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[Legends of Runeterra]: Enjoy Early and Evening Engagements in this Excellent Expansion
Sir Fabulous
Malevolent Squid GodRegistered User regular
Malevolent Squid GodRegistered User regular
What is Legends of Runeterra?
Riot Game's newly announced card game, which takes place on Runeterra, the setting of the wildly successful MOBA, League of Legends.
What stage of development is it at?
Currently the game is in closed Beta.
There are 1000 competitive card games on the market. Why should I play this one?
Only you can answer that, of course, but here are a couple reasons you may be interested:
You're a fan of LoL -- The game expands on the world of Runeterra, showing new faces, giving a more in-depth look at old ones, and showcasing interactions you can't get in LoL.
You're tired of buying randomized card packs -- One of the big pushes for the LoR team is getting rid of paid randomized packs. There are still randomized loot chests in the game, however these cannot be purchased. They can only be received by playing the game, completing quests, etc. etc.
Any money you spend on the game will be used to purchase specific cards. That is, you will always know what you're getting when you spend money.
You're looking for well-polished, beautiful artwork -- The polish and art quality of LoR is, in my opinion, extremely high. None of the art is recycled or taken from existing assets. It's all made fresh for LoR. It's not all perfect of course, but Riot clearly has the funds to back this up. On top of the static artwork, cards frequently have beautiful special VFX. Cards also have multiple voice lines and special dialogue interactions with each other. I read somewhere (but cannot confirm), that upwards of 1800 voice-over lines are in the game at present.
You want a card game that plays like a mix of Hearthstone, Magic: the Gathering, and Shadowverse (with its own unique mechanics as well) -- That's a pretty specific desire, but that's pretty much how I think this game plays.
You're interested in a frequently-changing meta: This is speculative, but the developers have stated that their wish is to put out monthly patches to address the meta so that the meta is never too 'solved'. Of course, this may not end up being the case.
Of course, the game is still in beta and nothing is set in stone. The game may be completely different by the time it comes out. Still, why not give it a shot?
Wait, please explain what you mean about it being a mix of Hearthstone, Magic, and Shadowverse?
I won't go into a ton of detail on how the game is played! You can learn that yourself. Here are some very basics though:
How is it similar to Hearthstone?
The mana system is very similar. Cards cost mana to play, with more powerful cards costing more mana. You start turn one with 1 mana. On turn two you get 2 mana.
This continues until you have 10 mana, at which point you start every subsequent turn with 10 mana.
One difference is that you can bank up to 3 unused Mana between turns which can only be used to cast spells (as opposed to playing units).
This means some spells cost over 10 mana, and require you to not spend all your mana every turn in order to play.
How is it similar to Shadowverse?
In the game as-is there are 24 Champion cards. These depict characters that are playable in LoL. They are generally powerful win conditions which you are meant to build your deck around.
Each Champion has two sides: one which you play from your hand, and a Leveled Up side which they switch to when certain conditions are met. Keeping track of how you close you and your opponent's Champions are to Leveling Up is an important strategic element of LoR.
How is it similar to Magic?
Like Magic, each turn consists of input from both players. One side gets priority and can play a card. Once they play a card, their opponent can also play a card. This means each turn consists of input from multiple plays.
There are also three different speeds of Spells: Slow, Fast, and Burst, each with it's own rules on when it can be played and whether an opponent can put another spell on the stack before yours resolves.
Lastly combat is fairly similar to Magic. It consists of 3 phases: Declaring Attackers, Declaring Blockers, and Dealing Damage. Fast and Burst spells can be played in between different phases, meaning 'combat tricks' are a vital component of the game.
Also similarly to magic the Defending player chooses how to assign combat damage. This means that you cannot (normally) directly attack an enemy unit.
How do I build a deck?
There are currently six 'Regions' in the game and every card corresponds to one of these Regions.
A deck can be made up of cards from a single faction OR a combination of any two factions. Generally, the Regions you're playing will be determined by the Champions that you're trying to win with.
The Regions are as follows:
Demacia - A proud nation, Demacia abhors the use of magic. The nation is heavily caste-based, with a noble Elite ruling over a peasant class. They are currently led by King Jarvan IV.
Champions: Garen, Fiora, Lucian, Lux
Playstyle: Demacia has a focus on buffing and protecting its units. Most similar to White in Magic or Paladin in Hearthstone.
Noxus - A country is founded on the principle 'Might Makes Right', Noxus is a harsh meritocracy where the cunning and strong rise to the top by crushing their opposition. Ruled by a Triumvirate of Darius, Swain, and LeBlanc.
Champions: Darius, Draven, Katarina, Vladimir
Playstyle: Aggressive units with high attack and lower health. Some spells damage your own units. Most similar to Hearthstone's Warrior class.
Freljord - The frozen north is home to a variety of disparate tribes. Freljordians value self-sufficiency and tradition. The most powerful tribe in the area is the Averosan tribe, led by Queen Ashe and King Tryndamere.
Champions: Anivia, Ashe, Braum, Tryndamere
Playstyle: Freljordian cards are generally centered around defense. Many cards reduce the attack power of opponents or survive large amounts of damage. They also have a mana-ramping subtheme. Most similar to Druid in Hearthstone.
Ionia: Inspired by East Asian countries, Ionia is an island nation of many provinces. If you're looking for ninjas and samurai you'll find them here. Ionians value balance and live harmoniously with nature. They recently fought a war to avoid annexation by Noxus and it is currently unclear what their political structure looks like.
Champions: Karma, Shen, Yasuo, Zed
Playstyle: Ionian cards focus on shifting card positions around, bouncing them back to hand and generally being tricky to target. Closest I could think of would be an evasion-focused aggressive Blue deck.
Piltover & Zaun: Piltover is the city of progress. It seeks to build, experiment, and ultimately sell new technology. Zaun is Piltover's twin, constructed in a deep chasm underneath the former. Typically more... unsavoury experimentation goes on in Zaun. The two cities are inextricably linked and one wouldn't exist without the other. They are ruled by 8 mercantile clans.
Champions: Ezreal, Heimerdinger, Jinx, Teemo
Playstyle: P&Z have a variety of direct damage and discard effects. Very Red from MtG inspired.
The Shadow Isles: Formerly a paradise called the Blessed Isles, a disaster brought on by human error has twisted this land into a nightmarish land of undead abominations and monsters. Few live here, and those that do don't last long.
Champions: Elise, Hecarim, Kalista, Thresh
Playstyle: The Shadow Isles focus on death. Many cards sacrifice their own units or resurrect the fallen with some direct damage as well. Extremely Black/Warlock flavoured.
A List of Less Intuitive Rules or Facts
1. You may have a maximum of 6 units in play at any given time
2. If you Level Up a Champion, all copies of that Champion still in your deck will also Level Up
3. Multiple instances of Barrier on the same unit are redundant
4. REMEMBER that Quick Attack only works on the offensive!
5. Your Nexus Health cannot go above 20
6. After Round 40, the game ends in a tie
7. Spells take mana from your mana bank before they take mana from your regular reserve
8. It is possible for you to have multiple copies of the same champion on the board at the same time (Through effects such as Warmother's Call)
9. If you would draw a card when your deck is empty, you lose the game
2. If you Level Up a Champion, all copies of that Champion still in your deck will also Level Up
3. Multiple instances of Barrier on the same unit are redundant
4. REMEMBER that Quick Attack only works on the offensive!
5. Your Nexus Health cannot go above 20
6. After Round 40, the game ends in a tie
7. Spells take mana from your mana bank before they take mana from your regular reserve
8. It is possible for you to have multiple copies of the same champion on the board at the same time (Through effects such as Warmother's Call)
9. If you would draw a card when your deck is empty, you lose the game
Help! The priority system is confusing. I don't understand how rounds work.
Yes, it is confusing. You're not alone in thinking that.
Here is a helpful infographic (spoilered for large)
Here is an XP chart so you can calculate when you want to call it quits
Alright I'm ready to play! How can I add you?
There's a button in the top right to add friends. The people below are alright with you adding them!
Penny Arcade Name: Legends of Runeterra Name
Sir Fabulous: Not A Bad Sport
Romantic Undead: Romantic Undead
Let me know if you think there's anything that should be added to this here OP!
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
Sterica on
+1
Posts
Anyone else get in?
Thought I might as well toss up a thread in the meantime. Let me know if you think there's anything that should be added to the OP.
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
They've set a high bar for themselves if every expansion's art has to attain this same level of polish and detail.
I wonder how many sets in advance they're working on right now. They must be if they want to keep it up, but that's got to be insanely risky if the game tanks.
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
Now with Expeditions! (AKA the draft mode, which sounds *super* sweet.)
There's a new FAQ up as well talking more about LoR.
And the new patch's notes.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Ps4 : Gigawatt666
Steam I.D. : Gigawatt666
LoL : GiG4W4TT
Ps4 : Gigawatt666
Steam I.D. : Gigawatt666
LoL : GiG4W4TT
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
My complaint is this is the end of the Ranked season for League and I still haven't made it to Plat.
Steam, various fora: Ivellius
League of Legends: Doctor Ivellius
Twitch, probably another place or two I forget: LPIvellius
This game is good
Karma and Tryndamere in play. Both are leveled up. Cast the spell on Trynd and whoops now we have five copies of him in play. Even if everything gets blocked, the chip damage from Trynd's Overwhelm is rough to try to handle.
EDIT:
https://clips.twitch.tv/TenaciousFitMarjoramTheRinger
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
New interview video with the Lead Developer...
...wait, why does that name sound familiar. *searches on BGG* oooooooh, that's why. They designed that old Penny Arcade deck-builder.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Blizzard "We're gonna make a LoL!"
Riot "Oh yeah?! Well, we're makin' a Horfstone!"
Open beta coming January 24'th!
Ranked mode will be live, with the Beta Season. If you make it to a rank, you earned it and can't drop below that rank.
Friend Challenge and Friends List will also be in the patch. (Insert Arena joke here.)
No resets after open beta starts, so you won't lose your progress.
New expansions will add in new regions to shake up the meta, as well as new cards and champions for existing regions.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Sure, Open Beta starts for real on the 24th, but as I understand it(*), if you took part in earlier betas or registered early enough, you should be able to play a day early! Very excited, I haven't been into a CCG for a while, and this scratches a whole lotta itches, frankly.
(* It may turn out that I do not undertand it very well at all, in which case, I am very sorry for getting everybody's hopes up.)
With friends lists as well!
I'll add a Friends List to the OP. If you want to be added by PA folks then you can post in the thread and I'll add 'em together.
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
League of Legstone?
"Beta Season officially begins January 24, but since you’ve already pre-registered, you’ll be able to play the Legends of Runeterra open beta a day early. Access will be granted starting at 11:00 AM PST on January 23 and roll out over the next few hours.
(If you didn’t play in either of the preview patches, you’ll get another email once your account has been activated—keep an eye out for that.)"
and then no other email...fuckers
edit:looks like they activated my account anyway, jesus this is the longest most boring tutorial in any ccg ever
A friend sent me an excellent infographic though (spoilered for big):
The draft mode is pretty interesting.
It should open for everyone at 11 AM PST, according to the website.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
Woo! We GOTTEM BOYS
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Today is time to make my first junky deck.
The others just cannot deal with the amount of chonky units this thing puts out.
A buffed Braum can run away with the game pretty easily, especially since afaik the only unconditional hard removal is 7 mana in a single color.
I don't mind Slow but I do mind Burst, it just doesn't "sound" faster than fast to me. I'd really prefer Instant, but I can see why they'd want to avoid using that as a keyword given the system already heavily cribs sorcery/instant/split second.
I like the game but I agree with the wonkyness. There are a lot of times when I will do things before I think they have to be done but just to be certain they actually get done. I guess this is entirely around combat. Like if I line up blocks I have to buff before I confirm I think? I don't get to pass, have them do stuff, and then pass back. But they must be able to do stuff in response to my block declarations, so do they get a pass back, and if they opt to not it just goes to combat, but if they do something, then I get to respond to that? Or, if I'm attacking, and they just pass on blocking do we just go straight to face smashing? Or can I see that they didn't block and then buff, because maybe I would like to hold something back to win a trade, but otherwise go for face.
I guess I should just try these out while I'm new and learn through trial and error. I just generate a lot of salt when I lose to something because the rules aren't very clearly laid out.
The game just seems ambiguous in the first place. I guess this one is on me for bringing in prior knowledge, but first attack only works on...attacking. But I wasn't aware, and leaning so heavily into MTG terminology seems like a bad way to do it because my brain mentally short cutted it to "this is first strike." If you named it something without the word "first" followed by a synonym for strike, maybe I would have taken another second to read it. Maybe they could have a popup that goes off the first time you trade a first strike creature that would have won in magic but lost here that says "Remember, first attack only works on ATTACK! Not defense." Or the tutorial tells you certain champs can trigger their level up while but it doesn't really define what seen means, is that in hand, on the battlefield? I think it's on the battlefield.
The game really feels like nobody printed out a bunch of cards, made a paper rule book like you were printing an actual board game, and then had a bunch of people try to play it with those tools. They're just relying on the fact that it's a computer game to take care of the rules and tell me not to worry about it, the computer will make sure you're doing it right. It's very frustrating. It's even just basic shit like the rules for expeditions. I lost one and this thing said "hey lose one more and you're done" but that's not the actual rule. It's lose two in a row. If you win, your loss counter resets. The vault was confusing to me too, I see this bar fill up after games, did I unlock a thing now? Where did it go?
It is a good game but it does a bad job of onboarding you and teaching you the rules, which is obnoxious because the tutorial part is so long and mandatory. Rant over (for now).
Double Attack is the one that shares terminology with Double Strike
I did learn how combat timing works. From a different website. The funny thing is that MOST of how the timing works makes sense, but once I lost to something I felt I shouldn't have, you get reaaaaal once bitten, twice shy. The problem is that the system has a very strict "I go, you go" and the difference is that declaring no blocks is "I go." It's not, like in Magic, a nothing. Declaring blocks doesn't use the stack or a reaction, it just is a step, and then you get responses when blockers are declared. In this game, your reaction is "I have no blockers" and that takes your turn, and even more confusingly, your reaction can be "I have these blockers also I want to cast this fast spell." So if you declare blockers and pass, and the opponent passes, you just fight. If your opponent does something, then you get priority back. But if declaring blockers can be "a go" then it doesn't seem like you should be allowed to take another go simultaneously. And again, this is mostly the baggage I carry from Magic, but a shitton of players will carry over the same stuff.
It also doesn't help that there's very little internal consistency or marking for what happens when. Many abilities are "only on attack" like lifesteal, fearsome, challenger, but then there's tough, elusive, regeneration, or "strike" triggers that can happen anytime. Maybe they could outline the attack only keywords with red or something.
If I'm crazy I'll accept that but I feel like the usability and rules knowledge stuff is a bit of a mess. At least the game is fun otherwise I would have said "why bother?"
I find the core of the game really, really engaging. I like how they've balanced being able to respond to your opponent's plays without bringing the game to a total standstill (imo).
They've already made some changes to how the rules are conveyed (in pre-beta both the player with priority and the player without priority got a token signifying which role they were, now only the player with priority gets a token). I think they'll continue to improve.
I agree there should be some way in-client to learn exactly how the phases of battle go.
Edit: Cleaned the OP a little bit, mostly removing references to the game being in pre-beta
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
I just don't think the rules of the card game should be that hard. You should provide a rules document like you would get in a physical product telling me the rules so if I'm unclear I can become clear. I think my biggest problem is it just seems lazy. Like they didn't have enough playtesting with people who were seeing the game for the first time. People are going to judge your product based on what you put out right now, and they may not come back when it's no longer a beta, whatever difference that makes. You don't have to print the exact rules for a MOBA or shooter, but card games live and die on these tiny mechanical interactions.