Epic Card Game

Last updated
Epic Card Game
Epic card game back.png
Card back of Epic Card Game
Designer Robert Dougherty
PublisherWise Wizard Games
Playing time20 minutes
Website epiccardgame.com

Epic Card Game is a strategy card game created by Wise Wizard Games. [1] It was released in 2015 after a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. [2]

Contents

Epic can be played with two or more players who act as gods in conflict, playing champions who fight against the other players. Unlike collectible card games, each set of Epic contains every card. [3] The game can be played as a drafting or sealed deck card game, [1] and preconstructed decks can also be used to play. [3]

In early 2017, another Kickstarter campaign was successfully funded for a digital video game version of Epic. [4] As of February 2020, the app is available for free. [5]

Gameplay

Example of gameplay, from the digital app for the game. Epic Card Game digital.png
Example of gameplay, from the digital app for the game.

Players begin with 30 health. If this health goes to zero, the player is eliminated. On each player's turn, each player has one "gold" point. Some cards cost one gold to play; others cost zero. At most one gold value card may be played by each player each turn. Cards played may be events or champions. Events have an immediate effect and are discarded after use; champions stay in play until either "broken" (sent to the discard pile), "banished" (placed on the bottom of that player's face-down deck), or "returned to its owner's hand". Players have many possible actions, depending on the combination of cards they play: do damage to the health of the other player(s) or their champion card(s) in play, break or banish a champion in play, create "token" champions, cause a player to draw more cards, or bring back cards from a discard pile. [6]

The game continues until a player wins by either eliminating all their opponents or having no cards left when they need to draw. [6]

Expansions

Tyrants, the first expansion to Epic, was released in March 2016. [7] Each of four packs includes 12 new cards. [8] The second expansion, Epic Uprising, was released in December 2016. [9] Epic Pantheon was released in 2018. [10]

Tournaments

The 2016 World Championship of Epic was held in November in Massachusetts. The top prize was $25,000, and a total of $100,000 prizes were awarded. [11] The champion was John Tatian. [12]

The 2017 World Championship of Epic was held in November in Massachusetts. The top prize was $15,000, and a total of $50,000 prizes were awarded. [13] The champion was John Tatian again. [14]

In 2019, Wise Wizard Games ran their first [15] Epic 10K Championship at Origins Game Fair. [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Magic: The Gathering</i> Collectible card game

Magic: The Gathering is a tabletop and digital collectible card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast, Magic was the first trading card game and had approximately fifty million players as of February 2023, and over twenty billion Magic cards were produced in the period from 2008 to 2016, during which time it grew in popularity. As of the 2022 fiscal year, Magic generates over $1 billion in revenue annually.

<i>The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game</i> Collectible card game

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game produced by Decipher, Inc. Released November 2001, it is based on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and the J. R. R. Tolkien novel on which the films were based. Decipher also had the rights to The Hobbit novel but did not release any cards based on it. In addition to images taken from the films, in 2004 Weta Workshop produced artwork depicting characters and items from the novel absent from the films for use on cards. In 2002, LOTR TCG won the Origins Awards for Best Trading Card Game of 2001 and Best Graphic Presentation of a Card Game 2001. Decipher's license to The Lord of the Rings expired on July 30, 2007, after which all official promotion and distribution of the game stopped.

<i>Pokémon Trading Card Game</i> Collectible card game

The Pokémon Trading Card Game, abbreviated as PTCG or Pokémon TCG, is a collectible card game developed by Creatures Inc. based on the Pokémon franchise. As of March 2023, the game has produced over 52.9 billion cards worldwide.

<i>Spellfire</i> Collectible card game

Spellfire: Master the Magic is an out-of-print collectible card game (CCG) created by TSR, Inc. and based on their popular Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. The game appeared first in April 1994, shortly after the introduction of Magic: The Gathering, in the wake of the success enjoyed by trading card games. It was the second CCG to be released, preceding Wizards of the Coast's second CCG Jyhad by two months. More than one dozen expansions for the game were released, and the final expansion was released in October 1997.

<i>Babylon 5 Collectible Card Game</i>

The Babylon 5 Collectible Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game set in the Babylon 5 universe. The game is ideally set for 4-5 players but can be played with a minimum of two players up to as many as 20 if using multiple Non-Aligned Factions and Home Factions. This CCG is distinct from most others of the genre for being specifically designed to be played by more than two players. The gameplay tends to have strong political elements encouraging significant player interaction aka "table talk" which is appropriate for a game based on a series which featured such a strong element of political intrigue. During its six-year existence under the Precedence Entertainment banner it released two core sets, five expansions sets and one revision set. There were two World Championships during that time. The game still continues to have a cult following as further expansions were made available online.

<i>Yu-Gi-Oh!</i> Trading Card Game Trading card game

The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game is a collectible card game developed and published by Konami. It is based on the fictional game of Duel Monsters created by manga artist Kazuki Takahashi, which appears in portions of the manga franchise Yu-Gi-Oh! and is the central plot device throughout its various anime adaptations and spinoff series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vs. System</span> System used for collectible card games

Vs. System, also written as VS System and abbreviated as VS, is a collectible card game designed by Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE). In the game, players build and play a deck of Vs. System cards in an attempt to win a game against their opponent. It was first published in 2004 and is set in the superhero genre. The game was discontinued by Upper Deck Entertainment in January 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Potter Trading Card Game</span> Collectible trading card game

The Harry Potter Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game based in the world of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels. Created by Wizards of the Coast in August 2001, the game was designed to compete with the Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering card games. Its release was timed to coincide with the theatrical premiere of the first film in the series. The game was praised for the way it immersed children in the Harry Potter universe. At one point the game was the second best selling toy in the United States; however, it is now out of print.

<i>World of Warcraft Trading Card Game</i> Collectible card game

The World of Warcraft Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game based on Blizzard Entertainment's MMORPG, World of Warcraft. The game was announced by Upper Deck Entertainment on August 18, 2005 and released on October 25, 2006. Players can play against each other one-on-one, or can join others in order to defeat dungeon/raid "bosses" based on those in the MMORPG. In March 2010, Upper Deck lost the license from Blizzard Entertainment. The license was acquired by Cryptozoic Entertainment later in the month, with the company announcing that planned card sets would be released.

Magic: The Gathering formats are various ways in which the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game can be played. Each format provides rules for deck construction and gameplay, with many confining the pool of permitted cards to those released in a specified group of Magic card sets. The Wizards Play Network, the governing body that oversees official Magic competitive play, categorizes its tournament formats into Constructed and Limited. Additionally, there are many casual formats with the Commander format being one of the most popular formats of the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doomtrooper</span> Card game

Doomtrooper, also known as Doom Trooper, is an out-of-print collectible card game designed by Bryan Winter and was released in January 1995. It was originally published by Target Games and Heartbreaker Hobbies. It is based on concepts from the Mutant Chronicles franchise. Players use warriors to attack and gain either Promotion Points or Destiny Points. Promotion points can be used to win; Destiny Points are used to purchase more warriors and equipment. There are 13 different card types and over 1100 different cards available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collectible card game</span> Game played using specialized playing cards

A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names, is a type of card game that mixes strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards. It was introduced with Magic: The Gathering in 1993.

<i>Android: Netrunner</i> Expandable Card Game

Android: Netrunner is an Expandable Card Game (ECG) produced by Null Signal Games, previously by Fantasy Flight Games. It is a two-player game set in the dystopian future of the Android universe. Each game is played as a battle between a megacorporation and a hacker ("runner") in a duel to take control of data. It is based on Richard Garfield's Netrunner collectible card game, produced by Wizards of the Coast in 1996.

<i>Hearthstone</i> Digital collectible card game by Blizzard Entertainment

Hearthstone is a free-to-play online digital collectible card game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Originally subtitled Heroes of Warcraft, Hearthstone builds upon the existing lore of the Warcraft series by using the same elements, characters, and relics. It was first released for Windows and macOS in March 2014, with ports for iOS and Android released later that year. The game features cross-platform play, allowing players on any supported device to compete with one another, restricted only by geographical region account limits.

<i>Exploding Kittens</i> 2015 American card game

Exploding Kittens is a casual dedicated deck card game designed by Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal webcomic, Elan Lee and Shane Small, and first published by The Oatmeal in 2015. Beginning as a Kickstarter project seeking US$10,000 in crowdfunding, it exceeded its goal in eight minutes.

<i>Star Realms</i> Tabletop game

Star Realms is a card-based deck-building science-fiction tabletop game, designed by Rob Dougherty and Darwin Kastle and published in 2014 by Wise Wizard Games. The game started out as a Kickstarter campaign in 2013. The goal of Star Realms is to destroy opponents by purchasing cards using "trade" points and using these cards to attack an opponent's "authority" using "combat" points. The game takes place in a distant future where different races compete to gain resources, trade and outmaneuver each other in a race to become ruler of the galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wise Wizard Games</span> Board and card game company

Wise Wizard Games LLC is a games company founded in 2013. They are the creators of Star Realms, Epic Card Game, Hero Realms, and Sorcerer. The company CEO, Rob Dougherty, and Creative Director, Darwin Kastle, are both in the Magic The Gathering Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hero Realms</span> Card game

Hero Realms is a card-based deck building fantasy tabletop game, designed by Rob Dougherty and Darwin Kastle and published in 2016 by Wise Wizard Games. The game started out as a Kickstarter campaign in 2016. The goal of Hero Realms is to destroy your opponent or opponents by purchasing cards using "Gold" and using these cards to attack your opponent's "health" and their champions using your "combat" points or other powerful effects.

<i>Magic: The Gathering Arena</i> Video game

Magic: The Gathering Arena or MTG Arena is a free-to-play digital collectible card game developed and published by Wizards of the Coast (WotC). The game is a digital adaption based on the Magic: The Gathering (MTG) card game, allowing players to gain cards through booster packs, in-game achievements or microtransaction purchases, and build their own decks to challenge other players. The game was released in a beta state in November 2017, and was fully released for Microsoft Windows users in September 2019, and a macOS version on June 25, 2020. Mobile device versions were released in March 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Final Fantasy Trading Card Game</span>

The Final Fantasy Trading Card Game, often abbreviated as Final Fantasy TCG or FF-TCG, is a trading card game developed by Hobby Japan and published by Square Enix. The first iteration was released in Japan in 2011 but never released outside Japan and was discontinued in order to release a second iteration worldwide in October 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 "Epic Card Game | The future of strategy card games". Wise Wizard Games. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  2. "Epic Card Game by Robert Dougherty". Kickstarter . Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Epic Card Game". BoardGameGeek . Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  4. "Epic Digital Card Game by Robert Dougherty". Kickstarter. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  5. Victoria Mann (January 27, 2020). "FREE Epic Digital App Launches February 18th" . Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Epic Card Game Rules". EpicCardGame.com. Wise Wizard Games. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  7. "Epic Card Game: Tyrants - Raxxa's Revenge Pack (Preorder)". Miniature Market. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  8. Debbie Moynihan (February 27, 2016). "Epic Tyrants Expansion Coming to Stores March 22nd!" . Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  9. "Epic Card Game: Uprising 4 Pack Bundle". CoolStuffInc.com. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  10. Adam Bowman (March 29, 2018). "Epic Pantheon: Gareth vs Lashnok and Angeline vs Scara" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  11. "Worlds | Epic Card Game". White Wizard Games. Archived from the original on 2016-03-20. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  12. Nathan Davis (December 12, 2016). "Epic World Championships Retrospective". epiccardgame.com. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  13. "Epic Championship Series". Wise Wizard Games. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  14. Adam Bowman (December 5, 2017). "2017 Epic Championship: A Quick Recap". epiccardgame.com. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  15. "Epic $10,000 Championships" . Retrieved March 17, 2023. Our first Epic 10K Championship took place at Origins Game Fair in June 2019!
  16. "Origins 2019 Epic 10K Championship" . Retrieved March 17, 2023.