Black Spirits: Combat Cards (2023)

Black Spirits: Combat Cards is a card supplement for board games based on extremely popular dark fantasy action RPG video games. It replaces those board games' dice components to enable tactical combat that forces players to make difficult trade-offs, leaning in on the delicate balance of aggression and preservation in a way that is faithful to the ethos of the video games they are based upon. The set is backwards compatible with all aspects of the board games it's suggested for and truly drop-in; no house rules, no component errata, no additional tweaks necessary. Lean in on the clever strategies that those beloved action RPG games demand. The engine this set includes lets players make careful choices about when to extend their offensive strategy, when to take a conservative approach, and choose which critical moments they're willing to leave in the hands of fate. Use the enemy's offense to your advantage! Among the cards that allow players to customize their approach toward battle, a brand new parry/riposte mechanic that rewards careful planning and positioning is featured. The set also features a collection of cards that are exclusive to player classes, highlighting a unique playstyle for each class. Using a class card in your deck rewards you for drawing on that class's strengths, and colors gameplay in a way that truly sets each class apart. Finally, Black Spirits: Combat Cards includes several difficulty modes to cater to both brand new players, as well as veterans. Each player can separately choose what difficulty to align to, and players within the same party can even choose not to use cards at all if they prefer chucking dice. So all players need to do is create their decks, plan carefully, and steel themselves for death. —description from the designer