Terrinoth needs champions, now more than ever. As the dead rise and an age of heroes has faded into memory, it falls to you to embody the legends of old. This is your task in Heroes of Terrinoth, a cooperative card game of questing and adventure!

But what are heroes without a quest to undertake? Heroes have to start somewhere. Luckily, Heroes of Terrinoth features a variety of adventures that will put your skills to the test! It’s not glamorous work, but tracking down and defeating goblins is a rite of passage for any aspiring adventurer. After all, how are you going to save Terrinoth if you can’t even slay the self-proclaimed Goblin King? Join us today as we preview a quest from Heroes of Terrinoth: The Goblin Problem!

Your First Adventure

You’ve heard of this self-styled King of All Goblins—strong, devious, and just cowardly enough to keep himself alive. He may not be the worthy foe you imagine for yourself, but he’ll be a good start. 

The Goblin Problem is likely to be the first quest that you take on in Heroes of Terrinoth, providing an easy to understand, yet challenging adventure for your heroes to tackle. You’ll have to explore three different locations and defeat the Goblin King himself if you're going to emerege victorious! But it won’t be easy. Goblins may not be the wisest creatures in the realm but what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in pure numbers. During the Peril Phase, goblins can coordinate an attack, spring an ambush, or even Splig himself may show up to teach your heroes a lesson! Luckily, each of these perils sees your heroes re-energized; upgrading an activation card as they prepare for the challenges ahead.

Players can spawn Splig through the final peril space or by reaching the final location. Should you slay the Goblin King and fully explore the final area, victory is yours! But should all of your heroes fall, you’ll have to feel the sting of defeat.

A Band of Brigands

The Goblin King won’t be your only obstacle on your path. As always, the back of the quest sheet instructs you on how to construct the enemy deck, and gives a hint of the foes to come. The Goblin Problem sees you tangling with all manner of aggressive degenerates, from poisonous spiders to back-stabbing bandits.

Goblins, of course, will be your primary foe. Boosted by the peril phase, these archers and witchers are not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, as you advance on your quest, you’ll have to worry about other dangers. Enemies like a Rat Swarm may seem to be a small distraction, but it could be just the opportunity a rogue bandit needs for a perfect backstab. While your enemies may seem fairly straightforward, overconfidence has been many a hero's downfall.  

Of course, your biggest target is Splig himself. Cowardly and gluttonous, Splig is a fan of hit and run tactics, engaging with heroes before inflicting damage and retreating back to safety. Fully exploring a location will reveal a weak spot, however, lowering Splig’s resistance and inching you closer to victory. 

The Heroes’ Path

The Goblin Problem sees you starting your journey at a Roadside Inn, but you'll also be forced to navigate a Dark Forest and brave a Brigand Camp. In addition to defeating Splig, you’ll have to fully explore all three of these locations to win. Your journey starts simply enough at the Roadside Inn, which allows heroes to discard a success token to tend their wounds. Your heroes can find some comort and quarter at the Roadside Inn, but your quest won’t end here, and once you’ve successfully explored six times, you move on to the Dark Forest.

While the Roadside Inn provided a boon at the end of the Travel Phase, the Dark Forest is not so kind. At the end of the Travel Phase, the party leader rolls an enemy die that can see them becoming poisoned or spawn more enemies. The safety of the inn is behind you and your journey will only be more difficult from here. After you explore the Dark Forest, you will find yourself at the heart of the Brigand Camp!

The Brigand Camp is the climax of your journey, and sees victory within your grasp. It is here that Splig will make his presence known if he hasn’t already appeared, and this is the scene of your final battle. Can your heroes solve the Goblin Problem, or will they fall into the despair of defeat?

A New Journey

The Goblin Problem is just one of eight quests featured in Heroes of Terrinoth, each of which provides new challenges for your heroes. Whether you're saving townsfolk, slaying a powerful monster, or recovering a valuable artifact, will your heroes find fame and glory in the realm of Terrinoth? Find out when Heroes of Terrinoth releases this week!

Start a new adventure with Heroes of Terrinoth (TER01), available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website!

"These words were heavier than even the death of a clan champion—or a brother. This scroll, this particular piece of paper, was likely the most important he would ever write."
   –D. G. Laderoute, "Tiger Stalks His Prey"

The 2018 Winter Court World Championships for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game have come and gone. The champion, Erik Baalhuis of the Crane Clan, has been named Shogun. He has momentarily gained the Emperor's ear, and he has been entrusted with deciding which samurai will tackle one of the Crane's most pressing issues—to travel with Doji Kuzunobu and aid his appeal to the Fox Clan for assistance.

Erik was not, however, the only samurai honored with the opportunity to help guide his clan. The top representatives from all seven of Rokugan's Great Clans were given the chance to make two important decisions that impact their clans' futures—as well as the course of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game Organized Play.

• Each of these samurai advised their champion as to which family would address one of their clan's greatest concerns.
• Each of these samurai also selected their clan's new elemental role, which goes into effect immediately through the end of August 2019.

What does this mean for the future of your clan? Read on!

Crab

The Wall must not be breached, so after the watchtower at Ishigaki Province fell silent, Crab Clan Champion Hida Kisada recognized that he would need to send samurai to investigate. But each different samurai would take a different approach. Who, then, should he send?

That choice fell to Pablo Pintor Espinosa, who battled all the way to the Top 8 at the Winter Court World Championships. He advised Hida Kisada to send a samurai of the Yasuki family, in order to recruit their neighboring allies to reinforce and defend the watchtower.

Additionally, Pablo selected Keeper of Water as the Crab's new elemental role.

Crane

Over the past months, the Crane Clan have been taxed by skirmishes with the Lion, raids by the Mantis, and an elemental imbalance off the coast that threatens their lands. They need assistance, and Doji Kuzunobu has been sent to recruit the Fox Clan’s aid. But which samurai should Doji Hotaru send to accompany her husband?

For guidance, the Crane Clan Champion turned to her new Shogun, whose performance at the Winter Court honored the whole clan. He advised Doji Hotaru to send a samurai from the Kakita family in order to protect Doji Kuzunobu from threats that lurk in the perilous Kitsune forest. Because Erik had just won the title of Shogun, Doji Hotaru pressed him even further, asking him which of the Kakita family he might send. Erik recommended Kakita Kaezin, and that is who will now represent the Crane in this matter!

Additionally, with his World Championship, Erik won the Crane Clan's right to make the first selection of a new elemental role, and he chose Seeker of Fire.

Dragon

Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni has foreseen something momentous coming from the sea of turmoil lapping at the walls of Otosan Uchi. To ensure the Dragon are prepared to meet this threat and opportunity and moment of change, he has sent Mirumoto Hitomi and Togashi Mitsu. He also intends to send them with an escort of samurai, but of which family? The answer to this question is an answer, as well, as to how the Dragon will respond to the questions they’ll face at Otosan Uchi.

With his Top 4 finish at the Winter Court World Championships, Davis Kingsley won the Clan Champion's respect and was asked for his advice. Davis advised Togashi Yokuni to send samurai from the Kitsuki family to Otosan Uchi who would investigate the intrigues of the Forbidden City.

Davis also won the right to select the Dragon Clan's next elemental role and chose Seeker of Void.

Lion

Because Lion Clan Champion Akodo Toturi also serves the Empire as Emerald Champion, he finds himself in a position to elevate the clan's status by appointing one of its greatest samurai to serve as Commander of the Emerald Legions. That samurai's actions will, in turn, reflect upon the Lion Clan, so Akodo Toturi must give careful consideration to his appointment.

For advice, he turned to Philippe-André Pelletier, who distinguished himself and won honor for the Lion Clan at the Winter Court World Championships with his play in the Day 2 elimination rounds. Philippe-André recommended that Akodo Toturi appoint a samurai of the Kitsu family in order to command with guidance from the recently departed.

Philippe-André also earned the right to select the Lion Clan's next elemental role, and he selected Keeper of Earth.

Phoenix

The recent imbalance in the elements and mounting tensions between clans have weighed heavy upon the Phoenix, who need the guidance of the Elemental Masters. Accordingly, Phoenix Clan Champion Shiba Tsukune has decided to send samurai south to Kuni lands in order to find Isawa Tadaka, the Elemental Master of Earth. But whom should she send?

After the results of the Winter Court World Championships, Shiba Tsukune decided to put her faith in Jose Luis Saenz, who carried the Phoeniz all the way to the Top 8. He advised her to send samurai from the Asako family in order to seek the leadership of the Crab Clan, that they might aid in convincing Tadaka to return to the Phoenix—and to help point to where he can be found.

Additionally, Jose Luis was given the honor of selecting the Phoenix Clan's new elemental role and chose Keeper of Air.

Scorpion

The Scorpion Clan has risen to a place of nearly unprecedented prestige within the Imperial Court, and Clan Champion Bayushi Shoju needs loyal samurai to ensure that the Scorpion stay loyal to the Emperor, rather than growing ambitious and emboldened as a result of their new position of dominance.

But which samurai would best serve Bayushi Shoju in this matter? That was the question the Master of Secrets presented to Johnny Shen after his distinguished finish at the Winter Court World Championships. And, in response, Johnny advised Bayushi Shoju to send samurai from the Yogo family because he (and his advisors) believed the Yogo would be willing to sacrifice everything—and anyone—to fulfill their duty.

Because his Runner-Up place finish also marked him as the top Scorpion Clan player at the event, Johnny earned the right to choose the clan's next elemental role.

Unicorn

The Unicorn Clan’s concerns range far and wide, from the troubled trade along the Sand Road to the appearance of intelligent, snakelike creatures in the Shinomen Mori. To these, Clan Champion Shinjo Altansarnai must add the recent recapture of Hisu Mori Toride, as the city needs a steward to guide its future, even as tensions with the Lion run ever higher.

Impressed by Ben Wootten’s Day 2 heroics at the Winter Court World Championship, Shinjo Altansarnai asked him for his advice. She then took his advice to heart, agreeing to appoint a samurai from the Moto family as steward of Hisu Mori Toride. The hope was that the Moto would rule in the style of their ancestors, bringing foreign traditions to the people of the village.

Because his finish was the highest among the members of the Unicorn Clan, Ben was also honored with the chance to select the clan's next elemental role.

Finding the Path

It is an uncertain time for the Emerald Empire. Tensions between the Great Clans continue to mount. Elemental imbalances speak to unrest within the spiritual realm. And the creatures of the Shadowlands continue to batter the Kaiu Wall, hunting for a weakness they can exploit.

In this time of uncertainty, the leaders of the seven Great Clans need sure guidance as they look to lead their people, venerate the kami, and serve their Emperor. For this reason, the Clan Champions have been pleased to receive the sage advice presented by the honorable samurai who best represented their clans at the 2018 Winter Court World Championships.

It is an honor to serve your clan in this way. Perhaps next year you will attend the Winter Court and help shape your clan's future. Who knows? Perhaps you'll be appointed Shogun and help find the best path forward for all of Rokugan!

All hail the new World Champions!

After four days of clever planning, skillful duels, and furious battles, the 2018 November World Championships have come to a close. From Wednesday through Sunday, hundreds of talented players converged on the Fantasy Flight Games Center from across the world to compete in hundreds upon hundreds of matches.

In the end, even though the crowd was loaded with talent—and dozens of contests were decided only at the very last moment—three players rose to the top, claiming the World Champion titles for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, and Runewars Miniatures Game.

• 2018 A Game of Thrones: The Card Game World Champion — Lennart Paga (Germany)
• 2018 Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game World Champion — Erik Baalhuis (The Netherlands)
• 2018 Runewars Miniatures Game World Champion — Justin Hare (United States)

Today, we're happy to celebrate these champions and their success by sharing their World Champion lists along with some of the event's highlights and statistics.

A Game of Thrones: The Card Game

The numbers suggested that we should have expected someone playing either House Targaryen or House Stark to win the 2018 A Game of Thrones: The Card Game World Championship and claim the Iron Throne. They were the two most heavily represented Houses on the tournament's Day 1A Swiss rounds, two of the three most heavily represented Houses on Day 1B, and then, again, the two most heavily represented Houses heading into the Day 2 elimination rounds.

Lennart Paga, however, had other plans. He played House Martell and plotted his way through the field, relying upon his Banner of the Wolf and Flea Bottom to overthrow the tournament's top Stark and Targaryen players and win the title of 2018 A Game of Thrones: The Card Game World Champion!

Flea Bottom featured prominently in Lennart's deck. Though the location was Restricted with the last FAQ update, it proved well worth its inclusion in Lennart's deck, as he was running a heavy contingent of characters whom he could use Flea Bottom to bring into play and whom then allowed him to trigger potent "enters play" Reactions or whom he could sacrifice—as with Bran Stark—to limit his opponent's options.

Lennart's Martell deck is a true example of clever design, and it is now available for download.

World Champion Lists

Although Lennart's cunning use of Flea Bottom helped carry him to the 2018 World Championship, he was by no means the only player in the Top 16 who felt the card retained its importance, even while restricted. Of the 16 top players, 9 of them included the location in their deck, making it easily the most popular Top 16 restricted card.

Meanwhile, the top Day 2 agenda, Fealty, took a spill as the event headed into the Top 16.

Only one Top 16 player was using the agenda, and though The Wars to Come unsurprisingly rose to prominence (with 5 players), the prominence of Banner of the Wolf may have been a surprise. Lennart wasn't the only player to use the agenda. Three of the Top 16 players found tremendous value in courting the Starks.

You can still find the video of Lennart's victory archived at www.Twitch.TV/FFGLive.

2018 A Game of Thrones: The Card Game World Championship Top 16

          Note: The players' seeding was determined upon their qualification for the Day 2 elimination rounds.

Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game

After a year that saw the Scorpion Clan dominate most Organized Play events for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, Erik Baalhuis strode confidently into the heart of Scorpion territory and—with the Emperor's attention fully devoted to the contest—outdueled Scorpion Johnny Shen in the final match of the 2018 Winter Court World Championship. For his victory, Erik was honored with the title of Shogun.

Erik played multiple games on the weekend's livestream, and his play throughout was marked by a patience that suited his Crane deck perfectly. He leaned into the Crane's strengths with a good number of reactive, controlling cards, including Mirumoto's Fury, his choice of Restricted card—a choice which notably set him outside the trends set by most other Day 2 qualifiers.

In several games, Erik's keen use of Mirumoto's Fury allowed him to bank fate for later use—and to play any of the 8 characters in his conflict deck, often bringing a character like Menacing Iron Warrior into play with three or four additional fate to make the Warrior a threat for future rounds. As a result, players who mistook Erik's patience for a lack of options were quick to find their mistakes punished.

You can find Erik's livestreamed matches archived on our Twitch.TV channel, and you review the exquisite balance of Erik's Crane deck for yourself. It is now available for download.

World Champion Lists

Although Erik's impactful choice of Mirumoto's Fury set him apart from most Day 2 contenders, he was by no means the only player to spend his influence on support from the Dragon Clan. Fully thirty percent of all Day 2 players splashed Dragon Clan cards into their decks, and that was on top of the 14% of all players who were playing Dragon Clan decks in the first place.

As one might expect, the Scorpion Clan also crept into the Top 16 in good numbers… and there are rumors that clan may have stopped short of ultimate victory simply to avoid the extra scrutiny. If this is true, one can only wonder: Are we likely to see the Scorpion back to their scheming ways throughout the next year of Organized Play?

2018 Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game World Championship Top 16

          Note: The players' seeding was determined upon their qualification for the Day 2 elimination rounds.

Runewars Miniatures Game

The 2018 Runewars Miniatures Game World Championship began brightly with an array of armies that saw good representation from all four factions and heroes both old and new. The Daqan Lords dominated the early proceedings, having won the loyalty of 35% of all participants, and the Daqan leaders Kari Wraithstalker and Baron Zachareth tied for the second most popular heroes at the event, right behind Waiqar's stalwart knight, the vampire Lord Vorun'thul.

But as the day wore on and the battlefields grew slick with blood, it was the brutal Uthuk Y'llan who dominated the 2018 Runewars Miniatures Game World Championships. Their forces drew upon their Ynfernael strength to run rampant across Terrinoth's most important battlefields. Of the event's Top 4 players, three of them had tied their fates to those of the Ynfernael hordes, and two of them made the finals, crushing the last of Waiqar's forcs along the way.

In the end, it was Justin Hare who fought with the most ferocity, battling past Jennifer Bedell to claim the title of 2018 Runewars Miniatures Game World Champion!

Arguably the most notable difference between Justin's army and the one that Jennifer played was the fact that Justin ran just one hero—Ravos the Everhungry—while Jennifer ran Ravos alongside the witch Kethra A'laak. This left Justin with more points to spend on his infantry, and he committed 68 of those points to a full tray of Berserkers loaded with Tempered Steel, Frontline Spined Thresher, Warsprinter, and Aggressive Shrieker.

Justin spent the rest of his points on Spined Threshers, while Jennifer had gone all-in on the Spined Threshers, herself, including no fewer than four Spined Threshers units in her army.

Justin's army list is now available for download.

World Champion Lists

You can still find the video of Justin seizing his victory in our archives at Twitch.TV/FFGLive.

Notably, Justin wasn't the only champion among the Runewars players in attendance at the 2018 November World Championships. We also celebrated the dedication and talent with which players customized their armies. Judges awarded prizes in two categories—Best Painted Figure and Best Painted Army.

Thomas Paterson was the winner of the Best Painted Figure prize with his Carrion Lancer.

Curtis Chandler claimed the Best Painted Army prize with his Waiqar forces.

A Study in Excellence

Once again, we want to congratulate our new World Champions and give our thanks to everyone who attended the 2018 November World Championships. Your enthusiasm, skill, and sportsmanship were fantastic all weekend long, and we look forward to seeing many of you at the 2019 World Championships.

In the meantime, you'll find much of the action archived (for now) on Twitch.TV/FFGLive, and you can start along your journey to next year's World Champonships by watching the stream, downloading the World Champioship lists, and getting a better sense of how these games are played at the very highest levels!

Though the spectacle of the Winter Court has passed, the world of Rokugan continues on. Skirmishes between the Great Clans continue to shift the political landscape of the Emerald Empire, and as this strife strikes down samurai, new legends rise up to replace them. Such is the way of life in Rokugan, but today, a very special newcomer starts to enter the scene.

Join us today for the first in a series of articles that will see you—the Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game community—working together to design your very own Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game character card!

Every week, the community will vote on a different aspect of a new Legend of the Five Rings samurai, defining them—from their family, to their skills, to their ability, to their very name. Once the process is complete, we will have a new Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game character to be included in a future expansion, designed by you, the Legend of the Five Rings community! (Please note that while the community will design the heart and soul of the character, the exact nature of the card may be subject to change as it goes through our playtesting process.)

Today, we’re going to start with the most important question, central to any character: to what Great Clan does he or she belong? This decision produces a ripple effect that will influence every other aspect of the card, and it's the perfect starting point for our adventure. 

Read on for a primer on each of the seven Great Clans, and when you’re ready, cast your vote at the bottom of this article! The poll will remain open for 24 hours and a Google account is required to submit your vote. 

The Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game community character is currently a blank slate. What does fate have in store for this most mysterious samurai?

A Weighty Legacy

The seven Great Clans of Rokugan have ruled in the name of the Emperor since the founding of the Emerald Empire, and generations of legendary heroes have fought and died to maintain their power, prestige, and influence. A samurai of one of the Great Clans is inheriting a weighty legacy. Each clan has an ancient and unique assortment of beliefs and ideals, set forth by the clan’s founding Kami and developed over the centuries. A samurai’s clan is core to their identity, and it is the first choice you will have to make. To which Great Clan will our new samurai belong?

The Crab Clan

The Crab Clan are known as guardians and warriors—slayers of monsters and protectors of the realm. Even those who do not fight with weapons often wage war with their minds and words, securing key supplies for their clan, maintaining alliances to guarantee support of the Wall, or engineering new technologies to turn back the endless hordes of the Shadowlands.

The Crab are stoic defenders in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. Will our samurai call the cold border of the Kaiu Wall their home?

The Crane Clan

The Crane Clan represents the pinnacle of refinement in Rokugan, and its members are known for their elegance, grace, and mastery of social customs. Though they have encountered hardships in recent months, they are still the heart of beauty in Rokugan, well-spoken and unfailingly polite.

The Crane are the height of honor and diplomacy in Rokugan. Will our new samurai find peace within the refined beauty of the Crane?

The Dragon

The Dragon Clan are known for their esoteric practices, innate curiosity, and veritable tradition of disregarding tradition—at least in the eyes of the other clans. People expect them to be insightful and humble, but also unpredictable, individualistic, and even dangerous. They tend to look at problems from unexpected angles, and they seek solutions others might not consider.

The Dragon are vexing samurai who rely on visions from their enigmatic champion Togashi Yokuni to guide their way. Will our samurai find karmic balance high above Rokugan, in the mountaintops where the Dragon make their home?

The Lion Clan

Perhaps the best-known battlefield warriors in the Emerald Empire, the samurai of the Lion Clan are famous for their ferocity, loyalty, and courage. People expect members of the Lion Clan to be warlike and aggressive, often forgetting that the Kami Akodo was a master tactician as well, more than capable of learning from past mistakes and adapting new stratagems on the battlefield.

The Lion are masters of war, dominating the battlefield with tactical brilliance and reverence for their ancestors. Will our samurai find glory on the field of battle with the Lion Clan? 

The Phoenix Clan

The Phoenix is a symbol of contradictions: explosive power and great restraint, vast intelligence and deep humility, immolating self-sacrifice and glorious rebirth. These entwined virtues illuminate the path of Rokugan’s most mystical Great Clan, the keepers of the Tao of Shinsei and caretakers of the Empire’s soul.

The Phoenix Clan is the home of powerful shugenja who harness the power of the elements to perform unbelievable spells. Will our samurai find comfort in the wisdom of the Phoenix? 

The Scorpion Clan

In spite of—and perhaps because of—the clan’s fearsome reputation, there is none more loyal than a Scorpion Clan samurai. In a clan of deceivers and manipulators, trust is a hard-earned treasure to be cherished and guarded. Betrayal is punished with swift retribution, the souls of the treacherous forever bound into the horrific limbo of the place known as Traitor’s Grove. Such fierce loyalty is a small consolation, at least, given the dangerous but vital role the Scorpion have played in the Empire from the moment their Kami spoke his fateful words: “I will be your villain, Hantei.”

The Scorpion are devious schemers, manipulating conflicts to their favor to ensure victory. Will our samurai follow this same path and find a home with the brilliant deceivers of the Scorpion Clan? 

The Unicorn Clan

The Unicorn are known for their skill as riders, skirmishers, and messengers, and many are trained in foreign fighting techniques or schools of philosophy. They are often seen as worldly and gregarious, if perhaps a bit rough around the edges in polite Rokugani society, given that many members of the clan spend much of their lives ranging across the wilds in Unicorn lands and beyond.

The Unicorn are tacticians whose worldly experience has led to unorthodox and efficient battlefield strategies. Will we find our samurai amid the open plains of Rokugan, riding with the Unicorn?  

Mono No Aware

Whatever your choice, the adventure is just beginning. This is just the first step in our samurai’s journey, and many more decisions still await. The poll found above will be open for 24 hours—what fate awaits this mysterious new character?  

Join us next week when we choose the family our samurai hails from, as we continue our journey to create a brand new character in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

"You and your friends are doomed. We will wipe your filth from the galaxy."
   –General Hux, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It is a new era in the Star Wars galaxy. Emerging from the far corners of space, the First Order is on a campaign of conquest, threatening to destroy everything that has been built in the wake of the Empire’s collapse. Leading the charge is a familiar starfighter.

Once emblematic of the Empire, the TIE fighter design has been adopted by the First Order in its bid to retake the galaxy from the New Republic. This new breed of TIE fighter may share a resemblance to old Imperial fighters, but it features a number of improvements that give it an identity all its own. The TIE/fo fighter continues to help define the First Order as it becomes a separate faction in the intense dogfights of X-Wing™!

Pairing the trademark speed and maneuverability of its namesake with enhanced defensive capabilities, the TIE/fo can hit the Resistance where it counts. You can start forming your own squadron of these surprisingly lethal fighters with the TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack. Each expansion pack includes one fully assembled and beautifully painted miniature, twelve ship cards, five upgrade cards, four Quick Build cards, and all the tokens you need to add a TIE/fo fighter to your First Order squadron.

In addition to the TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack, you can also bring multiple TIE/fo fighters to the table with the First Order Conversion Kit.  This kit contains twenty-six TIE/fo fighter ship cards—including all nine unique pilots found in the TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack—as well as seven TIE/fo fighter maneuver dials that can be combined with miniatures from first edition expansions to fill out your squadron. Read on for a look at what this new generation of TIE fighter can do!

A New Fighter for a New Era

The First Order may be inspired by the Galactic Empire, but its military leaders face some challenges unique to this new regime. While the Empire controlled many of the core systems during the Galactic Civil War, the First Order has been exiled to the unknown regions of the galaxy for decades. To restore the ideals of the Empire, then, it must seize power through force.

This shift in objectives has also created the need for a new type of TIE fighter. Freed from the bureaucracies that tied down their Imperial predecessors, First Order engineers are able to more easily incorporate new technology into their starfighters, preparing them for modern combat. As a result, the First Order’s version of the TIE fighter includes a number of advancements, including on-board deflector shields and the ability to acquire locks.

In addition to ensuring that their ships are a bit more durable, these new tools also give TIE/fo pilots options that were not available to previous generations of pilots. Some of these pilots, like TN-3465, follow their Imperial predecessors in attempting to support their squadmates. Whenever another friendly attacks a ship at Range 0–1 of TN-3465, she can take a critical damage to change one of the attacker’s results to a critical hit.  

TN-3465 suffers a critical damage to change one of the Omega Squadron Ace's results to a critical hit.

Most First Order pilots, however, aren’t as willing to help out their fellow pilots, with most preferring to look out for themselves and their ships. One thing that the TIE/fo shares with the Imperial version is a relatively weak two-die primary attack. The first goal of some pilots, then, is to find a way to give their attacks more firepower. Most TIE/fo pilots display a fanatical devotion to the cause, none moreso than "Scorch." His hatred for the Resistance is so strong that he can gain stress to roll an additional attack die while making a primary attack! Adding additional dice to your rolls is always powerful, and “Scorch” is just one TIE/fo pilot with this ability. Fellow Zeta Squadron pilot "Longshot" is equally effective up close and from a distance, rolling an additional attack die at Range 3.

Longshot rolls an additional attack die at both range 1 and range 3!

A good offensive barrage is about more than just brute strength, however. The TIE/fo’s ability to acquire locks helps make it much more accurate and another group of pilots takes full advantage of this advancement. Omega Squadron’s ace, "Static," is particularly good at using her locks to hit the enemy where it hurts. By spending a lock on the defender and a focus token, she can ensure all her attack results are critical hits!

Similarly, Lieutenant Rivas may not be able to fire with the same accuracy as “Static,” but he can still make a bad situation worse for enemy ships. He can acquire a lock on an enemy ship at Range 1–2 after that ship gains a red or orange token, giving him a good chance to attack at the best possible moment.

A truly skilled pilot knows that striking a balance between offense and defense is the best approach, especially in a fighter as brittle as the TIE/fo. With an initiative of five, Commander Malarus is better than most at knowing when to press the attack and when to take evasive action. Twice every game, she can spend a charge and gain a stress token to change all of her focus results to evade or hit results until the end of the round.

These pilots represent only a fraction of those serving the First Order and, if you’re looking to fit as many ships in your squadron as possible, you can forego their abilities in favor of some pilots from the First Order’s best squadrons. Only pilots who have demonstrated exceptional skill are rewarded with a spot in Omega Squadron and an Omega Squadron Ace can tangle with the best Resistance pilots. Or, if you’re looking for some less seasoned recruits, you can hand pick a Zeta Squadron Pilot or an Epsilon Squadron Cadet to round out your squadron. 

Conquer the Galaxy

The TIE fighter has always been a symbol of power and prestige. With the First Order poised to retake the galaxy, it’s only fitting that they announce themselves with the recognizable roar of twin ion engines.

The TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack (SWZ26) is releasing alongside the other Wave II expansions, including the First Order Conversion Kit in the fourth quarter of 2018. Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website today!

Heroes of Terrinoth, the cooperative adventure card game, sees aspiring heroes venturing forth on quests to defeat terrifying monsters, save vulnerable townsfolk, and recover valuable artifacts. While this is all undeniably exciting, it is also exceedingly dangerous. Exploring Terrinoth is not for the faint of heart, and as the undead rise and strange foes return, your heroes will need all the tools they can muster to ensure their success.

The Heroes of Terrinoth Gamemat is available for order now, from your local retailer or our website!

A New Age

The Heroes of Terrinoth Gamemat is the perfect backdrop for your adventures in Terrinoth, providing a beautiful map of the region and plenty of space for you to play out your adventures. This 26" x 26" gamemat also provides organization to your adventures along with the room you need to battle the forces of evil. In fact, you'll find designated spaces for the exploration, enemy, and location decks, as well as your active quest and the nemesis lair.

Prepare for your adventures with the Heroes of Terrinoth Gamemat! With no small amount of obstacles awaiting you and your friends, you’ll need all the help you can get to ascend to the same level as the heroes of old. With the Heroes of Terrinoth Gamemat, you’ll have an edge before you even take your first step.

Prepare for adventure with the Heroes of Terrinoth Gamemat (TER02), available now from your local retailer or our website!

Oak, yew, and bone work well for channeling magic. Plus, it hurts when you hit somebody with them.

Terrinoth is in peril and now the realm looks to you for a savior in Heroes of Terrinoth! The restless dead rise in the Mistlands, the Bloodguard sow discord in the Free Cities, and even the Land of Steel is no longer safe as tales of marauding goblins travel along the roads. You must step into the shoes of a hero and journey into the darkest dungeons and caverns, seeking out the dangers that threaten Terrinoth and casting them down. And if you happen to get rich along the way… well, what's the harm in that?

Heroes of Terrinoth is on sale now at your local retailer or online through our website!

Called to Arms

In this cooperative card game of questing and adventure, one to four players choose from an array of twelve distinct heroes, spread across four possible archetypes: healer, warrior, mage, and scout. Each hero has a special ability reflecting the skills and talents they've learned along the way, and as you gain more experience through your quests, you'll have the chance to grow from a fledgling student to a true master of your art and specialize in different classes. 

How you choose to advance you character depends on how you build your party—which skills your allies have mastered, and which areas still need improvement. The paths available to each hero often borrow lessons from other archetypes, allowing you to build a well-rounded party. For example, a mage can choose to become either a Geomancer, which helps them to fight like a warrior, or a Runemaster, who can evade as skillfully as a scout. Both options remain true to the heart of a mage by striking from a distance with magic, but once you take command of your hero, the choice is yours alone. 

A Realm in Danger

Once you have assembled your heroes, your adventures begin! Over the course of eight quests, you will face heroic tasks, saving helpless townsfolk, slaying deadly monsters, uncovering devious plots, and recovering priceless artifacts. With unique objectives, setups, and rules, no two quests are the same and every adventure will challenge you in new ways!

Your first mission is to handle “The Goblin Problem.” For an in-depth look at this scenario, you can check out our last preview here. Rumors are circulating outside Goldhall about a bold troop of goblins, who attack travelers on the road in broad daylight. This is the perfect chance to test your skills, and the hoard of a goblin king may be worth its weight in gold.

Once you set out on your quest, your game progresses in four phases every round: Hero Phase, Enemy Phase, Peril Phase, and Travel Phase. During the Hero Phase, which you can learn more about here, your team uses Activation cards to perform actions—holding off enemies, aiding your allies, or forwarding the objective by exploring the territory. Then, your antagonists advance and get their chance to strike back during the Enemy Phase, which you read more about here. The strain of your mission will inevitably take its toll during the Peril Phase. And finally, if you have plumbed the depths of the current area, you can advance to a new location during the Travel Phase. No matter where you go, danger lurks just out of sight in the shadows, but if you can balance your strengths and face the darkness together, the adventure of a lifetime awaits!

A New Tale Begins

Terrinoth needs heroes. The powers of darkness have taken hold of the realm, and only the bravest champions can restore peace. Do you have what it takes? Assemble your team, stand fast against the darkness, and embark on an adventure worthy of song!

Pick up your copy of Heroes of Terrinoth (TER01) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

"If you come with us, you're in this life for good."
   –Tobias Beckett, Solo: A Star Wars Story

Across the galaxy, epic battles unfold between the heroes and villains of the Star Wars saga—from guardians of peace and justice, to scoundrels looking to earn a profit, to tyrants ruling the galaxy with an iron fist. When these forces of good and evil collide, who will come out on top?

Across the Galaxy, a new set of boosters for Star Wars™: Destiny is available now from your local retailer or our website!

Across the Galaxy features 160 new cards for the collectible dice and card game of epic duels in the Star Wars galaxy. This set introduces the cast of Solo: A Star Wars Story into the game, as well as exciting mechanics like mods that open up new deckbuilding strategies! 

Fly in Style

Before Han Solo helped Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance bring down a Galactic Empire, he was just an inexperienced scoundrel trying to make his way in the universe, and it’s this version of Han Solo that finds his way to Star Wars: Destiny in Across the Galaxy!

Han Solo Independent Hotshot ( Across the Galaxy, 134) is a neutral character that can get a boost from both hero and villain cards. With three sides that deal damage, Han Solo is an immediate threat on the battlefield, and his ability to manipulate resources can either hinder your opponent or set you up for a big play.

Han would be the perfect teammate for Qi'Ra (Across the Galaxy, 135), if both of their elite sides didn’t add up to 31 points. However, with new negative-point plot card No Allegiance (Across the Galaxy, 155), you can form a team with Elite Han and Elite Qi’Ra, and give them additional health along the way. While No Allegiance traditionally restricts your deckbuilding to only include neutral cards, Qi’Ra allows you to include both hero and villain Yellow events in your deck, opening up options and giving you the rare opportunity to choose how you activate Han Solo’s special ability!

Across the Galaxy features plenty of other cards from Solo, including Lando Calrissian (Across the Galaxy, 89), Dryden Vos (Across the Galaxy, 35), and the Millennium Falcon ( Across the Galaxy, 103) itself! For a full preview of the cards from Solo, click here!

Special Modifications

While Star Wars: Destiny has always featured famous vehicles from the Star Wars saga, Across the Galaxy lets you upgrade these vehicles with special modifications! Mods are a new upgrade sub-type that essentially acts as upgrades for various types of supports, with every mod in Across the Galaxy specifically tailored to attach to vehicles. Like any other upgrade, some mods contain their own die that you can roll out with the attached support, while others, like the R2 Astromech (Across the Galaxy, 88), simply provide an independent bonus to their vehicle.

Playing plenty of mods can also provide other advantages. Outgun (Across the Galaxy, 81) is a new event that lets you remove a die for every mod on your vehicles. A well-timed Outgun when you have a fleet of vehicles and mods can force your opponent to remove their dice when they need them most, giving you the oppurtunity to attack!

Equip your Shadow Caster (Across the Galaxy, 145) with a Systems Gauge (Across the Galaxy, 153), or roll out in the Black One (Across the Galaxy, 85) with BB-8 (Across the Galaxy, 84)! For a full preview of mods in Across the Galaxy, click here!

Duality of the Force

While many characters found in Across the Galaxy appear in Solo: A Star Wars Story, characters from every era of Star Wars are represented in the 160-card set.

Old Republic Jedi Knight Kit Fisto (Across the Galaxy, 57) joins the ranks of Blue heroes in Across the Galaxy. The Shii-Cho Master is a defensive powerhouse, able to remove his own dice showing melee damage to deflect incoming attacks. This makes Kit Fisto a difficult target to hit and he becomes even more durable with new tools like Into Exile (Across the Galaxy, 64), an event that allows you to exhaust a character to block all non-indirect damage dealt to them. With Kit Fisto and Into Exile, you can control the flow of damage on the battlefield, controlling the game with overwhelming defensive measures.

Not to be outdone, Blue villains get a powerful new character in the form of Darth Vader, Terror to Behold (Across the Galaxy, 1). Hunting down his targets across the galaxy, it is nearly impossible to avoid the damage inflicted by his die. If it's ever removed, you can use Vader's Power Action to roll that die back in. Even more, Across the Galaxy features a suite of cards designed to complement Darth Vader, from his iconic lightsaber (Across the Galaxy, 16) to his personal Stormtrooper legion (Across the Galaxy, 13). 

For a full preview of Darth Vader and the cards that spot him, click here!

The Galaxy Awaits

Across the galaxy, wars rage, smugglers try to find their way, and tyrants reign. Where will you find your place among the stars? Find out with Across the Galaxy, a new set of boosters for Star Wars: Destiny!

Begin a new journey with Across the Galaxy (SWD13), available now from your local retailer or our website!

“The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun the Clone War has.”
   –Yoda, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The Separatist Alliance has driven a spike into the heart of the galaxy, splintering the once-unified worlds with chaos, tyranny, and fear. But even in this age of uncertainty and disunion, legendary Jedi Knights band together and fight to preserve the Republic. Soon, you can choose a side and experience a new era of space combat. Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce a new wave of expansions for X-Wing!

• Servants of Strike Squadron Pack
• Sith Infiltrator Expansion Pack
• Vulture-class Droid Fighter Expansion Pack
• Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack
• ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion Pack
• Delta-7 Aethersprite Expansion Pack
• Separatist Alliance Maneuver Dial Upgrade Kit
• Galactic Republic Maneuver Dial Upgrade Kit
• Z-95-AF4 Headhunter Expansion Pack
• TIE/sk Striker Expansion Pack

These expansions give you the chance to enter this spreading conflict and command endless legions of droid fighters or valiantly lead powerful Jedi Knights and dedicated clone pilots into battle. As you do, you’ll experience new twists to the X-Wing formula, outfit your ships with new upgrades, and immerse yourself in the Clone Wars like never before. In addition to introducing the Galactic Republic and Separatist Alliance as brand-new factions to X-Wing, this wave also brings the opportunity to round out your Scum and Villainy and Galactic Empire squadrons with updated versions of two classic starfighters.

Read on for a look into what each of these expansions brings to your games of X-Wing!

Servants of Strife Squadron Pack

The corporate entities that form the bulk of the Separatist Alliance have untold resources at their disposal. As the Clone Wars escalate, then, it is only natural that they throw this weight into developing advanced starfighter technology that can help them put the Republic on the defensive. The result of this research is a unique blend of cheap but deadly droid starfighters and heavily armed ships controlled by "more traditional" organic pilots.

Both of these design philosophies are represented in the Servants of Strife Squadron Pack. Within this expansion, you’ll find both a heavily armed Belbullab-22 starfighter and two Vulture-class droid fighters (painted in General Grievous's colors) to begin building your Separatist Alliance squadrons. Accompanying these ships is a full suite of 48 upgrade cards that reflect the Separatists’ emphasis on groups of networked droid fighters working as one. For example, adding a Tactical Relay upgrade such as Kraken to your squadron gives your droids even more power to make use of their calculate tokens. This massive array of upgrade cards, including reprints of many common neutral upgrade cards, also means that Servants of Strife can be combined with the X-Wing Core Set to make the perfect start, especially if you're just getting into the game and want to start flying with the Separatists.

We’ll take a look at everything included in the Servants of Strife Squadron Pack, including all the Seperatist-exclusive upgrade cards, in a future preview!

Sith Infiltrator Expansion

The Sith operate in the shadows. As they unfold their dark machinations across the galaxy, they need a ship that matches their nefarious purposes. Casting a menacing shadow as it cuts across the skies, the Sith Infiltrator is the perfect choice to carry the agents of Darth Sidious on their dark missions across the galaxy.

With the Sith Infiltrator Expansion Pack, you can use the experimental cloaking device, devastating firepower, and advanced systems of one of these ships to deliver vicious surgical strikes before vanishing into the void. In addition to the finely detailed and fully painted Sith Infiltrator miniature, you’ll find a collection of five ship cards, including Darth Maul himself, twenty upgrade cards that help you fully utilize the ship’s systems, and all the tokens and maneuver dials you need to launch your own secret missions.

We’ll look at everything included in the Sith Infiltrator Expansion Pack, including all of its pilots, in a future preview!

Vulture-class Droid Fighter Expansion

The Separatist Navy may contain many capable organic pilots, but the vast majority is made up of Vulture-class droid fighters. These starfighters form the backbone of the Separatist forces and are emblematic of its strategy: weak in isolation, but overwhelming in numbers. A sufficiently vast swarm of networked attackers form a cunning, sinister intelligence that can defeat even wise and powerful Jedi pilots.

The Vulture-class Droid Fighter Expansion Pack contains everything you need to begin building your own squadron of linked droid starfighters—most importantly, a beautifully pre-painted Vulture-class droid fighter miniature. Each of the five droid pilots included in this pack can contribute to your Separatist swarm in their own way, but they become even more deadly when using their careful calculations to launch Energy-Shell Charges at enemy ships.

We’ll take a glimpse at everything included in the Vulture-class Droid Fighter Expansion Pack, including all the ways these ships can use calculate tokens, in a future preview!

Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack

Leading the fight against the Separatist war machine are none other than the Jedi Knights. They enter the fight at the controls of the Delta-7 Aethersprite, a starfighter that allows them to use their Force-enhanced reflexes to the fullest. Behind them, clone pilots take to the skies in V-19 Torrents, covering their Jedi Generals with coordinated fire, tight formation flying, and salvos of missiles.

With the Jedi taking the lead, the Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack gives you the chance to further explore the potential of the Force in your X-Wing squadrons. In addition to  one Delta-7 Aethersprite (painted in Obi-Wan Kenobi's colors) and two V-19 Torrent Starfighter miniatures, this expansion contains new Force upgrade cards that unlock even more potential in your Force-sensitive pilots. For example, they could exhibit Brilliant Evasion to escape a seemingly impossible situation unscathed. And of course, like Servants of Strife, the Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack makes the perfect introduction to the game with a wealth of upgrade cards, including reprints of many common neutral upgrade cards. If you're interested in starting to fly alongside the Galactic Republic, this squadron pack is the perfect second purchase after your X-Wing Core Set!

We’ll take a look at everything included in the Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack, including all the upgrade cards, in a future preview!

ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion 

Starfighters piloted by powerful Jedi are certainly a boon to the Republic, but the lightly armed Delta-7 Aethersprite is still a delicate starfighter that can’t handle the brunt of enemy fire. The ARC-170 starfighter, on the other hand, can smash through foes that might repel the Republic’s more lightly armed ships. Equipped with torpedoes and a rear gunner, even the most intelligent Separatist droids will find it difficult to approach this intimidating craft.

With the ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion Pack, you can bring a single ARC-170 starfighter to your X-Wing battles. Primed for battle, clone pilots like "Sinker" are ready to do whatever it takes to support their squadron, whether that means defending the flanks of a formation or giving support to a Jedi General.

We’ll take a look inside the ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion Pack, including all the ship cards, in a future preview!

Delta-7 Aethersprite Expansion

Jedi Knights travel far across the galaxy in their mission to uphold justice. Rather than cross the gulfs between the stars and their destination in any ship, they choose one specifically designed to augment their considerable abilities. Equipped with an astromech for navigation, the Delta-7 Aethersprite is lightly armed but highly maneuverable, its fine-tuned controls allowing a Force-sensitive pilot to fly it with unmatched precision.

With five ship cards—including four unique pilots—the Delta-7 Aethersprite Expansion Pack adds even more Jedi for you to include in your Galactic Republic squadrons, including the legendary Anakin Skywalker. Though the Delta-7 is specifically designed to work with its pilot’s enhanced reflexes, any Jedi would still welcome the aid of the Calibrated Laser Targeting modification to add even more damage potential to their primary attacks. Furthermore, the miniature included in this expansion features an alternate paint scheme to the ships included in the Guardians of the Republic Squadron Pack, here evoking the starfighter flown by none other than Anakin Skywalker.

We’ll take a look at everything included in the Delta-7 Aethersprite Expansion Pack, including all of its upgrade cards, in a future preview!

Upgraded Controls

When these expansion are released in the first quarter of 2019, the Galactic Republic and Separatist Alliance will enter X-Wing as distinct factions with their own options for building your own unique squadrons. You can further indicate the uniqueness of your squadron with the Galactic Republic Maneuver Dial Upgrade Kit and the Separatist Alliance Maneuver Dial Upgrade Kit.

During every game of X-Wing, you will secretly select the maneuvers for your ships on cardboard maneuver dials. In each of these maneuver dial upgrade kits, you’ll find three plastic protectors that enclose these maneuver dials in a secure housing, enhancing the aesthetics of your squadron and declaring your allegiance to the Republic or your independence from it. Not only does every dial clearly indicate the faction of your choice, they also include a space on the back to insert one of the dial ID tokens included in these expansions. Each dial ID token displays the silhouette of the corresponding ship, making it even easier to differentiate between your ships.

Z-95-AF4 Headhunter Expansion

Widely produced across the galaxy, the reliable, easy-to-acquire Z-95-AF4 Headhunter has become integral to numerous criminal cartel fleets—from large operations like Black Sun to small-time raiders like the Binayre Pirates. When outfitted with missiles and other illicit technologies, a single Z-95-AF4 can be a danger, but a swarm can be devastating to anyone unprepared to face it.

Now, you have the chance to continue growing your Scum and Villainy squadrons. The Z-95-AF4 Headhunter Expansion Pack includes everything you need to add one Z-95-AF4 Headhunter ship to your squadron, including a miniature with a stunning new paint scheme, four ship cards, five upgrade cards, and a handful of tokens. All the ship and upgrade cards included in this expansion pack are also included in the Scum and Villainy Conversion Kit!

TIE/sk Striker Expansion

Screaming through the atmosphere on nimble ailerons, the TIE/sk striker is a unique starfighter designed to excel at both air and space assaults. Its atmospheric capabilities give it unique and flexible movement patterns that can surprise even veteran opponents, as its heavy firepower lets it wear down nearly any foe.

With the TIE/sk Striker Expansion Pack, you have a new option for rounding out your Imperial squadrons. In addition to the fully assembled, pre-painted TIE/sk striker miniature, five pilots stand ready to swoop into battle and protect the Empire, while five upgrade cards give you the chance to further customize your squadron. In addition to this expansion pack, the ship and upgrade cards in this expansion can also be found in the Galactic Empire Conversion Kit.

The War Has Begun

The battles of X-Wing are entering a new era of the Star Wars saga as the Separatist Alliance threatens the sovereignty of the Galactic Republic. With these expansions, you have everything you need to launch your squadrons into the Clone Wars.

Look for the third wave of X-Wing expansions at your local retailer in the first quarter of 2019. You can pre-order your copies of these expansions at your local retailer or online through our website here!

Know what you know, see what you see, and trust in luck to do the rest.

In KeyForge, you and your opponent become ethereal Archons, battling for control as you race to gather Æmber. You must fight off your opponent if you're going to be the first to open the Crucible’s hidden Vaults and claim their knowledge and power for yourself. In order to achieve victory, you must read both the battlefield and your opponent, balancing your pursuits and drawing in your enemy until your moment to strike. 

Today, Inka the Spider, who you can meet in our introductory web fiction here, journeys into the dangerous shadows in search of valuable knowledge that can bring her renown throughout the Crucible. The seventh and final fiction for KeyForge: Call of the Archons, the House Shadows story of “What Hides in the Shadows?” by Daniel Lovat Clarke, is now available for download here (4.1 MB)!

A Cordial Invitation

In her latest adventure, Inka is invited to an exclusive event at the Duskrunner Casino at the behest of Old Bruno. The exact purpose of this visit is unclear, but with House Shadows at the center, it’s bound to be dangerous. Inka desires more information about the elusive House Shadows, and the renown that such knowledge can bring to her and her business, but will she be able to gain more information than she gives away?

Learn the secrets of House Shadows and decide whether or not you trust to bring them into the fold when KeyForge: Call of the Archons hits retailers next week! If you're ready to see more of the Shadows, click here.

Pre-order your copy of KeyForge: Call of the Archons (KF01) and your collection of unique Archon Decks (KF02a) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

The release of KeyForge is just days away, and everyone here at Fantasy Flight Games is incredibly excited for the launch. We’ve seen your excitement too, and we can’t wait for you to open your first Archon Deck and start playing.

Archon names in KeyForge are procedurally generated by an algorithm that pulls from a list that includes tens of thousands of words. The result is that every Archon name (i.e. every deck name) generated by the algorithm is unique. Regrettably, some of the words that were included in the pool created the potential for defective Archon Decks with an unfortunate pairing of words.

We have taken corrective measures to adjust the naming algorithm for future decks, but a small percentage of decks including these words (less than 0.05% of the initial print run) have already reached the public. Instead of allowing these decks to persist in the KeyForge community, we have determined that the best course of action is to remove these decks from the play environment. Defective Archon Decks that we have flagged for removal will not be playable in any official KeyForge Organized Play events.

Determining whether or not your deck has been flagged for removal is simple. When you purchase an Archon Deck, please register it by using the KeyForge Master Vault companion app or online at KeyForgeGame.com. (The KeyForge Master Vault app and website will go live on November 15.) If you attempt to register a deck that has been flagged for removal from the play environment, you will see the following message:

Oh, no! There is a problem with this deck and it has been flagged for removal from the play environment. This deck will not be registered. Please contact our Customer Service team at 855-382-8880, or via email at customerservice@asmodeena.com, and they will provide you with further instructions. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Our customer service team will verify that your deck has been flagged for removal, then work with you to arrange the return of the defective deck. As a thanks for your cooperation, and as compensation for your returned Archon Deck, our Customer Service team will provide you with two brand-new Archon Decks in exchange.

Thank you very much for your understanding and for your continued support!

From Frodo's first tentative steps out of the Shire to the ascent up the fiery slopes of Mount Doom, the Saga Expansions for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game let you experience this epic quest in its entirety. Along the way, you'll meet up with some of the story's most iconic heroes as you recreate some of the most memorable events in the history of Middle-earth. 

Today, Matt Newman wants to take you back to the very beginning of the saga for a wholly unique designer challenge, one that invites you to follow in Frodo's footsteps more closely than ever before. 

Matt Newman on "Three Is Company"

Greetings!

For today’s designer journal, I am issuing another designer challenge. This time, the challenge is for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, and it takes a somewhat different spin.

Here’s the deal: each of these designer challenges will test your skills in a different way. A challenge might involve an alternate way of building a deck or playing the game, or perhaps it will involve playing through a cooperative scenario with an extreme level of difficulty, or with special restrictions and limitations that force you to reconsider your approach.

For The Lord of the Rings, I thought to myself: how can we combine the difficulty of a designer challenge with the theme and narrative of The Lord of the Rings? So, without further ado, here is the first in a series of challenges for players who enjoy the story behind Tolkien’s world…

The Challenge

"The Shire, he may be seeking for it now, if he has not already found out where it lies. Indeed, Frodo, I fear that he may even think that the long-unnoticed name of Baggins has become important.”
   –Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

This designer challenge won't test your deckbuilding prowess, but your ability to make the most of what has been handed to you. Your task is to play the very first scenario of The Lord of the Rings Saga Expansions—A Shadow of the Past—and make it out of the Shire with The One Ring in tow, but you are limited to only the tools and skills that Frodo and his companions had available to them in The Fellowship of the Ring. This is represented by a specific deck (presented below), the contents of which are inspired by the following chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring: The Shadow of the Past, Three is Company, and A Short Cut to Mushrooms. The goal is to present the players with the most thematic and accurate version of this scenario one could possibly play, and the challenge is in attempting to win this scenario with such an… interesting deck. Okay, it’s not a very strong deck. But that’s part of the fun!

In order to play this challenge, players will need one copy of each of the following The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game products: one Core Set, The Black Riders, The Land of Shadow, The Mountain of Fire, Conflict at the Carrock, A Journey to Rhosgobel, The Hills of Emyn Muil, The Dead Marshes, The Redhorn Gate, The Watcher in the Water, The Long Dark, Shadow and Flame, Encounter at Amon Dîn, The Three Trials, Trouble in Tharbad, The Wastes of Eriador, The Thing in the Depths, The Drowned Ruins, The Black Serpent, and The Crossings of Poros. (Any of the cards in the decklist below may be swapped out for other cards, based on your collection. Players should try to stay as thematic as possible when swapping cards into their deck.)

The rules for this challenge are as follows:

• You must play the A Shadow of the Past scenario in Campaign Mode.
• You must play as a solo player, using the deck provided below.
• At the start of the game, set aside Merry and Fatty Bolger. Merry and Fatty have gone ahead of the rest of the company to prepare a house for them at Crickhollow, so they are not part of your hero lineup at the start of the game. When calculating your starting threat, do not count the threat values of Merry or Fatty (your starting threat should be fourteen).
• When you reveal A Shortcut to Mushrooms (Stage 2A), the heroes encounter a mysterious rider, who turns out to be Merry. Put Merry into play, raise your threat by six, and draw three cards.
• When you reveal Escape to Buckland (stage 3A), put Fatty into play, raise your threat by seven, and draw three cards. Okay, Fatty doesn’t really show up at this part in the story, but let’s give him something to do, shall we? (Yes, this can give you five heroes!)
• While playing this designer challenge, Frodo’s Fellowship resources provide a resource match for all spheres.
• The advice of Gildor Inglorian was extremely helpful for Frodo and his companions. For the duration of this designer challenge, Gildor's Counsel (The Hills of Emyn Muil, 80) can reduce the number of encounter cards drawn to a minimum of zero, instead of one.

The “Three Is Company” Deck (75)

Heroes (5)

Frodo Baggins (The Black Riders, 1)
Merry (The Black Riders, 3)
Fatty Bolger (The Black Riders, 5)
Sam Gamgee (The Black Riders, 2)
Pippin (The Black Riders, 4)

Allies (14)

1x Robin Smallburrow (The Drowned Ruins, 89)
3x Curious Brandybuck (The Wastes of Eriador, 6)
2x Wandering Took (Core Set, 43)
1x Farmer Maggot (The Black Riders, 8)
1x Halfast Gamgee (The Crossings of Poros, 136)
2x Keen-eyed Took (The Hills of Emyn Muil, 73)
1x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire, 5)
3x Rivendell Scout (The Three Trials 26)

Events (41)

3x Gildor's Counsel (The Hills of Emyn Muil, 80)
2x In the Shadows (The Land of Shadow, 12)
1x Noiseless Movement (The Three Trials, 33)
2x Old Toby (The Black Serpent, 89)
1x Peace, and Thought (Shadow and Flame, 135)
3x Secret Paths (Core Set, 66)
2x Short Cut  (The Watcher in the Water, 60)
3x Take No Notice (The Black Riders, 11)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set, 50)
3x A Light in the Dark (Core Set, 52)
3x Elevenses (The Thing in the Depths 36)
1x A Elbereth! Gilthoniel! (Shadow and Flame, 132)
1x Out of Sight (The Long Dark, 81)
3x Smoke Rings (The Black Riders, 10)
3x Halfling Determination (The Black Riders, 9)
2x Second Breakfast (Conflict at the Carrock, 27)
2x Hobbit-sense (Encounter at Amon Dîn, 65)
3x Frodo's Intuition (The Black Riders, 12)

Attachments (20)

3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes, 103)
3x Ancient Mathom (A Journey to Rhosgobel, 56)
3x Hobbit Pipe (The Black Riders, 15)
3x Hobbit Pony (The Wastes of Eriador, 7)
3x Hobbit Cloak (The Black Riders, 13)
3x Good Meal (The Redhorn Gate, 10)
2x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water, 62)

Of course, even with this deck, I’ve taken a few thematic liberties. For example, Frodo and company never encountered any other hobbits on their journey aside from Farmer Maggot, and were certainly not accompanied by Rosie Cotton or any Sherriffs or Tooks. Additionally, as I noted earlier, Fatty doesn’t necessarily play a large role in these particular chapters of the story. But I felt it was appropriate to include these cards, since it’s the only time during the Saga that their presence will be relevant to the scenario. Additionally, while Frodo did encounter some elves on their way to the Grey Havens, none of them followed all the way to Buckleberry Ferry. (Nor indeed did they even stay long enough to say goodbye in the morning. How rude!)

This deck contains a whopping 75 cards across all four spheres, which is why I’ve included the above rule allowing Frodo’s Fellowship resources to be spent to match any sphere. This adjustment should help you play any of the cards you draw. Between Hobbit Pipe,  Old Toby,  Ancient Mathom, and Frodo's Intuition, you should still be drawing through a large portion of your deck, despite its size.

Frodo and company did not fight at all during these opening chapters, and this deck represents that weakness. Without the Daggers of Westernesse (The Black Riders, 14), which the hobbits did not obtain until their journey through the Barrow-downs, your ability to fight will be extremely limited. You should instead focus on stealth and questing, using Noiseless Movement and Take No Notice to avoid engaging enemies, and In the Shadows,  Out of Sight, and Hobbit-sense to avoid taking damage when all else fails. You don’t have a lot of allies, so you’ll have to use every trick up your sleeve to explore locations and make it through to Buckleberry Ferry. I’m not going to lie, it won’t be easy… but that’s why it’s called a “designer challenge” and not a “designer romp through the woods,” right?

Let us know how your quest fares! Did you make it to Crickhollow, or did you succumb to the Morgul-blade of a Black Rider? What strategies did you employ? And if you enjoyed this style of designer challenge, let us know! Perhaps we will continue the Saga in the future.

As always, good luck, and happy travels in Middle-earth!

“It’s not every day we get a shot at a dreadnought, so let’s make it count.”
   –Tallissan Lintra, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The T-70 X-wing is certainly a versatile starfighter, but it can’t do everything. When the Resistance needs a surgical strike against a sensitive First Order target or a lightning-fast raid, they turn to a fighter that can match—and even surpass—the incredible speed of the TIE fighters they regularly face. Soon, you’ll be able to launch your own attacks in the battles of X-Wing™ with the RZ-2 A-wing.

The successor to a starfighter that distinguished itself during the Battle of Endor, the RZ-2 A-wing incorporates many field-tested refinements into its design, maintaining the incredible speed of its predecessor while also featuring several significant improvements over previous designs. You can add these advanced starfighters to your Resistance squadrons for the very first time when the RZ-2 A-Wing Expansion Pack releases alongside two other Resistance expansions in the fourth quarter of 2018.

This expansion contains everything you need to incorporate a single RZ-2 A-wing into your squadron. The beautifully detailed, fully painted miniature can be flown by one of six pilots—including four unique pilots. Additionally, five upgrade cards help you outfit your RZ-2 A-wing to match these pilots’ unique skills and two Quick Build cards give you predefined combinations of pilots and upgrades to get your RZ-2 into the fight right away. As a final touch, a maneuver dial and a collection of tokens ensure that you have everything you need to take on the First Order.

Join us today as we explore just what the next evolution of the A-wing can do!

Refined Precision

Despite being a major boon to the Rebellion in the waning days of the Galactic Civil War, the RZ-1 A-wing was not without its problems. Its sensitive controls and high maneuverability posed a significant challenge to inexperienced pilots and caused frequent breakdowns. Decades later, however, years of field-expedient modifications have been standardized in the RZ-2 A-wing’s design, beginning with the ship’s finicky swiveling cannon mounts.

While these mounts would commonly jam in the rear-facing position on the RZ-1, every RZ-2 A-wing features much more reliable Refined Gyrostabilizers that can be rotated between the ship’s front and rear arcs. Doing so can help shake any pursuing craft, of course, but it is not without its risks.

The RZ-2 A-wing's Refined Gyrostabilizers allow it to fire at any pursuing ships from its rear arc!

The RZ-2’s turret arc can only be rotated after performing an action and doing so will incur stress, forcing you to choose where you wish to fire carefully. A pilot like Greer Sonnel, however, is accustomed to the pressures of piloting a blazing fast starfighter. As such, she can rotate her turret arc after fully executing a maneuver, giving her an extraordinary amount of control over where she fires.   

The Refined Gyrostabilizers are just one of many improvements that make the RZ-2 more friendly to inexperienced pilots, but daring Resistance pilots also see the ship’s improved reliability as a challenge to push the limits of its performance. A veteran of the Galactic Civil War like L'ulo L'ampar, for example, has no problem testing the possibilities of the RZ-2. So much so, in fact, that he rolls an additional attack die while he’s stressed.

At the same time, flying on the edge also makes L’ampar an easier target, and as a result, he rolls one fewer defense die while he’s stressed. To reduce the risk of this happening, L’ampar could benefit from the extra maneuverability provided by a set of Primed Thrusters. This tech upgrade allows a pilot with two or fewer stress tokens to continue performing barrel rolls and boosts, granting them the flexibility they need to get in the perfect position.

Harnessing the great speed of the RZ-2 can make it difficult to maneuver in the thick of a space battle and most pilots would be content to maintain some distance between them and other ships. Zari Bangel, on the other hand, has no problems steering through heavy traffic. She does not skip her Perform Action step after partially executing a maneuver, making her the perfect candidate to show off her skills in close quarters without giving up her ability to take actions. She could use this to evade and avoid some incoming fire, but it could also be the perfect opportunity to focus and set up a close range attack with some Proton Rockets.

On top of its other uses, the speed and maneuverability of the RZ-2 A-wing make it an ideal candidate to escort slower, more cumbersome bombers. A pilot like Tallissan Lintra excels in this role, granting defensive bonuses to friendly ships that come under enemy fire. While an enemy ship in her bullseye arc performs an attack, she can spend her charge to allow the defender to roll an additional die.

Tallissan Lintra has the TIE/fo fighter in her bullseye arc, so she spends her charge to let the MG-100 StarFortress roll an extra defense die.

Combining the RZ-2’s speed and agility with her own high initiative, Lintra should have little difficulty getting enemy ships in her bullseye arc and, although it might be tempting to grant herself or another A-wing an incredible four defense dice, it can be more useful to help keep an MG-100 StarFortress around long enough to use all its precious ordnance.

If you're still concerned about the RZ-2 and its two shield and two hull, however, you can always outfit it with Ferrosphere Paint to make it even harder to pin down. Most A-wing pilots are just as good at avoiding enemy bullseye arcs as they are at lining up their own shots, and this Resistance-exclusive tech upgrade forces an enemy ship to gain stress when it locks your ship, so long as you aren't in its bullseye arc.

Take the Challenge

The RZ-2 A-wing may be a difficult starfighter to fly, but in the hands of the right pilot it can change the course of a battle. 

The RZ-2 A-Wing Expansion Pack (SWZ22) is releasing alongside two other Resistance expansions in the fourth quarter of 2018. Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website today!

“Give me half a chance and I’ll steal the whole of it.”
   –Carlo Phantom

In KeyForge, you and a chosen rival become Archons battling for the countless hidden Vaults scattered across the Crucible, an artificial planet in the center of the universe. By uniting three of the Crucible’s Houses, the Archons hope to form powerful teams whose strengths come from cooperation and coordination.

To earn victory and unlock the Vaults’ secrets, however, you must outwit and outmaneuver your opponent in contests of cunning and strength. And when it comes to trickery and subterfuge, there are no better allies than the elves and other creatures of House Shadows. Relying on their cleverness to survive, members of this motley faction specialize in speed and stealth, skills that may prove invaluable in the battles to come. 

Today, we're pleased to offer you a closer look at the cunning House Shadows of KeyForge: Call of the Archons—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

Step 1: To Be Determined

The Architects brought countless creatures and civilizations to the Crucible. Some work to preserve their old ways, while others embrace the new world and adapt quickly to survive. Perhaps none have made this change more quickly than the Svarr elves who are at the heart of House Shadows. The Svarr are diminutive in size, often featuring lower power, as seen with creatures like Silvertooth (Call of the Archons, 311) and Carlo Phantom (Call of the Archons, 298). 

This lack of physical strength could seem to be limiting in the chaotic clashes of KeyForge, but some among their ranks have found ways to work around these limitations. The spectral Shadow Self (Call of the Archons, 310) can protect its neighbors, ensuring they can gather as much Æmber as possible before an enemy wipes them from the battlefield. Even aside from ethereal protectors, well-planned schemes can eliminate the need for physical confrontation altogether. For example, laying a Booby Trap (Call of the Archons, 268) deals four damage to a creature that is not on a flank with two damage splashing to each of its neighbors—all without putting any of your creatures in harm’s way. 

When it comes to Archon clashes, House Shadows’s motto could be: hit them quick, get out fast. Characters like Magda the Rat (Call of the Archons, 303) feature the elusive keyword, which you'll also find on plenty of other Shadows creatures. The first time an elusive creature is attacked each turn, it's dealt no damage and deals no damage to the attacker. While this keyword still leaves the creature vulnerable to damage done by keywords and other card abilities, being quick on one’s feet is an invaluable skill that can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Step 2: ???

While the Svarr make up much of House Shadows, their guilds are not exclusive. Any human or other species who can prove their value is welcome among their ranks. Once one has earned admittance to one of the guilds, members accept a strange set of rules, at once selfless and vicious. While a guild memeber will sacrifice anything to protect their guild, they will exploit the weakness of any outsider for full profit. This code can be seen in the technology of House Shadows, much of which is “borrowed” from other Houses. Some among the Svarr, like Umbra (Call of the Archons, 314), have even learned how to reprogram the faeries of House Untamed, which they keep as assistants or pets.

One use for the faeries’ technology that the Architects probably did not intend is the Seeker Needle (Call of the Archons, 290), which deals one damage to a creature and earns you an Æmber if your target is destroyed! While this can act as the finishing blow to an enemy, this artifact also has unexpected synergy when used against members of its own House. You can pair this artifact with Bad Penny (Call of the Archons, 296) to destroy her once you have already used her to reap. But rather than being destroyed, this clever thief simply returns to your hand, where she can immediately be played again as long as Shadows is the active House. If you happen to also have a Speed Sigil (Call of the Archons, 293) at your disposal, you can even have her enter play ready and reap again!

Step 3: Profit

Given their own… unique morals, the members of House Shadows are suspicious of any outsiders, but it is difficult to turn away an Archon. Their ability to communicate with every being on the Crucible is supremely helpful for setting up deals, and as these ethereal beings often only have a loose understanding of personal property, they don’t tend to be too judgmental of the Svarr’s light-fingered tendencies. Rather, they encourage House Shadows to train others in the art of thievery with the Duskrunner (Call of the Archons, 316) upgrade, and they have no qualms about sending a faerie to drop a little Miasma (Call of the Archons, 275) in an opponent’s drink.

If the Church of the Opened Eye is also willing to turn a blind eye to their less noble work, House Shadows can work well alongside Sanctum allies like Champion Anaphiel (Call of the Archons, 239), who can lend weaker creatures protection while they work. Yet while angelic knights may provide a degree of protection for the elves, an alliance with the demons can prove to be a powerful combination. It’s difficult for a thief to steal Æmber if there’s none to steal, but if you are aligned with House Dis, you may use a Key Hammer (Call of the Archons, 66) to break an opponent’s key back into Æmber, then have Shooler (Call of the Archons, 96) or your House Shadows minions steal what remains.

But before you even begin reaping and stealing, you'll want to have one of your House Shadows allies pull the oldest trick in the book, the Bait and Switch (Call of the Archons, 267). If your opponent has more Æmber when you play this action, you get to steal an Æmber. Then, so long as they still have more than you, you can steal one more… and maybe just one more… and what's another Æmber going to hurt? By the time your opponent notices their Æmber slipping away, the Svarr will be safely hidden in the Shadows, waiting until the time comes to strike again.

Honor Among Thieves

The Archons will soon be leading their teams into battle, but brute force comes second to the vital gathering of Æmber, and there are no better allies for this task than the clever thieves of House Shadows. Their mastery of stealth and their ability to execute covert heists make them priceless friends, but the question remains—do the guilds see you as a friend they would lay down their lives for, or are you just another mark?

Pre-order your copy of KeyForge: Call of the Archons (KF01) and your collection of unique Archon Decks (KF02a) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

Competing with other Archons to open the Vaults of the Crucible can lead to untold riches, but taking the time to have some holiday fun can be its own reward!  

Bring holiday cheer to your tabletop with the Æmber Wonderland Playmat from Fantasy Flight Games, available now for a limited time exclusively through our website! This playmat is the perfect gift for any Archon looking to keep their games organized.

A Magical Wonderland

The Æmber Wonderland Playmat features characters from the world of KeyForge having some holiday fun in the snow. While the alliances between the various Houses of the Crucible are constantly shifting in endless clashes of wit and strength, this playmat brings everyone together for some holiday shenanigans! Snow men, sledding, snow angels, and ice skating are all classic holiday traditions, even on the Crucible… along with stealing some Æmber, of course!

KeyForge is the world’s first Unique Deck Game, pitting truly unique decks against each other in a race to forge three keys. This 14” x 24” slip-resistant mat will keep your games of KeyForge organized while protecting them from errant clutter.

An Icy Crucible

Add some whimsy to your favorite card games with the Æmber Wonderland Playmat, available exclusively on our website for a limited time. Be sure to grab yours today and celebrate a world of infinite possibilities!

Order the Æmber Wonderland Playmat (HOL03) through the Fantasy Flight Games website today!

“Don’t worry, Momo. We’ll have this quantum death ray installed in no time.”
   –Doc Bookton

In the chaotic clashes of KeyForge, you and your rival become Archons racing to unlock the power of the Crucible, hidden in Vaults that lie scattered across the planet. In these tactical contests of wits and will, you must discover the strength of your unique teams built from the creatures, technology, and talents of three of the Crucible’s seven Houses.

To help you track your many allies and navigate the world of the Crucible, we're pleased to offer you a closer look at the companion app and website for KeyForge: Call of the Archons—available in open beta at KeyForgeGame.com on November 15!

Strange Gizmo

The Dawn of Discovery has arrived!

With the wide release of KeyForge and the Call of the Archons set coming this Thursday, you have the chance to enter the Crucible for the first time. Unique Archons Decks await, each one completely unlike any other in existence, and during the Dawn of Discovery, you'll have the chance to gather your own Archons. And with the KeyForge Master Vault website and companion app, you can enter the world of the Crucible like never before!

KeyForge offers Organized Play from the very first day, with events and tournaments inviting you to head to your local retailer and join other players in the greater KeyForge community. This first era of Organized Play—the Dawn of Discovery—is a chance for you to discover the game, learning more about the strengths, weaknesses, and combos of your unique decks and discovering the meta before the official competitive season starts. And coming soon, with the start of the game's first competitive season, the performance of your decks will be tracked in the Master Vault app and website, as it records the wins, losses, power, and chains of your decks!

When you're using the Master Vault, you'll be able to keep an inventory of each of your Archon teams on the My Decks page. On the app, you can scan the QR code on the back of your deck’s Archon card. Alternatively, you can simply enter the fifteen-digit code on the back of the Archon card to add the deck to your profile. Once you have registered your decks, you will be able to view complete stats and card lists, sort decks by favorites, and search using various filters to help you prepare for any matchup. This section of the site also features a notes section that you can refer to and expand at any time, as you continue to learn about each deck in your collection and discover the most powerful synergies within them.

Your Profile page links directly to your Asmodee.net account. For each deck that you discover by registering it for the first time, you will earn one Æmbershard, which will act as the in-app reward system of KeyForge! Throughout the Dawn of Discovery, you will earn Æmbershards for deck discovery, and as both the site and the game evolve in the coming months, you will be able to redeem these shards for special prizes.

As you and other players register Archon Decks, they will become available to be searched using the Search Decks page. This search engine contains all the decks that have ever been registered on the site! You will be able to look through all of these registered decks, sorting by factions or using keywords to aid your search. Then, once the first competitive season for KeyForge begins, stats like power, chains, wins, and losses will all be tracked and recorded at various Organized Play events, allowing you to search by these stats and view them on decks.

As KeyForge continues to grow after its release, the site and mobile app’s ability to track your individual performance based on aggregated tournament results and, separately, the performance of individual Archon Decks, will play a key role in the future of KeyForge Organized Play. Your Æmbershards, keys, chains, and power levels recorded in the Master Vault will lead you to new Organized Play discoveries, which you can expect more details about soon as we draw closer to the first competitive season of KeyForge Organized Play. 

When the Master Vault fully opens, FFG’s Organized Play will reward your participation and performance at events with Æmbershards, and your registered Archon Decks will collect chains and earn power levels which will remain with the decks, even if you trade them to other players. While your clashes on the Crucible may be competitive, the idea of unity and interaction is what makes the Crucible unique among every other planet in the universe. The only way to master this world is to embrace it.

We'll have much more information about KeyForge tournaments and events coming soon on the site’s Organized Play page!

Access Granted

The Dawn of Discovery has only just begun, and the Master Vault will continue to evolve, just as the Crucible itself grows and changes with each piece of a world that the Architects bring from across the stars. Now, you have the chance to explore this strange world and log your findings. What will you uncover? Answer the call of the Archons and begin your otherworldy exploration!

The Master Vault will be available online at KeyForgeGame.com, as well as through Google Play at launch on November 15th. The iOS app will be available through the Apple Store soon.

Pick up your copy of KeyForge: Call of the Archons (KF01) and your collection of Archon Decks (KF02a) at your local retailer on Thursday or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here! Then, be sure to register your decks using the Master Vault companion app or online at KeyForgeGame.com.

“Stick to the forest-track, keep your spirits up, hope for the best, and with a tremendous slice of luck you may come out one day.”
   –Gandalf, The Hobbit

In The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, you have taken part in adventures spanning across Middle-earth, from the scorching deserts of Harad to the seaport of the Grey Havens, from the streets of Minas Tirith to the wilds of Rhovanion, and along the way you have battled all manner of monsters, and even the host of Mordor itself. But now, for the first time, the power is in your hands to create your own story and define your own journey. 

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce The Wizard’s Quest Custom Scenario Kit and The Woodland Realm Custom Scenario Kit for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game (first debuted at Gen Con 2018 and the 2018 Fellowship Event), coming soon to your local retailer and online through our webstore!

Stray from the Path

In The Wizard’s Quest, the scenario that was featured earlier this year at Gen Con 2018, you have received a special mission from the White Council. Concerned about the growing darkness in southern Mirkwood, Radagast the Brown sent an Eagle to spy on Dol Goldur, but when the noble creature returned, it bore an evil wound. Radagast immediately sent word to the Council and now the task falls to you to investigate. The haunted fortress has been a source of dark power and death for many years. Its very presence has poisoned the Greenwood, but this sudden surge is an additional cause for concern. Whatever has taken up residence in the evil halls must have great power, and your heroes must proceed with caution.

Then, in the 2018 Fellowship Event kit, The Woodland Realm, you are traveling through Mirkwood in search of the Elvenking’s hidden halls, when you hear a desperate cry for help from a dark patch of woods. You know that this area of the forest is haunted by spiders and dark creatures, and straying even a few steps from the path can mean that you'd be lost in the forest forever, but what heroes would you be if you ignored such a plea? Could you even give yourself that title? With little choice, you must draw your sword, steel your nerve, and move deeper into the deadly forest.

A Fork in the Road

Unlike other Adventure Packs for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, neither The Wizard’s Quest nor The Woodland Realm present you with a linear quest for your heroes to succeed or fail at. Rather, these packs give you everything you need to build your own custom adventures. These kits are also fully compatible, allowing you to mix and match encounter cards to create a challenge worthy of your team.

Each Custom Scenario Kit comes with seven quest cards: one Stage 1, three Stage 2 cards, and three Stage 3 cards. You'll build your quest deck by selecting one Stage 2 and one Stage 3 card to shape the narrative of your adventure and help you choose which encounter cards will fit your story. After you've chosen your quest cards, there are two ways to create your own scenario: Quick-build or Advanced-build. The Quick-build rules allow you to construct your adventure in minutes, using only the contents of your Custom Scenario Kit. Then, the Advanced-build rules give you greater flexibility for customizing your scenario, selecting individual encounter cards you will face on your journey.

Once you have filled your enemy’s ranks with the dark creatures that thrive beneath the trees in the shadow of Dol Guldur, you can increase the challenge with the competitive Race Against the Shadow play mode for two or four players. Both The Wizard’s Quest and The Woodland Realm are designed to encourage competitive play between either two lone adventurers or two pairs of heroes. But the challenge begins before the teams even take their first steps on a quest, as Race Against the Shadow requires teams to create a custom scenario and inflict it on your opponents! A two-player game lets players test their best solo decks against their opponent’s custom scenario, while a four-player game maintains the cooperative spirit of The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game by having teammates work together to outrace the opposing team and finish their scenario first! You have stared down the agents of Sauron with steadfast resolve, but will you be able to stand against your friends?

A Cursed Place

Do not be afraid to stray from the path. Forge your own road through Mirkwood, bring home the adventures of Gen Con 2018 and the 2018 Fellowship Event, and become the master of your tale!

Pre-order your copy of The Wizard’s Quest (uMEC75) and The Woodland Realm (uMEC76) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

Welcome to our second article that sees you, the Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game community, designing your very own samurai in the world of Rokugan!

Every week, the community will vote on various aspects of a new Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game character that will appear in a future expansion! While the final version of the card is subject to changes during playtesting, the heart and soul of the character will be defined by you.

Last week, samurai of Rokugan determined what Great Clan our character would belong to. Over 3,000 votes were tallied, and the race was incredibly tight. The Lion secured the third highest number of votes with 416, the Crane took second with 500, but the Unicorn emerged victorious with 548 votes! We now know what Great Clan our samurai represents, but from which family does our samurai hail?

The Moto, Ide, Iuchi, Shinjo and Utaku families all fulfill important roles for the clan that rides, and the family of our samurai will tell us a great deal about their role in the karmic balance of the Emerald Empire.

Read on for a run-down of each of the Unicorn families, and vote at the bottom of the article! The poll will remain open for 24 hours, so make sure your voice is heard! 

What fate awaits our Unicorn Clan samurai?

The Ide Family

The Ide serve tirelessly as diplomats, couriers, and merchants across Rokugan. While they are Unicorn through and through, the Ide have learned to blend their foreign customs with the traditions of the Empire to better treat with their cousins. The Ide work to radiate calm and competence, seeking to build alliances and friendships throughout the Empire.

The Ide family serve as representatives of the Unicorn Clan to the rest of Rokugan. Cards like Ide Trader (Core Set, 116) enhance your standing in conflicts by providing additional resources. Is this the path the Legend of the Five Rings community will choose?

The Iuchi Family

The Iuchi are a priestly family, whose practices stretch back to the time before the Unicorn returned to Rokugan. Iuchi shugenja practice a unique form of sorcery known as meishōdō, the art of using talismans and names to manipulate the spirits. Their history makes them more open to exploring different mystical paths than those shugenja bound by centuries of tradition.

The Iuchi family serve as the Unicorn’s unique form of shugenja, harnessing powerful meishōdō magic to defeat their foes. Characters like Iuchi Shahai (All and Nothing, 91) can provide a discount on these spells, but not every Iuchi is a Shugenja. The Iuchi Wayfinder (Core Set, 190) scouts unknown lands, preparing you for the conflicts to come. Does our samurai come from this most mystical family?

The Moto Family

The Moto are considered to be the least civilized of the Unicorn families by the standards of the Empire. From their stocky builds and the heavy beards of their men, to their style of dress, the Moto seem foreign and strange to Rokugani samurai. Indeed, the Moto have no use for the soft trappings of what some call civilization; they are nomadic warriors seeking the next battle, and they embrace that harsh life. While their heritage and culture are often questioned in Rokugan, their bravery is not.

The Moto are brave and fierce warriors who use their steeds to gain the advantage in conflicts. Characters like Moto Juro (Fate Has No Secrets, 89) can leave or enter conflicts at will, giving the Unicorn the reinforcements they need to claim victory. Will our samurai ride with the warriors of the Moto?

The Shinjo Family

The Shinjo are the core of the Unicorn, the clan of explorers who followed their kami, Shinjo, into the dangerous world beyond the Empire. This love of discovery has not left the Shinjo, and they travel widely when they can. They administrate and lead the Unicorn, working to keep all of the parts of the clan yoked together. Master equestrians and scouts, the Shinjo pursue peace, but never flinch from the prospect of war.

The Shinjo elevate each other part of the Unicorn, and are the heart of the clan. Characters like Shinjo Shono (Breath of the Kami, 11) can boost all your Cavalry characters and unite them to lead the Unicorn to victory. Will our samurai find their place among the Shinjo?

The Utaku Family

No other Unicorn family has so deeply and spiritually embraced Bushidō as the Utaku, who embody it in their elite Battle Maidens, the Shiotome. The matriarchal Utaku allow only their women to ride to war; the Utaku men serve afoot as infantry and in the stables and households, making them unusual among their own clan. There is no finer heavy cavalry in the Empire than the Battle Maidens, and no finer equerries than Utaku men.

The Unicorn’s Battle Maidens define the Utaku. Elite warriors who ride down and defeat their opponents, few forces are more feared. Cards like Utaku Yumino (Core Set, 118) have easy ways to boost your skill in any conflict, and are always willing to ride into battle. Will the Utaku become the family for our samurai?

Once you’ve considered the options, vote below. The poll will remain open for 24 hours, so make sure your voice is heard!

Family Ties

From the battle maidens of the Utaku to the negotiators of the Ide, the Unicorn families each fulfill an important role for the clan. While this choice will not lock in any mechanical aspects of the character, it will inform their personality, culture, and history. Which family does our samurai belong to?

Remember to vote within the next 24 hours and join us next week as we begin to tackle the mechanical aspects of our samurai!  

“I want a Rogue-class starfighter with hyperdrive capabilities, weapons modifications, the works. Oh, and triple my usual fee.”
   –Cad Bane, Star Wars: The Clone Wars

When the Separatists unleashed their legions of battle droids on Geonosis, they did not expect for the Jedi to have an entire army mobilized, fully trained and equipped for battle. In Rise of the Separatists, a whole new arsenal is available to deploy to your tabletop campaigns.

As the second Star Wars Roleplaying Game era sourcebook, Rise of the Separatists showcases iconic Clone Wars era vehicles and starships, including AAT-1 hover tanks, LAAT/i transports, AT-TE walkers, Venator-class star destroyers, and more. Players can find new attachments and gear to upgrade their firepower and supplement their protection when facing superior forces, while GMs can steer ever-more-deadly droid vehicles and battleships into combat against the heroes. And for the cunning—or the opportunistic—the influx of arms into the galaxy and the scrap left in the wake of battle present countless possibilities to profit.

Armories and Armaments

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) bears the responsibility for outfitting soldiers with the necessary weapons and armaments to conduct war, and for their upkeep. This alone creates a markedly different tone compared to a campaign featuring credit-strapped scoundrels, underdog Rebel heroes, and on-the-run Force-sensitives—but it also places a greater charge on those soldiers to avoid losing excessive materiel. In addition to their regular loadout, clone soldiers are sometimes granted special issue equipment to execute a boarding action, planetary assault, reconnaissance mission, or other special objective. Adaptability on the battlefield is key, not only in terms of tactics employed to counter Separatist forces, but also overcoming and capitalizing on the terrain itself, whether the GAR’s soldiers are infiltrating the corridors of a starship or staging a jungle invasion planetside.

To return order and peace to the galaxy, clone soldiers march into battle with powerful, sturdy weapons and armor whose cost in credits would be out of reach of most galactic citizens—even if such a weapon did find its way onto the black market without a clone firing key. Such power comes with a cost, however, with weapons like the DC-15 blaster rifle and the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon being notoriously heavy and even prone to overheating. Some clone soldiers, especially marksmen, modify these weapons to increase their reliability and accuracy. When the fighting is fiercest, squads might be assigned flame troopers wielding the BT X-42 heavy flame projector, while the RPS-6 rocket launcher can disable or destroy enemy vehicles in the steady hands of a clone trooper.

All clone soldiers are clad in laminate armor that favors protection over comfort, offering soldiers some protection from blaster fire and even enabling them to survive for short bouts in vacuum. Advanced Recon Commando (ARC) trooper armor affords improved mobility at great cost to the Republic, but the integrated commlinks and scanning technologies are essential to the success of these troopers’ missions.

Some of the fiercest combatants on the battlefield, however, are the Jedi knights. These legendary guardians and peacekeepers of the Republic have sometimes adopted the suits of the clone troopers for protection, using only the most important pieces of laminate plates to avoid impeding their lightsaber forms and acrobatics. This so-called “Jedi Commander armor” is a stark reminder of the violent new reality commonly faced by the once-peaceful Order.

With war raging and no end in sight, the training of a padawan must continue, despite the difficult circumstances. To join the fight alongside their masters, Jedi apprentices quest to obtain a kyber crystal to focus the energies of their lightsaber. In Rise of the Separatists, players using the Jedi career can choose from the simple elegance of crystals from Ilum, the mysterious healing properties inherent in Thontiin crystals, or the rare but devastating power of the Zophis crystals, as well as other modification options to personalize their lightsaber.

Dogfights and Dropships

Just as versatile as the GAR’s ground forces is the Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry (LAAT/i) airspeeder, which simultaneously serves as a troop transport and gunboat, laying down impressive air-to-ground and air-to-air support fire. First deployed during the Battle of Geonosis to resounding effect, this ship has become mainstay on the battlefield and has proven its resilience, even in the face of superior firepower.

The LAAT/i is a balanced ship with good speed, fair handling, and superb survivability, all of which are necessary for the pilot and copilot to safely deliver their payload—whether that’s three squads of clone soldiers, four troopers on speeder bikes, or laser cannon fire. Squads rely on the LAAT/i to get where they’re needed, and to help them secure important objectives or concentrate firepower against entrenched enemy positions. When serving as fire support, two to four gunners have an array of weapons systems at their disposal, such as laser cannons and turrets, guided missiles and air-to-air rockets, and in special cases, even the “Droidbuster” EMP missile launcher, capable of devastating the main form of Separatist infantry.

For the knights of the Jedi Order, their pursuit of justice and peace frequently takes them to far-flung reaches of the galaxy, where they must undertake delicate negotiations on their own. Stealth and speed are paramount to avoid detection by the CIS navy, but in the worst-case scenario, pilots must be able to defend themselves until help arrives or they can seize the chance to flee. The Delta-7 Aethersprite-class interceptor fits the bill perfectly: a swift and responsive starfighter that packs an impressive punch for its small size. A built-in astromech droid assists with targeting and minor system repairs, but primarily serves to interface with hyperspace docking rings so that the ship isn’t burdened with the weight of its own hyperdrive. These ships are excellent support craft in large fleet battles, but they can also hold their own in a dogfight.

The ships you’ll find in Rise of the Separatists go beyond simple speeders and smaller starfighters. The Separatists and the Republic have brought entire planets’ worth of industry to bear in order to emerge victorious. From the Venator-class star destroyer—impressive carriers capable of laying waste to enemy emplacements and ships in atmospheric encounters and space battles alike—to the Munificent-class heavy frigates of the CIS navy—almost entirely automated and defended by squadrons of screaming-fast vulture droids—both sides are well matched, ensuring that victory will come down to those individuals whose crafty gambits and brave sacrifices can turn the tide.

Forged in the Fires of War

What will you add to your squadron’s arsenal, and how will you take the fight to the skies and stars? Rise of the Separatists offers an array of options to outfit soldiers and Jedi no matter the mission, and for GMs to equip new enemies in the galaxy-wide struggle. Join us next week for a sneak peek at the resources and advice the book provides Game Masters to make their campaigns evoke the grandeur of the Clone Wars!

There’s still time to pre-order Rise of the Separatists (SWR11) from your local game store or from the Fantasy Flight Games web store, so order your copy today!

"I'm all for sticking it to the Empire, but what was in that convoy? You never told us why the mission was so important."
   –Sabine Wren, Star Wars: Rebels

There's been a rise of Rebel insurgency in recent months. Since the August release of the Tyrants of Lothal campaign expansion, Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus, and all the other Spectres from Star Wars: Rebels have been taking Star Wars™: Imperial Assault by storm—battling Stormtroopers, exploding Imperial resupply depots, and getting away.

Now, as Grand Admiral Thrawn sets his trap for these Rebels, they'll soon face their greatest Imperial Assault battles to date—the 2018 Star Wars: Imperial Assault Regional Championships!

Will the Spectres and the Rebel Alliance strike yet another critical blow? Will Grand Admiral Thrawn successfully outmaneuver them and secure victory for the Empire? Or will the galaxy's Mercenaries prove to be the real winners—contracting themselves out to subdue their targets and collect their credits?

The forces are newly reinforced. Stronger than ever. And battling for some of the game's highest stakes…

Top 64

A capable and trustworthy astromech is an invaluable asset to any good Rebel team, so when you make the Top 64 at your 2018 Imperial Assault Regional Championship, you'll be happy to get an alternate art version of C1-10P "Chopper"—even if it means putting up with his infamously rough personality.

Top 16

While there are few teams as talented and successful as the Spectres, the Rebel Alliance's ultimate victory depends on the successful coordination of all its teams. Leadership is vital, and few leaders have proven as valuable to the Rebels of Imperial Assault as Gideon Argus.

For their efforts, the Top 16 players at each 2018 Star Wars: Imperial Assault Regional Championship receive a plastic version of this esteemed Rebel leader.

Top 8

No matter how thorough the planning, every mission seems to go sideways at some point, and the only teams that prevail are those who can adapt and hold their own in battle. Make your way to the Top 8 of your 2018 Regional Championship, and when you're pressed to hold your own in battle, you'll be able to do so with this set of twelve custom dice.

Top 4

When you're always outnumbered, you want to be sure to make every one of your shots count for all it's worth, so if you make the Top 4 at a 2018 Regional Championship, you'll be glad to win and start applying this set of five acrylic bleed tokens when you battle your foes.

Regional Champion

Successfully complete every mission at your 2018 Star Wars: Imperial Assault Regional Championship, and you just may find yourself honored as the Regional Champion!

As Regional Champion, your heroism will be honored with a trophy inspired by the medallion ceremony that took place after the Battle of Yavin IV. Your troops will root for you as you look to carry on with the next mission—with a first-round prize bye at an upcoming Star Wars: Imperial Assault National Championship!

Dawn of Rebellion

With the recent release of the Tyrants of Lothal campaign expansion and accompanying Ally Packs and Villain Packs, we stand at the beginning of a new age for Star Wars: Imperial Assault. Will we find ourselves headed into an age of rebellion? Or will we see Grand Admiral Thrawn coordinate the Imperial military response with fantastic precision and efficiency, crushing the newest Rebels as soon as they reveal themselves?

It's a thrilling time to take part in the high-stakes skirmish battles of Imperial Assault, so head over to our list of 2018 Star Wars: Imperial Assault Regional Championships to find one near you!