The Overlord Blaze "Toshiki Kai" Legend Deck

Releasing in April ...

The second release of the highly popular Legend Deck series has descended! And spearheading it is none other than the legendary cardfighter, Toshiki Kai! Featuring the Kagero clan, this deck includes many familiar units that Toshiki Kai has used throughout his cardfighting history, except that they have now matured and evolved into new forms with the new powers they have gained!

On top of being a complete deck with powerful units and attractive new illustrations, it also comes with additional special items compared to the average Trial Deck! 

The Overlord blaze “Toshiki Kai” is the perfect pre-constructed deck set for both new and veteran players alike! Also, stand a chance to receive 1 hot stamp card randomly inserted into decks! Are you worthy to take on the blazing mantle of a Legend?

· This pre-constructed deck contains 56 cards (50 card deck + 6 G cards/16 card types including 2 G card types)
· Total of 16 holo cards (RRR), 1 of each card type
· Stand a chance to receive 1 hot stamp card randomly inserted into decks!
· Paper playmat is included

VGE-G-LD02 contains the following items:
· Pre-constructed deck
· Special Toshiki Kai Deck Holder (Folded)
· Special Toshiki Kai Fighter’s Counter
· Toshiki Kai Clan Card
· 2 Special PR cards (“Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Dragonic Overlord “the Ace””/Reissue, non-holo)

Two Headed Giant

With tomorrow's two headed STANDARD tournment only a few hours away. I thought it and idea to have a quick look at the rules for this format...

Two-Headed Giant (often abbreviated 2HG or THG) is a multiplayer format in which teams of two people each face each other. This format is unique in the fact that players take actions as a team instead of individually.

Rules
Two-Headed Giant has a few rules that vary from the original rules:

• Each team has a shared life total that starts at 30 life.
• Each team takes turns rather than each player. This means that players draw as a team, attack as a team, block as a team, and go through the various phases of the turn as a team. Cards that would make a target player take an extra turn/step or lose a turn/step cause that team to take or lose that turn/step (e.g. Beacon of Tomorrows (create) would make a target team take another turn after this one instead of just one player on that team).
• The team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn.
• With the exception of life total and poison counters, a team's resource (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared. Teammates may review each other's hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents.
• The first mulligan results in a full hand of seven cards (or however many cards constitute a "full hand" if other rules/cards modify the opening hand size). Each mulligan afterward results in one fewer card every time.
• If an effect causes a player to control another player's turn, the controller of that effect controls the affected player's team's turn (e.g. Mindslaver would allow that player to control the entire team's turn instead of one player on that team).
• The legal card format for a DCi sanctioned Two-Headed Giant tournament is the same as the Standard format.

Winning and Losing
The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the normal rules for winning or losing the game, with the following additions:

• If a team's life total is 0 or less, the team loses the game without receiving priority.
• Players win and lose the game only as a team, not as individuals. If either player on a team loses the game, the team loses the game. If either player on a team wins the game, the entire team wins the game. If an effect would prevent a player from winning the game, that player's team can't win the game. If an effect would prevent a player from losing the game, that player's team can't lose the game.
• If a player concedes, his or her team leaves the game immediately. That team loses the game.
• Poison counters are also shared within a team. If a team has 15 or more poison counters, that team loses the game.
• If a player is unable to draw a card from his or her deck when a situation forces him or her to draw (like at a player's draw step), that player's team loses the game.

Life and Damage

• Damage, loss of life, and gaining life happen to each player individually. The result is applied to the team's shared life total. (e.g. If a player plays Flame Rift, each team is dealt a total of 8 damage instead of only 4).
• If an effect needs to know what a player’s life total is, what number do I use?
• If an effect needs to know the value of an individual player’s life total, that effect uses the team’s life total.
• Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a team is at 17 life when a player activates Heartless Hidetsugu’s ability, which reads, “Heartless Hidetsugu deals damage to each player equal to half that player’s life total, rounded down.” For the purposes of this ability, each player on that team is considered to be at 17 life. Heartless Hidetsugu deals 8 damage to each of those players, for a total of 16 damage. The team will end up at 1 life.
• Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Test of Endurance, an enchantment that reads, “At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life, you win the game.” If that player's team has 50 or more life when the ability resolves, that team will win the game.
• Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Lurking Jackals, which reads, “When an opponent has 10 life or less, if Lurking Jackals is an enchantment, it becomes a 3/2 Hound creature.” If the opposing team has 10 life or less, Lurking Jackals will become a creature.
• If an effect would set the life total of each player on a team to a number, that team chooses one of its members. On that team, only that player is affected.
• Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, Ronald plays Biorhythm, which reads, “Each player’s life total becomes the number of creatures he or she controls.” Ronald and his teammate, Edward, are at 13 life. Ronald controls no creatures, and Edward controls three creatures, so their team chooses Edward to be affected by Biorhythm. Edward loses 10 life, and his team ends up at 3.
• If an effect would set a single player’s life total to a number, the player gains or loses the necessary amount of life to end up with the new total. The team's life total is adjusted by the amount of life that player gained or lost.
• Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, Maureen becomes the target of Magister Sphinx's triggered ability. (Magister Sphinx says “When Magister Sphinx enters the battlefield, target player's life total becomes 10.) Maureen's team's life total is 25 before the ability resolves, so she loses 15 life, and the team ends up at 10 life.

Blessed vs Cursed

Holy Warriors Unite Against the Unquiet Dead

A divine mission has once again united the Humans, Spirits, and Angels of Innistrad. Together, these protectors will stand against the shadows, fighting for humanity's salvation.

Evil rules the night. Shambling hordes of the dead roam free, their cemetery gates in ruins, as powerful Demons soar overhead. The fate of the living remains shrouded in darkness.

Will you defend hope or snuff it out?

New Duel decks are out tomorrow so here are the decklists... 

CURSED

Creature (22) 1 Diregraf Ghoul 1 Gravecrawler 2 Butcher Ghoul 3 Screeching Skaab 1 Unbreathing Horde 1 Scrapskin Drake 2 Ghoulraiser 2 Stitched Drake 2 Diregraf Captain 1 Abattoir Ghoul 1 Driver of the Dead 1 Falkenrath Noble 1 Makeshift Mauler 1 Havengul Runebinder 1 Relentless Skaabs 1 Harvester of Souls Sorcery (6) 1 Appetite for Brains 1 Sever the Bloodline 1 Barter in Blood 1 Dread Return 2 Moan of the Unhallowed Artifact (1) 1 Cobbled Wings Instant (4) 1 Human Frailty 1 Victim of Night 1 Tribute to Hunger 1 Forbidden Alchemy Land (24) 4 Dismal Backwater 12 Swamp 8 Island Other (3) 1 Tooth Collector 1 Mindwrack Demon 1 Compelling Deterrence

BLESSED

Creature (23) 1 Cathedral Sanctifier 1 Champion of the Parish 1 Doomed Traveler 1 Nephalia Smuggler 1 Moorland Inquisitor 1 Thraben Heretic 2 Elder Cathar 1 Village Bell-Ringer 1 Captain of the Mists 1 Tandem Lookout 1 Chapel Geist 1 Emancipation Angel 1 Fiend Hunter 1 Geist of Saint Traft 1 Slayer of the Wicked 1 Tower Geist 1 Mist Raven 1 Spectral Gateguards 1 Gryff Vanguard 1 Dearly Departed 1 Goldnight Redeemer 1 Voice of the Provinces Sorcery (3) 2 Gather the Townsfolk 1 Increasing Devotion Enchantment (1) 1 Bonds of Faith Artifact (2) 1 Sharpened Pitchfork 1 Butcher’s Cleaver Instant (3) 1 Momentary Blink 2 Rebuke Land (24) 1 Seraph Sanctuary 4 Tranquil Cove 12 Plains 7 Island Other (4) 2 Topplegeist 1 Eerie Interlude 1 Pore Over the Pages

Raptor

New in this week is ...

Mamma Raptor has escaped from her run and laid her eggs in the park. A team of scientists must neutralize her and capture the baby raptors before they run wild into the forest.

Raptor is a card driven boardgame with tactical play and some double guessing. Players use their cards to move their pawns (scientists on one side, Mother and baby raptors on the other) on the board. Every round, the player who played the lowest ranked card can use the corresponding action, while his opponent has movement / attack points equal to the difference between the two cards values. The scientists can use fire, can move by jeep on the tracks, and can even call for reinforcements, while the mamma raptor can hide in the bushes, yell to frighten the scientists, and call for her babies.

Ravenous River

Due in tomorrow is the new game...

In Ravenous River, each player takes the role of an animal trying to cross the river. The roles are hidden, so you don't know which players are predator or prey. Be careful not to end up on a boat with the wrong animal, or you'll end up as its lunch! Use your feral cunning to trap your prey on the same boat for a tasty treat while you cross the river. The player who scores the most points by crossing the river, eating their prey, and avoiding being eaten themselves wins!

In more detail, Ravenous River includes seven animals, with each animal (e.g., horse) having a predator (bull) and a prey (hound). At the start of each round, each player secretly receives an animal card, and they want to feed that animal and get it safely home. Shuffle seven animal cards, then place them face down in a row on the riverbank. Place two boat cards near this bank; each boat can hold at most two animals. Deal each player two action cards. On a turn, a player either:
Places an animal: The player looks at animal card, then either places it face up on a boat or discards an action card and places it face down on the riverbank again.
Moves an animal: The player discards an action card, then either moves an animal from a boat to the bank or from the bank to a boat.
Plays an action card: The player discards an action card and performs that action.

If a player has no cards in hand at the end of their turn and both boats are full, players simultaneously vote on whether to end the round or not. If they do end it, players first see who eats whom on the riverbank, then who eats whom on each boat, then they unload the animals at home on the far side of the river, then again see who eats whom. Each animal scores 1 victory point (VP) for each animal eaten, unless it was eaten in turn in which case the point passes to its predator. Surviving animals score 1 VP on the bank and 2 VP at home.

If a single player has 6 or more VP, the game ends and that player wins. If no one has more than 6 VP or multiple players are tied with 6 or more VP, then the game continues for another round.

Fleet

I got this game in a few weeks ago and thought it was time to have a look at how it works...

In the northwest corner of Nunavut, Canada, a formerly inaccessible bay off of the Arctic Ocean has become reachable through a secret inlet. Untouched by the hands of time and fed by both the ocean and warm fresh water springs, Ridback Bay is teeming with sea life. A remote, timeless bayside village is now being inundated by entrepreneurs awaiting the influx of the world's greatest fisherman to harvest this plentiful bounty. The docks and warehouses are being revitalized, and now it is time to begin the real adventure. Go build your Fleet and become master of the high seas!

Fleet is an exciting, strategic card game with in-depth decisions and thrilling game play that new and experienced gamers can enjoy! In Fleet, you'll acquire licenses, launch boats, and fish the great briny blue. The player who best manages his resources and acquires the most VP via fish, licenses, and boats will build the strongest fleet and lead his crew to victory!

There are not many videos on how to place this game and although this one goes through the rules quite well it does show some of the kickstarter exclusives which are not in the base game. It is still worth a look though as the game overview is pretty good...

City of Iron

One more release for next week is ...

Far away in the beautiful world of Arzium, four small nations compete to become the most powerful, rallying courageous explorers, cunning leaders, brilliant minds, and powerful magicians. The humans of the City-State of Arc value industry and growth, while their neighbors in the highlands of Cresaria seek out ancient magics and scientific advances. To the south live the toads of Om amid the verdant Emerald Hills, inventing amazing machines and gizmos to aid them. The Hog Republic to the west holds a rich military tradition and teaches ruthless strategy-- in war and in business-- to all citizens from a young age.

Which nation will emerge as the greatest, leading this new world of advancement into the next century?

Features:
Updated Graphic Design and Iconography
New and Updated Illustrations
New Building Cards and Citizen Cards
Revised Game Board
New Variants
Revised Rule Book (link)
New Box Illustration

Mystic Vale

Releasing June 2016 ... A curse has been placed on the Valley of Life. Hearing the spirits of nature cry out for aid, clans of druids have arrived, determined to use their blessings to heal the land and rescue the spirits. It will require courage and also caution, as the curse can overwhelm the careless who wield too much power. In Mystic Vale, layers take on the role of druidic clans trying to cleanse the curse upon the land. Each turn, you play cards into your field to gain powerful advancements and useful vale cards. Use your power wisely, or decay will end your turn prematurely. Score the most victory points to win the game! Ages 14+ Players 2 - 4 45 minutes

Ninja Camp

Due in next week is ...

Ninja Camp pits animal martial artist clans against one another in a training exercise where the best clan will become the personal ninja apprentices of Sensei Saru. Each player starts with two cards, each representing a ninja skill, with the rest of the deck making up the game board. By using the cards in their hand, players navigate the board, adding new skills to their hand as they do—and leaving fewer movement options for their fellow campers. Each player also has a unique ninja ability that he can use once per game to try to turn the game in his favor. A game that sets up and plays in thirty minutes or less, Ninja Camp is sure to provide hours of fun for families and future ninjas!

Ninja Camp was designed by Adam E. Daulton and is the newest Small Box/Big Fun game from Action Phase Games. It is a family-friendly 2-4 player tactical card game that plays in under 30 minutes. We encourage you to view the videos directly below for more information. Or simply peruse a rough draft of the rulebook here!

We will have a demo copy of this game so if you want to give it a go then let us know!

Ravenous River

ON SALE FEBRUARY 22ND!

A GAME OF CARNIVOROUS CRITTERS AND RAGING RAPIDS

In Ravenous River, each player takes the role of an animal trying to cross the river. The roles are hidden during the game so you don’t know which players are predator or prey. Be careful not to end up on a boat with the wrong animal, or you’ll end up as its lunch! Use your feral cunning to trap your prey on the same boat for a tasty treat while you cross the river. The player who scores the most points by crossing the river, eating their prey, and avoid being eaten themselves wins!

Download the Ravenous River Rulebook (4MB PDF)

Click here to check out the design diary by Isaac Shalev.

GAME INFO
2-7 players
Ages 14+
20 minutes playtime

Contents:
7 Animal cards
7 Totem cards
14 Action cards
8 Vote tokens
2 Boat cards
36 Victory point tokens
Rulebook

Android Mainframe

Releasing this May is ...

Run fast. Score big. Android: Mainframe is a fast-paced game of futuristic crime and cyberdomination for two to four players.

You are a runner, an elite cybercriminal capable of hacking through corporate servers with ease. When you receive an alert that the security protocols at Titan Transnational Bank have been deactivated, you know it's time to go to work. However, you quickly realize you're not the only runner to have received the alert, and you're not the only runner looking to extract cash and data from Titan's servers…

It's one thing to slice and weave through corporate security. It's another thing entirely to outhack rival runners. Can you do it? In Android: Mainframe, you and your friends compete for control of Titan's various nodes. Establish your access points, reroute data pathways, and secure as many of Titan's nodes as you can. In the end, the runner with the biggest haul wins!

· A fast-paced board game of cyberdomination for two to four players
· Set in the popular Android universe
· Use a constantly changing tableau of programs to create and secure access points
· Play as one of six unique runners
· Signature programs offer individual strengths and secret information

Ages 14+

Players 2 - 4
30 minutes