Flesh and Blood (card game)

Last updated

Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood TCG Logo.png
Flesh and Blood CCG card back.png
Designer James White [1]
PublisherLegend Story Studios
Release date10/11/2019
TypeCollectible card game
Players2 or more
Age range16+
Playing time< 50 minutes
ChanceLow
Website https://fabtcg.com/

Flesh and Blood is a trading card game published by Legend Story Studios (LSS), an independent design studio based in Auckland, New Zealand. It was designed by James White, who had previously played Magic: The Gathering professionally. [2] The game is based on elements of fantasy and, to some extent, science fiction. [3] The name of the game is derived from the phrase "flesh and blood", meaning that the game was designed to be played in person instead of as an online game. [4]

Contents

Gameplay

People playing Flesh and Blood Flesh and Blood card game 2022.jpg
People playing Flesh and Blood

The game involves two or more players who assume the control of a hero, a character with equipment, abilities and set of cards. There are seven different card types, such as hero, equipment, weapon, action, reaction (attack and defense) and instant. [2] Hero, weapon and equipment cards are in play at the start of the game. Most cards are discarded into a "graveyard" after play. Each hero has intellect and life points, and is in one of ten classes: Assassin, Brute, Guardian, Illusionist, Mechanologist, Ninja, Ranger, Runeblade, Warrior, or Wizard. [5] Players draw cards equal to the hero's intellect. If a hero's life points reaches zero, the player controlling the hero loses the game. [6]

Players build a deck of 60 cards, with no more than three copies of cards having the same name in one deck. [7]

The two constructed game formats, Blitz and Classic Constructed, have a different version of each Hero card. [5] The young version of each card is used in the Blitz format, which has a faster pace of play. [5]

Tournaments

In October 2019, Legend Story Studios established an organised play programme dubbed "The Calling" for competitive sealed-deck play, with a prize pool of $10,000 per tournament. [8] Temporarily suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme resumed in 2021. [9] By November 2023, over 2000 game stores worldwide hosted such events. [9] In October 2023, the company established Social Play game store events for casual players. [9]

In November 2022, the company organised the first Flesh and Blood World Championships in San Jose, California, with a prize pool of $300,000. [10]

In 2024, the company organized a "Pro Play 2024" circuit, with a prize pool of $1,500,000. [11]

A Hero that wins a tournament accrues "Living Legend" points, which, upon reaching a certain amount, results in that hero's card being retired from official tournament play. [2]

Sets

Each Flesh and Blood set used to be published in two editions. The initial set release was the collector-focused First Edition published using cold foil printing in a limited print run. [12] This was followed by the Unlimited Edition, which was published based on market demand. [12] This technique is common in the early stages of many trading card games as it allows collectors to secure value in First Edition cards while players still have accesses to affordable versions of important cards.

After the "FAB 2.0" update LSS did away with the 1st/Unlimited model and replaced it with a single box model. [13]

#SetSet codeRelease dateSizeRef.
Total CardsTokenCommonRareSuper RareMajesticLegendaryFabled
1Welcome to RatheWTROctober 11, 20192261513248151051 [14]
2Arcane RisingARCMarch 27, 20202191412648151051 [15]
3Crucible of WarCRUAugust 28, 202019801035603621 [16]
4MonarchMONMay 7, 2021307181727903161 [17]
5Tales of AriaELESeptember 24, 2021238141365402761 [18]
6EverfestEVRFebruary 4, 20221980886104531 [19]
N/AHistory Pack 11HPMay 6, 2022427023811806290 [20]
7UprisingUPRJune 24, 2022226161255102761 [21]
8DynastyDYNNovember 11, 202224701098105151 [22] [23]
N/AHistory Pack 22HPFebruary 24, 20235360301140078143 [24]
9OutsidersOUTMarch 24, 2023236201285103151 [25]
10Dusk till DawnDTDJuly 14, 20232360947705681 [26]
11Bright LightsEVOOctober 6, 2023251121295604671 [27]
12Heavy HittersHVYFebruary 2, 2024256151286704051 [28]
13Part the MistveilMSTMay 31, 2024239121235404361 [29]
14RosettaROSSeptember 20, 2024254141285704951 [30]
15The HuntedHNTJanuary 31, 2025265161306604261 [31]

Reception

Drew Cordell of SUPERJUMP magazine wrote favorably of the game. [12]

Andrew Smith from the website Board Game Quest compared it to Magic: The Gathering, but noted that Flesh and Blood was easier to learn. [32]

In 2021, ICv2 rated it as a "top collectible game". [33] [34]

Legend Story Studio was on the Deloitte Fast 50. [35]

In November 2023, Legend Story Studios won the Excellence in Brand Storytelling Award at the New Zealand International Business Awards for their work on Flesh and Blood. [36]

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References

  1. ↑ "Introducing Flesh and Blood". Team Covenant. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Golovchuk, Stan (30 June 2023). "Flesh and Blood, MTG's most dynamic competitor, brings back its first Living Legend". Polygon. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Golovchuk, Stan (24 September 2023). "Flesh and Blood's Bright Lights expansion adds a mech suit built for breaking faces". Polygon . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Puschmann, Karl (26 June 2021). "The inside story of Flesh and Blood, the NZ game taking the world by storm". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Johnson, Xavier (30 November 2021). "Every Hero in Flesh and Blood TCG". Dot Esports . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "TCGplayer Infinite". TCGplayer Infinite. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Longo, Chris (18 December 2020). "Why Flesh and Blood Is A Must-Play Trading Card Game". Den of Geek. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  8. ↑ Dohm-Sanchez, Jeffrey (15 October 2019). "'Flesh and Blood' TCG to launch $10,000 'The Calling' tournament circuit". ICv2 . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Dohm-Sanchez, Jeffrey (2 November 2023). "'Flesh and Blood TCG' logs its 1000,000th armory event". ICv2 . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Dohm-Sanchez, Jeffrey (17 August 2022). "Legend Story Studios announces inaugural 'Flesh and Blood TCG' World Championships". ICv2 . Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  11. ↑ Miller, Nick (21 November 2023). "Flesh And Blood Announces Roadmap For Organized Play And Product Releases In 2024". Star City Games. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 Cordell, Drew (17 April 2021). "Flesh and Blood TCG is your new card game addiction". SuperJump. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  13. ↑ White, James (12 April 2022). "FAB 2.0". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Welcome to Rathe". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "Arcane Rising". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "Crucible of War". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "Monarch". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  18. ↑ "Tales of Aria". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  19. ↑ "Everfest". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  20. ↑ "History Pack 1 (EN)". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  21. ↑ "Uprising". fabtcg.com. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  22. ↑ "Dynasty". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  23. ↑ "Dynasty". fabtcg.com. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  24. ↑ "History Pack 2". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  25. ↑ "Outsiders". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  26. ↑ "Dusk till Dawn". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  27. ↑ "Bright Lights". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  28. ↑ "Heavy Hitters". fabtcg.com. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  29. ↑ "Part the Mistveil". fabtcg.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  30. ↑ "Rosetta". fabtcg.com. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  31. ↑ "The Hunted". fabtcg.com. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  32. ↑ Andrew Smith (9 July 2021). "Flesh and Blood Review". Board Game Quest. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  33. ↑ "Top Collectible Games – Spring 2021". icv2.com. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  34. ↑ "Top Collectible Games – Fall 2021". icv2.com. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  35. ↑ Hall, Charlie (11 November 2022). "Flesh and Blood, MTG's upstart competitor, has found strength in community". Polygon. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  36. ↑ "Winners of the New Zealand International Business Awards 2023". nzte.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
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