Spellweaver has been in development for four years and in closed beta for a few months. But on April 24th, it’s happening: the open beta starts. The developer Dream Reactor LLC has kindly provided beta keys to give us a more detailed insight into the game.
I must admit, the launch was not the best for me. As soon as I created the account, the tutorial started automatically. After that, I got disconnected, and after logging in again, I was in the main menu. Was that it for the introduction? Fortunately not; you can repeat it at any time. After completion, you can choose one of six starter decks. Additional cards can be purchased or earned.
But how does the Spellweaver TCG play? One thing is for sure: It has some similarities to Magic but also brings a lot of new elements.
The Resources: Mana and Level
To use a card, you need two different resources: Level and Mana. The level can be divided into six different aspects: Order, Wisdom, Nature, Corruption, Dominion, and Rage. These also represent the different themes or play styles of the decks. You can assemble your deck from multiple aspects. The six starter decks are each assigned to one theme.
To gain a level, shrines must be played. Each of the six factions has its own shrines. If you want to get these faster, you can put a card back into your deck once per round. You will then see the top four cards of your deck. If any of them are shrines, you can take one into your hand. The remaining three cards are shuffled back into the deck.
These levels are only prerequisites, however. Cards are not paid for with them. This is done with Mana. To get this, shrines are also used. When playing the shrine, you have the choice to either increase the level or gain a mana point and additionally draw a card. You can only play one shrine per round, so you always have to assess what is more important at that moment.
In addition to playing cards, hero abilities can also be used, which also require mana and a specific aspect. Similar to Hearthstone, each hero has different abilities. Some can draw cards, while others can summon minions. Each hero can have up to three abilities but starts with only one. The other two are unlocked with special shrines. Each hero ability has its own cooldown, so they cannot be used permanently.
The Combat System
The combat system has similarities to Magic. There are three resources: in addition to attack and life points, there is also one for speed: Speed. This value is relevant for both attacking and blocking. The lowest value is 0, which is usually achieved through spells, and the affected minion cannot attack at all. The highest value is 5.
To attack another creature, the attacker needs an equal or higher speed. Otherwise, the creature can only attack the opposing hero. The same applies to the defender if he wants to block.
In addition, there is a support line, essentially a back row. Creatures on this line can neither attack nor block. In contrast, they cannot be attacked themselves but can still be targeted by spells. This support line is suitable for creatures with low attack and health points, but with special abilities. Minions can switch between the front line and support line but cannot attack in the same round. Flying creatures have the advantage of being able to attack and block even in the back row while still being protected from attacks.
Once the opponent has declared their attack, the defender must react. He can now choose which creature(s) block which attacks. Additionally, he can play specific spells. If minions are injured after an attack and not destroyed, their life points are restored at the end of the round. Only units that have not attacked themselves can block, by the way.
To keep the games from taking too long, both players have 20 minutes to complete their turns. If that time runs out, you lose. Currently, this can still be exploited. It has already been complained in the forum that there are players who intentionally wait out the remaining time right before their defeat. A solution to this problem is already in progress.
To win the game, there are three different methods:
if the opponent has no life points left,
if the opponent can no longer draw cards or
if you have 40 life points (you start with 20).
This way, all possible deck types are allowed. Especially the last victory condition allows for entirely new decks compared to other games.
Crowdfunding
Until the release of the open beta on April 24, 2015, the game can also be financially supported. There are several tiers, ranging from $10 to $125. All share the fact that they include a closed beta key. Depending on the tier, there are also some additional extras. If you don’t want to spend any money or wait for the open beta, you can also register for the closed beta. Keys are sent out every few days.
There are something similar to stretch goals. When donating, you can choose which feature the money is intended for. Currently, the following features are available for selection:
Guild System: The guilds have their own chat, a ranking and tournament system, allowing them to duel with each other.
Draft Mode: Players open boosters and must assemble the most efficient deck from them.
League System: Instead of the current ranking list, there are different leagues: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Reaching the top of your current league will promote you to the next one.
PvE Boss Battles: Extremely powerful bosses that must be defeated together with other players.
Android Version
Faction System: Players join a faction and can fight for control on the world map in real-time. Different areas can be conquered, providing various bonuses.
In addition, there are secret goals, which are only unlocked once others have been achieved. If the money for a feature is collected by the open beta, it will be developed. The draft mode has already been fully funded. Features that did not receive the necessary funding will still be implemented, but with lower priority.
With the end of the closed beta, there will be a reset of the accounts. It is therefore the perfect time to start the game. Those who have invested money will not have to mourn their loss. They will receive back 1.5 times the amount they purchased after the reset.
The Six Factions
As mentioned at the beginning, there are six different factions, each with a unique play style and backstory. After creating the account, you can choose the starter deck of a faction. Here’s a brief introduction to these six:
Order: This faction specializes in strengthening its own minions and restoring life. Furthermore, it has numerous defensive spells.
Wisdom: Due to an additional resource system, Wisdom plays somewhat more complex. Many of the minions have an energy value. The abilities of the creatures require energy instead of mana. For example, they can protect other minions from attacks or summon new ones. Energy is generated by other creatures or spells.
Nature: A balanced deck with some surprises. It has swift creatures (the counterpart to the charge ability from Hearthstone, played creatures can attack immediately) or the ability to destroy spells or artifacts. Artifacts are cards on the field that are neither minions nor spells and usually require mana to generate additional effects.
Corruption: Encompasses slow but strong creatures. Specializes in life steal, debuffs, and discarding (destroying the opponent’s deck or hand).
Dominion: The focus is on fast mana generation and destroying opposing minions. Dominion relies on spells and can also buff its few creatures with them. However, these buffs often come with drawbacks.
Rage: Rage relies on many fast and cheap creatures. Some direct damage spells are also available. Thus, Rage is suitable for the typical rush deck.
Player Feedback
There is, of course, feedback from the previous closed beta participants in the forums. The developers have responded to it and created an FAQ, summarizing some of the information:
Shortly after the open beta, the crafting system will be released so that unnecessary cards can find a use.
Contrary to the marketing as a trading card game, there is no trading system for players among themselves. However, this could change in the future.
Mac support is in progress and will come after the open beta, in a few months.
A replay feature is possible.
An expansion is already in progress.
By the way, one should not forget their password. Currently, there is no reset function. It is still in progress.
Free to Play or Pay to Win?
Cards can be purchased or earned. A box consisting of 120 cards (12 boosters with 10 cards each) costs 1,000 crystals, the premium currency. That’s about €20.
Additionally, boosters can also be purchased for gold: 1,250 gold for a normal one and 500 for a smaller one.
A win against the AI yields 25 gold, a loss 0 gold
A win in the unranked mode brings 60 gold, a loss 30 gold
A win in the ranked mode brings 80 gold, a loss 20 gold
Up to 21 quests are available daily. You start with fewer and unlock more over the course of the game. However, not all quests can be accepted at the same time. The quests are assigned to each faction, and you can accept one quest per faction each day. Additionally, there is also a neutral quest, meaning you can have a total of 7 daily quests. Here are some examples:
Play 3 unranked or ranked games with a Dominion hero: 350 gold
Play 5 unranked or ranked games: 500 gold
Win 2 games in a row: 1 epic card
Play 3 unranked or ranked games: 2 common cards
Win 3 games in a row with a Wisdom hero: 350 money
Win 2 ranked or unranked games: 3 common cards
Interestingly, the reward for the last quest seems quite low. Please note that all quests that do not require unranked/ranked mode can also be completed through games against the AI. Not every quest necessarily requires you to win.
There is, however, one issue: Currently, the quests cannot be exchanged like in Hearthstone. So, if you cannot win several games in a row, you will eventually have all 21 possible quest slots blocked with that type. The developers are currently considering the possibility of implementing a change of daily quests.
Conclusion
Are these new features enough for Spellweaver to sufficiently distinguish itself from the competition? In my opinion, yes.
The combat system visually resembles Magic, but the gameplay is entirely different. The speed value leads to a completely new tactical component. One or two strong but slow creatures can be a threat. However, if the opponent attacks directly with their fast creatures and you cannot block, this leads to a problem. Since minions with a high speed value are usually weaker than slower ones, you also need to consider how you prioritize when building your deck.
Those who wish to attack must make the same decisions. Should I attack with my fastest creature against the opposing minion or hero? If he has attacked, he cannot block in the opponent’s turn. Thanks to his high speed, he would be well suited for that.
There is only one phase in which the opponent can intervene in your turn: the combat phase. Some may see it as a critique; I find it quite sensible. It is a good compromise between a complex game and a pleasant, fluid gameplay. Compared to Magic’s online spin-off, the Duels of the Planeswalker series, it plays better.
The many other small things, such as the ability to exchange a card for the chance of a shrine or the diverse daily quests, also contribute to a positive player experience.
Of course, there are also some negative aspects. The aforementioned daily quests that cannot currently be exchanged or the unstable servers. The developers are aware of this and are already trying to find solutions. During my test of the game, there were several updates, sometimes more than once a day.
Those who got to know the genre through Hearthstone will have to get used to the complexity of Spellweaver. The same goes for the interruption during the combat phase. As a result, the game doesn’t feel as fast and dynamic compared to Blizzard’s product. However, once you’ve gotten used to it, Spellweaver offers a good alternative or parallel card game to Hearthstone.
Lastly, a teaser for the game:
http://youtu.be/rh7FvoxqARk
If you would like to try the game, be sure to check back with us in the next 1-2 days. We will be giving away some nice beta keys that will allow you to earn booster packs for the open beta.
