SolForge Fusion is a hybrid deck game coming from the minds of Richard Garfield (Magic: The Gathering) And Justin Gary (Ascension: deck building game) via Stone Blade Entertainment. The game will launch nationwide on October 27 and offers players the option to purchase cards and play in person or scan QR codes to build their own decks in Tabletop simulator. One of the goals for SolForge Fusion was to create unique cards that made it impossible to simply search for the best 3 decks in the game and build it (a practice called netdecking). The approach used for this was to use an “algorithmically unique generated card printing process” that makes sure that no two decks are alike. I’m a huge fan of collectible card games so this really piqued my interest and I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to email some of my questions to Gary. You can read his answers below.
Q: One of the areas that interests me most about SolForge Fusion is the idea of fighting netdecking. However, this raises some questions for me. Does this mean that each Forgeborn will essentially be printed in a particular way only once? It looks like the same character will be available with multiple prints, but his skills and decklists will be different on each card. It’s correct?
A: This is correct. Each Forgeborn comes with 3 powers and 30 cards (10 of each level). You will never find a Forgeborn with the exact same combination of cards and powers!
Q: Second, how does this affect balance? I’ve played my fair share of trading card games and I know it would be really hard to go to the store, buy a deck because I think it could be really cool, and then find that the Forgeborn print I received isn’t as good as the Forgeborn itself. that my friend has. What is the process used to help balance decks? Is there a process to balance them?
A: We take balance very seriously. My background is a Magic Pro Tour player and US National Champion, and we have a talented team of people and an algorithm designed to ensure that each deck falls within a certain power band. Our algorithm ensures that each deck has a certain number of synergies (e.g. no deck will appear with a zombie lord and no zombie) and our philosophy is that all cards should be good in the right circumstances, regardless of rarity level.
Q: In other TCGs, players are constantly looking for outgoing and outgoing cards to try to figure out new decks and determine which decks and packs to buy. SolForge tries to change this with an emphasis on combining 2 predefined decks for your 20-card deck. How will players, newcomers and veterans best determine what to buy in the shop? Likewise, how will SolForge be sold (10-card decks, multiple decks, etc.)?
A: SolForge Fusion will be sold in Starter Kit ($ 34.99) and Booster Kit ($ 29.99). Both kits contain 4 decks (1 for each faction), two of which can be combined to create a playable deck. The Starter Kit also includes playmats, minion tokens and tracking tokens. This means that each kit supports up to two ready-to-use players with up to 6 different merged decks possible to build from the four faction decks. Each time you buy another Booster Kit, you exponentially increase the number of decks you can build (e.g. if you only buy 4 kits, you will have 96 possible decks to play with!). Players can search for their favorite cards or search for the perfect combination for their favorite deck. I can’t wait to see how players adapt to this variety and to evaluate decks in the long run.
Q: How many times will fans be able to expect new cards?
A: We plan to release new cards every 4 months (3 times a year) to keep the game fresh and evolving.
Q: As more cards are released, will SolForge adopt a banlist system, a set rotation system, something else or nothing that affects deck building?
A: We have no plans to rotate or ban. However, we have a very innovative system to ensure that powerful decks rise to higher level events and that the tournament scene stays fresh. In addition to player rankings, decks get rankings, which qualify them for higher tier events like our World Championships, but also disqualify them from lower ranked events like in-store leagues. Highest scoring decks can also be immortalized as Platinum foil decks! This means that leveling up your deck can give you exciting rewards, but it also ensures that you can’t just get a great deck and keep beating up new players at your local store. You can find more information about the program here.
Q: SolForge Fusion uses algorithms to create decks and Forgeborns. Do algorithms also create individual creatures and spells? If so, once a card is created, will it always be the same or will the stats and effects also change? If the stats and effects are different, is this a way to customize your deck?
A: Although many of our creatures (and all of our spells currently) are traditionally designed cards, the SolForge Fusion algorithm creates individual creatures, decks, and forgeborns. Whenever a creature is algorithmically created, it represents a combination of an “adjective” and a “name” that are forged together. (EX. A Steadfast Reaper or a Haunting Banshee could also be a Haunting Reaper or a Steadfast Banshee). Those adjectives and nouns have fixed meanings in the game, so the stats and effects of each “Constant Combine” will be the same. This allows players to more easily predict and understand cards even though there are so many possible permutations.
Q: Basically, I think I struggle to understand the commercial side of this trading card game. If the decks are predetermined based on your Forgeborn, is the swap designed to be based on swap decks rather than single cards?
A: It is correct to say that the smallest unit that can be exchanged / collected is the deck. But because you play SolForge Fusion by combining two different faction decks together, there is a lot of additional play and customization that comes with every new deck you get. For example, if you only have 16 decks (4 Booster Kits) you get 96 possible permutations of decks to build.
Q: I got to play a quick game with my wife and it seemed to me that getting only 2 stages of action was very restrictive. Was this done in an attempt to prevent players from making huge combos in one turn?
A: Each turn players have to make interesting strategic choices, typically by playing 2 of the 5 cards at their disposal. Choosing which cards to play not only impacts the current board, but also which future cards will be available to you. Limiting to 2 cards played per turn helps keep the tension high and increases replayability as you won’t have a chance to level all your cards in one game. We also include many card effects that allow players to play additional cards, use creature abilities, and use Forgeborn abilities to provide more options for players looking to get more cards played each round.
Q: The main win condition right now is to reduce your opponent’s health. Are there any planned or pre-printed alternative payout conditions?
A: In Set 1, reducing your opponent’s Health is the only way to win. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on future sets at the moment.
by Tommy Williams
Source: Geek Tyrant
Errol Villanueva is an author and lifestyle journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for exploring the latest trends in fashion, food, travel, and wellness, Errol’s articles are a must-read for anyone interested in living a stylish and fulfilling life.
