I was sent a free copy of Deathless. Tales of Old Rus for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.
Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is a Scandinavian-themed deck-building roguelike that is out now on PC.
Take control of unique characters and use their skills and abilities and explore the dangerous land of Belosvet. Fight against powerful monsters and even defeat Koaschey the Deathless himself. Will the cards be in your favor?
Gameplay
Each run starts players with a basic version of a chosen champion deck. Each deck is flavorful and unique to each champion. As players make their way through the adventure, they can upgrade their decks with new cards and skills. These upgrades are random, making each subsequent run unique. The RNG is pretty fair, and I never ran the same deck twice. A run is over when the health of the champion reaches zero.
What makes Deathless unique is the movement and position mechanic. Players can only attack the frontmost enemy in combat unless the card use stipulates otherwise. Unless the monster uses ranged attacks, they can do the same. Knowing how to manipulate this position and the turns they swap them is an important mechanic to master. For example, some cards force monsters to swap positions, canceling their attacks. Other cards do extra damage depending on their position or if they’re moving. It is a very unique shift in the genre that I enjoyed tremendously.
Review
If you like roguelike deck-builders and need a new one to get into, buy Deathlessl: Tales of Old Rus. The game has beautiful art, fantastic flavor, and solid mechanics. The game is extremely replayable because no two runs will ever be the same. Even if you’re only using one character, the type of deck and strategy you’ll focus on will always be different. If you somehow get tired of what is available, there are new champions in the pipeline. Check out the official development roadmap for assurance.
Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is still in early access, but it feels like a finished game. The animation looks great, the soundtrack is nice, and the mechanics work fine. They are adding new features, which means the game will only get better. I love this game, and will keep it in my rotation. The game is fun, engaging, and it looks like it is actively being supported.
You can pick up Deathless. Tales of Old Rus on Steam Early Access for $24.99.
The Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem Kickstarter is live, and it has already blown well past its goal. If you’re looking for a flavorful tactical card game with some unique new mechanics, you’ll want to check out the campaign at least. It’s going to be hard to resist buying those starter decks.
The Campaign
The Gameplay
Impressions
I am not very good at tactical games like Paragon, but I am willing to try. I like the mana system, the mechanics look interesting, and the art is phenomenal. The biggest draw will be the art, which has some pretty solid flavor. There is already some lore available for those interested.
If you want to try out Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem, there is an official module for Tabletop Simulator you can mess around with. It is only a demo at the moment, but it should give you an idea of whether you want to back the Kickstarter. There is also an official Discord you can join if you want to stay up on all the news and meet others who are as equally excited about the game. There are doing open playtesting for those who want to help make the game better.
Backers will receive some cool exclusives at every level. There are already a few stretch goal rewards you’re going to want to get your hands on if you’re thinking of becoming a collector. That said, there is always risk involved, so make sure you make your decision carefully.
The Michigan Regionals were this weekend, and Lorraine Wind Allies remain on top. While Tristain continues to prove herself as a top-contending meta deck, the splash of Nico taking second is a welcomed surprise. There were a few other neat deck ideas at the event, but I will only focus on the top three. Make sure you check out the full event for more inspiration.
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EDIT: Since this post, the company has revamped its goals and will continue as a TCG. Click here for more information.
The Kryptik Trading Card game will no longer be in production. The upcoming Atonement set has been canceled, and anyone who has preordered will be refunded. It is a sad day for fans of the trading card game, but the journey is not over. The creator of the game still has plans for the IP and lore, and I will be following its development closely.
The Announcement
On June 27th, Tanner announced on the official Kryptik Discord that they will no longer be partnering with SpeedRobo games for the manufacturing of their game, effectively cancelling the TCG. The announcement reads:
This is an official announcement that Kryptik TCG will no longer be working with SpeedRobo Games on the design and manufacturing of future products, including Wave 1 Atonement. While we are thankful for his enthusiasm and drive to get Atonement completed we feel that our team’s vision and his vision for the game are just a bit too far apart. We want to be clear that there is no bad blood or negative feelings associated with this decision. In fact, we had a great conversation today regarding the situation and both parties are in agreement that it is just not a good fit. We wish him well in all future endeavors. He will be selling his remaining 30 or so Wave 0 Atonement boxes online to recoup costs. I included the link to the product, so grab yours if you would like when they go live. He will also be issuing refunds for any Wave 1 pre-orders that were placed. Please reach out to SpeedRobo with any issues regarding your refund. This does unfortunately mean that as of right now, the future of the TCG component of the Kryptik Universe is on hold. Though a healthy TCG is extraordinarily difficult to cultivate given how the market functions, we still love making games and we still love Kryptik and our community. Our team definitely still has designs and plans for the lore and other projects related to the Kryptik Universe. We will be using this Discord to serve you guys updates in the coming weeks/months, so stay tuned. Thank you all for your support through the highs and the lows of this process. We love you all and hope that you’ll stay with us through this Tabula Rasa. Best, The Kryptik Team (Tanner, Connor, Chris, & Rikki)
Why was Kryptic Cancelled?
People with access to the numbers did the math and it was no longer feasible to continue production of the TCG. Alternative avenues like crowd-sourcing or even operating at a loss aren’t going to achieve enough of a return to save the game. While the game has earned its collection of loyal and dedicated fans, there isn’t enough of them to generate profit. This is the cold reality of a space with an incredibly volatile market, especially for a game no longer carried by the LGS.
There were a few factors that brought us to this outcome that I will attempt to summarize as best I can.
Kryptik came out of the gate wanting to be the American-made TCG that would revolutionize the space. It promised high-quality American-made cardboard, innovative gameplay, and rich expansive lore. The made-in-America sticker is an awesome idea, but this means more overhead and less profit when compared to something printed overseas. Unfortunately, the early product of the game featured poor-quality card stock. Players and Game Stores dropped the product because of this quality. With the game no longer in stores and lacking confidence in future quality, Kryptic’s fate as a TCG was pretty much sealed. A failed anime, a few bad hires, and other logistical miscalculations also played their part in this spiral.
Unfortunately, the TCG community isn’t patient. While the team learned from the mistakes made along the way, it wasn’t quite fast enough. Kryptic still has its dedicated fans who hold out hope for the game, but hope doesn’t pay the bills. Kryptic shut down because there is no money to keep it running, and no amount of loans, crowdfunding, or donations can give the revival it needs to keep going.
The Future of Kryptic
Kryptic may no longer exist as a physical TCG, but this isn’t the end of the IP. The creators will hold on to the IP as they continue to expand the lore and work on different projects to keep Kryptic alive.
If you enjoyed playing the card game, or want to start playing, the official Kryptic Tabletop Simulator mod will continue to get updates. There will be new cards and mechanics. Art will be tricky because it is expensive to pay the artists, but they said they will try to find a solution. If you want to play some Kryptic, get TTS (on sale for $9.99 until July 11) and ask around on the official Discord.
The company currently owes no money, so it won’t need to liquidate or sell the IP. Those passionate about Kriptic will continue with other projects to keep its rich and expansive lore alive, and other projects to conserve its gameplay.
The lore will continue to be made and is planned to be released as a book in the future. No further details have been released, but people lurking in the discord on the day of the announcement got to listen in on a solid rundown of the lore. It was awesome.
Kryptic as a card game will continue as a Living Card Game (LCG). The intention is to turn Kryptic into a tabletop game that is a fusion of Betrayal at The House on The HillandGloomhaven. The devs want a game with procedurally generated maps that allow players to make choices that permanently change the game. How they go about this is still in production, but I am excited to see the result. Kryptic has some fantastic lore, and I could always use another board game. There was also mention of a D&D 5E setting for Kryptic, but that is on the back burner. I wish them luck on their new endeavor. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.
If you would like to purchase the only booster box of Atonement that will ever exist, head over to the official speedrobogames. The sale will go live on July 4th 12AM CST and be limited to one box per customer. Get yours while supplies last.
Pixelborn has shut down, but my Lorcana journey will not end with it. While it was the best solution for playing Lorcana online, other options remain. Tabletop Simulator is a fantastic program for anyone trying to play their favorite tabletop games online. There are thousands of freely accessible mods available for download, including one for Lorcana. While this solution has its quirks, it is a solid solution. You can also check out untap.in which is a fine FREE browser-based solution for all your TCG needs, but it does require a bit of tinkering.
On an impulse, I opted for physical product. My buddy and I picked up an Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s trove and ran a draft using our pulls. A treasure trove is an 8-pack kit with special-themed dice, a cardboard spin-down counter, and a storage box.
The storage box looks nice, but it feels cheap. It is not surviving any serious wear and tear. The themed dice are nice, but not enough to chase treasure troves. I use the spindown because I paid for it, but there is no reason to use it over the app. I would have preferred buying packs instead. I know that it is always better to buy singles, but we enjoy cracking packs.
Drafting with eight packs is tricky because there aren’t enough cards for a two-color deck. We did three colors instead and reduced the deck sizes to 40 cards. We just shuffled the three colors we liked the best and enjoyed the randomness, but you can play without color restrictions and attempt to build a more coherent deck.
We played over Facetime and I had so much fun, I went and picked up a starter deck. If you’re getting into Lorcana, starter decks are a great place to start. Keep in mind that the decks are a little slow compared to meta decks, but they are good enough to build your foundation. My friend is pretty good at deck building. While he may be running decks he believes are fun, he had access to the better toolset. I still had fun, but now I need to fight to urge to buy more Lorcana.
Lorcana is a fun TCG that you can enter as casually as you like. The game is easy to pick up but with enough strategy to keep things engaging. Games do tend to become this race to 20, but it is a fun race that I enjoy participating in. As a collector, I love the art and quality of the cards. As a player, I enjoy the accessibility. Personally, I like that it gives me an excuse to hang out with a friend I hardly get to see anymore.
If you’re thinking of getting into Lorcana, find a playgroup and do it. Check with your LGS for a scene, or search one out if there isn’t one. I’ll be slowly amassing my collection as I continue to play casually with my friend.
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The Chicago Regional at 401 Kollectibles was this weekend, and it looks the meta is staying firm with Wind Allies Lorraine on top and Wind Tristain and Norm Tera Silvie following close behind. While it is kind of a bummer to see the same old archetypes in the format, it is important to remember that this is a young meta. I am curious to see if there will be any surprises come Ascent Chicago in August.
This time I will be featuring the top 4 decks since the top two are variations of Wind Allies Lorraine. You can check out the full event on Omnidex. I’ll also leave TCG Player affiliate links to the singles for those who need them.
If you’re thinking about getting into the Grand Archive competitive scene, you’re going to be buying some expensive staples. Luckily, you’ll only need a few copies that can easily transfer between decks. Don’t be surprised by the high initial investment. Now you don’t need these staples, but playing without them is a disadvantage because the decks are slower and lack consistency.
As is true with all TCGs, it is always cheaper and better to buy singles for the decks you want to build. Grand Archive has a generous print-n-play function, so you can test for the decks you want to try before committing. That said, there is nothing wrong with cracking packs if that’s how you want to enjoy the hobby. I love cracking packs and will probably continue to do so indefinitely.
I’ve gathered the few of the valuable and expensive staples you’re going to need. Some you’ll be able to use in every deck, but others will be specific to top performing meta decks. I won’t leave prices because of how much the market fluctuates, but I will leave TCG Player affiliate links for the singles. Please feel free to use them. It helps me out. If you enjoy my content, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends.
Dungeon Guide
If you’re playing a deck where you need to get to Level 3, you need a play set of Dungeon Guides. Leveling twice is so powerful, and paying one less card for a level 3 doesn’t hurt either. While you can probably get away with filling your deck with floating memory, you’ll never be able to outpace those pesky Dungeon Guides. I would compare prices to the Dawn of Ashes Prelude Starter Kit if you can find a sealed one. The deck comes with a play set of Dungeon Guides and three copies of Dream Fairy, which might make it a better deal. You’ll need Dream Fairy’s for some of the wind decks.
Grand Crusader’s Ring
Grand Crusader’s Ring goes in virtually every deck. If you have a vacant slot in your material deck, you can’t go wrong with including a copy of Grand Crusader’s Ring. It costs you nothing to cast, and you can crack it to draw a card. Drawing cards is never a bad thing, especially in a game where you need to be resourceful with your influence (total number of cards in your memory and hand). It’s expensive, but you only need one copy.
Backup Charger
Backup Charger just hit the format with Mercurial Heart, and it is already proving its value. While you may not need the generated Powercell token or run any automata, you’re going to appreciate the card draw. Card draw in this game is always valuable, and you could always throw in a couple of Turbo Charge if you don’t want to waste the Powercell. This isn’t as much of an auto-include as some of the other cards mentioned on this list, but it is a valuable card to consider when building.
Ghosts of Pendragon
While the previous three cards can be shuffled between deck lists, Ghosts of Pendragon is a little more specific. You can’t run a Crux deck without Ghosts of Pendragon because that card draw for two memory is too valuable to pass up. If you’re playing Lorraine or Merlin, you’re going to need a playset.
Sadi, Blood Harvester
If you’re running Tristan, you need to pick up Sadi, Blood Harvester. Sadi gives you agility on kills and extra preparation counters never hurt. You don’t need to always run four copies, but you’re going to at least want two.
Shadow’s Claw
Shadow’s Claw is the best card in Tristan’s toolset, but it is also the most expensive. Good thing you only need one. With enough counters, you can play it outside of your material deck and your Phantasia can use it for free!
After the rousing success of the initial Supporter Pack, Grand Archive is releasing a second! Supporter packs are designed with collectors in mind, featuring unique alts for cards already in the format. This is a great way to boost your collection if you’re participating in any Path of Silver events.
Supporter packs will only be sold at official Grand Archive events, events run by partners, or trade shows. Purchase limits will be placed, hopefully mitigating those pesky scalpers. Anime Expo 2024 on July 4th will be the first time the new Supporter Packs will be sold, and we’ve already got some exciting-looking teasers!
This is a direct-to-consumer product and won’t be sold in stores. This is so that Weebs of the Shore doesn’t take away profits from the local game store. Fans of Grand Archive who purchase the Supporter Packs get to bling out their collection while directly helping the game they love grow. I love what I’ve seen so far, I can’t wait to see the rest of the spoilers. I hope I can find the time to go to an event and get my hands on a couple.
Product Info
Each pack contains 3 cards: 2 uncommon cards, and 1 rare (or higher) card
Mercurial Heart is the set that convinced me to sit down and learn to play Grand Archive. I picked up too much product from my LGS and TCG Player and built my shabby little Silvie deck. I chose Silvie because it was the deck I knew how to pilot the best, not because she is currently dominating the new format.
This weekend, I was able to carve out some time and head to my first-ever locals. It was a bit daunting since I had only learned the basic rules that day, but I wanted to play and didn’t have the friends to do so casually.
The place was pretty lively when I got there. Tables were busy with the other games the store was running, while others shopped around or waited for their event to start. I picked up a random playmat on my way to the counter, paid for the mat and my fee, and signed up for the event.
The event organizer was super nice. He asked me about my mat, but I didn’t know what game it was from (I picked it because it was on top of the stack). I told him it was my first time there, which made him really happy. Everyone was delighted to hear I was new and excited to play the game they loved. Grand Archive has some of the nicest fans who are so glad to see the game grow.
I didn’t do well in the event, but my opponents were always patient and understanding. While I feel bad that the games were probably boring for some, they never showed it. They gave me tips, explained interactions, and even let me look through their decks for ideas. I even started getting better with each match. Not good enough to make a difference, but better than the first time I pulled out the deck.
Between matches, the coordinator came to check in on me. We talked for a bit about the game, and he asked me about my interests and talked to me about the other events in the area. I appreciate that he took the time to check in on me, and made sure that my first experience was a good one.
I stayed a little after to chat with my last opponent who was a very patient guy who explained all sorts of combos, and interactions and helped me theory-craft a few decks. He was also very excited to show me his collection. It was very cool to see promos I have only seen online.
The experience was a bit overwhelming at first. I have bad social anxiety, and my ADHD made focusing in a room where too much was going on difficult. Once I started playing, it got a little easier. The fact that everyone was so friendly made things easier. I had a blast and will be going back. I have some deck ideas I want to try for next time. I don’t think I’ll be bringing the most souped-up meta deck, but I definitely will bring something better.
If you’re thinking of playing Grand Archive, I say pull the trigger. Find an LGS that runs events, buy some products, build your deck, and have some fun. You might not win the first time you show up, but it gets better as you learn the many nuances that come with the game. Grand Archive is a unique card game with creative mechanics and beautiful cards. Based on my experience, the player base is very kind and welcoming. This might vary based on the location and type of event, but my LGS is fantastic and I will be supporting them every chance I get!
BanG Dream! Girls fans should rejoice at Weiss Schwarz newest set BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Countdown Collection. This card has some of the best looking cards I’ve seen come from the game, and it isn’t heavy on the fan service like some of the other sets I’ve seen. Either way, there are cards in this set you’re going to want to chase as a collector and player of the game. The Countdown Collection is on sale now, so make sure you hit up your LGS and get you some product. For those where that isn’t an option, TCG Player has the Countdown Collection and other Weiss Schwarz products at a reasonable price. Make sure you use my affiliate links!
