The Summoner Wars Master Set, Goodwin's Blade and Hawk's Strike are now in stock and shipping from PlaidHatGames.com. The products are going out to distributors now and will be available in your friendly local game stores on October 12th 2011.

Are you liking the new reinforcement units but don't like the idea of deck building? Well we have provided a new download that offers some ready made decks using the reinforcements. You can download our Deck Build Cards HERE. You can print out the Deck Build Cards and keep them with your Summoner Wars cards as a reference for how to build some of our favorite decks. The cards even include tips about how to play that decks. The following decks are included:


Grognack - Blue Blitz
Grognack - Hit Absorbent
Prince Elien - Beastly Range
Prince Elien - Trickster
Oldin - Ballista Force
Oldin - Repel
Sneeks - Circumvent
Sneeks - Goblin Horde
Sera - Goodwin's Blade
Sera - Wings and Arrows
Ret-Talus - Dark Disguise
Ret-Talus - Mutual Destruction
Vlox - Cover Fire
Vlox - Hawk's Strike
Abua Shi - Stampede
Abua Shi - Target Practice

A lot of people have been asking how they're supposed to use their brand new Reinforcement packs. Many get so attached to the base decks that they don't want to change a thing! But now there's 3 new Champions and 2 new Commons for each of the first four Factions, and new Mercenary units to boot. If you haven't yet, check out the rules for building a custom deck on page 13 of the Summoner Wars Rulebook - it will tell you all that you need to know. In addition, here are some deck ideas from Colby and the Plaid Hat playtest team to get your customizing gears turning.

Blue Blitz
Grognack
Gruggar
Ragnor
Bragg
1x Smasher
8x Fighter
4x Shaman
5x Charger

The idea with this one is to apply constant pressure with Fighters and Chargers, going after your opponent's Summoner. A few Shamans and Ragnor help this out too. Gruggar is your relatively cheap heavy hitter. If your opponent refuses to inflict that first wound on him, use him as a target for your Fighters to Fury off of! And just when your opponent thinks it can't get worse, get Bragg out for additional ranged support and enhanced Freeze events.

Hit Absorbent
Grognack
Krung
Rukar
Malevolence
5x Smashers
3x Fighters
5x Shaman
5x Thwarters

If Blue Blitz is about constant pressure, this one is about calm under pressure. Your Units are tougher than theirs- just wait it out, and then crush them with one or two of your Champions. All three of the Champions in this deck are expensive, so you may have to build one or two of them as Magic to get the other out.

Trickster
Prince Elien
Fire Drake
Rahlee
Kaeseeall
5x Spear Grounders
4x Warriors
4x Archers
4x Fencers
1x Guardian

This deck keeps your opponent guessing. How should they place themselves to avoid Fire Drake or the Spear Grounders? Where did Rahlee come from? What does Blazing Conscription do again? Wait, the Phoenix Elves have a zero-coster now?

Beastly Range
Prince Elien
Laleya
Holleas
Kaeseeall
1 Warrior
1 Guardian
6 Archers
5 Fencers
5 Fire Beasts

While most Phoenix Elf decks are content to hide behind their own walls, this one takes the fight to the enemy with a 1-2 melee punch of Fencers and Fire Beasts. Use the Fire Beasts on the front lines, and the Fencers to clog up wall spaces or occasionally take on other cheap enemy melee Units. Meanwhile, you've got the phoenix elf women in the back keeping the heat up. When Building Magic, aim for 5-6 so you can get any one of the three ladies out.

Circumvent
Sneeks
Reeker
Krag
Scagg
3x Fighters
2x Slingers
1x Berserker
4x Beast Riders
4x Climbers
4x Spear Grounders

You'll have to build some of your Events as Magic with this deck, but you may be surprised at the results. When facing enemy factions that have Magic Drain or Reinforcements, try to end your turn with the same number of Units that they have, and learn to use Sneeks proactively.

Goblin Horde Attack
Sneeks
Mook
Reeker
Krag
8x Fighter
1x Berserker
9x Slinger

This takes the 0-cost theme and multiple attacks to its logical extension. Show them the power of numbers! You may be wondering why there are so many slingers. That's because that when you're trying to get those events up and running, it helps to have some Units that can be newly summoned and still attack without moving so that your front-line Fighters can advance. (If you only have 1 starter set, you can replace 3x Slinger with Beast Riders or Climbers).

Repel
Oldin
Halvor
Grungor
Baldar
7x Defenders
2x Spearmen
1x Engineers
8x Guardsmen

Similar to the Tundra Orc Hit Absorbent deck, this deck is just tough to fight through. Lock them down, and grind it out. Some tough melee Champions will help finish the job.

Ballista Force Seven
Magos
Thorkur
Tordok
8x Defenders
2x Spearmen
1x Engineer
7x Ballistas

7 Cards in hand, and 7 Ballistas in the deck. That's the name of this game. Try to pull of a big Reinforce with two Ballistas. Then destroy their walls. Alternatively, you can engage their units with your own Defenders and then fire upon them from afar with your siege engines. Tordok also has great synergy with both Ballistas and Defenders. Try putting Tordok adjacent to one of your opponent's walls and then put Defenders on his flanks- that ought to slow them down for awhile.

Specialists
Sera Eldwyn
Magos
Archangel
Raechel Loveguard
7x Stalwart Archer
4x Guardian Knights
2x Priests
5x Spear Grounders

How many times have you been playing the Vanguard and wished you had a bigger hand to hold onto everything? That's what Magos is there for. See if you can pull off Summoning Surge on a newly placed Wall to really get the drop on your opponent with Archangel. Summon Raechel if the opportunity presents itself, and use the Spear Grounders and Stalwart Archers to form a tough common backbone.

Bad Brains
Ret Talus
Elut Bal
Malevolence
Magos
7x Skeletal Archer
6x Zombie Warrior
4x Vermin
1x Reaper>

Malevolence's Cursed Blade and Ret Talus' Dark Sacrifice is a match made in Godshome. If you get her and Force Summon early, she can be a force to be reckoned with! Together with Elut Bal and a few pestilent Dugalla, this deck has a little more offensive oomph than your average Fallen Kingdom deck, and the Wisdom to put it to use.

Be sure to share your own deck building ideas here on the community forums.

This Summoner Wars Master Set has everything you need to play including:
6 Complete Faction Decks
1 Premium Board
1 Revised Rulebook
5 Six-Sided Dice
20 Wound Markers
1 Plastic Tray (with space for more Faction Decks)

The 6 Factions included are all completely new and ready to play:
Play as the Shadow Elves and conceal your plans in swirling darkness!
Choose the Benders and confound your foe, turning his own troops against him!
Command the Vargath, mountainous goatfolk who call lightning from the heavens!
Select the nefarious Sand Goblins and delight in malicious trickery!
Muster the Deep Dwarves and control the forces of Geomancy!
Lead the ferocious Swamp Orcs to war and hack upon your foes as they are snared in your vines!

Summoner Wars is proud to have a brand new printing company working on the game. The quality of the components are better than they have ever been before..

Coming June of 2011 is Hawk´s Strike and Goodwin´s Blade. Hawk´s Strike includes more Cloaks, Jungle Elves and Mercenaries. Goodwin´s Blade includes more Fallen Kingdom, Vanguards, and Mercenaries.

Each of these packs will retail for $9.95. They are available for pre-order now at PlaidHatGames.com.

Two new Factions are available for Pre-Order now in the Plaid Hat Games Online Shop. Expected Ship Date: March 2011.


FUELD BY REVENGE

Drums echo ominously through the jungles, and savage beasts roar at the prospect of the feast to come. Shadows flit through the trees as the Jungle Elves prepare for war. An age has passed since last they were seen, but soon all of Itharia will recall that the Phoenix Elves do not stand alone for all of elfkind. Trained lions move through the greenery, the strongest bearing warriors upon their backs. Those who might spy this secret muster will find themselves riddled with arrows, courtesy of elite archers. And there are those who say even the trees themselves have come alive to join the coming battle. At the head of this army is Abua Shi, a powerful Summoner whose Summoning Stone was earned through betrayal and lies. He is driven by a secret shame, one that can only be set right through the act of violent revenge.

And far to the north, another faction arises from the shadows. They are the Cloaks - a nation of the discarded victims of the vile Bender Empire that rules the continent of Far Esta. Forced to live in hiding they have mastered the art of guerilla warfare. They come in the night landing harsh blows against their foes, only to melt back into the darkness from whence they came. Gunners take out sentries with well-aimed shots, and Scrappers waylay unsuspecting soldiers. And only when the fight is over do their enemies realize they have been looted by Thieves. Heading this force is Vlox, former apprentice to old Leonardo, the dead genius who created their black powder weaponry. Vlox is the ultimate jack of all trades, and he intends to use his new Summoning Stone to carve a bloody path through the heart of the Bender Empire.

THE FIRES OF WAR ARE SPREADING

This expansion broadens the scope of the War for Itharia in exciting new ways. Will you lead the Jungle Elves and their army of trained beasts, using your lightning fast movement to outmaneuver your foe? Or will you side with the Cloaks, using trickery and deceit so that each of your opponent´s actions only furthers your own goals?

The Vanguards can be summed up in a word: resilience. For one thousand years they have been battling against Ret-Talus, and emboldened by the righteousness of their cause, they will fight until the bitter end. Even when their backs are completely against the wall, the fight is never over until they say it is.


The Vanguards are led by Sera Eldwyn. Despite her mere sixteen years of age, she is as robust as the likes of Oldin and packs just as much punch. She can also use magic to heal all but the most serious wounds. In the latter stages of a game Sera is capable of sustaining her chosen Champion to outlast all opposition.



To set up the aforementioned combination, the Vanguards-like several factions before them-possess the A Hero is Born Event card which synergizes quite well with Summoning Surge.



Summoning Surge epitomizes the Vanguards´ resilience: finding extra strength and turning it into Magic. Unlike Reinforcements, this Magic can then be spent immediately to summon aid-even in the form of a Champion.


Her own power is not Sera´s only means of healing: another is Divine Strength. As all the Vanguards Commons have two life, there are often plenty of targets for this Event.

Sera can also use Intercession in a desperate moment, taking the wounds of another Unit and absorbing the damage herself.
While risky, making such a move can be the difference in keeping a vital Champion alive and ensuring victory.

The final Event in Sera´s arsenal is Holy Judgment.


Often overlooked, this is an extremely powerful card-particularly if it can be used either in multiples or with multiple Priests.


But the Priest does have other uses. Thanks to his own healing Abilities, a Priest is excellent when coupled with a formation of Stalwart Archers or to support a Guardian Knight who is protecting a vital Champion. It is sometimes beneficial to use a Priest´s healing power on a Champion, even though it costs a point of Magic.


Guardian Knights, while inexpensive, are able to control the flow of combat, forcing an opponent to attack the Knights. In doing so, they allow the Vanguards player to place more important Units, such as Sera Eldwyn herself, into the heat of combat.


A group of Stalwart Archers standing back-to-back represent one of the greatest Common offensive threats the Vanguards possess. The downside is it takes at least two (preferably more) Archers for this offensive power to be seen.

The Archangel is one of two seven-cost Champions at the Vanguards´ disposal. The Archangel´s strength is his mobility.
The Vanguards must be careful to not overextend the Archangel despite his six Life. It is all too easy to move him too far forward, leaving him vulnerable to attack where he can be felled before he receives healing.

The last of the Vanguards Champions is the mighty Kalon Lightbringer. With eight Life, Kalon is difficult to bring down and when coupled with the healing powers of Sera or a Priest, Kalon is capable of surviving for many, many turns. A skilled Vanguards player can capitalize on Kalon´s Ability to Transform when threatened, but also to keep his Life down to a normal, non-threatening level after he unleashes his attack. In this way, Kalon alone can stand against the mightiest of opposition with healing support and other units (such as a Guardian Knight or Wall) protecting his flanks.

Plaid Hat Games is NOW SHIPPING copies of Rukar's Power and Grungor's Charge all across the country directly from PlaidHatGames.com! Click on the "Shop" tab to order yours today!

These are the perfect addition to your Summoner Wars starter set and they introduce deck building to the game.

The Guild Dwarves seem to have a rune (and a plan) for just about everything. Many of their units and events are situational, but can be very effective when played at the right time. Be patient, find an opening and play reactively.

The Guild Dwarves have fought against the Cave Goblin hordes for quite some time so it is only natural that they are accustomed to being outnumbered. For this reason, they're the only faction to have both Magic Drain...


... and Reinforcements.

If they can remain steadfast and bide their time, these two Events give the Guild Dwarves a lot of potential for vengeance. Early on, the Guild Dwarves will want to make extensive use of the Build Magic phase to stay low on Unit count relative to their opponent.

Let's say you don't want to hang back. Maybe you want to just blow stuff up. They do that too! They're excellent at tearing down Walls, thanks to their specialized Events and skilled Engineers .



As you can tell, Engineers aren't necessarily ready for the front lines at all times, and that's where Defenders come in.


These stout warriors are instrumental in protecting your other forces and controlling the battlefield. Try placing them on the diagonal near an opponent's Wall to Engage anything that comes out of two of their summoning locations. Defenders form the backbone of most successful armies.
The Spearman is the least specialized of the Guild Dwarf commons, deadly from afar, but even deadlier up close.
Perhaps the most awe-inspiring Champion that the Guild Dwarves have is the mighty Gror.


His hammer allows him to create a diamond-shaped swath of devastation wherever he goes. Now, he does only roll two dice, which is less than the other two Champions who excel at one-on-one combat. But his ability to hit multiple targets makes him a prime candidate for


Time this combo appropriately, and your opponent's Walls and Units may just come crashing down at once!

If you like to play a patient, controlling game, and then watch your opponent's plans crumble before him along with his smoldering Walls, the Guild Dwarves might just be the faction for you.

1165AL

Dear Dlemertha,

Word has reached my ears of an engineer in your employ by the name of Leonardo de Galna. It is said he was of great assistance to you at the siege of Thiluthu where he constructed an enormous mechanical arm that ...(more)

The latest summoner wars packs, Rukar's Power and Grungor's Charge, will be in stores soon. We have updated our FAQ to coincide with that release. You can download the latest FAQ here.

First Entry
Danen 13th, 1173 AL

While I do possess doubts as to the effectiveness of this endeavor, I shall nonetheless attempt to record the details of my imprisonment. I shall not be able to record regularly as my supply of paper and charcoal are meager ...(more)

The Premium board is ready to go to print. This board comes in two halves that combine to make one 2-player board. The board is mounted on reinforced 2.5mm chipboard. Each half of the board quad-folds, creating a compact foot print for storage and portability. The premium board is only available through PlaidHatGames.com. The board can be pre-ordered HERE

While the board is ready to go, we are delayed in putting it into production until we can build the funds necessary to do so. We are prepared to have the board go into production in 3 months time, it would then ship out to customers from our warehouse in Georgia approximately 2 months after that (September 2010).

So why are we putting up pre-orders for a board that may still be 5 months away? Because we believe that our customers are chomping at the bit to get their hands on this board, and together we can make that happen. We will be keeping track of how many pre-orders have come in at THIS POST in the Summoner Wars community forums. Once we have hit 400 boards pre-ordered we will immediately put the board into print, and it will arrive here in the states, ready to ship out to pre-order customers, 2 months later.

So the more pre-orders we get, the faster we can get this board out to you. Again keep an eye out HERE for how quickly the pre-orders are coming in. Bottom line, the latest the board will be here is September 2010, but we believe with your pre-orders that date will be significantly sooner.

She is only sixteen years of age, yet this maiden wielding the ancient Stone of the Dane strides across the battlefield like a goddess of old. Grown men gladly sell their lives to protect her, the love in their eyes dangerously akin to religious awe. But her eyes are tired and worn for one so young - they are the eyes of innocence lost, the eyes of one who must stare into pits of undying malice. She is Sera Eldwyn: prodigy, general, Grandmaster of the Vanguards... And now the youngest summoner in Itharia´s history must turn the tide against its most ancient and terrible of foes. He is Ret-Talus, the Rotten King, a decayed thing over two thousand years old, and one of the most intelligent creatures ever to exist. The day will come when these two summoners must face each other, and one shall be the other´s undoing.

This expansion introduces two exciting new factions to the game. Will you take up arms as the righteous humans of the Vanguards, using protection and healing magic to stand firm upon the battlefield in defense of the downtrodden? Or will you lead the undead hordes of the Fallen Kingdom, making any fiendish sacrifice necessary, as you wield the dark necrotic arts in pursuit of the subjugation of the world?

These two new Faction Decks for Summoner Wars: The Fallen Kingdom and The Vanguards, will become available in June of 2010. You can Pre-Order now, and be the among the first to recieve these new Factions.

Each of these Faction Decks includes everything needed to play a completely new Summoner Wars Faction. Summoner Wars Faction Decks are not a stand alone games. They are intended for use with a Summoner Wars Starter Set.

---

Tundra Orcs ~ Susie Starlight
Phoenix Elves ~ Quasimedoc (Mike Barkes)


Preamble

It was just after dawn when Grognack, Summoner of the Tundra Orcs, Lord of the Illimitable Wastes and Custodian of the Sacred Tartan, awoke from his slumbers and hauled himself from his lice-infested pallet. A firkin of ´Old Loincloth´ ale stood by his bed and the Orc refreshed himself by hoisting the cask to his tusked lips and drinking a couple of gallons at a single quaff. Somewhat unsteadied by this toxic breakfast (for ´Old Loincloth´ is not to be sniffed at) Grognack groped his way out of his campaign tent and greeted the awakening day. It felt good to be alive. Here was the morning of his thirty-seventh birthday. There was a battle to be fought and, Dauch willing, a victory to be won. Out of the early morning mist, a cringing servant approached.

"My lord, an ambassador from the court of the elves seeks present audience." Blearily, Grognack gestured with his skull-topped staff to indicate that the herald might advance.

"Your Greatness," shrilled the elf, "My most sovereign liege, Prince Elien, lord of just about everything, presents his compliments and seeks to know whether the Orcs of the Tundra wish the honour of engaging first?"

Elves always talked in this archaic, mincing fashion, and Grognack, like all his fellow Orcs, despised them for it. He visited an enormous beery belch upon the herald before replying, "Tell your master to make his dispositions, we will be ready for him."


[## Susie wins First Move Determination and elects to go second]


"With your permission, your Foulness," said the messenger, presenting an ornate, sandalwood box, "I have been charged with one further duty. The noble Prince Elien, being aware that today is your birthday, sends you this gift. He asks that your lordship accept it, both as a mark of respect from one captain of armies to another, and also as a measure of the personal regard in which he holds you."

Grognack opened the box and stared in anger and disbelief at the pale-coloured lozenges within.

The messenger stepped back a pace or two in alarm as a dangerous light flared in the Orc Summoner´s eyes.

"DOG BISCUITS!" howled Grognack, flinging the gift box onto the ground. "By the crimson scrotum of Dauch! The chief catamite of the Phoenix vermin dares to send me DOG BISCUITS!"

He thrust his head forward, his enormous gleaming tusks only inches away from the face of the cowering herald. "You go back and tell your master that the majesty of the Tundra Throne will not be mocked in this fashion. You tell him that I will return his gift to him this day: I will return it in steel and ice and red slaughter!"


[## Turn 1: Highlights]


Safe behind one of his Elf Walls, Prince Elien sat comfortably on a camp stool (what else?) while a servant put the finishing touches to his eye make-up. So far, the battle seemed to be going well for the elves. Arrivals for this turn had included both Kaeseall and the Fire Drake and the prince had decided to bank his Magic Points for a couple of turns so he could summon the latter of these two, the most formidable of his champions, to the field of combat.

At this moment a terrified-looking attendant dashed around the wall. "Sire, a mob of orc butchers is close behind me! They seek your life!" The prince twitched an elegant nostril.

"Yes," he said, calmly, "I believe I can smell the fellows on the wind."

"Where are your bodyguards, my lord?"

"I have no need of guards," said Elien, rising languidly to his feet. "Let me show you how a Summoner of the House of the Phoenix deals with assassins."

[## So saying, the prince stepped nimbly around the wall and hosed the approaching Smasher regiment with fire. Unfortunately, Mike had miscalculated: Although the Smashers had already suffered thanks to an earlier ´Burn´ event, they still retained just enough stamina to charge into Prince Elien and inflict two wounds upon him. The effect of this damage was to force the elf leader to reconsider his position and he was to spend most of the rest of the battle cringing behind his various defence works.

On Elvish (Drunk again, Mr Presley?) Turn 5, Mike summoned the Fire Drake to the field: A sight which made even the stoutest Tundra Orc quail. However, no sooner had the monster advanced than Susie was able to hit it with a timely ´Freeze´ event and then surround it with common units. Mike responded by spending two of his precious Magic Points to remove the Freeze marker, but Susie was soon able to hit the Elf Champion with a second ´Freeze´. So, instead of reaping units to left and right, the Fire Drake found itself blinking on and off like a motel bed-lamp. Eventually, Susie summoned the drunken Blagog, who reeled his way onto the battlefield to confront the Fire Drake. Dauch ~ the god of all things inebriated ~ must have smiled down on him that day for, when the orc swung his two great warhammers, Mike rolled a magnificent 4,5,1,4,6 and the four hits took what remained of the Fire Drake´s life points.

Those of you who have played Summoner Wars will know that one of its greatest joys is the fact that, in most sessions, predicting a winner is well nigh impossible until the end. Colby´s game design creates a fascinating ebb and flow of ascendancy, and this is what happened in the above battle, with first the Elves, and then the Orcs, seeming to gain the upper hand. Common Units were summoned, fought and died: Champion Units were summoned, fought and died, often slugging it out, toe-to-toe with each other, until eventually, by the sixteenth turn, hardly any units remained standing.

Both Mike and Susie now found themselves with no Draw Cards or Magic Points remaining. For the Orcs, Grognack was still there, but his army was completely destroyed. All that Susie had left ´off table´ was a single unsummoned Smasher Unit as the last card left in her Hand. The Phoenix Army had fared slightly better than the Orcs, in that, as well as Elien, two fresh elf units ~ a Warrior and an Archer still bestrode the field. However, Mike had no cards left whatever.

Now it was that Mike decided to move in for the kill. Prince Elien advanced out from behind cover, and the two Elf Units moved decisively towards Orcish ´back line´, towards the square which Grognack had occupied since Turn 1. Mike recognised that it was going to be a close-run thing: Grognack ~ with 5 of his original 7 lives still intact ~ was going to be a tough proposition, but the Elf Player reckoned he could weaken the Orc with his two ranged units before sending in his Warrior Regiment to administer the coup de grace. To the Elves, Susie appeared to have given up, as she did nothing with Grognack as the enemy advanced. But crafty Susie had remembered what Mike had forgotten, Grognack´s special ability. Because the Orc Summoner had neither moved nor attacked since the start of the game, Mike had clearly been lulled into a false sense of security. Not only that, but Susie had used her generous Wall/Ice Wall provision to create a defensive labyrinth, protecting her Summoner. As his units closed to bow range, Mike could not understand why Grognack was not coming out to meet his foes. This would be too easy! Suddenly, however, Susie sprung her trap.

"Grognack attacks both Elf Commons using his special ability."

Mike gulped as he finally realised the danger, both his Warrior and Archer were adjacent to walls!

A rattle of the die and there it was on the table ~ a ´5´.

"Both units take 1 wound: Both units die. Let´s see you Blaze Step your way out of that one!" chortled Susie.

I would like to report that Prince Elien answered this setback by making a magnificent, suicidal, Valkyrie-like death charge against his opposite number, but he didn´t. Instead, he ran back to his silly wall and cowered there. On the next turn, Susie used her two newly-won Magic Points to summon her Smasher regiment to the battlefield and soon it was all over: A magnificent victory for the Tundra Orcs and the most excellent of birthday presents for Summoner Grognack]


Grognack stood amidst the carnage and howled a prayer of thanks to Dauch, the Maker. He looked at the ruin of what had once been the Elvish camp: the place where his blood-crazed troops had hacked and trampled the elf prince´s scarlet and yellow pavilions into the mud. He called out as a blood spattered Smasher captain wandered past him.

"You there, did you find any spoils of war, any elf treasure?"

"Nothing, your Repulsiveness, nothing beyond a score or so of animal cages."

"Animal cages?" said Grognack

"Puppies, my lord," said the soldier, "Lots of sweet little puppies. We fed and watered them and then set them free."

"Good work," said the Summoner, a tear moistening his great yellow eye.

"Elvish beasts," he said, "One hears such stories about what use they make of those innocent little creatures."

"It´s best not to think about it, my liege," said the soldier.

"Quite right! Quite right!" said Grognack, "Well, at least they´re free now."

"There was one other thing, my lord,"

"Oh, yes?"

"We also found a few Guild Dwarf prisoners: Must have been left over from that set- to last week between the dwarves and the elves."

"Dwarves, eh?" said the Orc Leader, licking his huge lips. "Butcher them and cook ´em up: We´ll have them casseroled for my birthday supper!"

The history of the unique oddity known as Heap began when Dane Lightbringer, general of the long-lost nation of Waells discovered a summoning stone in the Vale of Brennan. ...(more)

The Tundra Orcs are not for the faint of heart. One way of looking at them is as the gambling faction: they rely on luck, and like any good gambler a player has to know how to stack the odds in his favor. But another way to view the Tundra Orcs is as the all-or-nothing-knockout-blow-to-the-head faction. The orcs revere strength and brutality above most other virtues, their frigid climate having created one of the hardiest and most ruthless races in Itharia.

These qualities are epitomized in the Tundra Orc Summoner Grognack, who rose to power by being able to ignore pain and rip his foes asunder with his bare hands.



He is currently tied for the highest Life Points of any Summoner, and has the highest Attack Value as well. Once you add in the option of having a fifty percent chance of hitting all foes adjacent to his Walls, he is a powerful force in his own right.

Walls of Ice Shard would be tough for most factions to get a lot of use out of since most decks only have three Wall Cards in them, but Grognack can make more Walls out of ice!



Besides serving as protective barriers and Ice Shard launchers, recall that Walls also serve as additional summoning points. Having more Walls in your deck means that you can often lash out at your opponent´s Summoner from unexpected locations.

What´s that you say? Summoning happens before Events such as Walls? Well, that´s where the Reinforcements Card comes in.



The Reinforcements Event Card allows you to summon two Common Units from your hand at no cost. When played immediately after a Wall Card, you can summon any of the following troops to surprise your opponent´s Summoner.



First there is the Shaman, the only ranged attacker in the Tundra Orc starter deck. Some players distrust the Shaman´s Unwieldly Magic, but they are great for destroying two-life Common Units, or putting the hurt on your opponent´s Champions or Summoner. Two hits will quickly wipe that haughty smirk off of Prince Elien´s face. Shamans also prove that the best faction to oppose the Tundra Orcs is... more Tundra Orcs. Shamans easily reduce Smashers to smoking piles of ash.

There is also the Fighter, whose Fury and chance for repeated attacks is matched only by the Champion Ragnor.



Designer Tip: it is sometimes worth sending your Fighters after unworthy targets in an attempt to Fury-launch them towards your opponent´s Summoner.

The best use for the Reinforcements Event Card is perhaps the mighty Smasher, whose combination of four Life Points and Attack Value two is unparalleled among Common Units.



Sure, the Smasher always takes the maximum damage when attacked, but the only characters currently capable of killing them in one hit are Grognack, and the Tundra Orc´s very own Blagog. A Smasher or two can be essential to mounting a good offensive front, and can be especially trying for factions with low damage output.



Another way to keep the heat off your Tundra Orcs is the judicious use of the Freeze Event Card.



It is tempting to place this card on the most dangerous card in your opponent´s arsenal, like a powerful Champion, or to place it on a Guild Dwarf unit with a passive ability that you would like to ignore. However, your opponent will almost undoubtedly pay the cost to remove Freeze right away. Another tactic is the common cold. Pick off some wayward Common Unit that is standing adjacent to one of your opponent´s walls. By Freezing that guy, you slow down their ability to summon more troops, and give yourself yet another roadblock to hide behind as you advance your predominantly melee forces. Will your opponent really want to waste two Magic Points to defrost their one or zero-cost Common? Will they waste an attack on it to gain Magic Points back? Either way, it´s a win for you. And of course Freeze is also useful against those Summoners who habitually run away. Freeze can prevent Sneeks from using his Sly ability to flee, and if you can manage to save several Freeze Event Cards in your hand, you can drop a pile of icy hurt on a Summoner that will make your opponent´s jaw drop.

Now, get out there and smash some cocky elves!

Battleplan for Summoner Wars is a third-party browser-based card reference database and deck builder. The fine people at Mythacle put this cool gaming tool together. Check it out!

The first version of the Summoner Wars FAQ has been published and is now available for download in our downloads section.

Have you ever played a game you so strategically planned you knew somewhere deep in your heart it would be impossible to thwart? A silent, but exciting thought probably hit you as the plan unfolded in your mind:

"Holy crap! I´ve totally got this. If I can only roll what I need to..."

Ten minutes later, there you were curled up in a ball, sobbing in a corner as your opponent stood on the table laughing an evil and victorious laugh. How could it have happened? You had it all planned out! That game was yours! Then the god of six-sided dice looked down on you and said, "I hate you (insert name here)!"

Now imagine playing a game where the dice god has little or no say... Where the plan unfolds exactly as you intended... Where all your game playing dreams come true...Say hello to the Phoenix Elves!

The Phoenix Elves are a determined and bitter race. Differing from others of their kind, these volcano-dwelling beings will stop at nothing to restore all they think they have lost. Though their ancestral home is now gone, their passion and desire for vengeance burns like the magma core of Itharia. The ancient Phoenix Elves have mastered the element of fire and perfected their skills with the blade, striking flawlessly at those whose purpose opposes their own. A warm breath of air now rolls over the snowy wastes as the elves, newly armed with a Summoning Stone, descend upon their most hated of rivals, the Tundra Orcs - or as the xenophobic elves often call them, the blueskins.

The Phoenix Elf faction has a deck that emphasizes a well thought out strategy followed by perfect execution. Why perfect? Unlike any other faction, the elves have the advantage of direct damage. No rolls. Just hits. One example of this awesome concept lies with the Guardian:



Of course even if the other units are not gifted with Precision like the Guardian, many of their Event Cards make up for it.



Whether you are an offensive or defensive player, the elves are good at both. However, there is something truly exhilarating about charging your opponent. Summon Phoenix Elf Warriors to immediately charge in and attack units, then Blaze back to the safety of a Wall before your opponent can retaliate!



...or maybe you want to hold back and let your opponent come to you for a change? Use Archers to pick at your opponent from afar, while in the process, staying out of the fray of battle.



One of the greatest of the Phoenix Elf Champions is the ancient and strong Fire Drake. It would be a terrible thing for any foe to be fooled by this creature´s calm and often resolute posture. The Fire Drake is deadly both close and at a distance. Just when your opponent thinks he can hide behind a wall, be sure to remind him that the Drake´s Breath of Flame is an attack that absorbs everything within its reach.



Designer Tip: The Elves´ greatest weakness is the Prince´s low Life Points. Though his powerful Fire Blast and high Attack Value are tempting weapons for approaching foes, be wary of how open you leave Prince Elien on the field. He can easily die in a single turn! Keep an eye out for instances when Prince Elien has a Wall you control in the space that is either to the upper left or upper right of his position, and Prince Elien has clear line of sight to an enemy unit ahead. Attack the unit ahead with Prince Elien and at the end of your turn, immediately place a Phoenix Elf Warrior in front of him to block off possible counterattacks.



When playing with the Phoenix Elves never forget that your greatest advantage is in setting the terms of battle. Do not be drawn into conflicts where your units can be ganged up on or suffer multiple attacks, especially against factions with Common Units that possess more than 1 Life Point. If you take care to control the flow of battle, your Phoenix Elves can emerge victorious - whether the god of six-sided dice wants them to or not!

LADIES AND GENTS! Plaid Hat Games is NOW SHIPPING copies of Summoner Wars all across the country directly from PlaidHatGames.com! Click on the "Shop" tab to order yours today! And don´t forget, when you order directly from PlaidHatGames.com, you will receive one free Khan Queso (Mercenary Champion) promo card with each Starter Set ordered!

Check out what people who have already received their copy are saying about this game:

"The quality of the game components are top notch. Sturdy boxes, nice art, clean design, and good quality cards all support a great game."
- Pete Miller (AKA - Doc Savage)

"I purchased one of each Starter Set on Preorder. Now that I´ve played the final product, I´m going to have to order more. My brother loved it so much, I wrapped the other set up for a Christmas present for him. I´m going to have to order a few more copies for other friends. This game is addictive and very strategic both with hand management, but also placement and movement across the board."
- Chris Dupuis (AKA - gameguruchris)

"The game immediately feels comfortable to new players, because the core rules are very streamlined and easy to understand...I´ve introduced the game to several people now, and I´ve heard that magical phrase ´let´s try that again´ almost every time."
- Chris Schenek (AKA - cbs42)

"Each time you play makes you want to play again, trying another strategy... I see this game having a long life and am excited to see where it goes!"
- Cory Gerleman (AKA - darthTurambar)

So, you´ve gotten your copy of one of the Summoner Wars Starter Sets. Or maybe you got one of each. You´ve punched out your markers, unfolded your playing mat. You´ve riffled through your cards, taking in the amazing art and abilities.

You´ve played your first game (and maybe second and third and more), but, as with all good things, the end has come. It is time to pack it all away. You refold your mat, being careful to follow the original creases. You return the markers and dice and rule book to the box. You go to put your cards away... You don´t want them loose in the box, but you don´t really want to risk damaging them with a rubber band either. What do you do? Well, you download these tuck boxes, print them out on card stock using your color printer. You put them together and you store those gorgeous cards safely and snuggly.

An epic battle was waged last night between my heroic Tundra Orcs and the evil Phoenix Elves.

Those nasty puppy-killing Elves went first. My opponent thrust forward in an obvious sign of unprovoked aggression. Since he appeared to be committing to a fast offensive front, I utilized one of the unique Events available to my Orcs -- Ice Walls. On my first turn, I deployed two ice walls, and pulled my front line troops back a bit.



This may seem like a cowardly maneuver, but I had a plan. I hoped that he would continue to press into my territory, since my Summoner was able to turn my walls into a whirling cuisinart of icy death.



Wary of my withdrawal, my opponent held his ground instead of advancing, and in the next couple of rounds began to draw me out of my defensive position by focusing archers on my ice walls.



Well I couldn't just sit back and let my walls die, so I had been massing forces for a charge into the heart of the wicked Elven empire. When the assault began, my opponent had the advantage with his longer range. But I had numbers. My forces swarmed forward, ready to dine on Elf-burgers after the battle. The body count was high in the ensuing rounds, with more of my forces falling than his. I cringed, knowing that every noble Orc corpse provided him the magic to bring forth more Elven filth.

By this point, I'd deployed a couple more walls, nearly cutting the battlefield in half. The only clear path through my line of walls was in the center, where my Orcs continued to spray a jet of vengeance.

My opponent had been keeping pace but slowly losing ground by not bringing out as many troops as he could, which worried me. What was he planning with that stockpile of magic? For my part, I'd committed to a swarm offense, and I still felt it was better to press forward with this strategy. My only alternative was to stem the flow of my forces in order to build up the magic needed for a larger unit. But my enemy had the advantage of a significantly higher supply of magic at this point, so I felt this was a losing alternative. Onward then, with the swarm.

Then it happened. A brief veil of silence fell across the battlefield as magical forces swirled and siphoned into the hands of the Elven Summoner, Prince Elien. A brief moment later, the landscape of the battlefield had changed -- Maelena had arrived.



My forces were rattled, but knowing that something big was coming, I'd prepared a nasty surprise for my enemy. With a confident flair, I encased her in an icy prison.



This took my enemy by surprise, but he was able to muster enough magic to cast aside the freeze, and marched Maelena forward to smite another of my Orcs. I wasn't done yet. I had another Freeze that I dumped upon her, swarming my units around her to deal some hefty damage. Again though, she was able to escape the icy tomb, and sallied forth into my territory, casting aside my troops like ragdolls. The enemy Summoner, Prince Elien followed in her wake.

Maelena was able to corner my Summoner, dealing a crushing blow to him in the process. Things looked bad for me. To make matters worse, my draw deck was exhausted. If I was to be victorious, it would have to be with the remaining troops I had. Thankfully, a few moments later, Maelena was eliminated by a counterstrike from Grognack, but not before she had done extensive damage to Orcish forces.

My summoner, Grognack, had 3 life points remaining.

Prince Elien advanced upon him and performed a Fire Blast, to bring him down to a single point.



An Elven Warrior next to my Summoner attempted to land the killing blow, but failed. This gave me one last shot...

Fortunately, in order to cast his Fire Blast, Prince Elien had foolishly advanced within striking distance of my Summoner, the noble Grognack.



Grognack lunged forward, with the fury of a thousand Orcs. Four dice were rolled, and four hits were achieved. As Grognack's weapon came crushing down upon the head of vile Prince Elien, all enemy forces dissolved...

... the battle had ended. Grognack drew his remaining energy to stand above the body of the evil Prince, and spit upon his corpse. Many had died that day, but Grognack knew his brave soldiers did not die in vain. The world was safe for now ... especially for the puppies.

The ancient summoning stones have been uncovered, and now great power falls into the hands of a chosen few. These titans of the magical arts, these Summoners, will soon clash on the field of battle in a flurry of arcane wizardry and clanging steel. They call upon the strength of their faction, their race, and their creed, as they summon forth the warriors and the champions of their people to wage a war so great that the very foundations of Itharia will shudder in its wake.

Summoner Wars brings all of the action and strategy of a miniatures game into an affordable card game format. In Summoner Wars players will take on the role of a powerful Summoner, and each will summon forth elite warriors to the battlefield and weave magical spells as the battle against their opponent swells.

Now available for pre-order in the Plaid Hat Games Shop are two Starter Sets for Summoner Wars: Phoenix Elves vs. Tundra Orcs, and Guild Dwarves vs. Cave Goblins. Each of these Starter Sets includes everything needed to play a 2-player game of Summoner Wars.

Summoner Wars is an expandable, non-blind purchase card game. It will be expanded with new common and champion units for customizing your favorite faction, and will also be expanded with all new factions and all new Summoners for existing factions. Summoner Wars can also easily support 4 players with the purchase of 2 Starter Sets.


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This is our first faction highlight article. In Summoner Wars each faction has a variety of unique qualities. The purpose of these faction highlights is to celebrate a faction by discussing some of the things that makes it unique and fun and to give out some tips for playing that faction.

The Cave Goblins are psychotic little creatures that care little for their own lives and care even less for the lives of their fellow goblins. The goblins live in a network of caves and tunnels located in the Mountains of Sorrow. They share those mountains with a variety of dark dwellers, some of which they´ve even managed to summon to the battlefield. But the goblins´ most notable neighbors are the Guild Dwarves, whose great stone city is carved into the mountainside. The goblins have striven against the dwarves for generations beyond remembrance. Now that the goblins have found a summoning stone, they can at last wage a real war against their dwarven foes.

The goblins are a horde faction. Many of their units have a summon cost of 0. This allows players to press forward on a constant attack, regardless of whether they have magic to spend.

In Summoner Wars you can only attack with 3 units every turn. That would make a horde army difficult to execute, if it were not for the backbone unit of the goblin army - the Fighter.

Goblin Fighters allow you to sneak in up to 2 extra attacks every turn. This requires a little finesse in which units you summon and how you attempt to position them on the battlefield, but the rewards for proper execution are an opponent that feels quickly overwhelmed and is forced into a defensive posture.

The Fighters aren´t the only horde trick that the goblins have up their sleeve. The goblin event cards revolve around making the horde the best they can be.

The Goblin Horde Attack event is great for turning a few little goblins into a dangerous mob. Use it in the right situation to make quick work of an enemy champion, wall, or even a Summoner.

Goblins can struggle, at times, with breaking through the enemy line and getting at their opponent´s Summoner. A well played Goblin Rush, or two, can help with this. It is also perfect for setting up one of those turns where you play a Goblin Rush to get units into position and then play a devastating Goblin Horde Attack and/or Goblin Rage to get in a bunch of powerful attacks, making full use of your extra Goblin Fighter attacks.


The goblins have some fun champion units. The Eater is this huge creature that lives in the depths of the Mountains of Sorrow. The goblins dubbed it The Eater long ago and have learned to fear it, as it likes to snack on wayward goblins. When The Eater is summoned to the battlefield it must feed on a steady diet of common units or it will just wander away. The goal is to have it eating more of your opponent´s units than it eats of yours. Eating one of your spare goblins with The Eater isn´t a total loss though, since when you destroy a unit, that destroyed unit goes to your magic pile, whether the destroyed unit was yours or your opponents.


Blarf is a snively little goblin who has long been mistreated by the other goblins. The other goblins put Blarf through a painful dark ritual, which allows a Summoner to juice him up on magic, turning him into a beast of a goblin. The problem is, if your opponent destroys Blarf, all those cards you used to beef him up will go into your opponent´s magic pile. The goblins have no moral qualms with attacking and destroying their own injured Blarf to prevent that from happening, taking the cards, instead, for themselves.

Designer Tip: Try using the Cave Goblin Summoner Sneeks´s Sly ability early. This comes with some inherent risk as you´ll be exposing your Summoner to damage, but Sneeks is built to take a little damage and keep on ticking. Use Sly to bring Sneeks up to the frontline of the battle before turn 3 or so. It´s early in the game so your opponent will likely still have precious few resources, he will be forced to focus those resources on Sneeks. Meanwhile, you´ve got an entire horde of common units pressing forward on your opponent. After you´ve inflicted heavy damage on your opponent´s forces, Sly Sneeks back to safety and watch your opponent scramble as they try to deal with the horde of goblins that snuck over while they were focused on Sneeks. Another great time to Sly Sneeks forward is on a turn that you´ve played Goblin Invincibility. You´ll get to take advantage of a heavy hit from Sneeks with little risk of him taking damage himself.
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