The Covenant Cast

Tim O'Brien, co-designer of Gudnak, sits down with Zach for a far-reaching discussion that offers a behind-the-scenes look into Chaotic Great's journey as a new indie card game publisher. At the heart of the discussion is the inevitable question for this new round of "LCGs" - what has to change for this format to truly succeed?   Check out the second Gudnak Kickstarter campaign to see potential answers to that question: https://cov.link/gudnak-ks

Woodrow and Josh, the founders of Kingswood Games, are relaunching the AEG classic card game, Warlord, into the modern era. It's an incredible story of two longtime fans bringing back something that they clearly love, with serious echoes of FFG's Android: Netrunner relaunch. Catch our interview to hear the full story. Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kingswoodgames/warlord-saga-of-the-storm

We're back after seven months with one of our favorite creators in the tabletop gaming industry, Andrew Navaro (former Fantasy Flight Games Head of Studio, founder of Earthborne Games), for a deeper look at independent publishing through the lens of someone who has been on both sides of the equation. Recorded in the midst of the second highly successful Earthborne Rangers crowdfunding campaign, Andrew expounds upon the challenges faced since the launch of the game, the influence of distribution on production, and the importance of holding to your vision.

We've been following Alpha Clash since 2022, and have consistently been impressed with the drive and output of the people behind it. Join us for a conversation with Ridge Kiley, founder of Rising Empire Studios and creator of the Alpha Clash TCG, as we learn more about the game, Cirque de Soleil, collegiate wrestling, and the ambitious plans ahead.

A remarkable moment - a random comment on our Nighmare Before Christmas TCG stream turns into a conversation and relationship with its designer, Andrew Parks, who then blows us away with fascinating stories from the early days of tabletop (Z-Man, Ed Beard Jr., Iron Crown Enterprises, NECA, Wizkids, and more). Every conversation brings more context to this industry, how we got here, and where we're going - we hope you'll join us for a listen.

Zach has been taken in by the upcoming Lord of the Rings "Universes Beyond" set of Magic: The Gathering. So much so that he's now learning everything about what to buy, where to buy it, and where to play it. Join us for a conversation about how it has been going, and what things are like for a brand new player - even one quite experienced with TCGs.

Conversations around expandable games and the LGS continue to swirl online, especially amid things like Magic's continued embrace of direct sales, Flesh and Blood's presence (or non-presence) at retail, and Sorcery's "one set a year, play how you want" approach. Join us as we attempt to cut through it all and get down to the basics of how incentives for publishers, distributors, and retailers continue to alter the simple act of getting products to players.

We recently hosted our first big event since COVID shut everything down (technically our biggest to date!). As those of you following for the past few years are certainly aware, we've been fascinated by the competitive v casual paradigm, especially as it relates to local events and our plan for Covenant Tulsa 3.0. We finally got a chance to test a lot of those theories during FuseFest, and in this episode we let you know exactly what we found!

As 2022 wraps up, in many ways it signals the end of the "pandemic" era of thinking, both professionally and personally. Join us for a recap of 2022 in the context of the past few years, and a look ahead to a world that is once again full of possibility.

These two words seem to haunt the tabletop gaming landscape, and after many decades of exposure there still is not broad agreement as to what they mean. Behind these terms is a more accurate understanding of what each of us is looking for in the hobby, knowledge that has the potential to fundamentally improve everything about the gaming space, so join us as we take however much time is needed to get to the bottom of it.

A lesson to publishers, and to every human being who communicates - Ghost Galaxy's "Dis In Formats" article is everything we could have hoped for as concern over new Organized Play formats spread throughout the online community. Even if you've never heard of KeyForge, join us for a breakdown of this illuminating story.

Who better to see KeyForge through its next era than the founder of Fantasy Flight Games - Christian T. Petersen. Join us for a wonderfully candid conversation about GameFound, crowdfunding, retail, organized play, PvE, and the future of the first unique deck game with an undeniable visionary of the tabletop gaming space.

Card games - and so many things in life - aren't always about having it all. As the expectations around "instant" card access and competitive advantage skew the original TCG (and LCG) equation, we look to our recent Sorcery One Box Meta series as proof that a more joyful approach may well be available to all of us.

When the largest TCG marketplace buys one of the largest TCG content and event management entities, it's sure to have an impact on the industry. Join two non-Magic players as they look into the future - and inevitably dig up old questions about the concept of collectibility.

This week, Ghost Galaxy (run by former FFG founder Christian Petersen) announced that their reboot of KeyForge would be kicked off by a GameFound campaign for the first "new" set, Winds of Exchange. The questions this raises, and their potential answers, says as much about the industry as it does about KeyForge - so join us as we try to unpack it all. We'd love to hear your thoughts about this podcast on the #podcast-discussion channel of our Discord - cov.link/discord!

Hot on the heels of SolForge Fusion's release and our subsequent podcast (Ep 194) about the Future of Unique Deck Games, Christian Petersen's Ghost Galaxy Games announces their acquisition of KeyForge and a full release of two PvE scenarios - Keyracken and Abyssal Conspiracy. Does the future look different for either of the unique deck games now that there's more competition in the space? Join us as we entertain that exact question!

Confused or overwhelmed by all the seemingly insane things that players say in this hobby? Join us as we define terms like "aggro", "limited", "bounce", and even TC classics like "bugatti". You'll be up to speed in no time!

For the final episode of the series, Steven and Zach tackle the issue of "free" effects in games with an approach now influenced by all of the previous Power Seven conversations. Notably, can anything really be "free"?

Concepts like "mana screw" and "non-games" have existed in card gaming from the start, stemming from the reality that sometimes you do not draw the resource cards you need to play out your deck. With more recent designs doing away with resource cards entirely, we call up Isaac Vega (Dead of Winter, Ashes, Rose Gauntlet) to ask if this approach to game systems still has value, or if it is simply an outdated mechanic with more downside than upside.

Designers often employ powerful effects that target specific cards or archetypes when a meta becomes unbalanced. But is this ever the right answer? Our dear friend Alex Davy (Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Legion) joins us for an enticing conversation about silver bullets, with clear examples from Star Wars: X-Wing and Lord of the Rings TCG!

Huge board states, compounding static effects, unlimited stacked triggers - some games can get to a point where simply operating the rules is difficult and making meaningful decisions feels impossible. We've brought in Justin Gary (Ascension, SolForge, Magic PT) to unpack the benefits and drawbacks of certain mechanics as they relate to the memory tax, and whether or not modern game design should include them.

How many metagames have been ruined by a deck that just simply says "no" to whatever you want to do? And yet how many of your friends absolutely love playing said decks? Denial mechanics might be the most difficult game design needle to thread. That's why we've brought in Nick Conley (Ashes Reborn) to unpack the ins and outs of denial - and where it can go wrong.

A simple act - replaying a card or two from your discard pile - has been the bane of countless metagames. Does such a seemingly innocent mechanic really cause problems? Should designers stay away from the idea of recursion entirely? Join us as we catch up with the King of Recursion, Lukas Litzsinger (Netrunner, Star Wars: Destiny), now working for Wizards of the Coast and keen to discuss the past, and future, of recursion.

Should cards ever be limited to "1 per deck", especially as a balancing mechanic? Can strong cards exist if they are drawn less often? Can the variance of rare cards be fun for all players? Join us for a phenomenal conversation with MJ Newman (Arkham Horror LCG, Marvel Champions) about the merits of "limit 1" in card games.

Get ready for our most ambitious podcast series to date! Expanding on the principles of our "How to Ruin a Game" series, we've identified seven common design mechanics that are particularly troublesome to game balance, and are interviewing an esteemed designer about each! You'll hear from MJ Newman, Lukas Litzsinger, Justin Gary, Isaac Vega, Nick Conley, and Alex Davy as they each take a Power Seven mechanic and discuss their approach to implementing it (or not) in their own games and games that they have played. It will undoubtedly be an enlightening journey for players and designers alike - as it was for us - so be sure to follow along every week for a new Power Seven episode.

Recorded the evening before FAB 2.0 was officially announced, Legend Story Studios' founder James White shares a number of perspectives that provide context to that announcement, as well as the long-term future of the Flesh and Blood TCG - including set construction, release plans, bans, metagames, Blitz, Living Legend, competitive play, Classic Battles, and lore.

We're testing a new type of episode, where we look back at the past three months "inside" Covenant and share how things are going  - including developments that typically stay behind the scenes.

We dive into the pursuit of card games as sport - with training, rewards, and perfection as the goal - and what publishers and players gain (or lose) by promoting this approach. *Disclaimer - this episode was recorded before the Magic Pro Tour announcement, the lack of which we reference.

Erik Oloffson, known best for his role as a founding member of Grinding Gear Games (Path of Exile), joins us to discuss his newest creation - the Sorcery TCG, now the largest TCG Kickstarter to date (over $1m).

We've asked a lot of questions about various release models over the years, and one common wedge was the trading or collectible card game - especially as the LCG model removed rarity, investment, and trading from the equation. With the TCG boom currently upon us, and games like Star Wars: Destiny and Flesh and Blood getting us back in the saddle, we've dedicated this episode to a fresh discussion about how our views on TCGs have evolved: from childhood to now.

With SolForge Fusion as the next entry into the genre, the unique game model is top of mind yet again. We discuss the pros and cons realized by KeyForge, new developments brought by SolForge Fusion, and how much potential is yet to be discovered.

We're so happy to be able to share this interview with Justin Gary, CEO of Stone Blade Entertainment, about the recently announced and funded "hybrid deck game" - SolForge Fusion. We're adding it to our curated selection of titles, and this kind of conversation with Justin is a big reason for that. Join us as we dig into Justin's vision for SolForge Fusion, how it evolved from the SolForge digital game, and why it's worth playing.

Product life cycles are almost perfectly represented in the rise and fall of the many expandable games we've seen over the past three decades. How an expandable game overcomes the standard "expandable" life cycle is a critical question for any publisher, and we use the Flesh and Blood TCG as a real world example of how Legend Story is attempting to answer the question.

We take wild guesses at what 2022 might bring, both for Covenant (the store build begins!) and the tabletop industry. What will happen with trading card games, living card games, unique deck games, and even in our ignorance, miniatures and board games?

Join us for the last episode of the year, wherein we take a look back at 2021 and trace the big moments through notable podcast episodes. A little too perfect that this year began with "What is the point of collectibility" and ended with " Blockchains and NFTs". It's been a weird one.

We share our research about blockchain technology, explain how these systems work (hopefully), scope the NFT trends in tabletop (as well as more generally), and do our best to remain objective and open in the face of a movement that has historically had difficulty convincing others that it creates real value.

It feels familiar doesn't it? An influx of new TCGs hitting the market after a collectible boom, with significant financial success and often without the previously expected focus on rules, organized play, long-term distribution, and market position. This time, nostalgia for that first TCG boom - and the Big Three (Magic, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh) that arose from it - seems to be a driving factor. Join us as we begin to unearth exactly what is happening in this new era of collectible games.

Getting back into a collectible game - for us, that's the Flesh and Blood TCG - brings you back into the inevitable tension between players and investors. The former is annoyed by rising prices and product scarcity created by hoarded, unplayed products, while the latter is annoyed by players who don't understand how without investors, a game will not be financially sustainable (and will, then, die). Let's try to get to the bottom of it.

Having attended a few big events recently, and having hosted one of our own, we run down the punch list of what needs to happen if you want to host a truly incredible tabletop gaming event.

We've recently launched the capability to fulfill UK orders domestically via Royal Mail - at least on a select number of products. Join us for a conversation about the process, the complications, and the future.

Having recently implemented a small but long-in-the-works change to our subscription system, we were reminded yet again that innovation is often more unseen grind than startling revelation. Join us for a bit of self-reflection that explains exactly what that means.

While we were attending the biggest Flesh and Blood event to date, The Calling in Las Vegas, Fantasy Flight dropped some very significant KeyForge news. Get our full rundown of both, and how those events impact their respective games.

After much deliberation and assessment of the landscape and costs, we've canceled our plans to attend Gen Con this year. But the curiosity only grows stronger - what exactly is Gen Con 2021 going to be like in this environment? And can smaller publishers take advantage?

At the root of some of the hesitancy to jump into a game like Earthborne Rangers or a genre like RPGs (roleplaying games) is a simple question: if you can't win a game, why is it worth playing? And at a certain point, is it even a game? We've seen it pop up a lot lately, so put on your philosophy hats and join us for a deep dive into the point of, well, everything.

Earthborne Rangers has officially launched on Kickstarter, and it is a fascinating change of pace for the platform - certainly when it comes to tabletop games. We hope you'll join us for an equally fascinating (to us, at least!) conversation about vision, systems, and disruption, with Earthborne as the centerpiece.

A beautiful new customizable, cooperative card game launched by the former head of Fantasy Flight Games, Andrew Navaro, is undeniably going to get our attention. Join us for a conversation about Earthborne Rangers, the first from Earthborne Studios, which will hit Kickstarter on July 27. Follow the project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/earthbornegames/earthborne-rangers

In a follow up to the previous episode about "old school" organized play, we reflect on another "old school" concept - traveling significant distances to play tabletop games. Between Gen Con and various Flesh and Blood events, it's a joy to rediscover what we so often took for granted - and what we're fortunate enough to do.

Two almost too coincidental announcements happened recently - Magic announced the end of "Pro Magic", including the Pro Tour, while Flesh and Blood announced its new Organized Play structure, which included pathways to its own Pro Tour and World Championship. It's a fascinating moment, and one that may well be formative for the industry when we're looking back in a decade; so let's dive into it.

We originally asked this question in Episode 32 of the cast, when Six Packs Six Weeks was announced for L5R. Now that Arkham Horror has transitioned from 7 SKUs to 2 SKUs, with Investigator and Campaign Expansions, we're back asking the eternal question - what does Living Card Game even mean?

Recent announcements that major publishers - Asmodee, Paizo, Ultra Pro - will not be attending Gen Con 2021 fulfills an assertion from Episode 136 of the cast: breaking habits like convention attendance gives publishers an opportunity to determine what really impacts their bottom line. If sales are unmoved or improved without convention attendance, the logical move is not to return. The upside? A less commercially-centered Gen Con may well be the best Gen Con to date.

During the ongoing research and planning process for our next local store, we've consistently run into paradoxical perspectives about what a store should be (free tables, well-staffed, well-stocked, plentiful events, warehouse pricing) and what is worth paying for (almost nothing). These kinds of paradoxes run up and down the chain, and have for a long time. Is it time to be more realistic?