Mage Wars

[Matthias Maccabeus]

My Warlock deck only has 3 creatures in it (2 skeletons and whirling spirit). I load up on equipments with the battle forge and throw down all the creature penalizing conjurations (Idol of Pesilence, Deathlok, Mordok's Obelisk, Suppression Orb).

It's done well so far. Though one was ridiculously close.

With the wizard I typically go with ranges units, traps, movement causing incantations (force push, teleport). So far this has been my most effective deck, though the Priestess / Temple deck is nasty.

My favorite is probably the Beastmaster, but he is the one I lose with the most. Though I've recently discovered the Valshalla / level 1 creature combo and haven't lost since I implemented that.

Anyway I'm glad you and your son are enjoying it. I think it's an amazingly awesome game!

[Cyborgs Gaming]

I started carrying this in the store as it looked like this was going to be pretty popular. I didn't want to get into it initially myself because I felt a certain loyalty to Summoner Wars and thought that Mage Wars was stealing the idea from our great leader Colby. I was wrong though and Mage Wars has actually been in development for a very long time. It seems the similarities are strictly coincidental.

After selling my first copy I was completely surprised. I knew the reviews were positive but I never knew just how good the game was. Both he and I read the rule book and watched videos about how to play, after 3 or 4 hours of preparing we finally started with confidence about the rules. It was complicated but very well written and I think we only got 2 rules wrong in that first game with 2 or 3 others that we had to look up. We both had a lot of fun and I stated that if any game can take the spot as my favorite game of all time, it looks like Mage Wars can.

Now that I have played a few games and customized the decks I can say without a doubt that Mage Wars has taken 1st place over Heroscape. I love this game and cannot find a single fault with it. I've now purchased a demo kit and plan to hold an event soon with prize support donated from Arcane Wonders.

On Arcane Wonders themselves, at first I had run into some problems with their company. I think that was because they are new to the business side of it. Those problems have been fixed and they have been listening to my suggestions on how to improve as a business. I would have to say they are an excellent company to work with as well.

It is clear to me that they care a lot about this game. They put a lot of work into playtesting it. They also show a desire to promote and support this game. They are doing what the believe in.

10/10

[Matthias Maccabeus]

I must say the Forcemaster has quickly become my favorite mage. I liked the beastmaster before but had the most fun with the wizard. The forcemaster has surpassed both. I love her you can't hit me approach with all her buffs. Plus her lone wolf style is awesome.

[Cyborgs Gaming]

I'd been following previews about the Forcemaster/warlord expansion and I really liked what I saw. I just recently managed to get it in stock at my store, but have yet to sell a copy. Pretty much anyone that has tried the demo has enjoyed it quite a bit. Definitely this is the top game of 2012. Up until my recent custom built spellbook I've lost far more games than I've won. I put together a Priestess spell book that can be used two different ways. Either hiding in a corner under stone walls summoning angels from the summoning temple that can fly over it or laying out all the temples, depending on which seems better for that particular game. Of the new set I'm slightly more interested in the Warlord build because of the earth spells, also looking at possibly an Earth wizard build if I am able to get my hooves on my own copy of that expansion.

[Killer Lawnmower]

I've been looking at the Forcemaster/Warlord expansion. I really like the look of the Warlord, however I'm not sure I want to get it yet considering I haven't even played two of the starter mages and I'm not sure if this game will stick, mainly because of game length.

[Matthias Maccabeus]

Originally Posted by Killer Lawnmower

I've been looking at the Forcemaster/Warlord expansion. I really like the look of the Warlord, however I'm not sure I want to get it yet considering I haven't even played two of the starter mages and I'm not sure if this game will stick, mainly because of game length.

How long are your games going typically?

[Cyborgs Gaming]

Mage wars is here to stay, it is in the top 100 on Board Game Geek. That is saying a lot. Heroscape hasn't ever been close to that high as far as I know.

[Matthias Maccabeus]

Had a 4 player FFA last night with the Forcemaster, Warlord, Warlock, and Wizard.

Wizard laid down some traps. Forcemaster pushed / pulled everybody into them. Warlock summoned the Gorgon. FM charmed it. Warlord brought in Earth Elemental, Iron Golem (great counter to the FM), and his bodyguard (name escapes me). FM mindcontrolled the bodyguard, threw on her Forcefield bc by now everybody was after her. She threw down a few force repulses and threw several mages through the various walls that had been summoned. She just had to stay one step ahead of the EE and IG because they were slow. Eventually it came down to a non wounded FM and a Warlock at about half health. He cast purge magic on the FM to get rid of her 2nd forcefield and her defense missed so he smacked her for 12. Over 1/3 health in one hit. He had basically every buff out there. However I force hammered him and then hit him with my Galvitar double stirke and Shadowstalker 2 turns in a row and he was finished.

The FM is definitely more my play style. She is almost impossible to hit w/o direct damage like curses, etc. So nullifies, reverse magic, dispel, etc are pretty important especially against the Warlock. The other mages not so much since they usually don't have direct damage spells.

So far I'm not impressed with the Warlord much, but there are some pretty sweet earth spells and war spells. I think I just have to take some time to adjust his spell book. I think the one it came with is just a bit lame for my tastes.

This game is truly a top 10 game of all time. I am so stoked for the future for this game. I think this game just blows away any competition of games of similar styles.

[Killer Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by Matthias Maccabeus

How long are your games going typically?

Probably as long as to be expected since we're still relatively new to it and have to look stuff up to be sure of things. Maybe 2-2.5 hours. It's more that we have busy lives and so fitting in longer-than-an-hour/hour and a half games is a handful. I think this summer it will fare better.

[Cyborgs Gaming]

Now that I finally have a build that I've been consistently winning at. I'm 3-0 with my Priestess build. It is basicly a hide behind walls, summon angels with my alter, and counter whatever my openent does build. The guy I was playing against was using a defensive Beast-master build... I didn't even know such a thing was possible. With both of us playing defensively a normally 45 minute game turned into a 3+ hour game. Ultimately I won primarily because of the summoning power of my alter. I was getting 4 mana on it per round.

[Agent Minivann]

Originally Posted by lafleurhero

Mage wars is here to stay, it is in the top 100 on Board Game Geek. That is saying a lot. Heroscape hasn't ever been close to that high as far as I know.

I believe in its prime it was around the high 30s. I can't remember for sure, and I'm not sure there is a way to even find out, but that's what I recall.

[Matthias Maccabeus]

So far the priestess does seem to be a notch above all the other mages. Though I haven't tried her against the new mages. I hear that the Warlord makes a good counter to the priestess / Temple deck with his seige machines. I haven't played it yet, but that's the rumor.