Troll

Strategies

Trolls have gotten a bad reputation throughout history, much of it well deserved. Ugly, smelly, and mean are all perfect adjectives for these snotty creatures. Fortunately, as a Master, you don't have to hang out with your Minions, just let them battle for you. And Trolls are also known for being strong, powerful, ferocious beasts--the perfect tank for your army.
The Troll's high Defense rating and 3 Health points make him a formidable foe. Even the strongest warriors need to score 3 blows before he's taken down. Most don't survive long enough to get the chance. Making him an even more enticing Minion is his large Attack rating as well as an Arc 6 attack. This sweep allows him to Attack every tile surrounding him. He's also smart enough not to try and Attack his Allies, so collateral damage is never an issue.
Despite his obvious advantages, the Troll can be difficult to play with. He is expensive to Summon. The Master who wants to use Trolls needs to be sure they have plenty of high Mana earning Cards in his deck. Additionally, he is slow. If you can't get your Troll(s) out early in the game, there's a chance they'll never make it to the action.
A Master who specializes in Trolls has a few options to hone their effectiveness. All these options require impeccable timing.
Brain Suck gives a Troll 1 point of Health for each kill they make in the round. This Card must be timed to coincide with the Troll nearing a group of Enemies and having a good chance of killing them. However, a successful play (say a Troll surrounded by Kobolds) can yield up to 6 extra Health points for the Troll (on top of his base of 3). A Troll with 9 Health becomes nearly indestructible.
Another well timed play can help the Troll take out larger enemies with ease. The Barbed Wire Wrap will increase his Attack by 25 for his next 5 Attacks. (Note that in an Arc Attack Style, each piece of the Arc counts as 1 Attack.) The stronger an Enemy's Defense, the more this bonus helps the Troll. For example, Barbed Wire Wrap increases the Troll's chance to hit a Kobold from 90% to 92% (a 2% boost) and a Knight from 66% to 71% (a 5% boost).
The Troll must be wary of Ranged Minions who can move fairly fast, such as the Archer. The Archer is quick enough and can shoot far enough that, if she's smart clever, will be able to Attack the Troll for as long as she likes without ever coming into range of his Attacks. The Sorceress is also dangerous. With a slightly shorter Range and lower Speed than the Archer, she can get in a number of Attacks before the Troll will be able to return the favor.