Tag Archives: trading cards

Genesis TCG Returns with Metamorphosis Kickstarter

July 14, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The Genesis TCG returns to Kickstarter with a unique campaign, a new design, and a lot of ambition. The state of the Genesis TCG has been a mystery since its abrupt end in April 2023 when its parent company, Haunted Castle Gaming, announced its closure. Since then, a group of dedicated and passionate fans have come together to keep the game they love alive. The game is now under the proud ownership of Edge of Exile Entertainment. We will have to see if their passion and love for the game will translate to its success.

Since the change of ownership, Genesis has seen a new impressive card design. I am impressed with the game’s new identity, but I’ll have to see the cards in person before I can make a definitive claim.

The canceled invitation set was also released under Edge of Exile’s leadership and new design., and the set looks good. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to get any product, so I’ll just settle for looking at the list online.

The game will have to rebuild trust as it competes for a player base. The game’s sudden initial closure has left the game with some sour connotations. Nobody wants to invest in a game with no future. Edge of Exile has addressed this issue on their Kickstarter page. The company has successfully released an expansion since its induction, albeit one that was already done before the closure. The company also has an established and proven relationship with distributors and a few game stores. They are also trying to get back onto TCG Player, and hopefully give more players access to the game.

The Kickstarter

Backing the Metamorphosis Kickstarter gets you a set of the alt art cards for all the champions featured in the set. $50 gets you a non-foil set and $92 gets you both foil and non-foil. There is additional swag and goodies at higher tiers. The money earned from this campaign goes to paying the printers. Metamorphosis will go to printing once the $29, 311 has been pledged.

What is Genesis TCG

Genesis TCG is a 5×6 grid based tactical TCG. Players move their champions through the arena, and the first player to kill all enemy champions wins. This is a very unique way of dealing with the TCG.Check out the tutorial to see if the game is right for you:

Thoughts

I’ve always been interested in Genesis because I found it to be an interesting concept for a trading card game. Unfortunately, the game died right as I was about to start buying product. I was surprised to see the Kickstarter. I had stopped following the game, and sort of forgot about it. It’s cool to see that the game hasn’t been abandoned, especially by its most loyal fans. It makes it easy to root for.

Most Kickstarter TCGs sell boxes and starter decks, but Edge of Exile is limited by their established agreement with their distributors. They don’t want to take away sales from the stores that will carry their game. While this is an admirable act, it makes the campaign hard to sell.

Having alt-art versions of the champions is awesome if you already have a deck to play with. New players trying to pick up the game will have to hope they can also find product after launch, and it’s a bit discouraging. While $50 is reasonable for a set of exclusive alt-art cards, it is a steep price for someone who hasn’t played the game before. It would be cool if they had a print-n-play option to help people decide. This seems like a campaign geared toward those hopeful for the longevity of the game or established fans of the game.

The fans of the game will be divided by this campaign. Those who are loyal and dedicated have already pledged and secured their exclusive playsets, some even at a discount. Other fans have been made weary by the string of dead and dying indie TCGs. The TCG space is unforgiving. If Edge of Exile doesn’t do enough, Genesis isn’t getting the resurgence it deserves.

I’ll be rooting for the success of the campaign because I like the idea of a game company run by its players. There seems to be a lot of ambition and passion behind this attempt at resurrection, and I will be following it closely for its definitive outcome.

If you’ve played Genesis, want to bling out your deck, or want to get into the game, you’re going to want to help with this Kickstarter. It is the only way Metamorphasis gets printed. Even though there is a proven record, there is always risk when backing a Kickstarter. Follow your gut.

Other TCGs

Shadowverse: Evolve – The New Omens Eternal Cards are Pretty!

July 13, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The new Shadowverse: Evolve set is out, and it’s making me want to get into the hobby. I’ve played the mobile version in passing, but it never really clicked. The release of Omens Eternal made me download the app, and I am ready to give it a chance. The art in this set is so cool, I might just have to start collecting.

If you want to pick up Omens Eternal or any other Shadowverse: Evolve product, pick it up on TCG Player using my affiliate link. It really helps me out.

Grand Archive TCG

I Took Fire Zander and had a Blast, but it Needs Some Tweaks

July 9, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

I came into Grand Archive with the intention of being a collector because the art for the game is beautiful. After watching a few competitive streams, I decided to build a deck and head to locals. After my first bout, I was hooked. Over the weekend, I went to my second event with a better understanding and a better deck. While I didn’t perform as well as I could have, I am getting better and can’t wait to go back for more.

The Deck

After a bit of research, I decided to go with an Agro Fire Zander deck because I had most of the cards and I thought the added card draw was nice. You can find all the lists to Ascent Taipei on the official Omnidex event page. The list is as follows (I’ll leave affiliate links to the singles for those who need them):

Main Deck

Main Deck
1 Spirit of Fire
1 Zander, Prepared Scout
1 Zander, Deft Executor
1 Assassin's Ripper
1 Blinding Orb
1 Quicksilver Grail (Original Deck uses Grand Crusader's Ring) 
1 Mercenary's Blade
1 Poisoned Dagger
1 Backup Charger (Original uses Safeguard Amulet)
1 Smoke Bombs
1 Tariff Ring
1 Varuckan Soulknife

Main Deck
3 Gawain, Chivalrous Thief
4 Kingdom Informant
4 Sable Remnant
4 Stalwart Shieldmate
4 Arthur, Young Heir
4 Blazing Throw
4 Captivating Cutthroat
3 Clumsy Apprentice
4 Corhazi Courier
4 Creative Shock
3 Cremation Ritual
3 Hasty Messenger
2 Innervate Fury
3 Mark the Target
4 Planted Explosive
4 Rending Flames
3 Rococo, Explosive Maven

What I learned

While I did like the original list, most people run Quicksliver Grail as their divine relic. You want your turn one to be Quicksilver Grail to hide Poison Dagger so you can have it ready for your big wombo combo. The idea is to pop the grail at your opponent’s end phase so you can use the dagger on your turn. Instead of the GCR, I opted for Backup Charger. Poping the charger before recollection means you get a GCR and get to scoop up the cost.

After playing my matches, the deck felt very slow with too much drawing power. Oftentimes, I was left with a hand that was too big to use up my Rococos, or it took too long to set up my combo. This deck needs to win by turn 5 or else it becomes a very steep uphill battle. Some of the changes I’ll be making for the future of this deck:

Removing Gawain. She did nothing. My opponent rarely had cards they needed in their memory and often I was sacrificing for no reason. She felt like a waste of resources.

Removing Kingdom Informant. I love the permanent stealth and floating memory, but it didn’t have enough of an impact. I would have like something like a Lurking Assasin instead for my stealth.

Removing Stalward Shieldmate. I like Shieldmate in slower decks, but she slowed the deck down a little too much for my liking. The floating memory is nice and I guess she could attack with Arthur in later turns, but it doesn’t fit the playstyle I am looking for.

Creative Shock/Cremation Ritual. Unfortunately, this deck ended up having too much draw power. I did prefer Creative Shock to Cremation Ritual because it let me discard fire cards for Veruckan Soulknife,

but the deck already has better options. I definitely don’t want Cremation Ritual in this deck. It was never useful because there was never a moment I wanted to sacrifice an ally.

This isn’t a bad deck, it made it to top 32, but it didn’t vibe with my play style. While I definitely lack the experience to effectively pilot this deck, it wasn’t aggressive enough for my tastes. I like the deck and will continue to make my tweaks. I have a few ideas I want to try. Unfortunately, everyone at my locals seems to know how to counter this deck. While I don’t think I’ll be taking top spots at any events, everyone was nice enough to give me tips and pointers on how to make it better.

Conclusion

If you want to get into Grand Archive, you should do it. You should note that this is an awkward time in the game’s history because the cost of singles is expensive. There will be reprints and the market will cool, but entering the scene now means you’re buying expensive singles. I would argue that you don’t need a meta deck to have fun, but you will need a meta deck if you want to do well. My local scene is very competitive and anything that isn’t meta isn’t placing. That said, the player base is full of passionate fans who want to see the game grow and will help you out when you need it.

I didn’t do as well as I would have liked, but I was getting better as the day progressed. I liked that my opponents and players around me would stop to give me tips and pointers, even during a match. I appreciate that my opponents would give me the chance to undo a move when I made a mistake, even if I never took them on it. They were more than happy to help me out because they want to see their hobby grow. The community is the reason I’ve gotten so invested in the hobby, and it should be the reason you start it as well. Till next time, thanks for reading!

Other TCGs

Wixoss TCG: Concord Diva Set List is out and it is Good

July 7, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

This game isn’t going to be for everyone because of how waifu-centric it is, but I’ve been enjoying the art, and the anime, and the game isn’t too bad. I preferred the art and flavor of Dissonance Diva better, but there are some cards in this set I wouldn’t mind adding to my collection. Make sure you always support your LGS, but you can always get Concord Diva on TCG Player using my affiliate link.

Other TCGs

Kryptic TCG Returns Under New Management and Motivation!

July 4, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

Last week, the people behind Kryptic announced the end of the TCG and their plans to move to the LCG model. After a bit of feedback and a weekend to ruminate, Kryptic TCG isn’t dead! Fans of the TCG now wait as the company takes the steps to continue the TCG.

The Announcement

Tanner has announced on the official Kryptic Discord that he will be stepping down as CEO of the company and handing the company over to Chris Tesorio. The message reads:

The loyal Kryptic comunnity came together in full force for the game that they loved and now with a new name and newly found motivaition, Kryptic Studios LLC will work continue making the TCG.

The new CEO, Chris Tesorio, also made a statement:

It makes me happy to see Kryptic getting its second life. I can’t wait to see what is to come. Congradulations to Chris Tesorio on his new role, I wish him the best in his endevours.

What this Means for Kryptic

We are still waiting for more news from the new company, but plans for Kryptic as a LCG have been cancelled and new plans for the TCG are in the works. While I am a little sad about not seeing what an LCG in the the Kryptic universe would look like, I am happy to see that fans will get to continue to enjoy the game they love. I am hopeful for the future of this game and can’t wait to see what this new leadership and motivation will produce in the future.

Attonement

As a reminder for anyone who missed it, 100 boxes of Attonement Wave Zero will release on July 4th 12AM CST. Attonment was Kryptics cancelled set before the name change. The box will include single copies of the entire set, with a few random foils to mix things up. Sales will be limited to hopefully prevent scalping. It be nice to buy a box and have the complete set. I’ll be trying to get a box, I hope the fans who want one can get theirs too.

You can pick up your box of Attonement Year Zero on the Speedprobogames website for $119.99. Good luck!

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive Releases Statement Regarding Game Accessibility

July 2, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

If you’re getting into Grand Archive or have been following for a moment, you’ve probably the outrageous pricing for singles. We’re in the moment of Grand Archive history where the demand for cards is higher than the supply. This is frustrating for those trying to onboard into the competitive scene but is priced out of important staples. On one hand, I understand the frustration, but I also understand the need for appropriate scaling. No one wants to be left with a wear house full of merch they can’t move.

Fortunately, there are plans for reprints of staples in future sets and possibly reprints of sets already on the market, possibly in an altered edition. A Statement Regarding Game Accessibility was posted today on the game’s official X account. The statement reads:

Thus begins the waiting game. The key takeaway is that future sets will reprint key staples like Dungeon Guide, which hopefully means the market will stabilize. While Grand Archive is nowhere near as expensive as some of the other big TCGs, it is expensive for new folks trying to enjoy some games at their LGS. I hate that I can’t support my LGS because they don’t have any stock.

I hope this announcement means more reprints, a bigger community, and a more accessible price point for entry. We will have to wait and see, but I have faith in a company that has been doing everything right so far.

If you’re mad about singles pricing, I would save up for future sets and reprints. You can enjoy games on TTS on the official Discord in the meantime. If you don’t want to wait to get into the competitive scene, I’m sure you can justify the premium with all the fun you’re about to have. Whatever you decide, welcome to Grand Archive!

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG: Full Supporter Pack 2 Card List Revealed!

July 2, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The full card list for the Supporter Pack 2 has been revealed, and you’re going to want to add these to your collection. Supporter packs will only be available for purchase at official or partnered events, like the upcoming Anime Expo or Ascent tournaments. While I am sad that it makes these beautiful cards unattainable for some of us, it is cool to see that they aren’t trying to take money away from the hard-working LGSs. You can check out the full announcement on the official website.

Collector Super Rares (CSR)

Super Rares (SR)

Rares (R)

Uncommons (UC)

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG Meta Watch: Michigan Regionals 06/30/24

July 1, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

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.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. I’ll be leaving TCG Player affiliate links for singles. Using them really helps me out!

1. Lorraine Wind Allies – Matt #162 (5 – 0 – 1)

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Gwendolyn, Spirit of Wind
1 Lorraine, Wandering Warrior
1 Backup Charger
1 Eye of Argus
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Ornamental Greatsword
1 Poisoned Coating Oil
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Smoke Bombs
1 Sword of Seeking
1 Tariff Ring
1 Wind Resonance Bauble

Main Deck
4 Charged Mannequin
4 Lurking Assailant
4 Manufacture Cell
4 Andronika, Eternal Herald
4 Armored Valkyrie
4 Eternal Magistrate
4 Fairy Whispers
3 Favorable Winds
4 Rallied Advance
3 Reclaim
4 Rose, Eternal Paragon
4 Second Wind
4 Shimmercloak Assassin
4 Stifling Trap
4 Windrider Vanguard
2 Zephyr

Sideboard
1 Water Resonance Bauble
3 Reprogram
4 Trained Hawk
3 Verdigris Decree
2 Zephyr

2. Mono Water

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Serene Water
1 Tonoris, Lone Mercenary
1 Nico, Whiplash Allure
1 Backup Charger
1 Bulwark Sword
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Smoke Bombs
1 Tithe Proclamation
1 Magebane Lash
1 Scepter of Lumina
1 Tideholder Claymore
1 Vaporjet Shield

Main Deck
1 Turbo Charge
1 Cell Sharpshooter
3 Cerulean Decree
4 Diffusive Block
4 Fractal of Rain
4 Fracturize
4 Freezing Steel
4 Frostsworn Paladin
4 Icebound Slam
4 Lost in Thought
3 Lunete, Frostbinder Priest
4 Ravishing Finale
4 Refracting Missile
3 Revitalizing Cleanse
4 Storm of Thorns
3 Tidal Sweep
4 Vaporjet Shieldbearer
2 Waverider Protector

Sideboard
1 Tariff Ring
2 Heavy Swing
2 Incapacitate
3 Resolute Stand
1 Turbo Charge
2 Cell Sharpshooter
2 Frostbind

3. Wind Tristan – tyguy #7388 (4 – 1 – 1)

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Wind
1 Tristan, Underhanded
1 Tristan, Hired Blade
1 Tristan, Shadowdancer
1 Tristan, Shadowreaver
1 Assassin’s Ripper
1 Backup Charger
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Poisoned Dagger
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Windwalker Boots
1 Shadow’s Claw

Main Deck
4 Dungeon Guide
2 Incapacitate
4 Mastermind Scheme
4 Sable Remnant
4 Sadi, Blood Harvester
2 Slice and Dice
1 Turbo Charge
4 Corhazi Outlook
1 Disorienting Winds
3 Ensnaring Fumes
4 Fairy Whispers
2 Innervate Agility
4 Reclaim
4 Stifling Trap
4 Surveil the Winds
4 Veiling Breeze
4 Windmill Engineer
4 Shadowstrike
1 Umbra Sight

Sideboard
2 Incapacitate
3 Reprogram
3 Arrow Trap
3 Cleansing Reunion
3 Sirocco Operative
1 Innervate Agility

Grand Archive TCG

The Staples You Need for the Competitive Grand Archive Scene

June 21, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

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!

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive: Supporter Pack 2 Announced and it Looks Good!

June 19, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

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
Each box of Supporter Pack 2 consists of 8 packs
Rarity Distribution (25 card set): 9U / 8R / 4SR / 4CSR
MSRP: $30 USD (per box)
Foil 1 in 8 packs, CSR 1 in 25 boxes

The Kickstarter

What is Genesis TCG

Thoughts

The Deck

Main Deck

What I learned

Conclusion

The Announcement

What this Means for Kryptic

Attonement

Collector Super Rares (CSR)

Super Rares (SR)

Rares (R)

Uncommons (UC)

1. Lorraine Wind Allies – Matt #162 (5 – 0 – 1)

Material Deck

Main Deck

2. Mono Water

Material Deck

Main Deck

3. Wind Tristan – tyguy #7388 (4 – 1 – 1)

Main Deck

Dungeon Guide

Grand Crusader’s Ring

Backup Charger

Ghosts of Pendragon

Sadi, Blood Harvester

Shadow’s Claw

Product Info

Cards

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