Magic: The Gathering is Getting A Tactical Strategy Board Game

JonB

Don't Take Crap from Life
Sep 16, 2012
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Magic: The Gathering is Getting A Tactical Strategy Board Game

The game shares designers and similarities with defunct fan-favorite Heroscape.

Just last week Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/pro%20tour%20khans%20of%20tarkir] The game appears to have a design team in common with the old Heroscape miniatures game, and more than a few mechanics and statistics are from that game, down to a modular hex-based board setup. The game is set to release in Fall of 2015, and you can bet that means an early limited release at Gen Con.

2-5 players will jointly design the map, then place terrain and something called "Glyphs" around. They'll then take on their opponents, summoning creatures and casting spells in true Magic fashion. The game's cards and figures have no bearing on games of the classic card game, but mechanics like Deathtouch, Flying, and First Strike will show up. Wizards bills the game at a 25 to 45 minute playtime. The game will feature planeswalkers [mtg_card="Chandra Nalaar"], [mtg_card="Jace Beleren"], [mtg_card="Nissa Revane"], and [mtg_card="Liliana Vess"], with a fifth to be revealed at a later date. My money's on [mtg_card="Ajani Goldmane"], though Josh's [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/articles/Encaen] gut says it'll be [mtg_card="Gideon Jura"] based on the choices of humans for every other planeswalker.



Here's [mtg_card="Chandra Nalaar"]'s warband, which looks to be composed of herself, [mtg_card="Chandra's Phoenix"]es, and [mtg_card="Bogardan Firefiend"]s.



A close up of the [mtg_card="Chandra's Phoenix"] miniature.



A mockup of the game box. Again, the name isn't final. We hope.

For those more curious, BoardGameGeek has an intimate look at the game along with some commentary by the designer.

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PMAvers

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I spy with my little eye... prototype pieces that were lifted from Heroscape.
 

EyeReaper

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This looks cool. Fingers crossed for Elspith being the light rep.

also
JonB said:
based on the choices of humans for every other planeswalker.
Nissa is as human as Legolas.
 

JonB

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Sep 16, 2012
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PMAvers said:
I spy with my little eye... prototype pieces that were lifted from Heroscape.
Also, co-lead designers that were lifted from Heroscape.

EyeReaper said:
This looks cool. Fingers crossed for Elspith being the light rep.

also
JonB said:
based on the choices of humans for every other planeswalker.
Nissa is as human as Legolas.
Okay, fair, humanish. Since Elspeth is "dead" in the canon right now it feels like she won't come back. Who knows! Maybe this isn't canon.
 

JaceArveduin

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This is making me feel all sad again that SOE fucked up MTG:Tactics in such a mediocre fashion... I miss that game, fun times, even if it was a buggy and unbalanced mess...
 

Evil Smurf

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Nov 11, 2011
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JonB said:
PMAvers said:
I spy with my little eye... prototype pieces that were lifted from Heroscape.
Also, co-lead designers that were lifted from Heroscape.

EyeReaper said:
This looks cool. Fingers crossed for Elspith being the light rep.

also
JonB said:
based on the choices of humans for every other planeswalker.
Nissa is as human as Legolas.
Okay, fair, humanish. Since Elspeth is "dead" in the canon right now it feels like she won't come back. Who knows! Maybe this isn't canon.
My girl Elspeth is coming back, she has to. There is too much money to be made off her not to come back.

I miss you!
 

rembrandtqeinstein

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JaceArveduin said:
This is making me feel all sad again that SOE fucked up MTG:Tactics in such a mediocre fashion... I miss that game, fun times, even if it was a buggy and unbalanced mess...
I played an assload of mtg tactics and it was a really good game hampered by a terrible, antiquated interface and an extreme money grab style of monetization.

There were certainly balance issues but they were the same balance issues card-based MTG has. The draft mode was really fun, tournaments less so because they were geared toward wallet warriors.

I wish someone with modern sensibilities would remake that game, but I think with cardhunters out now for tactical goodness and hearthstone for ccg goodness I don't think it will happen.
 

JaceArveduin

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rembrandtqeinstein said:
JaceArveduin said:
This is making me feel all sad again that SOE fucked up MTG:Tactics in such a mediocre fashion... I miss that game, fun times, even if it was a buggy and unbalanced mess...
I played an assload of mtg tactics and it was a really good game hampered by a terrible, antiquated interface and an extreme money grab style of monetization.

There were certainly balance issues but they were the same balance issues card-based MTG has. The draft mode was really fun, tournaments less so because they were geared toward wallet warriors.

I wish someone with modern sensibilities would remake that game, but I think with cardhunters out now for tactical goodness and hearthstone for ccg goodness I don't think it will happen.
If ya don't mind me asking, what was your tactics name? And I actually did pretty well for myself in tournaments with some pretty cheap decks, all you had to do was abuse cheap fliers. It helped that there were several vet players that would help out promising newbies, and that Pauper tourney that was run for so long...
 

katsabas

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That...looks like it has promise. I might buy it when it comes out. I simply have a knock out legacy deck with Avacyn so I might take a look at this.

On another note, I just hate every time I even get a glimpse of Nissa and Chandra. One is a first class idiot for not listening to Sorin and freeing the Eldrazi and the other is a gigantic thieving moron who let a stranger goad her into undoing the Hedron.

Man, MTG has some moronic characters from time to time.
 

eBusiness

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Sep 19, 2012
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Keep at it Wizards, sooner or later you will make some MTG branded product, other than MTG, that is actually good.