I came across Flesh and Blood at the Auckland Card Show. At the Flesh and Blood stand you got taken through a Learn To Play game. After playing you were given a Learn To Play deck. If you answered a couple of easy questions you received a stamp that got you a Blitz deck, all for free.
At that point I thought we had everything we would need to join in and play the game. Clearly I was very wrong. At that stage the whole idea of different formats of the game hadn’t even occurred to me. I understood that the Learn To Play was a stripped back version but I assumed that Blitz was the real game and that’s all there was.
I’ve just been at Armageddon where I played in the Blitz Free Play Armageddon Monday against people who had only played the Learn To Play a short while before. When talk veered off into Living Legend and adult heroes you could see confusion quickly descending.
With 15 formats listed on the FAB website I think it’s fair to say it’s confusing for someone new to the game to know what the game is. In my opinion if a format doesn’t serve a clear purpose it should be scrapped to reduce that confusion.
If you’ve played FAB for even a couple of months you’ll probably have an idea what each of these formats is for but I still think it’s good to have it written down.
Here’s my thoughts on what niche each format covers and if it should live.
Learn To Play
This is how most people who stumble across Flesh and Blood at conventions will get introduced to the game. Also a format that LGSs can use to introduce their community to the game.
Niche - Introducing players to the game
Classic Constructed (CC)
For most players Classic Constructed is Flesh and Blood. It’s the most commonly played format (as far as I can tell) and the main competition format as well.
Niche - Main Competition Format and Most Popularly Played Format
Living Legend (LL)
Living Legend is CC on steroids. This is for experienced players looking to battle at the next level. This is playing the game on Insane Mode.
Surprisingly this isn’t listed under Constructed Formats on the FAB website anymore, it’s been moved to Special Formats.
LSS have apologised for how they have released this format. They have had to announce another Banned and Restricted change in the run-up to Worlds in Philadelphia. They have said there will be a wholesale review of the format after the event. I think it’ll be interesting how LSS use this format going forwards.
Niche - Hardest Format of FAB, only for veteran players
Blitz
Is this a cheap way for people to get into the game? Is this a competitive format to be used in tournaments? Is this a quick fun way to play the game?
It’s not a cheap way into the game as tuned decks include expensive cards. When tuned decks can deliver enough damage in 1 turn to end the game it’s not a fun way to play the game either. Also 1 or 2 turn games aren’t good for competitive play.
The only time I’ve played Blitz was for a Skirmish tournament which shows it’s not embraced by the community.
Niche - It tries to be everything to everyone and fails in being anything to anyone. The only reason it still exists is that people have spent money on decks. LSS can’t totally kill it as it would cause too much negativity. Blitz will be left to die quietly
Ultimate Pit Fight (UPF)
Want to play as a group rather than everyone splitting off into pairs? To do that you need a multi player format and that’s what UPF is. It’s a fun casual way to play the game. FAB is deliberately a competitive game and this is about the only format that’s not designed to generate tournament points.
I’ve yet to play this format but I do know a group that do and they are going to be playing this format for their Christmas party which is a perfect fit with this format.
Niche - Fun group play
Commoner
A format that I hear people talking about but I never hear people playing. Meant to challenge people to be creative as powerful cards aren’t available. However I think it was too restrictive and people missed their fun cards too much.
Niche - Too restrictive on cards that can be played, so it doesn’t get played
Shapeshifter
I didn’t know this format even existed until I went onto the FAB Format webpage to do research for this post. No one even talks about this format never mind plays it.
Niche - Obscure format for extreme FAB nerds, if it’s not already dead
Team Constructed
The only time I’ve heard of this being played was for a Calling in Europe. Trying to get people into teams of 3 who then play separately feels really strange. If they actually fought together somehow against the other 3 then I would get it. It feels a bit forced, like LSS thought they should have a team format rather than a someone coming up with a new fun way to play.
Niche - Occasional tournaments so LSS can say there’s a team format
Team Limited
At least with Team Limited there is some team work in the sharing of cards. So it doesn’t feel quite as forced as Team Constructed.
Niche - Occasional tournaments so LSS can say there’s a team format
Blitz Preconstructed
This is what I played at Armageddon. This is a way of expanding a new players horizons of what you can do in FAB in an uncomplicated way. Whilst it works at the moment as there are nearly 30 precon Blitz decks, the last of these was released over a year ago. LSS is clearly moving away from Blitz decks and I think this will be replaced by Silver age Preconstructed.
Niche - Small “tournaments” for new players straight after Learn To Play to be replaced by Silver Age Preconstructed
Limited Formats
Sealed Deck
This is LSS’s launch format to introduce players to new cards. Only used when there’s a major release which means about 3 times a year.
Niche - Launch Format
Booster Draft
Mainly used in top level tournaments such as Pro-Tour and World Championships alongside a Constructed format. Used to make sure that the tournament isn’t all about deck building with unlimited resources. Also used in some communities as an affordable way to get cards into circulation.
Niche - Top Level Tournament Format
Crack, Shuffle, Play
This is a new format that was first used for the launch of Mastery Pack Guardian. Also used in the Smash Palace multi player product. It makes Smash Palace expensive to play if you use this every round so I think people will move to constructed decks.
EDIT - Thank you to Dexter on Facebook who let me know that Crack, Shuffle, Play was introduced for Bright Lights which was a single hero class release. The way it was publicised for Skirmish 12 and the launch of Mastery Pack Guardian it felt new but clearly I was wrong with that assumption.
Niche - I don’t know if we’ll be seeing this format used by LSS going forwards. I did enjoy it as a new player for the release of Mastery Pack Guardian, it really levelled the playing field. However that release did not go down well, will we see future Mastery Packs?
In summary:
Learn To Play is the introduction to the game
CC is the game
LL, Booster Draft and Team Constructed are Tournament formats
Sealed Deck is used for new releases
UPF is a fun way to play as a group
The rest aren’t really played unless LSS forces them to be played with prizes at Skirmishes or other events
Silver Age (SAGE)
Where does that leave the new Silver Age format? It’s designed as a cheaper entry point to the game than CC for community play. Also it’s designed to be a tournament format but as it’s restricted to Common and Rare cards still affordable.
LSS controls what formats are played at what tournaments and we already have 3 tournaments that will be played this format this year. The tournament side of things is on track.
Will it be a cheaper entry point for new players though? This will depend if the community choose to play the format. Your local Armory is where the game is played week in week out. If these remain almost exclusively CC then that’s how you have to get into the game to play it.
If however LGSs are allowed to run 2 armories a week with different formats or the weekly armory is SAGE once a month or something, then we could see SAGE being an entry point for new players. There’s no talk of LGSs being allowed to run 2 armories and whilst there’s lots of talk of people being interested in playing SAGE, I’m yet to hear of any SAGE armories being planned.
Niche - We can see where SAGE is planned to sit but it’s a ‘wait and see’ if the playing community embrace SAGE
