Hello everyone out there in gamer land! Dave here again with another weekly round-up of news and previews, this week focusing on Magic: Modern Masters, Terra Mystica and Rick Legacy.
Wizards of the Coast have announced the release of Modern Masters, a 229-card expansion that contains reprints of modern-legal cards from 8th edition through Alara Reborn. The set will not be Standard legal and will be produced in very conservative quantities.
For anybody not too familiar with the different formats of Magic allow me to explain. Standard is a rotating format that allows for all cards in the newest two story-based blocks and the newest core set to be played. Currently that would mean the Innistrad Block, the Return to Ravnica Block and the M13 Core Set. Modern on the other hand is a format that does not rotate. When playing a game or tournament in the Modern format all cards from the M8 Core Set forward are legal.
Over time some of these cards have become exceedingly rare and Wizards has thus been prompted to release this reprint of some of the most popular. Magic’s R&D Director Aaron Forsythe has said that they won’t be repeating the mistakes of the much-maligned Chronicles release from 1995. During that ill-fated release the availability of some cars was increased by a factor of ten. This time Forsythe has said they want to alter availability only “by a matter of degrees”.
The size and structure of the set is similar to any large set release we’ve seen before; 101 commons, 60 uncommons, 53 rares, and 15 mythic rares. Some cards have changed rarities since their original printings either because the set needed some mythics (and a lot of these cards are originally from sets which predate mythics) or to balance the limited environment. There are no basic lands in the set; instead, the fifteenth card in each pack is a foil. That’s right—a foil in every pack!
May will see the release of an English version of the popular 2012 game; Terra Mystica. A strategy game that rewards careful planning and prudent gameplay. Each player governs one of 14 groups. With subtlety and craft, the player must attempt to rule as great an area as possible.
In the land of Terra Mystica dwell 14 different peoples in seven landscapes, and each group is bound to its own home environment, so to develop and grow, they must terra-form neighbouring landscapes into their home environments in competition with the other groups.
Taking turns, the players execute their actions on the resources they have at their disposal. Different buildings allow players to develop different resources. Dwellings allow for more workers. Trading houses allow players to make money. Strongholds unlock a group’s special ability, and temples allow you to develop religion and your terraforming and seafaring skills.
The risks you take in Risk Legacy will change every future game. A decision made in Game 1 could come back to haunt you in Game 10. Players shape how the world evolves: its history, its cities, even its factions and how they fight. Cards and stickers will come into play or go out of play forever. You don’t forget past betrayals – and neither does the game.
At first, the game plays much like regular Risk. Players control countries or regions on a map of the world and through simple combat they try to eliminate all opponents from the game board.
What’s different is that Risk Legacy changes over time based on the outcome of each game and the various choices made by players. In each game, players choose one of five factions and at the start of the game, each of these factions gains the ability to break one minor rule.
When factions are chosen, players must pick one of their two powers, affix that power’s sticker to their faction card, then destroy other rule card. (“If a card is DESTROYED, it is removed from the game permanently. Rip it up. Throw it in the trash!”)
The rule book is also designed to change as the game continues and the game box itself contains different sealed compartments, each with a written condition for opening. They contain the rule additions, faction powers, and a few other surprises.
Unlock new rules and watch events unfold as no two games will EVER be the same! Look out for Risk Legacy in stores on July 16th
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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