A Decade Past: Attending my First UVS Event
Attending my first UFS event was pretty scary, but its given me unforgettable memories. Come take a look at what a UFS World Championship looked like in 2016!
Tech Decks: Raphael, the Muscle
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is finally out, and Dani has a day 1 deck for you to try out! They go through all card types and point out how the strategy plays out for Raphael, the Muscle.
Guest Cope: Variance is the Good Guy - The Sweeping Daggers Problem
Keenan Meadows is making his debut on Coping with Cardboard, coffee in hand, to call out one of the sneakiest problems in deck building right now. Sweeping Daggers is quietly punishing risk taking players, stifling creative builds, and making low check strategies harder to justify. With sharp humor and pointed examples, Keenan argues for a simple errata that could bring the thrill of bad checks back into the game.
The Hunt For Peak Universus
“Peak Universus” is something that’s said often in the UVS community today. Dani pontificates for far too long about what Peak Universus is, what it may be, and what it can mean to you.
... So, You Built a Terrible Deck for Locals
In between Regionals and serious testing, there is a perfect window for chaos. That is when the brews come out, not to break the format but to break the routine. I brought Mina III to locals on Death, slapped together a janky ranged build, and immediately regretted my decisions. But that is the point. Locals are where you get weird, fail loudly, and maybe, just maybe, find something worth keeping. This blog is a love letter to those beautiful disasters and the lessons they leave behind.
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 11)
The Louisville Major Regional has come and gone, and Dani gives us a recap of how the main event unfolded for them. New things are on the horizon, but first we need to close this series out!
A Louisville Regional Retrospective
Playing Universus is hard.
Universus is one of the most complex card games out there where player skill is highlighted more than ever. For me this is a huge draw; I love being able to express myself with skill-based play, card selection, and deck selection. On the other hand, for newer players just picking up the game, no amount of conversation or warning can help push this fact forward. The retention rate of Universus, no matter how cool a player thinks it is, isn’t as high as we want it to be. Whether that be because of poor outreach programs, lack of grass-roots community level organization, or a lack of game stores it doesn’t change the fact that if you play this game, you do it because you love it.
Checks and Balances: The Math of Universus
Richard comes with an article that talks about some statistics of Universus that most players might not think about!
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 10)
After a period of self-reflection and experimenting with the decklist, Dani realizes it’s time to go back to basics and work the fundamentals. The ban list was empty, the stage is set for a clash of titans - the final preparations begin now.
You’re Not Bad, You’re Just New
Andrew Holder writes about his perspective on growth in UniVersus, intentional practice, and being patient with yourself as you learn and improve in the game.
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 9)
Dani returns to the drawing board after the StarkDark Open Series 2.5K. In this article, they discuss trying to incorporate new ideas, the pain of failure in testing, and finding a new way forward as the clock ticks down to Louisville.
Hange Zoë at StarkDark
A short article discussing how Hange, from my recent Deck Techs article, squared up at the StarkDark event!
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 8)
Dani gives their tournament report from the StarkDark Open Series 2.5K, and how their expectations differed from reality.
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 7)
Dani examines game psychology as they mentally struggle in the lead-up to the StarkDark Open Series 2.5K.
Leaving the Table
Andrew Holder returns with an exploration of burnout, balance, and finding your way back to a game on your own terms.
Ms. Leonhart, Or: How I Learned to Stop Whining and Embrace the Meta (Part 6)
Welcome to Flight School!
You’ll learn to pilot Dani’s Annie Leonhart, Awakened deck, with analyses of the first hand, opening turns, and maximizing your play with specific examples and tips!
Rogue’s Gallery - Mt. Lady III is Casting Fireball
Welcome to the Rogue’s Gallery, where we celebrate the strange, the scrappy, and the stuff that probably should not work but sometimes still does. This series dives into the offbeat ideas that keep the game fresh when the meta starts to feel a little too familiar. If you are looking for something different or just need a reminder that decks can be fun and still hit hard, you are in the right place. This week’s feature brings some serious heat.
Tech Decks: Hange Zoë
Welcome to my first article in the series titled Deck Techs. Where we go over and highlight certain cards from decks that I am currently enjoying and think others will too! Our first character will be Hange Zoë!
Regional Ramblings: The Setup
Life is tough for a competitive CCG player when you don’t have enough time to test. Join me as I take you through my character selection and deck list refinement as I prepare for Louisville with very limited play time!
June 2025 Ban and Errata Update – Coping with Cardboard Breakdown
June’s Ban and Errata update brings a much-needed tweak to Nick Ragan, limiting his enhance ability to twice per turn while keeping his aggressive style intact. Several cards also received wording adjustments for clarity, ensuring they function as intended without changing their core effects. With no bans this time and the Attack on Titan set now legal, expect the meta to shift as new strategies rise to meet the moment.