Flesh & Blood (card game)

Flesh & Blood is a trading card game published by Legend Story Studios out of Auckland, New Zealand. The first set Welcome to Rathe was released October 2019 with 226 cards.[2]

The creator intended for the game to go against the trend of online CCGs by bringing players back to a table seated across from their opponent.[3] Gameplay is between two players using 60 card decks and no card may have more than three copies. Rounds last 50 minutes and if no winner is declared, 3 extra turns occur to determine a winner or else the match winds in a draw.[4] The game introduces a new "resource system" to the CCG industry.[5] Players pit their Hero against their opponent's Hero, and a player's deck is built around their Hero. Other cards used include Weapons, Equipment and Generic (Multifarious).[6]

The game has been described as a contender with Magic: the Gathering (Magic), where other CCGs have failed[7] and has captured the interest of high profile Magic players.[8] Some players remarked that Flesh & Blood's success is due to Magic not being in a "great place right now" and claim the game has become a cash grab tarnished by greedy practices, a decrease in quality playtesting, "broken cards" ruining multiple playing formats, and increasingly poor cardstock quality.[8] Flesh & Blood has faced some difficulties including limited availability of their initial expansions caused by COVID-19 limitations.[3] It is claimed the game would be much more successful if it weren't for the difficulties of releasing during the Covid era.[8]