Getting Started in Border Pioneer
:::danger macOS Save File Corruption If you play on macOS, you must manually locate and back up your local save directories before allowing the Steam client to apply any updates. A known bug causes catastrophic, irreversible losses of local save files, wiping all meta-progression and talent points. :::
Border Pioneer throws you into a harsh frontier where survival demands balancing city construction, deck management, and tower defense. Every month brings a new wave of enemies aiming to tear down your settlement. You need a stable economy and strong defensive lines to survive.
The Core Gameplay Loop
You start with a town hall and a handful of cards. Your primary goal is to grow your population, gather resources, and build defenses before the monthly attack arrives. You draw cards each turn. These cards allow you to place buildings, recruit troops, or trigger events. Placing buildings like houses increases your population but drains food. Generating resources like wood and food allows you to buy more cards from the market or upgrade your town hall.
At the end of the month, enemies spawn from portals and march toward your town hall. If they destroy it, you lose the run. You must place defensive towers, traps, and barracks to stop them. After you defeat a wave, you earn rewards and prepare for the next month.
Prioritize Development Early
When you face the choice between Development Packs and Battle Packs in the early game, always pick Development Packs. You need an economic engine running before you worry about advanced defenses. A strong economy lets you buy the defenses you need later. If you pick Battle Packs too early, you end up with powerful towers but zero resources to deploy them.
Focus on securing a steady food supply. Place Farmland cards efficiently to maximize your yield. Food is the lifeblood of your town. It feeds your population and allows you to reroll cards in the caravan.
Wood Production
Wood is your primary construction material. You need it to place most buildings and defensive structures. Look for tiles with dense trees. Place Logging Camps adjacent to as many tree tiles as possible. Each adjacent tree tile grants bonus wood production. A well-placed Logging Camp early on solves your material shortage and accelerates your expansion.
Managing the Caravan
The caravan is your lifeline. It acts as a marketplace where you can purchase specific cards. You want to look for the Market card as soon as possible. The Market provides passive food income and lowers the cost of future purchases. Rerolling the caravan costs food. Do not waste food rerolling if your food production is negative or barely positive. Save rerolls for when your economy is stable and you desperately need a specific defensive card to survive an upcoming wave.
Planning for the First Wave
The first few waves are manageable with basic troops and a couple of towers. Do not panic and overspend on defenses. Build a single chokepoint. Funnel the enemies into a tight space where your few towers can hit them continuously. Keep your town hall tucked safely behind this defensive line.
Commander Selection
New players often struggle to survive the first three months when playing as the default Prince commander. The early game economy is brutally restrictive. The Prince's starting deck lacks the tools for rapid economic snowballing.
You should select the Mage commander instead. The Mage features food generation, production multipliers, and combat buffs intrinsically baked into her base deck, making her mathematically superior for navigating the Pioneer difficulty curve. If you play the Prince, you must strictly secure early thatch houses and invest initial talent points exclusively into economic anchors like the Library or Orchard.
What to Read Next
Once you understand the basics, study the advanced systems: