Origins Trading Card Game (Origins TCG) features Van Helsing as a formidable AI encounter within the Steam demo developed by Koin Games. Defeating this boss serves as a critical milestone, unlocking the Remedy starter deck led by Van Helsing along with an exclusive alternate-art cosmetic skin for Robin Hood.
Navigating this boss battle requires managing zero-cost lane control, tactical modal spells, and an aggressive match timer enforced by encounter-specific board rules.
Van Helsing Boss Encounter Overview
The Van Helsing encounter operates under distinct board rules that differ from standard casual or ranked matches. Van Helsing acts as the opposing deck leader and an active combatant on the board with a base statline of 3 Attack and 4 Health.
The defining factor of this battle is the dynamic shift between early-game board suppression and late-game fatigue management. Because Van Helsing wields high-impact board clearing options, brute-force aggro approaches often stall unless carefully timed around his resource generation.
Boss Mechanics and Tactical Abilities
Understanding Van Helsing’s passive resource loop and the turn-six environmental trigger is vital to securing a victory.
Van Helsing's Leader Passive and Tools
At the start of the combat phase, Van Helsing checks his hand. If Van Helsing's Tools is not already present, he adds a copy directly to his hand for zero mana.
Van Helsing's Tools (0-Cost Spell) allows the AI to choose from four modal options each turn:
- Execute: Destroy any damaged character.
- Stun: Prevent a target character from attacking or using activated abilities during the current turn.
- Ping: Deal 1 damage to any target character.
This kit makes targeting high-value units trivial for the AI.
The Round 6 Deck Destruction Trigger
The encounter features an event at the start of Round 6:
- Both player decks are instantly erased from the game.
- Any card draw trigger on or after Round 6 inflicts unpreventable fatigue damage directly to the player's life barrier.
- Games rarely extend past Round 8 or 9 before one or both combatants succumb to empty-deck draw penalties.
Note on Draws: If fatigue damage or simultaneous combat damage drops both players to zero barrier at the same instant, the game resolves as a draw. A draw does not trigger the Remedy deck unlock.
Key Cards in the Remedy Deck Archetype
Van Helsing fields the Remedy starter deck archetype, focusing on sustain, lane redirection, and punishing chipped units.
| Card Name | Role / Stats | Primary Threat & Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Van Helsing | Leader (3/4) | Recurring generator of Van Helsing's Tools; solid body that blocks early rush attacks. |
| Don Quixote | Board Tank | Gives enemies at the location Defender. |
Strategy and Deck Counters to Beat Van Helsing
Defeating Van Helsing consistently comes down to playing around his 0-cost spell and preparing for the Round 6 deck wipe.
1. Avoid Taking Incidental Damage
Because the AI prioritizes destroying damaged units with Van Helsing's Tools, avoid taking 1 or 2 chip damage on key cards unless they are expendable. Prioritize units with high base health or those featuring Shield mechanics that absorb the first hit without flagging the unit as "damaged."
2. Bait Out the Tools Early
If you must attack, lead with a lower-priority minion to bait the AI into using the stun or 1-damage ping option early in the turn phase. Once the spell is spent for the round, your primary damage dealers can swing freely into the lane.
3. Maintain Hand Advantage Before Round 6
Since decks are destroyed at the start of Round 6, any card draw engines in your deck become fatal liabilities once the wipe occurs. Focus your card draw between Rounds 1 through 5 to assemble a full hand of high-impact finishers. Once Round 6 begins, avoid playing units or spells that force you to draw cards.
4. Direct Burn Over Lane Trading
Van Helsing's deck excels at prolonged board trading due to healing and Defender redirects. Decks that employ unblockable damage, direct barrier burn, or evasive units bypass Don Quixote's defensive wall and strike Van Helsing’s barrier directly before fatigue becomes an issue.
Rewards for Defeating Van Helsing
Securing an outright win against Van Helsing unlocks two major additions to your profile:
- Remedy Starter Deck: Unlocks the full 40-card Van Helsing Remedy archetype for use across casual play and custom deck brewing.
- Robin Hood Alternate Art: An exclusive cosmetic variant skin applied to the Robin Hood leader card.
