Tag Archives: trading cards

Huge News From Grand Archive Ascent Chicago 2024

August 5, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

Ascent Chicago just ended, and while there weren’t too many drastic changes to the meta, there were a few exciting announcements that we will need to go over. We got an update on the judge program and some very cool spoilers. If you’re looking for Grand Archive cards, get them over at TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out.

Errata to Silvie

There is a promise of some meta-shifting bans coming tomorrow. Meanwhile, there was an errata that is already creating ripples in the format. Effective August 4th, Stonescale Band has been slowed in the hopes of removing a bit of Silvie from the format. The cost to cast has been changed from 0 to 1, and the activation cost has been changed from 1 to 2. The effect now reads:

The next ally card you active this turn can be activated as though it had fast activation

This slows the card as you are no longer allowed to activate as many slimes as you can. It is unclear how much this change will break the deck, but a slower Silvie can’t be good for popularity. We will have to see if any of the other bans affect archetype, but hopefully this shifts the deck list a bit.

Mortal Ambition Spoilers

In the most exciting news, we got spoilers for the upcoming Mortal Ambition set. The set releases on October 11th, so make sure you put in your preorders. The flavor for this set is fantastic, and the art for these spoilers is so pretty. I hope the screenshots do them justice. I’ll post more high-definition images when they become available.

The Collector Rare

We also got a look at a collector rare and this card is so pretty! If this card doesn’t move boxes, I don’t know what will. As a collector, I am all in!

Developer Live Stream Announcement

There will be a developer livestream on September 14. While this news may not be exciting for everyone, this means more spoilers and some cool gameplay insight if you’re into that kind of thing. I’m hoping they run the online store so that I can finally get my hands on some supporter packs!

Reprints in Bound!

One of the biggest frustrations for new players of Grand Archive is the price of singles. Stock is limited, and prices for important staples make the game unfeasible for some. I still kick myself for not buying into the game sooner. In a bit of expected news, Alchemical Revolution Altered Edition has been announced. The set is expected in January 2025, and it is the perfect time to buy into the set if you missed out on it the first time. I need some Arisanna cards for I deck I’m building that I know won’t win me any prizes. The set is coming with some very important changes, so make sure you get those wallets ready!

Academy Teacher Promo

The Academy Teacher promo has been revealed, and it is such a pretty card. The Academy program is a special promotion to help promote the game to new stores. Experienced players who help stores teach new players how to play the game will receive a special copy of Vaporjet Shieldbearer and it has me reaching for my teacher’s hat. The program starts in September, stay tuned for more news.

The Judge Program

With the growing popularity of the game comes the increased demand for judges. The judge program for the MRC season awards judges with an exclusive and beautiful Careful Study card based on their level. The test to become a judge goes live on August 9th, so make sure you sign up when you can. There doesn’t seem to be a limit on how many times you can try the test, but there is a week cooldown for failed tests. Study hard and good luck!

Other TCGs

Check out Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem TCG on Kickstarter

August 2, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

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 Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem campaign runs until August 29th, so make sure you back if you haven’t and tell your friends!

Pledge Levels

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Kryptik Studios LLC Announces Start of New Competitive Season

July 31, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The Kryptik TCG recently changed leadership after announcing that it would no longer exist as a TCG. There was talk of turning the game into an LCG, but the community came together to give the TCG its second life. You can read about the drama in my previous post.

This announcement caused a few ripples in the community. Some fans felt disheartened by the news. To them, it felt like they wasted money on another dead TCG busy making empty promises. The damage has been done and there is no mending this relationship. Despite a small exodus, some fans stuck around and continue to hold on to hope for the game that they love. A lot of the hope seems to be inspired by the passion the new leadership continues to carry for Kryptik. I for one am curious to see where this passion takes them.

Passion alone won’t be enough to restore the faith that has been lost. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and a bit of radio silence since the change. Today, the silence has been broken, and a new competitive season has been announced on the official Discord. Starting August 17th, Kryptik Studios LLC will be hosting online tournaments on Discord through Tabletop Simulator.

The Announcement:

We are happy to announce that we are going to start hosting weekly tournaments through Tabletop Simulator (TTS). We will be using a points system called Kryptik Currency, which will allow participants to spend their Kryptik Currency to get promotional cards, sealed products and more. Each season will last 6 weeks beginning on August 17th. At the end of each season, we will give out prizes to the top 11 ranked players. We will be announcing additional prizing in the weeks leading up to the tournament season. At the end of four seasons, there will be a tournament between the top 8 players with the highest total points with additional exclusive prizing.

The prizing for the first season is as follows:

1st Place
- 1 set of Overlord Wave 2 Genesis Promos
- 9 Randomized Foil Lore Cards Story Choice: Does Selene seek retribution against Livia for the death of Boudicca?
2nd Place
- 1 set of Overlord Wave 2 Genesis Promos
- 6 Randomized Foil Lore Cards Story Choice: How does Andras handle Dookraka, his friend and mentor’s death?
3rd & 4th Place
- 1 Flanagan, 1 Davy and 1 Tocho Wave 2 Genesis Promo.
- 3 Randomized Foil Lore Cards
5th – 8th Place
- 1 Sylvi and Dumuzi Wave 2 Genesis Promo.
- 3 Randomized Foil Lore Cards.
9th – 11th Place
- 1 Midnight Meander Wave 2 Genesis Promo.
- 3 Randomized Foil Lore Cards.
Players will also be able to earn points for the season called Kryptik Currency, which can be exchanged for products in the future. The point breakdown works as follows…
Participation in all rounds of the tournament: 5 KC (Kryptik Currency) Loss: 1 KC Draw: 2 KC Win: 3 KC Special Rules Bonus (Per Event): 5 KC

Players will also be able to earn points for the season called Kryptik Currency, which can be exchanged for products in the future. The point breakdown works as follows:

Participation in all rounds of the tournament: 5 KC (Kryptik Currency)
Loss: 1 KC
Draw: 2 KC
Win: 3 KC
Special Rules Bonus (Per Event): 5 KC

It is cool to see official events because as cool as it is to collect the cards, there needs to be a thriving player base to move cardboard.

Attonement

While not everyone got a chance to get their hands on the limited run of Atonement by Speedrobo games, we were assured that there is an official run coming. Although, you might not have missed out on much. Some of the folks who received their Wave 0 have voiced complaints about the smell and quality of the product. The promo cards I received as compensation after an error on their part made me lose my preorder are already curled. Dropping Speedrobo Games as their official printer is starting to make a lot of sense.

In an official post on the discord, the community manager has made this promise:

In the near future, you will see how atonement was meant to be. W0 will become an afterthought. We are returning to our roots. Enlisting the best of the Genesis artists to create artwork we have all come to love.

It is very good to see a company acknowledging their mistakes and working with their community to do better. We will have to wait for the next Kryptik product to see if they can keep their promise. In the meantime, updates are being made to the official Kryptik Tabletop Simulator module to include the new Atonement cards, and they look sick!

Conclusion

I can’t wait to see where this new leadership takes this game. What I’ve seen so far is impressive, but I will need to see some new product before I go make any firm decisions. I’ll keep following the game and wishing them the best.

If you want to learn more about Kryptik, make sure you join the official Discord, and make sure you start getting ready for the new season!

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG Meta Watch: IanTCG Regionals Top 3

July 23, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

MRC is looking to be a fantastic season for wind. Wind allies continue to make their sweep with Tristan and Lorraine clinging to their spot as the big bad decks of the format. With Ascent Chicago around the corner, it might be a good idea to start teching against wind. Make sure you get your tickets if you haven’t done so.

Here are the top three decks for the IanTCG regionals. I’ll leave TCG Player affiliate links for those who need them.

1. Yoroi: Wind Tristan

Material Deck

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 Quicksilver Grail
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Windwalker Boots
1 Gloamspire Mantle
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
4 Dream Fairy
2 Ensnaring Fumes
4 Fairy Whispers
2 Innervate Agility
4 Reclaim
3 Stifling Trap
4 Surveil the Winds
4 Veiling Breeze
4 Windmill Engineer
4 Shadowstrike

2. HenkieTheGoat: Wind Agro Lorraine

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Wind
1 Lorraine, Wandering Warrior
1 Lorraine, Blademaster
1 Backup Charger
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Nullifying Lantern
1 Prototype Pistol
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Sword of Seeking
1 Tariff Ring
1 Wind Resonance Bauble
1 Windpiercer

Main Deck
2 Charged Mannequin
4 Gildas, Chronicler of Aesa
4 Lurking Assailant
4 Aesan Protector
4 Andronika, Eternal Herald
3 Armored Valkyrie
4 Dream Fairy
4 Eternal Magistrate
2 Rallied Advance
3 Reclaim
2 Rose, Eternal Paragon
4 Shimmercloak Assassin
4 Stifling Trap
2 Swift Recruit
4 Veiling Breeze
2 Winbless Rangefinder
4 Windmill Engineer
4 Windrider Vanguard

3. Flyingapple: Norm Silvie

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Slime
1 Silvie, Wilds Whisperer
1 Silvie, With the Pack
1 Silvie, Slime Sovereign
1 Backup Charger
1 Beastbond Boots
1 Quicksilver Grail
1 Covenant of Thorns
1 Gaia’s Blessing
1 Horn of Beastcalling
1 Stonescale Band
1 Verdant Scepter

Main Deck
4 Baby Gray Slime
3 Blissful Calling
4 Dungeon Guide
2 Engineered Slime
3 Escape the Wreckage
4 Forest Cake
4 Limitless Slime
4 Baby Red Slime
3 Slime Eruption
4 Gather Slimes
4 Baby Green Slime
1 Green Slime
3 Slimeshield
4 Storm Slime
2 Twilight Slime
4 Ethereal Slime
2 Gaia’s Songbird
2 Hymn of Gaia’s Grace
1 Slime King
2 Vampiric Slime

Other TCGs

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!

Errata to Silvie

Mortal Ambition Spoilers

The Collector Rare

Developer Live Stream Announcement

Reprints in Bound!

Academy Teacher Promo

The Judge Program

The Campaign

The Gameplay

Impressions

Pledge Levels

The Announcement:

Attonement

Conclusion

1. Yoroi: Wind Tristan

Material Deck

Main Deck

2. HenkieTheGoat: Wind Agro Lorraine

Material Deck

Main Deck

3. Flyingapple: Norm Silvie

Material Deck

Main Deck

The Kickstarter

What is Genesis TCG

Thoughts

The Deck

Main Deck

What I learned

Conclusion

The Announcement

What this Means for Kryptic

Attonement

Gaming News and Review