There’s nothing quite like a great game. Maybe it was a nail-biter that came down to the very last point of life. Maybe it was an absolute dumpstering with a beyond insane combo turn. Maybe both players found themselves in a unique and hilarious game state that would make Rules and Policy Manager Joshua Scott lose sleep at night.
The 2023 Pro Play circuit has presented us with some complete blockbusters, but it’s not just about the white-knuckled thrills of competitive play. It’s also about the games played every weekend at your local game store, or at a bar with mates, or even across the kitchen table.
The folks down at Nerdvana in Reno will tell you how much they love the social fun of casual games - and boy were they surprised to see James White and Chris Pearce rock up to their store, buy a preconstructed Blitz deck right off the shelf, and gatecrash their local armory!
Let’s check out what else has been going on with casual play recently…
Casual Play Armory Events
We wanted to make sure stores had a range of Armory options that appealed to their local communities, which is why we introduced Casual Play events!
Stores can now run up to two Armory events per month as Casual Play events. This means the Cold Foil promo is awarded randomly, brushing off the competitive edge and encouraging a beginner-friendly, no-stakes, social environment.
On top of this, the number of gameplay formats has expanded significantly to include several quick and easy ways to play Flesh and Blood. From the tabletop politics of Ultimate Pit Fight, to the budget beatdowns of Commoner, to the group bonding of Team Limited, to the straight-out-of-the-box games of Blitz Preconstructed!
We’ve seen quite a lot of stores picking up these Casual Play events recently and growing their local FAB scene. Meanwhile, the stores that have already been hosting casual games for years are happy to finally offer proper prize support alongside the good times.
It’s fantastic to see so many people, experienced veterans and fresh faces alike, embracing the spirit of casual play and getting amongst.
Ultimate Pit Fight
Even the highest tier pro players are getting Down and Dirty in the Pits! The multiplayer format is whipping up a storm worldwide, as players throw FAB strategy out of the window in favour of the craziest tactics they can muster. After all, the strongest deck you can bring to a game of UPF is one so incredibly based that it gains the table’s respect.
We saw a world-class dumpster-fire at Pro Tour: Baltimore when James sat down with Taipanis along with a morally questionable Prism, a skeptical Yoji, and a cheeky Ruu’di, Gem Keeper (with a complete deck of PSA graded slabs). Nobody won that game, but the laughter could be heard from all corners of the venue.
Pietro Gerletti, who won the Italian National Championship in 2021 with Kano, has lost himself in the world of Ultimate Pit Fight and never looked back. In between testing for competitive events, he squeezes in games of Ultimate Pit Fight, and covers the format extensively on his YouTube channel Flesh and Blood Italia.
“I really enjoy the aspect of multiplayer games that allow you to play out crazy interactions that you can’t do in competitive play. In competitive games you have to play in the most efficient way possible, but in Ultimate Pit Fight you don’t care about winning - you just want to see your deck do the crazy thing it’s supposed to do.
Even if you play perfectly, have the best deck, and use logic and rationality, you can still lose. It’s not about winning a game of Flesh and Blood, it’s making and breaking deals, and not letting the table see what you’re actually trying to do.
In the first Pro Tour, I won the Ultimate Pit Fight event with Genis, Wotchuneed. I literally threw it together from cards I found from vendors on the day. It was basically all blues, with a copy of Firebreathing, I just spent the day trolling people, it was a lot of fun. I remember when a Shiyana copied a Kayo’s hero ability, played a Crippling Crush, rolled a 6, then played Pummel for a total of 26. Awesome moment, will probably never be seen again.”
Commoner
Commoner presents a unique challenge in Flesh and Blood. You can build a deck on pennies, but figuring out how to win without all your familiar tools and safety net equipment can be quite difficult. You start to feel like heroes are actually a little bit spoiled in Classic Constructed and Blitz when you’re trying to find the last blue card for your Iyslander deck.
Anyone can jump into a game of commoner, but experience really shines through in this format. With combos reduced to their bare bones, knowing exactly when to take damage in order to launch a counter attack is crucial. It’s fast-paced, straightforward, and a ton of fun.
My personal favourite aspect of Commoner is deckbuilding. Since they’re so cheap to make it’s addicting to try cobbling together a decent strategy from the limited junk available for a hero you’ve never looked at before. I often end up deep in the tank, wondering if Stubby Hammerers, Overload, and Minnowism really belong in Arakni, Solitary Confinement.
Lin Po Yu won the World Guide Commoner side event at Calling: Singapore, said he picked Ira, Crimson Haze because “she's easy to play and has a lot of efficient attacks, being able to consistently present 8 damage a turn with only 2 cards in hand. Commoner is a fun and easy to play format, and accessible too. Give it a try, and see you at the Calling: Taipei!”
Blitz Preconstructed
The hottest format on the block, Blitz Preconstructed allows you to jump straight into a game with pre-built decks ready to play out of the box! These decks have been specially designed to interact with each other and create dynamic gameplay that both teaches you how to play, and rewards good decision-making.
We have two awesome products for this format on the market right now - History Pack 1 Blitz Decks and Outsiders Blitz Decks. Not only are they perfect for Casual Play Armory events, but they can also be used at Skirmishes! There has been exceptionally positive feedback around adding Blitz Preconstructed to Skirmish, with many stores signing on to feature the format during the next season.
We’ve also seen players run ongoing Blitz Preconstructed gauntlets, rewarding wins with booster packs from the associated set that they can use to upgrade their decks, getting progressively stronger each week. We highly recommend you look into joining a league, or starting one of your own!
