5 Mistakes Every New Player Makes
Starting out in Pawsome Elements? You are not alone in making these mistakes. Every player goes through them — but the sooner you recognize them, the faster you improve.
Mistake 1: Playing the Multidog Too Early
The Multidog is the most powerful card in the game. It plays on anything and anything plays on it. New players tend to drop it in the first few turns because they can.
Why it is wrong: Early in the match, you usually have plenty of matchable cards. Using a Multidog now wastes a guaranteed escape card for later when your hand is small and options are limited.
The fix: Hold Multidogs until you genuinely have no other playable cards, or until playing it will let you win.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Out-of-Turn Play
Many beginners do not realize they can play a card outside their turn. If you hold a card that is an exact match (same Element AND Value) to the top of the pile, you can play it immediately — even during someone else's turn.
Why it matters: Out-of-turn plays let you play extra cards, skip opponents, and finish faster. Players who use this mechanic consistently have a significant advantage.
The fix: Check your hand every time the pile changes. Not just on your turn — every time any card is played.
Mistake 3: Wasting Your Spell
Spells have a cooldown of 3 turns. Using your spell just because you can, without a clear strategic reason, leaves you without it when you actually need it.
Why it is wrong: In the 3 turns after using your spell, you are completely without your most powerful tool. If a critical moment comes during that window, you have no backup.
The fix: Ask yourself before every spell: "Would I rather have this spell available for the next 3 turns, or use it now?" Only cast when the answer is clearly "now."
Mistake 4: Not Watching Opponent Card Counts
New players focus entirely on their own hand and ignore what is happening around the table. But knowing how many cards each opponent holds changes your decisions.
Why it matters: A player with 1-2 cards is about to win. That is when you should use disruption cards (Shaking, Hydrant) to slow them down. A player with many cards is not an immediate threat.
The fix: Glance at opponent card counts regularly. Prioritize disrupting players who are closest to winning.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Treat Hiding
Treat Hiding reduces your spell cooldown by 1 turn. Many beginners see it as a boring card with no immediate impact and prioritize other plays.
Why it is wrong: Treat Hiding compounds over time. Playing 2-3 Treat Hidings during a match can mean an extra spell use — which can be game-deciding.
The fix: When you can match a Treat Hiding by Element or Value, play it. The cooldown reduction adds up, especially with spell-heavy strategies like Pawgularity or Transmutation.
The Fastest Way to Improve
Eliminating these five mistakes will not make you a master overnight, but it will immediately improve your win rate. Focus on one mistake at a time, and within a few sessions, these fixes will become second nature.
For a complete beginner guide, visit the Beginner's Guide.