Lightseekers is the new hotness in the Collectible Card Game (CCG) world, and today I wanted to take a minute to introduce you to the basic aspects of the game and what sets it apart as something you should check out. It is published by Play Fusion games and they started this game as a mixed app/toy game with cards you could scan into the roleplaying game (RPG) app and play outside of the game as well. The focus there can be seen in their successful Kickstarter campaign from 2017. The shift recently seems to be more on the CCG with the release of more cards and a companion CCG app in beta testing currently.
Basically, every player will need to pick a hero and build a deck around that hero with 30 action cards and 5 combos. Combo cards are unique (more on that in a bit) and can only appear once in a deck. Other actions can appear up to 3 copies in the deck. When building a deck for this game, there are some factors to keep in mind as a new player
1-Heroes
Your hero is what your whole deck will be based around. The hero will be of a specific Order (color) or multi-elements from different Orders in which their are 6 total in the game:
elements featured under the picture of the hero will greatly influence how and what you use to build your deck. Each turn you will be allowed two actions, and they are limited to the cards featuring the elements listed on your hero. Characters have basic elements which allow you to play one card from that type once per turn, and a superior element that allows you to play that type unrestricted based on the number of actions you have.
Your hero will have a starting health, trait or ability you can use each turn and superior elements. These three elements are what you will be able to play your action cards from, and team building is essential with this knowledge. Putting together a team is important and the hero is often where you will start to make sure you can best utilize the skills they bring to the table.
2-Action Cards
There are 4 different type of action cards available to you, these include Item, Attack, Defend, Buff.
Item: Items come into play and equip to a hero. They have an Element on them that indicates that hero gains that Element access while they have the item equipped. You may have 2 points work of items in play at any time as well.
Attack and Defend cards: At the top of the card is the Element your hero must have access to so that you can play the card. Below the name of the card is the effect of that card. Below that you will find the type of card it is, whether it is an Attack or Defend card. There is also iconography in the top left of the card, with a sword indicating Attack cards and shield for Defend cards.
Attack cards are used against your opponent, and Defend cards are used for yourself. Neither can be applied for other heroes unless specified in the card. These cards are used and then put into the discard pile, they do not stay in the play area.
Buff cards: Here is where the cards get interesting. Buff cards still have an Element that is required to play them, and they will have an effect as well. The effect is applied to the player who plays the card unless it states otherwise.
Buff cards are identifiable based on the name “Buff” at the bottom of the card and the type of symbol that can be found at the top corners. If the corner is empty, it stays in play indefinitely. If the corner has a circle or a half circle with a flat bottom to it, the effect happens according to the card ability. Cards with circles will rotate forward at the beginning of your next turn. The half circle flat bottom symbols (clunkly edges) will only rotate when a certain effect or condition takes place. Any of the corners with an “X” on them do not have any effect but they count as an edge/turn.
3-Combo Cards
The last part of your deckbuilding will be the inclusion of combo cards. Each deck must have 5 combos in it and they must all be different. Each combo can be a type of action, so you will have combo buffs, combo attacks and combo defense cards. To play a combo, you must first pay for it based on the Elements printed at the top of the card. To pay for it you will return to your deck any other cards that have the matching Elements, one for each on the combo card. These will be shuffled back into the deck. Then at the end of your turn you will draw one card.
Combo cards are powerful and will have long-lasting effects or immediate effects depending on if they are combo buff, attack or defend. These will often be what you design your deck around when it comes to the specific Elements you use in a deck so that you can have them available to you when you need to pay for that particular combo.
So that’s it-that is how you can build your first deck for Lightseekers. The starter decks have some great already-assembled teams you can play and put right to use in the game and I personally have seen these do well as is out of the box at events. Good luck and let us know what you think of this fun new game!
