While by now you probably have a fairly good feel for the game, there is still a great deal more to be discovered. Duelmasters is a game that, similar to chess, has a limited number of variables yet virtually unlimited possibilities. This section is designed to flesh out your knowledge of many elements in the game. Our primary concern in making Duelmasters was to provide players with an atmosphere for experimentation and discovery. Once you have read this entire book, you will still have only scratched the surface of the strategic and tactical aspects of arena combat simulated by the Duelmasters game program. This section is not intended as the definitive approach to playing the game; rather, it is a starting point from which you may develop your own dueling philosophy.

If you establish diplomatic ties with other players in your arena, you will discover that for every player with an opinion on fighting strategy, there will be two players who believe they've come up with something better. For better or worse, some players spend months discovering some subtlety they missed by not reading the rules thoroughly. Just as often, a player fresh to an arena will discover something that another player spent six months learning. But don't let this scare you. Duelmasters is designed to allow players the ability to plan, experiment, take risks and play the game from a wide variety of angles. You can play to bring an entire team to victory, or to carry one or two warriors to glory, or both. You can try to grasp the fighting principles of all ten fighting styles or set out to make a name for yourself as the acknowledged master of one or two particular styles. This reference section will serve as a first step in your exploration of the Warrior's Path, the ancient art of gladiatorial combat.