Introducing Expanded Format: A New Way To Play Runeslingers.
Runeslingers was designed first and foremast as a competitive player’s game. The intention is for players to explore deckbuilding, and expand their skill by mastering the decision-making paths during play. Each game requires players to solve problems they may never experience again. Those problems are often unique to the circumstances of that particular game or matchup. We’re very proud of the great gameplay experience Runeslingers currently offers, but like many things in life, it can be improved.
Moving forward, we’re introducing changes to not only the rules for deck construction, but also play. These rule changes are the direct result of player feedback and testing of our new set Incursion or Ozara. We absolutely love these changes, and so do our players. We’re sure you will love them too.
Answerable Action Changes
- An answerable action is now created for your opponent when you “play a card”.
Old - Shout: This card can be played normally during your Play Phase or during any Play Phase as an answer (response to) an answerable action. An answerable action is created for you when an opponent slings a runespell.
New - Shout: This card can be played normally during your Play Phase or during any Play Phase as an answer (response to) an answerable action. An answerable action is created for your when an opponent plays a card.
The New Format: Expanded
- Your deck size is now 40 for constructed play (previously 30); a maximum of 3 copies of any non-x card are allowed in a deck (previously 2). A maximum of 1 “x” card is allowed in any deck (no change).
Draft and sealed will continue to use 30-card decks for play. With the introduction of Incursion, starter decks will contain 40 cards.
Introducing Utility Slots
- Each player now has two “utility” slots under their Runeslinger on their field.
Each utility slot acts as a play area on your field where you can play trinkets and chants. Concentration are not set or played on utility slots. When you play a trinket or a chant, you may choose to play that card on an empty utility slot on your field, or on an exposed concentration you control. Utility slots allow you to play defense cards without them taking up your valuable concentration resources during play.
Clarifying Triggered Effect End Points
- Step 1 of the discard phase has been changed:
Old: All runespells in play are discarded (placed into their owner’s discard piles). Effects of all Runeslinger abilities activated this turn end (unless stated otherwise). Unless otherwise stated, when a card leaves play, its effects end.
New: All runespells in play are discarded (placed into their owner’s discard piles). Effects of all Runeslinger abilities and stances activated or triggered this turn end (unless stated otherwise). Unless otherwise stated, when a card leaves play, its effects end. Resolved effects that state “until the end of the next turn” for example, only end when their condition is fully met, even after their source leaves play.
Update To Card Play Steps
5. Card Play Steps; Step 7 (Declare Targets) has changed:
You must choose and announce the valid target(s) of each effect on this card that targets; if even one “target” effect on this card has no valid target in play, this card cannot be played (see Advanced Rules: Targeting on page 18).
These changes to play will ensure that more strategies can effectively be explored and become competitive as well as providing us with some much-needed improvements to design space moving forward. The objective is to ensure that there is not “best deck” or strategy, and that each strategy may be viable in its own way. Currently, defense cards have too high an opportunity cost to play; they hold your concentration hostage while in play, limiting your ability to generate light. The addition of two utility slots solves this problem well.
Check our our updated rulebook by clicking here.