Beginner's Guide to Goblins & Gunslingers

Welcome to the Wild Frontier

Somewhere between the dusty saloons of the Old West and the crackling spell-smoke of a high fantasy realm, a card game was born. Goblins & Gunslingers (GNG) pits gun-toting sheriffs against goblin demolition crews, desert-born demons against scarecrow sorcerers — all on a lane-based battlefield where brains beat brute force more often than not.

If you're brand new to GNG, you're in the right place. This guide will walk you through everything you need to saddle up and play your first game — no prior card game experience required.

What Is Goblins & Gunslingers?

GNG is a free-to-play, browser-based trading card game with a western-fantasy theme. You build a 52-card deck, choose two Deputies (powerful support characters that live outside your deck), and face off against an opponent in a lane-based duel. The first player to reduce the enemy to 0 HP — or force them to draw from an empty deck — wins.

What makes GNG stand apart from other card games is its dual resource system and its structured lane board. Both of these systems add tactical depth without overwhelming complexity. Let's break them down.

The Two Resources: Mana and Gold

Most card games have a single resource. GNG has two, and understanding the difference is the single most important skill for a new player.

Mana (the Purple Orb)

Mana is your primary resource for playing cards. It works on a ramp system: on Turn 1 you have 1 mana, Turn 2 you have 2, Turn 3 you have 3 — and so on, with no ceiling. Mana fully replenishes at the start of every turn, so anything you don't spend is gone. Play aggressively with your mana — it's use-it-or-lose-it.

Gold (the Yellow Currency)

Gold is your secondary resource, and it works very differently. You always start a turn with a flat base of 1 gold — it does not ramp like mana. However, gold accumulates: every instance of damage your creatures deal to the opponent earns you +1 bonus gold for the following turn. That bonus carries over from turn to turn, so an aggressive deck that connects frequently can build up a powerful gold income.

Gold is spent on gold-cost cards, special abilities, and summoning your Deputies. It rewards the player who applies constant pressure — letting up on attacks costs you more than just board presence.

For a deep dive on resource strategy, see our interactive tutorial or read our full Mana vs Gold resource guide.

The Board: Lanes Explained

The GNG battlefield is divided into seven lanes: two High-Rise lanes and five Middle lanes.

Middle Lanes (5 Slots)

This is where most of the action happens. Place a creature in a Middle Lane and it can attack either the creature directly in front of it or — if the opposing lane is empty — the opponent's HP directly. Standard combat, lane by lane.

High-Rise Lanes (2 Slots)

High-Rise lanes are elevated positions on the outer edges of the board. They come with special rules:

• Only one creature per High-Rise lane at a time.
• High-Rise creatures are untargetable by single-target spells — a huge defensive perk.
• They can only attack other High-Rise creatures or creatures in the Middle lanes — not the opponent's HP directly.

High-Rise creatures are support pieces: they neutralize your opponent's elevated threats and protect your own flanks without trading into the opponent's face.

Lane Combat Rule

A creature must destroy the card blocking its lane before it can attack elsewhere or hit the opponent directly. Plan your attacks accordingly — clearing lanes is often more important than going face.

The Turn Structure

Every turn follows four phases in order:

1. Draw Phase — Draw one card. If your deck is empty, you lose.
2. Resource Phase — Mana resets to your current turn number; gold resets to 1 base + any bonus earned from last turn's damage.
3. Action Phase — Play cards, attack with creatures, and use abilities in any order you like.
4. End Phase — Pass priority to your opponent. Unused mana disappears.

Setup and Win Conditions

• Both players start at 30 HP.
• Each player draws 7 cards to begin.
• Your deck is 52 cards. Your 2 Deputies sit outside the deck and are summoned through specific card effects.
• Win by: reducing the opponent to 0 HP, or forcing them to draw when their deck is empty.

Your First Game: Tips for New Players

Here are a few hard-won pieces of advice before you shuffle up for your first match:

1. Never let mana sit idle.

Unspent mana is wasted mana. Even playing a cheap creature or a low-cost spell is better than passing a turn with 4 mana unused.

2. Think before attacking.

Dealing damage to the opponent earns you bonus gold. But if your creature dies in combat, you lose that gold income source. Weigh the trade carefully.

3. Respect the High-Rise lanes.

New players often ignore High-Rise threats. An unchallenged High-Rise creature won't hit you directly, but it will dominate the middle board if you leave it unchecked.

4. Read your Deputies' abilities.

Deputies are powerful and often game-changing. Know what they do before the game starts so you can set up the right conditions to summon them.

5. Start with a starter deck.

The pre-built Goblins + Desert Devils starter deck is a great first choice — it's aggressive, straightforward, and teaches you how to apply pressure with both factions.

Next Steps

Ready to ride? Here's where to go from here:

• Full Rules Reference — Complete rules, keyword glossary, and edge cases.
• Interactive Tutorial — Learn by doing with a guided walkthrough.
• Factions Overview — Pick your crew.
• Deck Builder — Build and save your custom decks.
• Booster Packs — Expand your collection.

The frontier is waiting. Pick your faction, load your deck, and ride.