This is the most common question new players ask about the game. I'll keep my answer short and sweet.

1. Faster pace. With 2 resources acquired per term (most every other CCG is 1) plus the ability to barter 1 resource and acquire a third resource each term, every term is exciting and brings new twists into the fray. Never suffer through another, "Draw a land. My turn is over" term again.

2. Multi-region system. With 4 location regions per commander and a central battlefield region, you have far more options and therefore strategy is kicker. Like in a game of chess, in Conquest you need to think about positioning for your units. In most card games, it's simply your army vs. your opponent's army, 2 regions, and whether to attack or defend is a very simple matter of arithmetic.

3. Various strategies to pursue. Because locations and upgrades, commanders' sources of income, are vulnerable to attack and destruction, commanders have more options for how to seek a victory--a straight out offensive on the enemy domain to flat-out win or a more subtle wearing down of the opponent's income. Also, with 2 types of income (gold and mana), you can try to isolate one of these sources to cripple the opponent's army.

There's a lot more I could say, but I promised to keep it short. So the next time someone asks why Conquest is different, here are three simple points you can bring up.