I have some shields and have been using them without really understanding what they are doing. Does it only apply to the present turn, and does it only protect against one of my opponents, or all of them? I think I see shields flying around me sometimes with no correlation to what I've just cast. Or maybe I just lose track.
And are the buffers (buffs?) the cards that say something like "+25% to next _ spell"? I assumed that increases the damage of a corresponding spell, but I usually don't seem to notice a difference in the points. (Exception; one time that card boosted my Storm Shark to over 400 points damage!) Again, does it only apply to the selected enemy, and does it have to be in the same turn?
You may not have cast all the things you see flying around you. Depending on the type, they could have been cast on you by other Wizards or by the Monsters on the opposing side.
Shields protect against a spell of a specific type (Life, Storm, Fire, etc.) It will last until the it first encounters a spell of that type, at which point it will reduce the damage from that spell and then disappear. Note: Death Shields do NOT protect against the "health-draining" ability of a Ghoul or Vampire spell. Also note: There is a type of shield called Spirit Armor, which absorbs all damage up to a certain amount and can, therefore, last multiple rounds. If you aren't a Life Wizard, you can pick up some Spirit Armor Treasure Cards in the Libraries of Wizard City or Krok. They cost 3 pips to cast, but can really be worth it.
Blades can be cast by either side on themselves and will boost the damage inflicted when you/they next cast a spell of that type. A Life Blade, for example, will increase the damage caused by the next offensive Life spell cast. It will not, however, increase the power of a Life healing spell. For that you need a "Guiding Light" spell (also available in the Libraries).
Shields and Blades are cast by Wizards and Monsters on either themselves or their companions on the same side.
Traps, on the other hand, are cast
against the opposing side. Their effect is similar to that of Blades in that they boost the damage inflicted by a certain type of spell. A good thing to know is that Traps and Blades are "stackable", so you could put a Storm Blade on yourself and a Storm Trap on an enemy before casting that Storm Shark spell. When you do, the damage you inflict will be boosted significantly by both the Blade and the Trap. Be aware that some Monsters also know this trick and that you will occasionally find yourself on the receiving end of a Blade/Trap double whammy.
There are also Weakness spells (either cast by you on an opponent or vice-versa) which decrease the damage caused by a spell, and Accuracy buffs (such as Death's Mantle) which reduce the casting accuracy for the next spell. To put it another way, they increase the chances of fizzling.
... But I have yet to observe what kind of card the enemy has drawn, before they actually cast it. Where do you look for that? (I do have the 2D display enabled, btw.)
You can't see what the enemy has drawn. You'll only know what it was when it hits you.
Holy Mooshu cows. Batman!! I finish Marleybone last night and today they open Mooshu. Perfect timing! BUT, Mooshu is all Rank 6 Myth so far. This Myth wizard is a bit stressed right now!
LOL!
I am, indeed, returning home tomorrow, so my Conjurer will be joining you in misery,
Diva.
I'm not loving the sound of Rank 6 Myth monsters
at all. The Rank 4 Street Sweepers in Marleybone gave me a hard enough time -- worse than a lot of the Boss Battles I've been in.
Sounds like I'm gonna need to change to my Storm Staff and load my deck with as many Myth Prisms, Myth Shields and Pixie healing cards as I can carry.
The tutorials didn't go into nearly enough detail in my opinion; they really need to have a thorough spell guide in their forums for reference.
My death wizard can help you out with those myth monsters 
Just give me a shout
