saw this video and decided to get this game on the last week so my wife and I could play it on the 4th. We played 5 games of the "apprentice" set up then tried a game where we built our own decks. I've won them all (wife is getting better) but man is it fun and deep. Tom, any chance you'd post the deck/decks you use? Curious as to what you play with. Also thanks for doing these videos, I just got into these non mainstream games lasty year and TDT videos have been a big help, and fun to watch.
Agreed... but neither are CCGs usually... It's more for the player groups that all want to get their own decks... I classify this in the "Component ownership" category where each player brings their own deck / army / playing piece and faces off someone else. Sure you can make preset decks/armies and have players use those but usually those games even when the rules are simple... there's a vast amount of knowledge you need to perform well... and a great part of the fun is in the customisation
This game looks fun, not exactly noob friendly and not overly complex. Like any game with a good amount of depth you just need to play it a few times. Four way battles are probably the best thing for this game. Gonna have to put this on my list of games to get!
Couldn't agree more, just have 2 things to say. The book is supposed to be 1/2 front and back pages, all cheap card binders are not just in this game. It's ok but I might invest in better ones. And as far as components go I got a horribly cut sheet of tokens, still haven't heard back from them. Don't know if I will, but it wont stop me from playing and loving this game too!
I got this game today and am impressed. One thing I really like about this over magic is that the rules seem so elegant and clean. It's hardly surprising given that Magic has grown quite organically over two decades while this has been designed with the knowledge of those two decades in mind, but still, I'm impressed. I could teach basically all the rules of this to someone in two hours, I'd need two weeks to cover all rules in Magic (and I'd still probably teach a dozen or more errors that only a judge would be able to tell). It might not replace MTG for me, as I can carry my deck everywhere, but it sure is really frakkin' nice.
Agreed. Also, why I only have my cube now to play which supports upto 8 player draft pools. It's the best way to play MTG. You can even make pauper cubes really cheap.
This game is interesting, although having 4 characters only would limit in playing the game. They already release the expansion but sadly it only gives us more cards; I also like if they add at least 4 more characters as well. In wikipedia, they would add some mages like: druid, illusionist, sorcerer, necromancer, paladin, warlord and forcemaster. It would be nice if it is also a tag battle if they release the new characters that I've mentioned. I'll wait until the new characters are release
"One of the best games ever." I doubt Tom is willing to place it as number one after simply test reviewing it. It's going to take time before people get a better feel for the game.
I've played both. MTG's stack is complex, sure. But it's concepts are similar to mage wars's to an extent. Instants = revealing enchantments, sorceries = incantations, attack spells, enchantment placing. You also haven't played this game, so you're not really in a position to compare them. Having played both, one good way to describe mage wars to a magic player is EDH mixed with a session of dungeons and dragons.
For a game like this... for my needs... 4 player is a must... so I;m really curious about that... the determining review for me will be the one that covers that.
Summoner Wars is my favorite game and I am always in the mood to play it. I initially was not going to get this game because I thought it was a true rip-off of Summoner Wars and PHG; hell they even used the same font! I, however, after watching this decided to grab it. Sorry PHG I still love you guys
I agree, but there is no deck building and drawing. Which is probability game playing in itself. I've made good decks that draw poorly and don't pickup fast enough to win. I thought the dice rolling was fine, because it always gives you a chance to surpass some one's strategy.
I just got this game, and I can easily tell you that MTG is much more complicated xD All the technicalities, the stack, the comphrensive rules: bleh. I love Magic, but playing it with strangers is not fun... people take it too seriously, and are often cold about it. This game is a lot friendlier and much funnier, and it's amazing! But the keywords take a bit of getting used to.
Really not a fan of using the physical spell book so I doubt I would use it. You would essentially be having to sleeve and resleeve a deck every time you played. The game only comes with two spell books so you would need to switch in decks depending on what you wanted to play. I do agree with Tom that it is more a modified version of Magic than really Summoner Wars.
FYI, if anyone is thinking of adding players... just as Vassel guessed the game goes out of control. I played in a 3v3 game the other night for 5 - 51/2 hours and everyone was still alive, though deaths seemed like they may have been coming soon.
The stack isn't complicated at all. I learned it when I was 7. And it only took three practice games. = / This game here has a game board that takes your position in relation to your opponent into account. and any barriers that might be in the way. As well as dice and all the monster mechanics and stuff.
I like the part of customizing the deck when i play MtG online. Having the whole deck at your disposal is tempting, though having a lucky draw in MtG can also be a rewarding feeling (and hoping your opponent wouldn't draw that beast spell:)). Btw, when you choose and play two spells you can choose them again in the next turn or are they discarded? Missed that part. Best game ever? Really? Cosmic Encounter must be losing its positions hard this year, as i hear this phrase too often :))
Unbearable. The spell book makes the set up clunky as hell. And teaching this game sucks because there are too many options at once. This game shines when both players really know what going on. But will you ever get there?
I played this at the Dice Tower Con and, I don't know, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. The binder mechanic felt clunky and seemed to slow down the game. Also, between markers, cards, binders, and dice, there are just way too many components to keep handy. Add to that the fact that you need another copy to play with more than two people, and this game is just not for me or my group.
Thx for the review of this game! It's really helped me to made a decision not buying this game. The game cards and the hole thing looking good. But i much prefer playing Magic the gathering because the system. And i can bring my deck anywhere in my pocket.
Yes and no.. the general combat dice rolls aren't bad at all, since the combat dice numbers go from 0-2 instead of 1-6, the rolls give results that are fairly consistently close to the average. Anything that has a defense ability though completely negates an attack on, for example an 8+ on the d12... that's really random and does detract from the game, fortunately those abilities aren't overly common.
Hi Tom, love the review. But as an ex mtg player i like having the luck involved with card drawing. The intense moment and complete satisfaction of drawing the right card when you need it is a huge draw for most players i think. So having all the cards ready available must take away from that. However are the mage wars games still as intense even without the luck of card drawing? summoner wars comes close to that, but I need more deck building to really get back the feeling of mtg without breaking the bank.
Meh... card games are for me in part about mitigating luck. If you take out the luck element that just encourages you to work out a set strategy beforehand and carry it out to the letter. Not my kind of thing I guess.
Uh... Your comparison to MTG makes sense in theme, but in gameplay? No way. This is a totally different, far more complex game than MTG. = / But this does look neat. Despite my hatred of dice.
Take the dice out, and it looks amazing. But considering how heavy the game emphasizes deck building, no drawing, combos and such, why throw the rnd wrench in? I know you guys love rollin', but it just feels out of place in this game :| In terms of strategy, did you find it super invasive?
also a couple of hundred to pay every several months,and common.new cards?u mean new drawing on the card?cuz the texts stay the same ,just different mana cost and depending on the mechanics of the time...common..
BrightTvGames I play MTG all the time, and honestly treat it kind of like a board game. I don't play standard tournaments because i don't have the time or money, but I do maintain a few sets for drafting and make a few decks which are purposed for dueling one another. I probably blow thirty to fifty a year on magic but its worth it
![1 Orc vs 7 Computers [4K]](/img/1.gif)
Awesome review! Thanks Tom and Sam. I love this game and have enjoyed being on the design team. Congrats Mage Wars Team!
The true EPICness of this game is the Choices you can make. It boggles the mind!
So what about that comparison video between Mage Wars and Summoner Wars?
Where is the Summoner Wars vs Mage Wars comparison Sam is talking about? This would be great!
I have summoner Wars...the quality is so lower than this game.
saw this video and decided to get this game on the last week so my wife and I could play it on the 4th. We played 5 games of the "apprentice" set up then tried a game where we built our own decks. I've won them all (wife is getting better) but man is it fun and deep.
Tom, any chance you'd post the deck/decks you use? Curious as to what you play with.
Also thanks for doing these videos, I just got into these non mainstream games lasty year and TDT videos have been a big help, and fun to watch.
Agreed... but neither are CCGs usually... It's more for the player groups that all want to get their own decks...
I classify this in the "Component ownership" category where each player brings their own deck / army / playing piece and faces off someone else. Sure you can make preset decks/armies and have players use those but usually those games even when the rules are simple... there's a vast amount of knowledge you need to perform well... and a great part of the fun is in the customisation
You most certainly can sleeve your cards. And sleeved cards will fit into the spellbooks (binders).
This game looks fun, not exactly noob friendly and not overly complex. Like any game with a good amount of depth you just need to play it a few times. Four way battles are probably the best thing for this game. Gonna have to put this on my list of games to get!
Couldn't agree more, just have 2 things to say. The book is supposed to be 1/2 front and back pages, all cheap card binders are not just in this game. It's ok but I might invest in better ones. And as far as components go I got a horribly cut sheet of tokens, still haven't heard back from them. Don't know if I will, but it wont stop me from playing and loving this game too!
I got this game today and am impressed. One thing I really like about this over magic is that the rules seem so elegant and clean. It's hardly surprising given that Magic has grown quite organically over two decades while this has been designed with the knowledge of those two decades in mind, but still, I'm impressed. I could teach basically all the rules of this to someone in two hours, I'd need two weeks to cover all rules in Magic (and I'd still probably teach a dozen or more errors that only a judge would be able to tell).
It might not replace MTG for me, as I can carry my deck everywhere, but it sure is really frakkin' nice.
Agreed. Also, why I only have my cube now to play which supports upto 8 player draft pools. It's the best way to play MTG. You can even make pauper cubes really cheap.
Cool stuff inc. had this for preorder for 38.00 plus shipping
This game is interesting, although having 4 characters only would limit in playing the game. They already release the expansion but sadly it only gives us more cards; I also like if they add at least 4 more characters as well. In wikipedia, they would add some mages like: druid, illusionist, sorcerer, necromancer, paladin, warlord and forcemaster. It would be nice if it is also a tag battle if they release the new characters that I've mentioned. I'll wait until the new characters are release
i love that he calls the incantations the enchantments LOL....sooo confusing
The pro and con thing about summoner wars is an excellent idea. Since I'm exactly don't know which one I wanna buy.
I'm not getting to Gencon til friday, and I really hope there are copies left, I have been waiting for this game forever now..
"One of the best games ever." I doubt Tom is willing to place it as number one after simply test reviewing it. It's going to take time before people get a better feel for the game.
I've played both. MTG's stack is complex, sure. But it's concepts are similar to mage wars's to an extent. Instants = revealing enchantments, sorceries = incantations, attack spells, enchantment placing. You also haven't played this game, so you're not really in a position to compare them. Having played both, one good way to describe mage wars to a magic player is EDH mixed with a session of dungeons and dragons.
So, did they ever do the head to head comparison of Mage Wars, Dungeon Command, and Summoner Wars?
For a game like this... for my needs... 4 player is a must... so I;m really curious about that... the determining review for me will be the one that covers that.
Awsome review. Can't wait until I get my copy.
Summoner Wars is my favorite game and I am always in the mood to play it. I initially was not going to get this game because I thought it was a true rip-off of Summoner Wars and PHG; hell they even used the same font! I, however, after watching this decided to grab it. Sorry PHG I still love you guys
thanks, great review. made me decide to search for the original edition to get.
I agree, but there is no deck building and drawing. Which is probability game playing in itself. I've made good decks that draw poorly and don't pickup fast enough to win. I thought the dice rolling was fine, because it always gives you a chance to surpass some one's strategy.
Looks incredible. Thanks for this review.
I just got this game, and I can easily tell you that MTG is much more complicated xD All the technicalities, the stack, the comphrensive rules: bleh. I love Magic, but playing it with strangers is not fun... people take it too seriously, and are often cold about it. This game is a lot friendlier and much funnier, and it's amazing! But the keywords take a bit of getting used to.
Got a copy at gencon...already love it!!!!
Really not a fan of using the physical spell book so I doubt I would use it. You would essentially be having to sleeve and resleeve a deck every time you played. The game only comes with two spell books so you would need to switch in decks depending on what you wanted to play. I do agree with Tom that it is more a modified version of Magic than really Summoner Wars.
You could just assume 1s for all attack dice and not have to roll anything. Taking out the D12 is a bit of a different animal, though.
Skip the binder. Sort your deck in front of you with stacks of each type of card being face down.
More complex than MTG? Have you seen the Comprehensive Rules for MTG?
FYI, if anyone is thinking of adding players... just as Vassel guessed the game goes out of control. I played in a 3v3 game the other night for 5 - 51/2 hours and everyone was still alive, though deaths seemed like they may have been coming soon.
Do you guys ever do gameplays? Like just a video of you guys playing a game. Thats would be interesting to watch,
The stack isn't complicated at all. I learned it when I was 7. And it only took three practice games. = /
This game here has a game board that takes your position in relation to your opponent into account. and any barriers that might be in the way. As well as dice and all the monster mechanics and stuff.
I like the part of customizing the deck when i play MtG online. Having the whole deck at your disposal is tempting, though having a lucky draw in MtG can also be a rewarding feeling (and hoping your opponent wouldn't draw that beast spell:)). Btw, when you choose and play two spells you can choose them again in the next turn or are they discarded? Missed that part. Best game ever? Really? Cosmic Encounter must be losing its positions hard this year, as i hear this phrase too often :))
Tom, I am also an avid mtg player. If you like the tactical type combat, try playing a (unofficial) variant called frontier magic.
component drop at 6:31...well, sort of... :D
What would you say the setup time would be?
Unbearable. The spell book makes the set up clunky as hell. And teaching this game sucks because there are too many options at once. This game shines when both players really know what going on. But will you ever get there?
Does the box need to be so big??????
Is this an expansion game?
I played this at the Dice Tower Con and, I don't know, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. The binder mechanic felt clunky and seemed to slow down the game. Also, between markers, cards, binders, and dice, there are just way too many components to keep handy. Add to that the fact that you need another copy to play with more than two people, and this game is just not for me or my group.
the price?
Can't wait!!
Yes there is.
Thx for the review of this game! It's really helped me to made a decision not buying this game. The game cards and the hole thing looking good. But i much prefer playing Magic the gathering because the system. And i can bring my deck anywhere in my pocket.
Oooooooooooooooooo!
I find my self very interested in this game.
There's never component drops in the Miami Dice reviews
My porch looks like that arena...
Mage Wars!!!!
can I say it? Yes I will say it here
😁I just bought this game at a car boot with the expansion for 10£ 🤫
Yes and no.. the general combat dice rolls aren't bad at all, since the combat dice numbers go from 0-2 instead of 1-6, the rolls give results that are fairly consistently close to the average. Anything that has a defense ability though completely negates an attack on, for example an 8+ on the d12... that's really random and does detract from the game, fortunately those abilities aren't overly common.
is this the same ppl that made the wow card game?
That's a lot of card handling for a game that won't let you sleeve your cards.
Penny Gems would be great for this game
No one compared this game with Wiz-war??? Its the same premisse...but i think wiz-war is funnier and have more replayablity
Why not just duel mages in an rpg with a good spell system? You wouldn't need a gamemaster to do that and you would have infinite variety.
No to split hairs, Tom, but a 2-player game is multiplayer :)
Hi Tom, love the review. But as an ex mtg player i like having the luck involved with card drawing. The intense moment and complete satisfaction of drawing the right card when you need it is a huge draw for most players i think. So having all the cards ready available must take away from that. However are the mage wars games still as intense even without the luck of card drawing? summoner wars comes close to that, but I need more deck building to really get back the feeling of mtg without breaking the bank.
Meh... card games are for me in part about mitigating luck. If you take out the luck element that just encourages you to work out a set strategy beforehand and carry it out to the letter. Not my kind of thing I guess.
Please review ZOMBICIDE
Uh... Your comparison to MTG makes sense in theme, but in gameplay? No way. This is a totally different, far more complex game than MTG. = /
But this does look neat. Despite my hatred of dice.
The cards look awesome but I think I'll stick with Summoner Wars.
Take the dice out, and it looks amazing. But considering how heavy the game emphasizes deck building, no drawing, combos and such, why throw the rnd wrench in? I know you guys love rollin', but it just feels out of place in this game :|
In terms of strategy, did you find it super invasive?
Can't play single player?
I know this is 5 months old, but in case you haven't found it yet, there's a fanmade Solo Play Ruleset on BoardGameGeek
two
lol
Been playing magic for years.... I'm done with it.
Magic The Gathering plus those two things minus the : My dad has more money then you so I have only 40$ cards in my deck!
Just play mtg, its far more fun and new cards come out all the time. Also much easier to find a person to play with.
also a couple of hundred to pay every several months,and common.new cards?u mean new drawing on the card?cuz the texts stay the same ,just different mana cost and depending on the mechanics of the time...common..
BrightTvGames I play MTG all the time, and honestly treat it kind of like a board game. I don't play standard tournaments because i don't have the time or money, but I do maintain a few sets for drafting and make a few decks which are purposed for dueling one another. I probably blow thirty to fifty a year on magic but its worth it
MTG is an awful game