Flesh and Blood (trading card game)

Flesh and Blood (colloquially known as FaB or F&B) is a collectible card game published by Legend Story Studios. First released in 2019, the game has amassed a large following, embracing both the competitive and financial aspects of trading card games.

History

Initial design for the game began in 2012 by James White.. In mid-2019, a massive, worldwide pre-marketing campaign was launched, promoting the completed game. An informational packet, consisting of several demo decks, playmats, posters, and a hardcover, fully-illustrated art and lore book, was sent to 1,000 retailers across the world

At first only available in Oceania and North America, the game began with its inaugural release, Welcome to Rathe, in September of 2019. With an immediate tournament structure and associated prize support, lack of distribution hindered the game’s initial growth in North America, while it thrived in its native New Zealand and nearby countries.

After the release of the first expansion, Arcane Rising, and a supplemental set, Crucible of War, the game managed to continue. Several months after Crucible’s release, not only was the initial “Limited” printing concluded and replaced with “Unlimited,” but distribution expanded into Europe, greatly expanding the game’s player base.

Almost immediately, interest and value for the game rose now that it was more widely available. YouTube personalities took notice, also helping the game’s popularity and value grow, while LSS continued with their organized play structure they had used since the beginning.

With the release of Monarch in June of 2021, worldwide pre-releases and tournaments happened for the first time in the game’s history. Popularity and value continued rising, thanks in part to several well-known internet personalities and celebrities such as Steve Aoki, securing the game’s spot in the history of collectible games.

Shortly after Monarch’s release, the announcement of a previously hinted at set, “Kingdoms” was revealed to actually be “Tales of Aria.” In addition to this, worldwide National championships, a monetized series of tournaments known as the Pro Quest, and multiple large-scale conventions called “The Calling” were announced as well, all to be in Autumn of 2021.

Gameplay

In Flesh and Blood, two players each choose a character and build their deck around that character’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as minimal sideboard changes depending on their opponent. Equipped with weapons and armor, the game is designed to simulate two fighters battling one-on-one, their arsenal and equipment exhausting as time progresses. The first character run out of health loses the game.

On a player’s turn, they have one action point with which to play cards, make an attack, or heal their character. Some cards have the term “Go Again” allowing the player to take another action, while others are “Instant” cards which do not cost an action point, and can generally be played at any time.

In order to play cards from hand, the player must pay its cost with other cards from hand by placing them in their pitch zone. Most cards have three printings: red, yellow, and blue. Red cards are typically stronger and have better effects, but have a pitch value of 1. Yellow has a pitch value of 2, and blue have a pitch value of 3, with the weakest effects. Pitched cards go to the bottom of a player’s deck at the end of their turn.

In order to attack, a player will place a, attack action card from their hand (paying its cost) or their character’s weapon onto the area between their and their opponent’s cards, called the Combat Chain. Using the power value at the bottom left corner of the attack action they attempt to inflict that much damage on their opponent’s character. The opponent may then defend with cards from hand or their character’s equipment, using the defense value in the bottom right corner. Any cards used to attack or defend in this manner are discarded.

Another type of damage, arcane, is used to represent magic. Some cards inflict nothing but arcane damage, while others will inflict arcane in addition to physical damage. Special equipment and defense cards can be used to protect against arcane damage, and usually require a pitch value to play.

Other cards can be played to boost a character’s power, heal them, gain extra action points or pitch value, or even force the opposing player to discard cards.

Card Types

Hero

All players choose 1 Hero character as the basis for the deck. All heroes have their own personality and specializations, as well as what they are able to use. Originally, heroes belonged to a class, such as Warrior, Guardian, Ranger, etc. As of the release of the Monarch expansion, heroes now also have a talent, such as Light, Shadow, or Elemental, which can also bolster their card pool and abilities.

All heroes have an Intellect rating in their lower left corner, which equals their hand size, and a health rating in their lower right corner. All heroes have a young version, but some do not currently have an adult version.

Weapon

Heroes can have up to two hands’ worth of weapons; most weapons are two-handed, but some are one-handed. Weapons with a power value in the lower left corner can be used to attack for a cost, but others are used to perform actions and bolster other attacks. Most weapons are only useable by heroes within the class and/or talent listed on the card, but some are generic.

Equipment

Armor and useful items that a Hero begins with in play, these can be used for defensive purposes, or to perform other actions. Equipment is as much of a part of deckbuilding as is the deck itself, since many equipment cards have effects that enhance or assist with certain cards.

Lore

A massive aspect of Flesh and Blood is the lore. Many pages of world-building were completed before the game released, fleshing out a full world filled with diverse environments, races, creatures, abilities, social structures, and beliefs. The official Flesh and Blood website contains and extensive area on lore, including backstory and fiction for every unique hero. Several websites and YouTube channels have appeared, devoted entirely to the lore of Flesh and Blood, complete with explanations and theories behind the backstory.

Formats

Blitz

Blitz decks consist of 40 cards, with no sideboards allowed. Characters must be the “Young” version, and hit points are halved from the standard adult versions, typically 20. No more than 2 copies of a card of each color pitch value may be included in a player’s deck. Time limits in tournaments are lowered to 30 minutes, and certain cards banned in Classic Constructed are legal in Blitz.

Classic Constructed

Classic Constructed is widely considered the “proper” way to play the game. With 60 card decks, players may include upwards of 80 cards to sideboard certain cards in and out, depending on which opposing character they are facing. While “Adult” characters are standard for this format, “Young” characters are perfectly legal, albeit constrained to the lower health. High level tournaments will typically consist of CC, with time limits of 50 minutes.

Draft/Sealed

Flesh and Blood was designed to be played in both draft and sealed formats, with booster boxes specially organized to promote these formats. At first used as a way to promote the game and during pre-release events, both draft and sealed formats are currently a part of National championships and main events at The Calling. Both are similar to the Blitz format in that young characters are used, with deck limits at 30-40 cards, and no more than 2 copies of a card in each pitch value.

Ultimate Pit Fight

UPF was introduced in late summer of 2021 as an official multiplayer variant of the game. Following standard Blitz format rules, literally any card in the game is 100% legal in this format. Best played with four players, a player may attack characters to their left and right, but may only defend themselves. Alliances, table talk, and trash talk are encouraged to keep the competition and fun a part of these games.

Commoner Blitz

Commoner Blitz format resembles the premade Blitz decks that are released with new expansions. Only common cards are allowed, with up to 6 rares in each deck. No other rarity is permitted, and standard Blitz format rules apply.

Rarities

Akin to many trading card games, Flesh and Blood contains several rarities in each expansion. All booster packs contain 15 cards, 1 of which is a Token (double-sided card with characters, weapons, and tokens), 1 equipment, 1 foil, 10 Commons, 1 Rare, and 1 Rare or higher (6 packs per box will have a Majestic in place of a rare). Approximately 1 pack per case (box of 4 booster boxes) will contain a Legendary-rarity card, typically an equipment with excellent abilities.

Fabled is a rarity that technically doesn’t exist—yet every set has contained one Fabled card. Supposedly appearing in 1 in 120 cases, Fabled-rarity cards have abilities and properties that can potentially sway the game in one player’s favor, and have the highest value on the secondary market.

Foils

One card in every pack of Flesh and Blood will be a foiled version of a card, most often a Common. Legendary equipment, however, is always foiled, and appears in the foil card slot. Collecting a fully foiled deck has become a hobby in itself for many players, while some attempt to collect a full playset (three copies of each card in each pitch value) of foiled cards. All promotional and prize cards are foiled.

Legendary equipment and some promotional and prize foils are printed in a monochrome process, known as Cold Foils, while everything else contains color, typically referred to as Rainbow Foils.

Releases

Ira Welcome Deck – August 31, 2019 – Free promotional decks that were included in the marketing kit, Ira is a young version of a Ninja character, designed to instruct the game with simplistic, pared down rules and a minimal deck.

Welcome to Rathe – October 11, 2019 (Limited); November 6, 2020 (Unlimited) – The initial release of Flesh and Blood. Four heroes—Rhinar (Brute), Brave (Guardian), Dorinthea (Warrior), and Kastu (Ninja)—were included in pre-constructed starter decks.

Arcane Rising – March 27, 2020 (Limited); November 20, 2020 (Unlimited) – The first expansion to the game introduced arcane damage, special magical damage that is only blockable with “Nullrune” equipment, or certain cards that block arcane. Four new heroes and classes—Azalea (Ranger), Dash (Mechanologist), Kano (Wizard), and Viserai (Runeblade)—were only available in the game, and did not have starter decks.

Crucible of War – August 2020 (Limited); July 2021 (Unlimited) – A supplemental expansion, cards were included for every class to date. Six new, young heroes were included as Rare, Magestic, or Legendary cards in this set—Kassai (Warrior), Data Doll (Mechanologist), Benji (Ninja), Kayo (Brute), Kavdaen (Merchant), and Shiyana (Shapeshifter). Originally announced as potentially a limited release set, an unlimited version arrived almost a year later, but was later announced as out of print.

Monarch – May 7, 2021 (Limited); June 4, 2021 (Unlimited) – The first expansion to include talents (Light and Shadow) in addition to one new class, Monarch expanded the design of the game by utilizing the Banish Zone and Soul (the area beneath a hero’s card). Four new heros—Boltyn (Light Warrior), Prism (Light Illusionist), Chane (Shadow Runeblade), and Levia (Shadow Brute)—all had Blitz starter decks available, each with a new card type, Mentor.

Tales of Aria – September 2021 (Limited); November 12, 2021 (Unlimited) – Continuing on with talents, Tales of Aria introduced only one new talent, no new classes, and three heroes, the least amount of any expansion. The talent, Elemental, encompassed three aspects—Lightning, Ice, and Earth—that are paired up in essences with the new heroes--Briar (Elemental (Lightning/Earth) Runeblade), Oldhim (Elemental (Ice/Earth) Guardian), and Lexi (Elemental (Lighting/Ice) Ranger). All three heroes received Blitz starter decks.

Flesh and Blood

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References

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