Shapeshifter

Get ready for a wild ride with the Shapeshifter format! Similar to Sealed Deck, players open booster packs to build their deck, but with a twist: the boosters may not necessarily be from the same set, and you’re not restricted by the class or talents of your hero. This means you'll have a chance to mix and match cards from sets all across Flesh and Blood’s history, making for a truly unique and unpredictable experience. With few restrictions on the cards you can use, you'll need to expand your thinking to craft a winning deck. Are you ready to embrace the chaos and see what fate has in store for you as rule-bending Shapeshifter?

The following only covers the basics and recommendations for Shapeshifter. Please refer to the Tournament Rules and Policy for more complete details on running a Shapeshifter tournament.

Quickstart

Shapeshifter is based on the Sealed Deck format, but may use any assortment of boosters specified by the Tournament Organizer.

• Each player opens the boosters they are given
• 1 young hero card from the set
• Start with a minimum of 30 cards in the deck
• Any amount of each unique card
• 30 minutes per round, first to 1

Card-Pool Construction Rules

In Shapeshifter, each player opens their booster packs, and chooses a young hero card and the cards that they open from their packs. A player may use any token-rarity young hero from any of the sets of boosters they've opened, or any non-token young hero that they've opened. A player’s card-pool includes every card that they’ve opened from their packs, and any number of token-rarity cards from any of the sets of boosters they’ve opened.

Token-rarity cards include weapons for each hero, and Cracked Baubles, but may also include equipment (e.g. Helio’s Mitre) and/or other deck-cards (e.g. Pheonix Flame).

A player can start the game with any card from their card-pool, even if the card’s class/talents are a NOT a subset of the hero’s class/talents (e.g. a Light talent card can be included even if the hero does not have a Light talent).

A card-pool can contain any amount of each unique card (e.g. If you open 6 Sink Below (red) from your boosters, you can play with all 6 in your deck.).

These rules are subject to the effects of the hero or cards in the card-pool, which may allow or limit what cards can be included. (e.g. Shiyana allows any cards with “Specialization” to be included. Cards with “Legendary” limit themselves to only 1 in the deck.)

For tournaments that do not require card-pool registration, players may change their hero between rounds. If the tournament requires card-pool registration, you can find the official forms in Tournament Forms.

Tournament Structure

The following is the recommended structure for a Shapeshifter tournament, which may be altered at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer.

• Matches: First to 1 win
• Deck Construction: 30 minutes
• Round Time: 30 minutes

Start-of-Game Procedure

Each game of a match follows the same procedure:

1. Each player reveals their hero card.
2. Choose a player at random, and then that player decides who will go first.
3. Each player chooses the equipment, weapons, and 30-card minimum deck they will use for this game (chosen from their card-pool).
4. Each player shuffles and presents their deck to the opponent, who may shuffle and/or cut.
5. Each player reveals the weapon(s) and equipment they have chosen for this game, draws cards up to their hero's intellect, and the first player begins the first turn of the game.

End-of-Match Procedure

The match ends when one player has won the required number of games for the match (usually 1 game win).

If the round time expires, and a winner of the current game is yet to be determined, the turn player completes their turn and then 1 additional turn is played. At the conclusion of the additional turn, if a winner of the game has not been determined, the current game is a draw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do my cards change their classes or talents to fit my hero?

No, the cards stay exactly the same as written. Shapeshifter allows you to include cards that do not match your hero’s class or talent, but it does not change the class or talent of the card itself during the game.

Can I use weapons that are different to my hero's talent/class?

Yes, Shapeshifter rules apply to weapons as well as cards in your deck, as long as you've opened them or they're token-rarity in one of the sets that you've opened.

For example, if you've opened at least one Welcome to Rathe booster you can use the Ninja weapon Harmonized Kodachi with the Warrior hero Dorinthea.

Can I include specialization cards?

You may only use specialization cards if you are using the appropriate hero. Shapeshifter allows to you include cards that do not match your hero’s class or talent, but it does not override restrictions like specialization or legendary.

I opened a non-token or non-young hero, can I use it?

You may use young heroes that you have opened from your booster pack, but you may not use non-young heroes.

For example, you may use Data Doll MKII; Kayo, Berserker Runt; or Kassai, Cintari Sellsword; because they are all young heroes. However, you could not use Bravo, Star of the Show, because it is a non-young hero.

Can I change my hero or cards between rounds?

Yes. If the format does not require deck registration, you can change whatever you like, as long as the cards come from your card-pool, or are toke-rarity cards from any set of any booster pack you open.

What weapons (and other token-rarity cards) can I use?

You can use any weapon (or token-rarity card) from any set of any booster pack you open.

For example, if you open Welcome to Rathe and Arcane Rising booster packs, you’ll have access to all 8 token weapons: Anothos, Romping Club, Harmonized Kodachi, Dawnblade, Teklo Pistol, Death Dealer, Nebula Blade, and Crucible of Aetherweave.

This document was last updated on 21 April, 2023