Introduction
HELLCARD is a cooperative deckbuilding roguelite spin-off of Book of Demons developed by Thing Trunk. Up to three heroes descend into papercraft dungeons beneath an old cathedral, building their decks as they fight through the Archdemon's hordes. Unlike most deckbuilders, the spatial placement of enemies matters — cards can create area effects on the map, and positioning affects your strategy.
The Three Classes
HELLCARD offers three distinct classes, each with a unique playstyle and starting card set.
Fighter (Warrior)
The Fighter is the recommended class for beginners. This frontline brawler excels at close range with high HP and powerful block cards to absorb enemy hits.
Key strengths:
- High survivability with strong defensive options
- Mighty Blow — upgrade it immediately to unlock Fury, which evolves into Mighty Weaponry
- Best class for learning the game's core mechanics
Beginner tip: Upgrade Mighty Blow as your first priority. The upgrade path to Mighty Weaponry is one of the strongest early-game power spikes in the game.
Rogue
The Rogue is a mobile, agile class that feels most comfortable when enemies are kept at a distance. The Rogue has a slightly lower skill cost than other classes, enabling more cards per turn.
Key strengths:
- Lower mana costs allow playing more cards per turn
- Access to Stun cards for crowd control
- Strong combo potential with chain effects
Beginner tip: Use Stun to interrupt dangerous enemy actions, especially on high-priority targets. Pair with a Fighter in co-op for maximum effectiveness.
Mage (Wizard)
The Mage excels at mana management and unleashing powerful area spells. This class takes more practice to master but rewards players who plan ahead.
Key strengths:
- Access to Freeze for reliable crowd control
- Strong area-of-effect spells for clearing groups
- Best mana generation and card draw options
Beginner tip: Always keep track of your mana curve. The Mage's power comes from chaining spells efficiently — running out of mana mid-combat is the most common mistake.
Card Types
HELLCARD has three core card categories:
| Card Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Attack Cards | Deal direct damage to enemies on the map |
| Block Cards | Reduce or prevent incoming damage |
| Influence Cards | Provide temporary buffs lasting until the end of battle |
Understanding which card type to prioritize each run is essential. Early on, favour attack and block in a roughly 60/40 ratio, then add influence cards once your core damage output is established.
Deck Building Strategy
Keep Your Deck Small
The most important rule in HELLCARD: fewer cards means better odds of drawing what you need. By the end of each floor, aim to have removed or upgraded every starting card. A lean deck of 10–14 cards consistently outperforms a bloated 20+ card pile.
Upgrade Before Artifacts
When given a choice between upgrading a card and taking an artifact (passive item), almost always upgrade the card. Upgraded cards provide compounding value for the rest of the run, while artifacts tend to be situational.
Key upgrade paths to chase:
- Fighter: Mighty Blow → Fury → Mighty Weaponry
- Rogue: Basic Strike → any Combo-enhancing variant
- Mage: Basic Spell → area effect or mana-generating upgrade
Check Every Card's Upgrade Path
Before adding a new card to your deck, examine its full upgrade tree. Planning your upgrade path from the start lets you build toward a coherent strategy rather than accumulating random improvements.
The Card Mill Combo
One of the most powerful setups available involves the Finesse card combined with Wave Leylines. This combination lets you draw more cards for yourself and your teammates while generating free mana. A well-executed mill build can clear entire levels in one or two turns.
Spatial Combat
Unlike many deckbuilders, the position of enemies on the map actively matters in HELLCARD. Cards can affect specific map zones, push enemies into clusters, or separate dangerous enemies from each other. Develop the habit of reading the board state before playing cards — a well-placed area attack is often worth two single-target attacks.
Co-op Strategy
HELLCARD supports up to 3-player co-op, and the synergy between classes is one of the game's most rewarding features.
The Classic Trio
The most reliable composition combines one Fighter with one Rogue and one Mage:
- Fighter — Takes the front line, blocking hits and dealing melee damage
- Rogue — Uses Stun to freeze priority targets, enabling safe follow-up attacks
- Mage — Uses Freeze to lock down groups, then delivers burst area damage
Communication Tips
- Call out which enemy you plan to Stun or Freeze so teammates can focus damage
- Share mana-generating cards (like Leylines) with allies who have heavy-cost hands
- Coordinate on who takes the upgrade reward after each floor — the player with the weakest deck benefits most
Solo Play
In solo mode, you can recruit AI companions. The AI plays competently on Normal difficulty, but struggles with positioning. Treat AI companions as supplemental damage rather than reliable tanks.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Hoarding cards — Resist the urge to keep every card you find. Removing weak starting cards is often more valuable than adding a mediocre new one.
Skipping upgrades for new cards — A fully upgraded core card is almost always stronger than an unupgraded new card, even one with an exciting effect.
Ignoring enemy positioning — Always read the board before playing cards. Wasting an area attack on a single enemy when three are clustered nearby is a significant loss of efficiency.
Playing all cards every turn — Sometimes holding a block card or a freeze for the next enemy action is more valuable than maximizing this turn's damage output.
Summary
HELLCARD rewards players who keep their decks tight, upgrade consistently, and communicate in co-op. Start with the Fighter to learn the basics, then explore the Rogue and Mage once you're comfortable with the combat system. The game's spatial element sets it apart from other deckbuilders — learn to read the map, and your win rate will improve dramatically.