damage opp

-2 opp damage, min 1

Ella

-2 opp damage, min 4

-2 opp damage, min 1

Elly Mae

Courage: Dmg +3

-2 opp damage, min 1

Feelyn

-2 opp power, min 3

-2 opp damage, min 1

Jeyn

-3 life opp. min 4

-2 opp damage, min 1

Wanda

No ability

-2 opp damage, min 1

You have some very good options if you want to build a full or half-deck in the Pussycats clan.

Starting with the half-deck, the first card you should buy is Jeyn. She'll make an immediate impact in your deck, as she is a great card to play in the first round. Next, go for Feelyn, who is a pretty good wall who slightly lacks base stats. Thirdly, purchase Wanda, one of the best 2-star cards not only in the clan, but in the entire game. Finally, complete the half-deck with Elly Mae, a solid card who can give you a one-two knock-out punch together with Jeyn. Honestly, you could also get Baby Q instead, but I don't consider her to be an upgrade over Elly Mae or Jeyn as a 4-star. Also, depending on how many stars you need, I would consider Betty (she should replace Feelyn or Jeyn, depending on your situation).

If you want to go for a full deck of Pussycats, that is also a very affordable decision - likely one of cheapest full decks you can get early on. I would take all the cards mentioned in the half-deck above, then add Baby Q, Effie, and Ella. Baby Q gives you another option for the 2HKO, Effie is really a cheap filler that can have her moments, and Ella is a pretty good reducer. That leaves the last spot for a leader (Timber (whom you get for free at level 5) works pretty well together with the Pussycats bonus, but you should eventually replace him with Hugo at level 15).

The Pussycats are a great choice for beginners and can produce a strong half-deck even from the start (9/10). The clan also gives you the possibility to transition over to a full-deck with ease, though it is somewhat inferior due to the generally weak clan bonus and due to the fact that Effie is not a very strong card (7.5/10).
The half-deck will also last you pretty long, as they are always a good complement to another half-deck due to their damage reduction bonus. Unfortunately, the Pussycats staple SOA card (Yayoi) is expensive, as is their best reducer (Charlie) (8/10). The full deck fares worse, however, as cards like Effie, Jeyn, and Elly Mae will suffer greatly when you encounter more and more SOA in the decks of more advanced opponents (6.5/10).

Pirates? Nope, just the Piranas

2009-06-21T23:40:00.005-04:00

Among the Piranas' best beginner cards are:

Andsom

-3 opp Pillz. min 3

Stop Opp Bonus

Deadeye

-3 opp power, min 4

Stop Opp Bonus

Greesh

Poison 2, min 2

Stop Opp Bonus

Rhed

+3 life

Stop Opp Bonus

Spycee

Stop Opp Ability

Stop Opp Bonus

Sting

Courage: Power +3

Stop Opp Bonus

Trey

+4 Pillz

Stop Opp Bonus

Tula

-4 opp power, min 2

Stop Opp Bonus

The Piranas are an interesting clan for beginners, because there's really two paths you can take: you can start building for a full deck, or you can build a half-deck that pays you more immediate dividends.

If you decide to go for the less ambitious half-deck, I would Greesh and Rhed, two cards whose abilities complement each other well. If you already have a poison card in your other half-deck, however, you can consider skipping Greesh in favor of Sting or Spycee. I think Greesh has too low a power with too high a star count and damage to be an effective poison card (it's not really worth it to pill him a lot and get him through). Nonetheless, I also believe Sting isn't really worth his star count and I'm not a fan of Spycee, even if he is a stop all (SOA and SOB).For the third card, I'd go for Andsom, a card well worth his price, but often undervalued because other cards have better +/- pills abilities. I'd finish the deck off with Tula, a strong card overall that has good damage for a 2-star.

If you want to go for a full deck, a lot players will try for all the cards with the + or - pills abilities, but I would actually advise against that, especially for someone short on clintz. The best +/- pills cards have relatively high price tags, so you'll struggle at the beginning with lesser cards. Instead, I'd focus on a deck around Hugo and the Piranas' SOB bonus. Combined, they give you an edge throughout the match and Hugo also works very well Tula and Deadeye, whose - power abilities combine very well with Hugo's + attack. As I mentioned, Deadeye would be a good addition to the Piranha full-deck, as would Sting, as his very high power is useful in a full deck which lacks power. Spycee's the only SOA the Piranas have, so include him as well. That leaves the remaining spots for the half-deck discussed above.

To conclude, I believe you can make better choices than the Piranas for a good beginner half-deck, but if your heart's set on them, go ahead. All there cards are very average (with the exception of Tula), but they should still be somewhat competitive early on (7/10). As for the full-deck, it only becomes strong once you get Hugo. Hands with Hugo and Tula/Deadeye are fun to play, but it is a weak deck otherwise (6/10).

Once you discover the world and it opens your eyes, however, you'll quickly realize both decks' shortcomings. In future half-decks, Tula is likely the only one that would remain (4/10).
The long-term potential of the full deck is also somewhat weak, because cards like Deadeye, Greesh and Rhed will probably be unnecessary (Andsom and Sting might also lose their spots). You'd probably want Hugo gone too in favor of Ambre or Dalhia, both expensive options. The best Piranha full deck is also the +/- pills one, and it's costly to buy those cards. Hence, you would not set yourself up well for the future with the full-deck proposed above (3.5/10).

Sweet dreams for now...Nightmare is coming

2009-06-21T22:50:00.004-04:00

If the Nightmare clan is the one you are smitten with, here are some of their inexpensive cards to start a competitive deck with:

Eadh

-2 opp power, min 5

Stop Opp Bonus

Hel

+1 Life Per Damage

Stop Opp Bonus

Sargh

-7 opp attack, min 3

Stop Opp Bonus

Sheitane

Poison 2, min 1

Stop Opp Bonus

Timmy

Poison 2, min 4

Stop Opp Bonus

As you can see from above, there are slim pickings among the cheap Nightmare cards, so I would advise you to only attempt at building a half-deck.
Here goes: first off, get Sargh. One of my personal favorites, he's often underestimated and underused; if I need to fill 3 stars with a Nightmare card to complete my deck, he's almost always my pick.
Afterwards, it would be wise get Eadh, who is especially effective against opponents' stronger cards. He already has solid stats for a 2-star, but add to that a decent ability and he makes a solid wall.
For the third card, I would go for Hel, just to get some much needed damage in. Hel's a great card that you'll sometimes find in more advanced decks, as well. Make note that if you put fury on her, she has the potential for 8 damage, so it's smart to keep her 'til the end of a match.
Finally, round out the deck with either Timmy or Sheitane, two poison cards. Although Sheitane is without a doubt the better card, I've picked Timmy due to his much lower price tag (Sheitane barely even makes this list due to her relatively high cost for a beginner). If you are patient, however, know that Sheitane is an investment that you won't regret, as she's a staple in all Nightmare decks.

Overall, I would say the Nightmare half-deck proposed above lacks some damage, and there are really no viable substitutes to fulfill this need that are worth the clintz (Nerfeniti has high damage, but lacks power and is thus more of a reducer/bluff card). Furthermore, the cards are crippled by any cards with the SOA ability (not by the more common SOA bonus that the Roots and Gheist possess, however). Hence, I cannot really recommend this clan for a beginner just starting out (5.5/10).
Long term, though, those cards might last you a while, especially if you decided to go for Sheitane. Sargh, Eadh, and Hel might also see some limited action, but even if that is the case, the Nightmare clan remains one of the weaker ones in the game (7/10).

The Mighty Montana

2009-06-19T17:32:00.007-04:00

The Montana clan is one of the most popular for beginners, and for good reason. Below are some of their better beginner cards:

Don

-4 opp attack, min 2

-12 opp attack, min 8

Fabio

-2 opp power, min 6

-12 opp attack, min 8

Filomena

Courage: Dmg +4

-12 opp attack, min 8

Giovanni

No ability

-12 opp attack, min 8

Oscar

Support: Power +1

-12 opp attack, min 8

Prince Jr

-2 opp power, min 4

-12 opp attack, min 8

Sharon

Damage +2

-12 opp attack, min 8

Spiaghi

-3 opp damage, min 1

-12 opp attack, min 8

Veccio

Support: Damage +1

-12 opp attack, min 8

First off, the Montana are one of the best clans to create a full-deck with, and you can even do this as a beginner. Likewise, a good half-deck is possible, and it's up to you which one you prefer.

Unlike the other clan reviews, I'll be doing this one in two parts, starting with a Montana half-deck:
First, get Filomena, a good card that relies on its ability for damage, but that shouldn't be a huge problem at the beginning.
Follow that up with Sharon, another card that gets extra damage from its ability, but it's not as essential for her. She's a fantastic card that will last you a long time.
As I write this, Spiaghi is still pretty cheap, but his price may rise once he's no longer a recently-released card. If you can afford him, though, grab him without a second thought: you need reducers for Montana, and he's one of the few available.
Finally, it's up to you how you want to fill the final spot, but I would go with Giovanni or Prince Jr. in a half-deck. If you can afford more stars, you can also consider Don (more on that later). The main reason I've chosen Giovanni is due to his price: he costs a small fraction of what Prince Jr. or Don do, and he definitely has his uses. His 6 damage is great for 2-hit knock-outs (2HKOs) and he is not reliant on an ability, unlike my other choices above.

If you'd like to build a full deck of Montanas, the main difference to keep in mind is the overall star count. Use the same cards as in the half-deck, with the exception of Giovanni. Then, add Veccio, Oscar, Don, and Prince Jr.. Veccio and Oscar have the Support ability, which means they benefit greatly in a full-deck when they're assured to be beside other Montanas in any given hand. Don is also a cheap five-star who I prefer over Fabio due to his ability (I find - attack to be more useful than - power because of the high minimum (6) ). Lastly, you can still include Fabio if you want a truly full deck of Montanas. However, another popular option is to fill the eighth spot with the leader Hugo, whom you get for free at level 15. Combined with the Montana bonus, it gives you an 18-attack difference most of the time...nothing to sneeze at.

I believe Montana is one of the best clans for a beginner, especially due to the cheap price and good value for a half-deck (7.5/10).If you're willing to put in somewhat more money and create a full deck of Montanas, however, this is when it'll really pay dividends. I would also highly recommend using the eighth spot for Hugo (9.5/10).
The proposed half-deck will not last you long, though, since Giovanni and Filomena do get outclassed pretty easily by stronger cards (6.5/10). Should you choose to go for the full deck plus Hugo, however, you'll see the benefits of buying into this clan immediately, especially since you'll likely be able to compete in DTs and ELO. Nonetheless, be warned: as you go further and further along, I would advise you to start building up other decks (more expensive ones), because its potential is capped rather low and I don't believe it's worth it to upgrade to more expensive Montana cards. They lack a good, cheap SOA and that becomes necessary in any deck later on (8/10).

Let's get ready for...La Junta!

2009-06-19T17:10:00.003-04:00

The La Junta clan's good beginner cards are as follows:

Burger

Courage: Power +3

Damage +2

Chiro

Support: Damage +1

Damage +2

Dacote

Stop: damage +4

Damage +2

Dean

-3 opp power, min 4

Damage +2

Tank

Stop Opp Ability

Damage +2

Winston

-3 opp damage, min 3

Damage +2

Let us begin: the first card to get is Winston, since he's cheap and effective. He has good damage reduction for a 2-star card and he'd be a fantastic card if it weren't for the high minimum.
Next, Dean is an excellent card and likely the second-best 2-star in the La Junta clan (after Wardog). He can take down a lot of cards that are at a higher level than him and still pack a decent punch of 4 damage.
Following this, you should focus on the strength of the La Junta clan: damage. You should buy either Dacote or Chiro, and my pick goes to the latter due to her very high power in a clan lacking 8-powers. You will find Dacote to be a one-trick pony: if you're up against a deck of SOAs, great; otherwise...not so much. You can pull a one-hit knock-out (OHKO) on your opponent with him if both his ability and bonus go through, and thus can keep your opponent on his toes even if you lose the first round or two. However, Chiro is much more solid because she does not depend entirely on her ability or bonus as much as Dacote does.
Finally, Tank's base stats are pretty weak, but he's the only one in the clan with the SOA ability, so if you are finding yourself needing one, go out and get him. Otherwise, go for Burger, a more expensive option, but another card with high power (albeit courage-based) and damage.

As it stands, the greatest strength of a La Junta deck comes when you have eight of them together (so that their support abilities are used to the fullest). Unfortunately, you will be hard pressed to find 7 (+ a leader) or 8 cheap La Junta cards that are also competitive. Thus, you can really only make a La Junta half-deck, which is not too strong by itself (4/10).
However, if you are extremely patient and are able to save clintz for a long enough time (I would advise against this, since in the end, you could get significantly better decks for the price you'll end up paying), you can make a full-deck of La Juntas and release their full potential (6/10).

Just in time for the Junkz

2009-06-19T13:53:00.001-04:00

If you want a Junkz beginner deck, here are some options:

Dreen

-3 opp power, min 4

Attack +8

Kawan

No ability

Attack +8

Lolly

-2 opp damage, min 1

Attack +8

Malmoth

-4 opp attack, min 4

Attack +8

Onik

Courage: Dmg +3

Attack +8

Otakool

Stop Opp Ability

Attack +8

Veenyle

-3 opp damage, min 2

Attack +8

Junkz have a very good selection or inexpensive cards for beginners, and choosing the best out of them can give you a good half-deck. You can also add in Dash and Keanew (not listed above), which are decent cards, to complete a full deck along with a leader.
The first purchase into this clan should be, without a doubt, Dreen. She is a fantastic power reducer, especially for her star count. She is still useful even in later, more advanced, decks.
Secondly, I would buy Lolly, since she has very solid stats and a good damage reduction ability.
The last two purchases are up to your personal preference and need. I would select Onik and Otakool as being the best in the bunch, simply because Onik is a very underrated card and Otakool has the ever-useful SOA ability. If you want more reliable damage, however, replace Onik with either Kawan or Malmoth. They are both decent cards, especially Malmoth (you almost always want 1 more power rather than 2 more damage at higher star-levels...with some exceptions: I tend to like 4-stars with a minimum of 5 damage (includes poison, +life ability, etc.) and 5-stars with a minimum of 6 damage. When a card takes up to a fifth of your deck, it better be able to not only win the round, but pack a punch). Furthermore, Malmoth has an okay ability that also gives it an edge.
Finally, if you need to save a star, replace Lolly with Venyle. Note, however, that Venyle is a bit on the expensive side, especially for a player just starting out. In terms of their overall value in a Junkz half-deck, I would say Venyle is slightly better, for the simple reason that the Junkz already have some good 3-stars and Venyle brings more damage reduction to a clan slightly lacking it.

The Junkz are a very good clan to build your second half-deck with, since they are a bit more expensive than other beginner cards. However, you get what you pay for: these cards are strong and well worth their prices (8.5/10).
Many of the cards above can also last you pretty long, namely Dreen, Veenyle, and to a certain amount, Otakool and Onik (8/10).

Journey in the Jungle with the Jungo

2009-06-19T04:03:00.001-04:00

The Jungo are a relatively weak and new clan at the time of this writing, and hence, their selection of good beginner cards is somewhat sparse:

Stop: attack +8

+2 life

Jalil

-2 life opp. min 1

+2 life

Mindy

Attack +10

+2 life

Odile

Power +2

+2 life

Radek

-2 opp power, min 4

+2 life

To begin with, a half-deck should be made with these cards, as a full deck is unlikely due to the limited selection of cheap Jungos.
Firstly, I'd pick up Borss, since his SOB ability is always useful.
Then, Radek is a pretty good wall, and he should be able to deal with the majority of cards early on, especially when pilled well.
The third card I'd buy is Mindy, since her ability is very good; you just have to watch out for the cards that have SOB that make it not worth it to get her 1 damage through.
Lastly, I'd go with Jalil to complete the half-deck, but Dagouba and Odile are substitutes if you're impatient and/or poor. Jalil has the highest base power and is not as dependent on its ability working or getting stopped. Hence, I would recommend saving up for him.

Overall, though, Jungo is a pretty bad choice for a beginner. You'll find their bonus not to be extremely useful early on, especially since it's most important to win rounds. However, you can couple them with the Freaks for a pretty fun combo (even when a Freaks card's poison goes through, you can still attack with a card like Mindy, since most of her "damage" gives you life and doesn't subtract from your opponent's life (so the poison can continue)). (4/10)
When you get more experienced with the Jungo, you'll also find most of these cards to be just a touch below the necessary level to be competitive (the only exception being Mindy). Hence, they are not a great investment (3/10)

The ever-popular Gheist

2009-06-19T03:39:00.003-04:00

Here are good beginner cards for the Gheist clan:

Bristone

-3 opp damage, min 2

Stop Opp Ability

Darth

Power = power opp

Stop Opp Ability

Dolly

Poison 2, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

Luba

Damage = damage opp

Stop Opp Ability

Ludmilla

Poison 2, min 4

Stop Opp Ability

Platinum

-3 opp power, min 1

Stop Opp Ability

Dolly and Ludmilla are both Poison cards, and both are pretty good cards. However, Dolly definitely has the edge due to her higher power and lower poison minimum (it's very useful to have this lower minimum, as it allows you to do damage and still have the poison take effect). If you want to save a star, though, Ludmilla is still a good option.
The second card I would buy is Platinum, simply because he's a solid card that holds its own very well. +/- attack clans are definitely effective against it, though, and that's its major knock.
Next, Darth and Luba. One matches the opponent's power, the other the opponent's damage. This is a tough choice to make, but I think that the difference that Darth makes early on for beginners cannot be ignored; later on, Luba probably has the edge. When your opponent doesn't have Roots or Gheist, Darth really shines and those two clans are relatively uncommon (due to their relatively high prices).
Finally, the fourth card in my half-deck would be Bristone, a very good card that is well worth her price. She's a card that will last you long.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Gheist can put together a pretty decent half-deck early on. However, I also think that +/- clans are more useful around this time, so it balances out. Moreover, none of those cards are really game-changers (except possibly Dolly), so it's harder to play this deck well (6/10).
Later on, however, you'll find that the best cards are those that cost significantly more, and the only card that you'd keep is Bristone (and perhaps Platinum in a full deck) (4/10). There aren't enough good, cheap cards in the Gheist clan for a full deck, but a very decent half-deck is possible.

Fourth post for Freaks

2009-06-19T03:14:00.002-04:00

Time to get freaky:

Esmeralda

Attack +10

Poison 2, min 3

Hula

Poison 2, min 3
Poison 2, min 3

Maamoon

Stop Opp Bonus

Poison 2, min 3

Olga Noel

Power +3

Poison 2, min 3

Soushee

-3 opp damage, min 3

Poison 2, min 3

Wolfgang

-4 opp damage, min 2

Poison 2, min 3

Okay, so to begin with, don't even entertain the thought of a Freaks full-deck (the poison bonus does NOT stack, so once one of your cards gets it through, the others have a useless bonus). That aside, a half-deck (or even less) of Freaks is very useful and is a fun clan to play.
A very underrated card is Olga Noel and she would be my first purchase. Her ability is great and early on, it's unlikely to be stopped. Once you get more Freaks, she's also the one you'll probably be using to get the poison through, due to her high power.
Next, Maamoon is a possibility, but be careful: while she is useful against Nightmare and Piranas so that the poison bonus isn't stopped, she has too much damage. How can a card have too much damage, you ask? Quite simply, it's because the Freaks' bonus is Poison 2, minimum 3. If you win with Maamoon in the first turn, you'll be doing six damage, and then in the next turn two (from poison), and in the following turn, one (from poison). However, you get the same total damage from doing three damage in the first turn, then two damage in the following three turns (from poison). Even if you don't win the first round and you get your poison through from Maamoon in the second round, you're still wasting one damage. Hence, the best Freaks cards are usually the ones with 5 damage or less (3 being the optimum). Nonetheless, damage is still useful for a premature knock-out, and for that reason, Maamoon has her uses.
Instead of Maamoon, though, I would get Esmerelda. She's a fantastic card whose ability, if unstopped, forces your opponent to pill substantially.
Next, you can choose between Soushee and Wolfgang for a damage reducer. They are both decent cards, and which one you pick depends on how many stars you need. I'd give the edge to Wolfgang for being the better beginner card.
Finally, the top four is completed with Hula, a card that has the extremely useful poison ABILITY. Hence, it takes a stop all (a card with both SOA and SOB) to block the poison if she wins.

The Freaks clans is one of my favourite clans to play and was also one of the first half-decks I made starting out. Their prices have risen a bit since then, but in terms of the punch they pack, they're great for beginners (8/10).
In the long term, the Freaks mentioned above are also very good, namely Esmerelda and Hula (I even use Olga Noel sometimes). Unfortunately, even though they keep their value well, the Freaks remain one of the riskier clans to play later on (8/10).

Third time's the charm: Fang Pi Clang

2009-06-19T02:42:00.004-04:00

Here we go again, for the Fang Pi Clang:

-5 opp attack, min 5

Damage +2

Sakazuki

Damage +2

Unagi

Power = power opp

Damage +2

Windy Mor

Stop Opp Bonus

Damage +2

Xia Leming

-2 opp damage, min 2

Damage +2

Yu Mei

Damage = damage opp

Damage +2

Yusuke

Courage: Dmg +2

Damage +2

Ok, to start with, a full deck for the Fang-Pis would be ill-advised, because of the excessive star count; even a decent half-deck is not the best, as Fang Pi is a weak clan overall.
In any case, should the Fang Pi be your calling, the first card you purchase should be Windy Mor. His stop opponent bonus (SOB) is very useful for a clan that doesn't receive extra attack from its bonus.
Next, I would go for Yusuke or Yu Mei, just to get a 7-power card in there. My choice would be for Yusuke, since Yu Mei is more volatile due to her ability (early on, you'll probably face lower-damage cards, so it's better to have Yusuke's solid damage).
Movin on, I'd go for Xia Leming or Sakazuki next, and this choice really depends on the other half-deck you're constructing. If you need damage, Sakazuki's your man, as he saves you one star. If you already have enough damage in your full deck, however, go for Xia Leming to get some damage reduction.
Finally, I would round out the half-deck with Macumba, as she has more long-term value than a card like Kati. However, you can also get whichever one of Xia Leming or Sakazuki you didn't get prior, as they are good lower-star replacements. I included Kati above, but the reason I wouldn't recommend her is because her SOA ability - while useful - is not coupled together with solid enough stats. Hence, you will see her weakness against experienced players' stronger cards. I also threw in Unagi, but he is not a personal favourite and is more useful as a 1 star (which is expensive to upkeep).

Overall, the Fang Pi Clang are quite a weak clan to begin with, so trying to get good, cheap, beginner cards from the scraps is no easy task. Furthermore, the cards are generally quite expensive for a beginner, since most range above 400 clintz (5/10).
Even moving forward, a half-deck would not be strong enough to face off against the majority of opponents and I don't see any of the cards above as being even close to staples in the Fang Pi Clang (2.5/10).

2nd post: Bangers beginner deck

2009-06-19T02:14:00.003-04:00

Next up, the Bangers:

B Ball

-2 opp damage, min 2

Power +2

Bennie

Power +2

Kluwn

-2 opp power, min 5

Power +2

Naykee

Courage: Atk +7

Power +2

Platoona

No ability

Power +2

Saddy

Stop Opp Bonus

Power +2

The Bangers aren't a great clan for beginners, and a good, cheap full deck of them is all but impossible. However, of the six I've presented, there are still some good cards that can be had inexpensively to make a decent half-deck.
The first purchase should be without a doubt Bennie, as he is cheap and a terrific wall (i.e. he has high power, so if you pill him well, he can take out the majority of cards). Especially in the beginner rooms, where SOA (stop opponent ability) and SOB (stop opponent bonus) are few and far between, he is a firecracker.
Next, Naykee or Platoona are decent buys, but you have to make a choice: if you're willing to save up a bit longer, you can get cards that will be much more useful to you in the long-term. If you want results now, though, I would go with Platoona, as she has solid stats, despite her lack of an ability. f you're patient, the next buy should be Kluwn. He's a good card that can go toe-to-toe with most cards his level or even higher.
Rounding out the top four are B-Ball and Saddy, both excellent cards that prove their worth later on (daily tournaments (DTs) and ELO). B-Ball is usually a staple (a card often found in a clan's best half-deck) for the Bangers, and Saddy's SOB is great to combat the common +/- attack clans.

To summarize, Bangers are not a great clan for absolute beginners, especially since no card is very cheap outside of Bennie - persevere, though, and you will be rewarded (7.5/10).
However, if you are patient enough to fill out a half-deck with B-Ball, Bennie and Saddy, it does have decent retention value later on (7/10).

First Post! The All-Stars!

2009-06-19T01:31:00.003-04:00

Hey all, I'd like to welcome you to my blog. All of my first posts, including this one, will concentrate on CHEAP (at the time of these posts) cards that beginners can get to build up decent half-decks. I'll be doing this clan by clan, so if you have a clan that you like, you'll be able to find my recommendations here.

First off, the All-Stars:

Alexei

Stop Opp Ability

-2 opp power, min 1

Amelia

Power +4

-2 opp power, min 1

Ashley

-3 opp damage, min 2

-2 opp power, min 1

Flo

Stop Opp Bonus

-2 opp power, min 1

Kang

-6 opp attack, min 5

-2 opp power, min 1

Mario

No ability

-2 opp power, min 1

Randy

Power = power opp

-2 opp power, min 1

All of these seven cards can be interchanged to form a half-deck of four cards, or you can use them together with a leader for a full deck.
Starting out, Amelia is a great, cheap card. She has good power and damage, and would be a good first purchase into the all-star clan. However, be warned - as you start playing in daily tournaments or in ELO, you will meet SOA (stop opponent ability) cards that will cripple her. Hence, her potential is capped later on and she loses her value in a half-deck. Nonetheless, for a beginner, she's a very good card.
My next purchase would be either Ashley or Flo (be careful again, though: in terms of long-term potential, Ashley's one damage is a huge handicap, so she's much more useful early on). Hence, my personal pick would be for Flo.
Then, Mario is a solid card that isn't spectacular, but has good base stats. Kang is also a possibility if you need more damage, but he loses value later on against the common SOA clans (Roots and Gheist).
Next, I would round out my half-deck with Randy, a vey good card. If his ability and bonus go through, you end up with likely a 2 power cushion on your opponent and you have a good chance of winning the round. In this case, you should pill him well to get his big 6 damage through.
Finally, as I said earlier, Amelia weakens later on, and a great replacement for her in a half-deck is Alexei, as right around this time (daily tournaments, ELO), having an SOA becomes very useful. Alexei has only 1 damage less than Striker, but costs about 10,000 clintz less!

Overall, one of my first clans was the All-Stars, and they are really quite good for beginners, in terms of both price and strength (7.5/10).
Later on, the deck can also hold its own decently, especially with Alexei, Randy, and Flo, but you'll need higher-priced cards like Striker and Marina to really be competitive (6.5/10)