The Elder Scrolls: Legends
The Elder Scrolls: Legends Enters Open Beta
The Elder Scrolls: Legends
That’s right.
Our digital card game The Elder Scrolls: Legends is now in open beta, meaning anyone who wants to play it can download it now for free and hop right in. No cost to play, no need to wait on a list. Simply download the Bethesda.net launcher, make yourself an account and you’re good to go.
Since we lifted the NDA for those in the closed beta, we’ve seen so many fans battling it out in streams and discussing the game in our forums, and we’re very excited about the response it has received. Now everyone has a chance to experience the Elder Scrolls universe in an entirely new way. If you haven’t seen much of the game yet and are wondering why you should jump in, here are just a few of the ways Legends distinguishes itself from other card games to offer a more varied and strategic game.
Lanes
The addition of lanes to our game has a lot of implications. You can play around large threats you can’t deal with. Cards you play don’t immediately get attacked by your opponent. You have to weigh your options on spreading your threats across two lanes versus using just one because of cards that impact creatures in a single lane. It adds a lot of diversity and strategic depth. Also, in our Story mode and in PvE matches in Battle and Arena, you see a whole bunch of other lane conditions that change the way you play. It offers a nice change of pace. Using our Support cards in conjunction with lanes means that you can have some important cards that can’t be attacked, which enables additional strategies and play patterns.
Runes and Prophecy
While there’s plenty of room for powerful aggro strategies in our game, the addition of runes adds interaction and drama. Runes give the defender card advantage, and prophecies add drama. On our streams, we’ve seen a few people who would say things like “you missed Lethal.” Many times, that wasn’t necessarily the case. Yes, I had creatures that could deal enough damage to kill my opponent, but when your opponent has a chance at pulling a Prophecy, you sometimes shift away from a singular “go face” mentality. Sure, sometimes it’s going to be the right choice to push for victory, but until you break that last rune, there’s always a chance of a turn-around.
Prophecies also make deck-building interesting. How many is the right amount? I usually like to run 10+ in a control deck but less in an aggro deck, because with my aggro decks, I’m not planning on my opponent hitting me that much. But even then I might include a few that can turn the tables in case I fall behind in the mid-game. Whether I’m running a control deck getting pounded down early or an aggro deck that’s looking for a way to squeeze in some extra damage, pulling a Prophecy from a rune is a really good feeling, because you get to play a card for free on the opponent’s turn. So, again, because of these swings, remember that pointing out “you missed Lethal” isn’t always straightforward.
Attributes and Deck Building
There are 10 different attribute combinations you can build, and playing a mono-color/attribute deck is a viable option, too. Then there are colorless cards you can add into any of those 15 decks. So you’ll see a lot of deck variety as you play with the deck builder and take on other players. And, on top of that, there are multiple different archetypes within those color combinations.
For example, I have an Agility/Willpower deck that’s very aggressive, focuses on the Pilfer mechanic and killing my opponent before he can stabilize the board. Then there’s an Agility/Willpower deck I’ve built that is more controlling and “midrange” that relies on removal, prophecy cards, guards and the like. And then I’ve even started building a variation of that around the Drain mechanic, gaining life and some synergies that can be found around that theme.
So you have a lot of color combos, and then lots of approaches within those colors, which makes for a lot more diversity.
Ranks
This is subtle, but the fact that you can’t drop in rank in Versus Battle based on losses is a pretty big deal. You don’t have to worry about “losing progress” if you want to switch to another type of deck. If you make it to Rank 5, switch to another deck, and lose 20 games in a row, it doesn’t matter. You’ll stay in Rank 5.
Deck size
Our constructed (Battle) mode uses 50-card decks. That means you’ve got more cards to work with, and a greater variety of cards. This really changes how games are played. You’ll see a more diverse lineup with each match, as opposed to seeing the same cards every time.
If this sounds like it might be up your alley, now is a great time to try The Elder Scrolls: Legends for yourself.
For a look at everything revealed at this year’s QuakeCon, head to: QuakeCon 2016 – News & Updates
For more on The Elder Scrolls: Legends, check out these stories:
What Is The Elder Scrolls: Legends?
The Elder Scrolls: Legends - Starter's Guide to Combat
The Elder Scrolls: Legends – A Prophecy Unfolds
The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Exploring the Races
