The opening hand in Origins TCG sets the pace for the entire match. Matches in Koin Games' digital card game begin on turn one with two available mana, increasing by one mana each subsequent turn. Because games resolve quickly across three combat lanes, keeping unplayable high-cost cards will put your barriers at an immediate disadvantage.
Mastering the opening phase requires evaluating mana curves, identifying the opponent's legendary unit, and checking turn-one reveal priority before locking in your replacements.
How the Mulligan Phase Works
Before the first turn begins, both players draw a starting hand of four cards from their 24-card deck. Players then get one free opportunity to select any number of cards—from zero to all four—to return to the deck.
- No Card Penalty: Returning cards does not reduce your hand size. If you replace four cards, you draw four new cards back.
- Deck Recycling: Cards sent back are shuffled into your deck pool and can be drawn naturally on later turns.
- Hidden Locations: The three board locations remain hidden during the mulligan phase. Their abilities reveal as the early turns unfold.
- Additional Draws: At the start of turn one and every subsequent turn, you draw one card from your deck.
Following recent game updates, the interface displays how many cards your opponent chose to replace. Watching this number provides an early read on their hand quality: an opponent who keeps all four cards likely drew an optimal curve, while a full four-card mulligan indicates they bricked or were digging for a specific combo piece.
Critical Information to Check During Mulligan
The mulligan screen provides two critical pieces of public information that should influence whether you keep or replace specific cards.
Opponent Legendary Inspection
Every deck in Origins TCG features one legendary commander card that provides an active or passive game-start ability. In Update 0.6.1, the developers added the ability to inspect the opponent's legendary directly during the opening phase.
- Robin Hood: The opponent receives a zero-cost Bullseye spell (dealing three damage) at the start of the match and threatens a two-damage board wipe on turn eight.
- Legion of the Dead: Spawns a 2/2 Zombie unit in a random space at the start of the game.
- Three Not So Little Pigs: Spawns a 1/1 Little Pig in each of the three locations on turn one.
- Mulan: Previews double-attack potential and explosive deployment turns, frequently opening with cards like Bagheera.
Checking the enemy leader reveals their archetype immediately. Facing Legion of the Dead or Three Little Pigs demands cheap removal or small units to contest early tokens, while seeing Robin Hood signals that low-health units can be sniped on turn one.
Reveal Priority (Prio)
The top of the screen displays which player has reveal priority on turn one. Priority alternates strictly every turn between players, regardless of who is currently ahead on the board.
If you reveal first on turn one, your cards deploy and activate before the opponent's cards resolve. If you reveal second, the opponent's deployment effects occur first. When planning multi-turn setups—such as dropping Glinda or Merlin—knowing the priority sequence dictates whether your engine cards can be protected or removed before they cast spells.
General Hand Evaluation Rules
Because available mana starts at two, high-cost cards remain dead weight during the opening rounds. A balanced opening hand prioritizes curve consistency over late-game threats.
The 2-3-4 Mana Curve Rule
In almost every matchup, discard cards that cost five or more mana. Holding an eight-cost card like Robin Hood or a seven-cost unit like Paul Bunyan deprives you of board presence during the turns when lanes are established.
Aim for an opening curve of:
- Turn One (2 Mana): A two-cost unit (such as Bagheera, Itsy Bitsy Spider, or Three Blind Mice) or card draw.
- Turn Two (3 Mana): A three-cost unit (such as Wicked Stepsisters or Big Bad Wolf) or targeted removal.
- Turn Three (4 Mana): A solid four-drop or key archetype engine.
Holding a four-cost card is acceptable if your hand already contains guaranteed plays for turns one and two.
Prioritizing Early Card Draw
Running out of cards is a frequent pitfall when playing aggressive, low-cost curves. Early cycling cards smooth out subsequent draws:
- Scarecrow: A two-mana 1/1 unit that draws a card on reveal. Discarding an expensive card to dig for Scarecrow keeps resources flowing into turns three and four.
- Trash for Treasure: A cheap option to sacrifice low-impact early tokens (like opening pigs or spawned mice) in exchange for drawing two fresh cards.
Archetype-Specific Mulligan Strategies
Different deck archetypes require distinct mulligan priorities based on their core winning conditions.
| Deck Archetype | High Priority Keeps | Automatic Discards | Mulligan Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glinda Swarm | Glinda, Three Blind Mice, Mummy, Sandman | Obliterate, Paul Bunyan, high-cost tech | Hard mulligan for Glinda; find cheap token generators to buff on subsequent turns. |
| Robin Hood Midrange | Bagheera, Scarecrow, Itsy Bitsy Spider | Robin Hood (8-cost), late finishers | Secure a two-cost unit for turn one and curve naturally toward mid-game board control. |
| Merlin Control / Combo | Sandman, Mind Palace, Scarecrow, early stall | Obliterate, Forbidden Knowledge | Dig for mana reduction and card draw to survive until double-spell combo turns. |
| Three Pigs Aggro | Baby Bear, Three Blind Mice, Piglet, Big Bad Wolf | 5+ cost units, late-game trample finishers | Secure low-cost units to swarm multiple lanes and exploit early board pressure. |
The Glinda Strategy
Glinda decks rely entirely on having Glinda on the board to buff allied units whenever spells resolve. Players using this deck often commit to a full mulligan if Glinda is not in the starting hand. If Glinda is already secured, look for Sandman to reduce spell costs, or token cards like Three Blind Mice and Mummy to build a wide board before the buff turn.
The Midrange and Aggro Strategy
Midrange lists prioritize lane positioning. Bagheera gains +1/+1 (or +2/+2 when buffed) if deployed to the middle space, making it one of the premier keeps for turn one. Discard situational tech spells like Axe Throw unless facing an archetype known for deploying high-priority two-cost targets early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cards discarded during the mulligan be redrawn in the same mulligan?
No. The cards selected for replacement are set aside while replacement cards are drawn from the remaining deck. However, the discarded cards are shuffled back into the deck afterward and can be drawn on subsequent turns.
Does Origins TCG penalize you for replacing all four cards?
No penalty exists for replacing all four cards. You receive a full hand of four cards regardless of whether you swap one card or your entire hand.
Should I keep high-cost combo finishers in my opening hand?
Except in rare combo situations where an engine piece cannot be tutored or drawn easily, keep high-cost cards out of your opening hand. Units costing six, seven, or eight mana cannot be played until later turns and leave you unable to contest early lane damage.
