On Tuesday, November 29, 2016, Japanese developing company Cygames announced a new expansion for its hit collectible card game, Shadowverse. Titled "Rise of Bahamut", this expansion draws inspiration from a previous Cygames mobile card game called Rage of Bahamut. While Shadowverse players knew about the upcoming expansion due to an exclusive interview TechRaptor staff had with Cygames, exact details on the expansion weren't provided at the time. Our coverage of the previous spoilers from December 08 can be found here.
Yesterday, December 09, 2016, Cygames released information on eight new cards on their Shadowverse Twitter account; these cards were originally found on the Dengeki Online website, but the cards shown on Twitter are the first time players get to see the English. It's important to note that the abilities and stats on the cards shown thus far aren't set in stone and are subject to change the closer we get to release on December 29, 2016.
First we have Fangblade Slayer, a Gold rarity, Swordcraft-class, Officer-trait 3/8 follower with an eight play point casting cost that can evolve into a 5/10 follower. Both its unevolved and evolved forms have the Bane (any damage this follower deals to an enemy follower is enough to destroy it, regardless of that followers health) and Rush (follower can immediately attack enemy followers on the turn it was played) abilities. Both of Fangblade Slayer's forms also deal X damage to the enemy leader whenever it attacks an enemy follower, where X is Fangblade Slayer's attack.
Next is the Legendary rarity, Neutral-class Sahaquiel, a 4/4 follower that requires seven play points to cast, and can evolve into a 6/6 follower. When Sahquiel enters the area, its Fanfare ability activates, putting a Neutral-class follower from your hand into play and gives it the Rush ability (the follower can attack enemy followers). Once your turn has ended, that follower returns to your hand.
Dragonic Fervor is a Silver rarity, Dragoncraft-class spell with a cost of five play points which adds an empty play point orb to your total of play points - if you cast this on turn five, for example, when you begin turn six you will have seven play points available to you. This spell also draws you two cards from your deck, and restores three defense to your leader.
The Tribunal of Good and Evil is a Havencraft-class, Gold rarity amulet with a requirement of four play points to cast and a Countdown of three. When it enters the battlefield its Fanfare ability activates, destroying a random enemy follower, and once its Countdown has hit zero its Last Words ability activates, destroying another random enemy follower.
Veight, Vampire Noble, is a Silver rarity, Bloodcraft-class 3/2 follower that can evolve into a 5/4 follower, and has a casting cost of three play points. This follower in both forms has the Ward ability, meaning that enemy followers can only target him until he is destroyed, and also the new Clash ability, which activates whenever it attacks or defends against an enemy follower. For Veight, Vampire Noble, this puts a 1/1 Forest Bat into the area.
The Runecraft-class' new follower is the Silver rarity Clarke, Arcane Scholar, a 2/3 that requires three play points to cast, and can evolve into a 4/5. When Clark, Arcane Scholar enters the area, you Spellboost the followers in your hand two times (Spellboost abilities are triggered by casting spells, which gives them additional effects like costing less play points to cast, or dealing an additional point of damage).
Next, there is the Bronze rarity, Shadowcraft-class Ghosthound Sexton, a 2/2 follower that requires two play points to cast and can evolve into a 4/4 follower. When Ghosthound Sexton enters the area, its Fanfare ability triggers, allowing allied followers to be destroyed instead of being banished if targeted by a banishing spell. This ability carries over into its evolved form as a static ability.
The final Rise of Bahamut spoiler from December 9, 2016 is the Forestcraft-class spell Entangling Vines. This Bronze rarity spells requires one play point to cast, and gives an enemy follower -10/-0 until the end of the turn. Entangling Vines also has the new Enhance ability, which activates when you have the specified number of play points or more; the card will instead cost that many play points to cast, and the ability will activate. For Entangling Vines, its Enhance (5) simply destroys that enemy follower instead.
Shadowverse is currently available free-to-play on Steam, as well as on Google Play and the App Store, with some minor optional microtransactions that can be avoided without any noticeable impact on gameplay experience.
Stay tuned to TechRaptor for more information on Rise of Bahamut and all things Shadowverse.
What are your thoughts on these Rise of Bahamut cards? Do you think they’ll see any constructed play? Let us know in the comment section below.
