“…its floor and the walls on either side were cloven by a great fissure, out of which the red glare came, now leaping up, now dying down into darkness…”
   –J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

You have journeyed far across the lands of Rhûn in pursuit of Thane Ulchor, from the city of Ulfast all the way up to the very borders of Mordor itself. Now, the tunnels of Torech Gorgor are all that separate you from your quarry.

Fantasy Flight Games is happy to announce Under the Ash Mountains, the fourth Adventure Pack in the Vengeance of Mordor cycle for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game! As your journey reaches its final stages, this 60-card pack takes you deep into a labyrinthine cave system where you’ll face dwindling supplies as well as the nameless terrors that dwell there. Do you have the will to find your way through before all hope is lost?

Lost in the Dark

There is no easy way to enter Mordor. Its borders are guarded by ruthless Orcs and following Ulchor’s path is sure to lead to your capture. Fortunately, after accepting their challenge, the Wainriders have led you to the entrance of a tunnel in the black wall of the Ash Mountains. The dark cave before you may offer a

Passage into Mordor

(Under the Ash Mountains, 106), but you must navigate the intersecting maze of tunnels on your own.

To make matters worse, finding your way through these twisting tunnels isn’t the only challenge you’ll face. There is little chance of finding food or water during the passage and you must move quickly to reach the other side before your supplies—and the cards in your deck—run out. To avoid starvation and elimination from the game, then, you must be more judicious than normal when triggering card-drawing abilities, instead relying on the limited resources available to you.

This task is made all the more difficult by the oppressiveness of the passages around you. Simply navigating the

Tunnels of Torech Gorgor

(Under the Ash Mountains, 92) is a challenge that slows your progress and drains your supplies considerably. But you’ll find more in this maze of tunnels and passages that takes a toll on your party both physically and mentally. Foul things dwell in the deep places of the world, and these

Nameless Beasts

(Under the Ash Mountains, 95) are sure to devour some of your supplies, making themselves stronger in the process.

What’s more, the longer you spend in the tunnels, the more suffocating they can seem. As you draw closer to Mordor, the darkness around you seeps into your very thoughts, and despair begins to take hold. A

Burning Reek

(Under the Ash Mountains, 104) permeates the caverns, calling your attention to your dwindling supplies. You must make haste if you are to survive this foul place.

Hope Endures

It is easy to lose hope in the dark depths of Torech Gorgor, but with a little fortitude—and some preparation—you can escape the horrors that await you. You would do well to push ahead to find your way through the tunnels as quickly as possible, and an ally like a

Wandering Exile

(Under the Ash Mountains, 82) can help ensure that your path is true. Similarly, nameless creatures and despair aren’t all you’ll find in the tunnels. You could also find the 

Stone of Elostirion

(Under the Ash Mountains, 84) to guide your way.

While these tools are certainly useful, they come at the cost of removing precious cards from your deck. An ally like

Odo Proudfoot

(Under the Ash Mountains, 88), on the other hand, can help you locate other useful Hobbit allies such as

Merry

(A Shadow in the East, 3) in your deck while also shuffling the other cards from the search back into your deck.

No matter how quickly you make your way through the tunnels, you’re sure to encounter some of the fell creatures that reside there. During these times, it’s especially important to protect the hero who carries

The One Ring

 (A Shadow in the East, 1). Bringing the supplies to keep them

Well Preserved

(Under the Ash Mountains, 85) can keep them going long enough to finish the quest.

The allies and equipment that you bring into Torech Gorgor can certainly help you overcome individual challenges, but your own resolve and wisdom will see you through to the end. With that in mind, you can always bring together a

Council of the Wise

(Under the Ash Mountains, 91) and gain additional rewards when you play an event from your hand.

With this contract in play, the high cost of additional threat to issue a

Defiant Challenge

(Under the Ash Mountains, 89) or make a

Reckless Attack

(Under the Ash Mountains, 87) can be immediately reduced, helping you plow forward. At the same time, a Leadership hero like

Gildor Inglorion

(Under the Ash Mountains, 81) can use the resource generated by this contract to fuel his ability, helping the entire party draw the cards they need.

To Mordor

The treacherous Thane Ulchor in nearly in your grasp, but unknown terrors wait in the dark beneath the Ash Mountains. There is no going back now. On to Mordor!

Pre-order your copy of Under the Ash Mountains (MEC81) at your local retailer today or online through our website with free shipping in the continental United States here! 

Do you want to see true magic?

For Dexter Drake, the magic of fairy tales and myth had been a lifelong fascination, but it wasn’t until the chance discovery of an old book page during the Great War that Drake opened his eyes to the possibility that magic might truly exist.

Years later, the promise of arcane tomes locked away in Miskatonic University’s special collection drew the stage magician to the sleepy town of Arkham, where the weird and the unusual are hidden beneath a thin layer of normalcy. Lured to an auction of occult items, “Drake the Great” and his assistant Molly Maxwell now find themselves targeted by the depraved servants of an otherworldly force of disease and corruption. It will take more than a little misdirection to get the performer out of this scrape.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce The Blood of Baalshandor, a new novella set in the Arkham Horror Files universe containing four exclusive cards for Arkham Horror: The Card Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website with free shipping within the continental United States!

A Fatal Invitation

Author Richard Lee Byers returns for his second foray into the Arkham Horror Files universe after his first novella, Ire of the Void, that followed the misadventures of astronomer Norman Withers. Now, The Blood of Baalshandor takes you back to the halls of Miskatonic University where the clever Dexter Drake is attempting to gain access to the Necronomicon, an arcane tome safely locked away in Orne Library. When Dr. Armitage is unimpressed by the magician’s ‘credentials’, it would seem that hope of unlocking any eldritch secrets is lost, until an invitation to a secret auction promises perhaps not the Necronomicon, but many books like it, along with all the occult knowledge they hold.

The auction itself is filled with colorful characters, psychics and fortune tellers and members of the so-called “Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn”, but the most interesting things are the books themselves, only one of which is in English. The Blood of Baalshandor is to be Dexter Drake’s prize, but when the evening turns deadly, he and his assistant will be lucky to escape with their lives. With enemies at every turn, Drake’s greatest feat will be to save himself, Molly, and the rest of Arkham from the dark designs of the city’s most depraved citizens.

In addition to the story itself, The Blood of Baalshandor includes fifteen pages of full color inserts. These primary sources provide you with the same evidence that led Dexter Drake to Arkham and that has helped him throughout his investigations there. These include newspaper clippings, maps, letters, sketches, journal entries, and all the evidence you need to follow the investigation alongside Drake and immerse yourself in the Arkham Horror Files universe.

The Magician

After you have accompanied Dexter Drake on his adventure through Arkham’s most dangerous hidden corners, you may choose to ask for his assistance in your own investigations. The Blood of Baalshandor includes four promotional cards that allow you play as the magician in the Arkham LCG. While he will make an official debut in a later set, this novella marks Dexter Drake’s first appearance in Arkham Horror: The Card Game.

As a talented stage magician,

Dexter Drake’s

(The Blood of Baalshandor, 16) ability is based off of the idea of sleight of hand, moving assets into and out of play faster than you can blink your eye. When you are playing as Dexter Drake, during your turn you may use a fast action to discard an asset you control and replace it with a different one from your hand, reducing its cost by one. The asset you play must have a different title from the first (no one would be impressed if you transfigured a white dove into an identical white dove), but the ease that comes with always having the proper implement for the proper moment opens a world of deckbuilding that every apprentice magician will want to explore.

Accompanying Drake on his journey to Arkham is his wonderful assistant and the brains of the operation,

Molly Maxwell

(The Blood of Baalshandor, 17). Going under the stagename The Exotic Morgana, Molly is an invaluable Ally for the magnificent magician. As a fast action, Molly may exhaust and receive one horror in order to allow you to pull off an incredible feat of summoning with your investigator deck. First, you simply name any trait. Then, one at a time, you reveal cards from the top of your deck until an asset with the named trait is revealed. Finally, you draw that asset, shuffling each other revealed card back into your deck. With Molly on your side, you can have anything you need at hand, whether it be a Spell, Charm, Ritual, Relic, or Tome, almost like magic.

However, Drake’s sleight of hand tricks may come to a screeching halt if he hits his signature weakness,

Yaztaroth

(The Blood of Baalshandor, 18). A simple Curse but a wretched one, this weakness goes into Dexter Drake’s threat area and prevents him from putting any assets into play. For the price of two full actions, nearly an entire turn, Yaztaroth may be discarded. For a performer whose survival is dependent on his speed, this delay may prove devastating, but with the help of a fellow trained investigator such as yourself, the final curtain may not fall on Dexter Drake just yet. 

True Magic

To save Molly, Arkham, and the world, Drake will need more than his wits and quick hands. He must turn to the dangers of real magic, even if it risks his mind, body, and spirit. Are you ready join the investigation? Add The Blood of Baalshandor to your collection and uncover the secrets the would drive many to murder or madness!

Pre-order your copy of The Blood of Baalshandor (NAH15) at your local retailer today or online through our website here! This novella will arrive at retailers in April of 2020!

“Gunship, come in. Hawk, we need an evac in the south tower.”
   –Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars: The Clone Wars

As war rages across the Star Wars™ galaxy, battles can take place from a planet’s surface to beyond its atmosphere. While some starfighters focus their attention on the fight in space, others cross boundaries, supporting their troops on the ground while dueling with other fighters. Now, new ships are on their way to help their squadrons fight on multiple fronts.

Fantasy Flight Games is happy to announce three new expansions for Star Wars™: X-Wing:

• Xi-class Light Shuttle Expansion Pack
• LAAT/i Gunship Expansion Pack
• HMP Droid Gunship Expansion Pack

With powerful new abilities and a wealth of customization options, these versatile ships open exciting new strategies for your squadrons. New Clone Wars-era fighters diversify the ships available to both sides, while the agents of the First Order plot the end of the Resistance from a new shuttle. Read on for more information on these expansions!

Xi-class Light Shuttle Expansion Pack

The First Order lurks in the shadowy corners of the galaxy, slowly spreading its insidious influence. Connecting these secretive enclaves is the Xi-class Light Shuttle, which conveys First Order VIPs quickly but surreptitiously from base to base. In addition to transports, these swift shuttles also make ideal command craft, directing forces in raids before slipping away into the depths of space.

Many of the First Order’s most nefarious operatives unfold their schemes from a Xi-class Light Shuttle, including the devious provocateur

Agent Terex.

A particularly cold and calculating member of the First Order Security Bureau, Terex becomes even more of a menace once he’s been outfitted with a cyborg construct.

Within this expansion, you’ll find a beautifully detailed Xi-class Light Shuttle miniature, along with everything you need to launch it on your own secret mission, including a medium plastic base and two medium ship tokens. Four ship cards let you dispatch some of the First Order’s most elite agents to do your bidding while fourteen upgrade cards let you assign additional crew members to the ship and outfit it with new technology. We’ll take a look at everything included in this expansion in a future preview!

LAAT/i Gunship Expansion Pack

A durable workhorse capable of functioning in space assaults and atmospheric battles alike, the LAAT/i Gunship transports Republic troops to battlefronts on planets besieged by the Separatists. Like the clone troopers who man it, the LAAT/i Gunship is a reliable ship renowned for its ability to get the job done.

Beyond their troop-carrying capabilities, these versatile ships are ideal platforms for Jedi Knights like

Plo Koon

to support Republic squadrons with their mastery of the Force. Whether making precision drops of clone troopers on contested worlds, supporting Republic formations with interlaced fire in atmospheric battles, or engaging starfighters in the depths of space, the LAAT/i can be outfitted for nearly any role or battlefield.

The LAAT/i Gunship Expansion Pack contains everything you need to add one of these sturdy ships to your Galactic Republic squadrons, including a finely detailed LAAT/i Gunship miniature, four ship cards, fourteen upgrade cards, and two quick build cards. We’ll take a look at everything included in this expansion in a future preview!

HMP Droid Gunship Expansion Pack

The Separatist Alliance’s droid starfighters are known for their ruthlessness in battle, but perhaps none are more ruthless than the HMP Droid Gunship. Armed with ordnance and protected by ray shields, these droid gunships mercilessly devastate Republic infantry formations and starfighters with equal proficiency.

The HMP gunship’s presence invokes fear thanks to predatory droid intelligence and an unpredictable capacity to strafe targets with its sweeping array of laser cannons and devastating weapons like

Multi-Missile Pods.

Although they were a late-war development for the Confederacy of Independent Systems, their specialized repulsors open up new possibilities for your squadrons.

The HMP Droid Gunship Expansion Pack unlocks new possibilities with a beautifully detailed HMP Droid Gunship miniature and six ship cards, each bringing their own programming and protocols to battle. Your droid gunship can be further modified to your exact specifications with eight upgrade cards, or you can follow the recommendations of three quick build cards to get your gunship into battle as quickly as possible. We’ll take a look at everything included in this expansion in a future preview!

Support Your Squad

Starfighters are needed to fight on multiple fronts. Add ships that can get the job done no matter the mission with these new expansions for X-Wing!

Look for these expansions at your local retailer in the second quarter of 2020. You can pre-order your copies of these expansions at your local retailer or online through our website—with free shipping in the continental United States—here!

There is a darkness spreading through Rokugan. War is on the tip of everyone’s tongue and chaos has come to the Imperial Capital. Meanwhile, the Crab Clan fights valiantly to defend the Emerald Empire from the shadows spreading in the south. With Rokugan as unstable as ever, can the samurai of Rokugan stop the spreading darkness?

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Spreading Shadows, the second dynasty pack in the Dominion cycle for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

Spreading Shadows continues to emphasize the themes of the Dominion cycle, introducing new eminent provinces, cards featuring the rally keyword, and a focus on powerful dynasty events.

Bastions of Safety

Amidst the chaos surrounding them, the Scorpion are thriving, always one step ahead of their foes. Nothing emphasizes this more than

Seven Stings Keep

(Spreading Shadows, 25), a Stronghold that completely flips conflicts, forcing your opponent to select defenders before they know which Scorpion samurai will be waiting for them or even where the conflict will be taking place. There is a big difference between a force led by 

Bayushi Aramoro

(Underhand of the Emperor, 8) and one led by an 

Adept of Shadows

(Core Set, 180), and your opponent may not know what awaits until it’s too late. Of course, in this scenario you know exactly who to commit based on your opponent’s defenders, and can respond appropriately. This is a devastating ability, and though it can essentially only be used in one conflict a turn, it can change the tide of battle in favor of the Scorpion.

While the Scorpion take power in Otosan Uchi, the Crab continue fulfilling their duty in the south. Every day more and more scouts make their way into the Shadowlands, risking life and limb to protect the land they call home. There is one respite in

Shinsei’s Last Hope

(Spreading Shadows, 26) a bastion of safety in the deadly web of the Shadowlands. Any character who enters play from this new Eminent province becomes dishonored, but costs two less fate to play. The Crab care little about their personal honor in the face of the utter destruction of Rokugan, and the fate you save could mean the difference between victory and defeat. 

Letting Go

Of course, strongholds and provinces mean little without the protection of the brave samurai of the Emerald Empire. These samurai utilize blades, words, and even the elements themselves to protect themselves against the spreading darkness, but some samurai need no tools at all, just a vision. The

Inspired Visionary

(Spreading Shadows, 36) does not have the gift of words or steel, instead relying on the Kami to win conflicts by stripping your opponent of their attachments every turn. While they aren’t going away permanently, you can ensure that your opponent’s most essential tools are nowhere to be found when they need them most.

And the Visionary isn’t the only character remove attachments in Spreading Shadows. The

Disciple of Shinsei

(Spreading Shadows, 41) is an unassuming Monk who leaves a lasting imprint on the battlefield with his ability to discard any attachment when he leaves play. This can range from removing a deadly poison infecting one of your samurai all the way to depriving your opponent of their finest weapons. With pure versatility, the Disciple of Shinsei would be a fine addition to any Clan’s dynasty deck. 

Strategic Reinforcements

Spreading Shadows also introduces even more Dynasty events and cards with the Rally keyword to Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. While death on the battlefield or in court is an honorable end, it isn’t the only way a Samurai’s time in conflicts can come to an end. A simple

Dispatch to Nowhere

(Spreading Shadows, 38) is a Scorpion trick to get rid of a potential problem in a diplomatic way. If you absolutely need to get rid of a samurai on the field, then a Dispatch to Nowhere during the dynasty phase might be exactly what your clan needs to gain momentum and achieve victory.

While the Scorpion use diplomatic tricks to rid themselves of their foes, the Unicorn are less subtle, using speed and numbers to quickly overwhelm any opponent. A 

Twilight Rider

(Spreading Shadows, 39), for instance, not only readies another samurai when he enters a conflict, but also swells your ranks with the Rally keyword!

Places We Call Home

Finally, other characters and events in Spreading Shadows directly interact with provinces on the battlefield. For example, the

Traveling Philosopher

(Spreading Shadows, 34) can allow you to turn one of your provinces facedown, letting you trigger on revealed reactions a second time or strengthening a

Mirumoto’s Fury

(Core Set, 159).

While the Dragon can hide their provinces a second time, the Crane can deny their effects.

Highlight the Flaws

(Spreading Shadows, 43) can only be used with a Fire role, but can be a vital asset at your most desperate hour, ignoring the effects of a province when they trigger. 

The Coming Storm

There is a darkness spreading throughout the Emerald Empire; once united in service of the Emperor, the Great Clans now find themselves on the verge of war. What darkness awaits Rokugan now that the Emperor and his heirs have vanished? Find out when Spreading Shadows releases in the first quarter of 2020!

Face the coming storm with the Spreading Shadows Dynasty Pack (L5C30) for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website!

“I can’t believe the kid’s still in one piece. This TIE is a real ace.”
   –Poe Dameron, Star Wars: Resistance

Sometimes a single pilot becomes so closely associated with a ship, they come to define it. Such was the case with Soontir Fel, whose exploits in the TIE/in Interceptor during the Galactic Civil War became the stuff of legend. With the First Order taking up the mantle of the Empire, it is only appropriate that Major Baron Elrik Vonreg continue this tradition, putting his own stamp on an advanced version of Fel’s signature starfighter.

Vonreg’s vision guided the transformation of the Empire’s TIE/in Interceptor into the First Order’s TIE/ba Interceptor, a one-of-a-kind precise and lethal craft from Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems. Soon, you’ll have the opportunity to add one of these fearsome ships to your own First Order squadrons with the Major Vonreg’s TIE Expansion Pack for Star Wars™: X-Wing!

Within this expansion, you’ll find a beautifully painted TIE/ba Interceptor miniature accompanied by all the cards and tokens you need to incorporate it into your First Order squadrons. You’ll find four ship cards—including three limited pilots—and six upgrade cards that give you the chance to make further improvements to your ship. Finally, two Quick Build cards offer convenient combinations of ship and upgrade cards that let you get your TIE/ba into the fight right away.

Join us today as we take a closer look at everything in the Major Vonreg’s TIE Expansion Pack!

The Legacy of the Empire

During the days of the Empire, the TIE/in Interceptor was a marvel of starfighter engineering. Combining superior maneuverability with increased firepower from basic TIE designs, it’s no wonder that the Interceptor was the vessel of choice for the Empire’s elite aces. Incorporating shields and projectile launchers into its design, the First Order’s version improves this iconic ship in every way.   

The TIE/ba Interceptor’s many features make it a formidable ship, even when it’s flown by less skilled

First Order Provocateurs.

 The ship’s Fine-Tuned Thrusters alone give its pilot a great deal of tactical flexibility, allowing them to reduce their agility with a strain token or roll one fewer attack die with a new deplete token in order to perform a lock or barrel roll action after fully executing a maneuver.

But, just like the TIE/in, the ship is perhaps most effective when it’s in the hands of aces like

Major Vonreg.

 This Red Baron weaponizes strain and deplete tokens, forcing a ship in his bullseye arc to gain one of these tokens during the System Phase. Unless that ship immediately performs a blue maneuver to remove these tokens, it must suffer the consequences until it defends or attacks!

Although not quite as skilled as Vonreg,

“Holo”

has just as much flexibility with tokens. This pilot must transfer one of their tokens to another friendly ship nearby at the start of the Engagement Phase, allowing them to shed a stress, strain, deplete, or even lock token to another member of the squadron at a key moment. Alternatively, they can also choose to bolster one of their wingmates with a critical focus or evade token when they need it most.

While

“Ember”

cannot generate or transfer tokens, they can control how a target uses them. More specifically, “Ember” prevents a defender from spending focus or calculate tokens while a damaged friendly ship is flying close, forcing opponents to break up their formations and potentially disrupting any synergy they gained from flying close together.

The TIE/ba Interceptor has many built-in advantages, of course, but that doesn’t mean the ship can’t be improved. The Major Vonreg’s TIE Expansion Pack features a number of upgrade cards that can enhance this starfighter and other First Order ships. Some

Mag-Pulse Warheads,

for example, only enhance the natural ability of TIE/ba pilots to put enemies at a disadvantage.

“Holo” transfers the disarm token they gained from their Deuterium Power Cells to Major Vonreg, allowing “Holo” to attack the Resistance Transport at range 1!

At the same time, the TIE/ba is still a fragile ship, even with shields. Equipping it with some

Deuterium Power Cells

can help it stay in the fight for longer. The ability to recover shields is useful for any TIE/ba pilot, but “Holo” can take particular advantage of this upgrade by transferring away the disarm token and staying just as deadly as ever.

The First Order carries on the

Proud Tradition

of the Empire and its pilots strive to live up to the standard of Imperial legends. As such, they can maintain their focus while they have two or fewer stress tokens. But the First Order must be careful how they rely on this heritage. An enemy can spend a focus token or suffer a critical damage after defending to force a pilot to

flip this card,

making all subsequent focus actions more difficult.

Become an Ace

The First Order may have been relegated to the Unknown Regions, but with aces like Major Vonreg and “Holo” at the controls of the TIE/ba Interceptor, they’re sure to reclaim the glory of the Empire. 

Look for Major Vonreg’s TIE Expansion Pack (SWZ62) to launch along with the sixth wave of X-Wing expansions at your local retailer in the first quarter of 2020. You can pre-order your copies of these expansions at your local retailer or online through our website—with free shipping in the continental United States—here!

In the center of the universe hangs the Crucible, an enormous artificial world created by the enigmatic Architects and home to countless beings and cultures. Here, impossibly advanced technologies mix with arcane powers to make for a setting unlike any other. Uncovering the secrets of this mysterious, artificial world will take all your skills—but the possible rewards are boundless…

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Secrets of the Crucible, a new sourcebook for the Genesys Roleplaying System set in the KeyForge Universe!

This 272-page sourcebook allows you to undertake fantastical adventures and uncover the Crucible’s many wonders and dangers. Lost civilizations, cryptic conspiracies, bizarre environments, mutated monsters, and more await!

Secrets of the Crucible contains new character creation options, unique weapons and armor, new skills revolving around the mysterious Æmber permeating the world, bizzare adversaries, and a new adventure builder that puts all these aspects together!

Are you ready to discover a world where anything is possible?

The Keys of Discovery

The first portion of Secrets of the Crucible introduces new character creation options. The Crucible is a diverse landscape full of uncountable species. This book contains 11 of these species to choose from when creating a character, including Giants, Martians, and Robots. But Secrets of the Crucible also features a full set of rules for creating your own species, making your character creation options truly limitless! Traverse the land as an aquatic horse-type species or roll through the Crucible as a giant rock; the choice is always yours!

Of course, selecting a species is just the beginning, Secrets of the Crucible also contains a set of fresh new careers for players to explore. Battle for æmber and glory as a mighty VaultWarrior, or acquire wealth and fortune as a mercurial Trader! Each of these careers has access to a wide variety of new skills and talents introduced in Secrets of the Crucible, including the powerful new Æmbercraft skill, which invites you to learn the secrets of the mysterious substance permeating the Crucible.

Of course, you’re characters history and future will inevitably be intertwined with the various factions of the Crucible. Given the enormous number of beings on the Crucible, it is no wonder there are untold millions of groups, factions, houses, associations, and other ways  for them to band together. Referred to as organizations, these groups range from congregations of belief systems followed by thousands of species to a singularly immortal hive mind linking a multitude of small protoplasmic blobs. Wherever there are beings who share beliefs or desires, organizations are formed. Does your character hail from the fierce legions of Brobnar, or from the scientific minds of Logos? As always, your character is yours to craft.

Master of the Vault

But Secrets of the Crucible isn’t for players alone. Game Masters are offered plenty of advice for running adventures in the world of KeyForge! Games set on the Crucible can be as divergent and expansive as the world itself, and it may feel a bit daunting to craft adventures. The wild mix of species, super-science, and fantastical technologies may seem too large to handle, but its beings have motivations and needs that everyone can understand—and thus adventures on this world can be both fun and familiar for players as they explore the Crucible with their characters.

Much of the chapter focusing on the Game Master is devoted to exploring the Science Fantasy genre, depicting life on the Crucible, Introducing NPC templates, and working Æmber into your adventures. The rest of the chapter offers a way for you to quickly create adventures featuring prominent or common elements of the Crucible with an adventure builder template. The adventure builder uses a modular format, allowing segments of the adventure types to be reused to create different combinations each time. The resulting framework may include unexpected twists, moral quandaries, and some of the general weirdness inherent to the Crucible.

These modular adventures are similar to the encounters found in Shadow of the Beanstalk, but with a Crucible twist. The adventure builder contains three categories: Hooks, Escalations, and Climaxes. By combining one of each, you can create your own story full of adventure, twists, and a satisfying conclusion.

Hooks are the initial enticement and incentive for your players to get involved in the adventure. These work best when they are clearly presented, so the players don’t spend a lot of time wondering what the possibilities are. Hooks can be quite cliché, which is great for telegraphing the basic intent of the adventure and can help set up unexpected events later on. Perhaps an Æmber Hunter needs you to fight off a Martian scouting party, or the PCs find a hot lead on a valuable artifact.

An escalation raises the stakes or difficulty of the adventure. Sometimes it challenges the morality of the situation as the PCs decide how far to go in their pursuit of their ultimate goal in changing conditions.

Climaxes are more open and nebulous compared to the hooks and escalations. They represent broad categories of possible resolutions that can always be greatly impacted and even circumvented by PC actions. We’ll take a look at each of these aspects in-depth in a future preview!

Unlock the Secrets

The world where anything is possible is colliding with the roleplaying system of boundless adventures, what adventures await you when Secrets of the Crucible release in the second quarter of 2020?

Explore infinite possibilities with Secrets of the Crucible (GNS12), available for pre-order now from your local retailer or our website!

“Next time, try not to lose it. This weapon is your life.”
   –Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars™: Attack of the Clones

Serving as a shield against the darkness in the hands of the Jedi or as a display of power for a Sith, lightsabers identify many Force users throughout the galaxy. These lightsabers don’t define their user, but they are an essential tool in both the pursuit of power and the defense of justice. 

Join us today as we preview Blue heroes and villains in Covert Missions, a new set of boosters for Star Wars™: Destiny!

Covert Missions introduces 160 new cards to Star Wars: Destiny that place an emphasis on alternate win conditions, pirates, pilots, and powerful Force users who can alter the destiny of the galaxy!

Weapons of War

The Clone Wars took a heavy toll on every Jedi leading their troops into battle. The most valiant of heroes can falter under the weight of war, even a Jedi.

Pong Krell

(Covert Missions, 3), a legend on the battlefield, eventually crumbled under this weight, secretly swearing allegiance to Count Dooku while leading his clones into battle. Because of his dual allegiance, Pong Krell can include up to four different Blue hero cards in his deck. This gives him an edge up on other villains, and he can even cycle these cards back into his deck while dealing damage whenever you activate him!

A proficient warrior on the battlefield, Pong Krell can wield multiple double-bladed lightsabers with his four arms. Upgrading Pong Krell with his

Lightsabers

(Covert Missions, 17)  makes Krell a huge threat to any who would stand against him. Adding an additional die to your roll makes the lightsaber twice as effective, and with multiple damage-dealing sides, your opponent will have their hands full with this deadly imposter. Krell doesn’t even need his lightsabers to disrupt his enemies—a massive

Quad Slam

(Covert Missions, 9) can put four characters temporarily out of commission, giving Krell the opportunity to go on the offensive.

Pong Krell isn’t the only Jedi the Clone Wars took a toll on. One of the most powerful Jedi ever,

Anakin Skywalker

(Covert Missions, 53) is a dedicated mentor and a true friend. By moving shields to apprentices, Anakin can refill your hand and give you the tools you need to win any battle.

Of course, Anakin would never go anywhere without his iconic

Lightsaber

(Covert Missions, 53). This blade would one day find its way to the capable hands of Rey, but it has its own history in the Clone Wars. While playing the Lightsaber gives an opponent’s character a shield, it’s sure to melt away quickly with the saber’s three damage sides, and Anakin himself can move the shield with his own ability!

While the Clone Wars led to the destruction of many Jedi, a small group did survive, wandering the galaxy looking for a new purpose.

Kanan Jarrus

(Covert Missions, 55) was one of these Jedi, eventually finding a new family in his fellow Spectres. Kanan naturally synergizes well with his friends, who lower his point cost when placed on a team together. Kanan can also tap into the power of the Force to manipulate die sides and put his team in a favorable position.

Even Kanan’s

Lightsaber

(Covert Missions, 68) delves into the space of die manipulation, both its own dice and Kanan’s. Of course, the Lightsaber also has three damage sides, making it a damage-dealing machine even without changing its sides. 

A Shadow War

The Clone Wars are ultimately only the surface level of a conflict that has been raging for centuries, between the Jedi and the Sith. The Jedi are guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, who found themselves on the frontlines of battle during the Clone Wars. Because of this danger and their duty, every apprentice must undergo the

Jedi Trials

(Covert Missions, 65) before becoming a guardian. If your apprentice character can grow and learn from their masters, they can gain the Jedi trait, heal damage, and find themselves ready for another fight. The Jedi Trials are a difficult task for any apprentice to take on, but the Clone Wars calls for great sacrifices to be made.

The Sith, on the other hand, operate with smaller numbers.

The Rule of Two

(Covert Missions, 12) is vital to their very survival. Working from the shadows, the Sith must maintain this rule to avoid attention and grow their power. While this plot can turn against you should one of your members fall, it can also give rise to great power—power enough to slay Jedi and take back the galaxy.

Apprentices on both sides of the conflict must learn from those who came before them.

Bestow Wisdom

(Covert Missions, 107) can allow apprentices to gain an influx of power from their masters, and properly utilizing

Infuse the Force

(Covert Missions, 110) provides different advantages for Jedi, Sith, and their apprentices. 

The Pull of Power

Lightsabers are the iconic tools of a trained Force user, but they are only one part of a bigger whole. Those with the knowledge of the Force pass on what they have learned to their apprentices, so a new generation can fight against the darkness, or embrace that darkness to gain further power. What side will you pick when Covert Missions launches in the first quarter of 2020?

Discover the power of the Force with Covert Missions (SWD19a), available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website!

“We found it while searching through the Kurnois Bog for a superior duck.”
   –Dr. Escotera

With Worlds Collide, the new KeyForge set featuring the intrepid Star Alliance and the mighty Saurian Republic, players all around the globe are discovering new and unique decks filled with powerful abilities, crazy creatures, and wild synergies! There has never been a more exciting time to jump into KeyForge! The world of the Crucible is all yours to explore, and through the power of your Archon, its treasured hidden vaults are yours to take.

Though, what good is all of this untapped power without a proper arena to unleash everything that your Archon is capable of? That’s where the KeyForge Vault Tour comes in. 

At these exciting events, you can test out your best decks in a fun, competitive environment as you meet other KeyForge fans and earn awesome unique rewards. Read on to learn more about what the Vault Tour is or, for experienced Archons, feel free to skip ahead to check out the spread of prizes that are currently available at the KeyForge Vault Tour!

What Is the Vault Tour?

The Vault Tour is a series of ongoing, global KeyForge tournaments that offer prizes unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else. Vault Tour tournaments are open to everyone, and some may even be run as Sealed events so that new players and veterans are on more equal footing. Throughout the weekend, you can experience the thrill of competition and the fun of unique side events while you learn new tips and tricks from the world’s greatest players as they elevate their Archon Decks to whole new levels!

While you’re not reaping Æmber, forging keys, and unlocking vaults, you may redeem Æmbershards from your Master Vault account for any of the KeyForge prizes from the Vault Tour Prize Wall, where you will find a wide variety of fantastic prizes that are unique to each event. Not to mention that the winner of each Vault Tour will be given free flight and lodging for a later Vault Tour event! For more information, head over to the KeyForge Vault Tour page, where you can learn more about these events and find out where and when the next Vault Tours are taking place.

Like everything in the Crucible, the KeyForge Vault Tour prizes are profoundly diverse, constantly evolving, and in some cases, unique to each event. Now, check out the current prizes below! 

Vault Tour Prizes

At a Vault Tour, you will find a Prize Wall stuffed with rewards that can be used to enhance your KeyForge gaming experience. With your gathered Æmbershards, you can grab a number of these awesome prizes for yourself, like one of the many playmats featuring characters from the Crucible, including officers from the Star Alliance and warriors from the Saurian Republic. Also available on the Prize Wall are premium metal keys, house cards, game tokens, and a wide array of card sleeves and deckboxes. With prizes like these, you can outfit your favorite Archon Deck properly and give it the play area it deserves!

For those who are still feeling festive or those who are simply trying to stay warm this winter, these holiday-themed KeyForge prizes previewed below are available! Among these Prize Wall offerings are a number of wintry apparel items like sweaters, scarves, socks, and hats. We also have playmats and card sleeves to match your KeyForge winter attire! Don’t miss out on these limited items, grab these cozy goodies while you still can!

If you’re looking for more standard KeyForge apparel and gear, don’t worry, we have you covered! At the Vault Tour Prize Wall you can find baseball caps, beanies, hoodies, t-shirts, and messenger bags. We also have a limited quantity of Bräkken gear still available, like the baseball cap, t-shirt, lanyard, and guitar picks.

Last, but certainly not least, are the adorable Fuzzy Gruen plushies! These critters of the Crucible that are certain to bring smiles to anyone around, as long as they are able to keep their distance from those pesky Snufflegators!

The Vault Is Open

The next KeyForge Vault Tour is taking place at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, New York. We also just added several other events to the Vault Tour page, including events at popular gaming conventions like AdeptiCon, Origins Game Fair, and Gen Con! Find a Vault Tour near you and join in on the action so you can claim some of these awesome prizes! Stay tuned as we continue to add more Vault Tour events as we begin another exciting year of the world’s only Unique Deck Game, KeyForge!

A time to wait, a time to strike, a time to run.
   –Hare Clan saying

While the Crab Clan focus their gaze to the south of Rokugan, the Hare Clan are excellent at purging unnatural evil within the Emerald Empire itself.  With unmatched speed, the Hare chase down their foes and bring glory to their clan. And no one is faster than Hare Clan Champion Usagi Tsukiko. When news of a Mahō practioner reaches her ears at the height of the Emerald Empire’s turmoil, the Hare Clan Champion knows it’s once again time to hunt.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to present “We Strike First” by Lisa Farrell, a new short story set in the world of Legend of the Five Rings!

Speed of the Hare

“We Strike First” is a standalone story and can be downloaded here (1.5 MB)!  As Rokugan descends into chaos, there is opportunity for those willing to reach out and take it.  What future awaits these ambitious souls?

Be sure to check the Fantasy Flight Games website frequently for even more Legend of the Five Rings fiction and don’t forget to pre-order the Rokugan at War dynasty pack (L5C29) for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game from your local retailer or our website today! 

“Fear will keep the local systems in line.”
   –Grand Moff Tarkin, Star Wars: A New Hope

Whether the Empire is trying to tighten its grip on the Core Worlds or a criminal cartel is looking to corner the market on smuggled goods in the Outer Rim, these organizations rely on a variety of spacecraft to enforce their will across the Star Wars™ galaxy. But the pilots who fly these ships are just as valuable as the ships themselves. Now, more pilots are on their way to help you maintain power with the Hotshots and Aces Reinforcements Pack for Star Wars™: X-Wing!

Within this pack, you’ll find sixteen new ship cards to enhance your Rebel, Imperial, Scum, Resistance, and First Order squadrons, along with a suite of 31 sought-after upgrade cards that give you even more ways to use these pilots in battle. We’ve already taken a look at the pilots joining the Rebellion and Resistance. Join us today as we review the aces entering the fight for the Galactic Empire, the First Order, and the galaxy’s most notorious Scum and Villainy!

Tighten Your Grip

The Galactic Empire’s influence is felt in every corner of the galaxy. Still, the Emperor’s reign will not be secure until all traces of rebellion have been stamped out and the last vestiges of the Jedi Order have been swept out. To this end, the Empire dispatches elite agents across the galaxy to relentlessly pursue any who would dare defy the Empire.

Some of these agents, such as the

Fifth Brother,

 wield the power of the dark side like a hammer to crush their opponents. His hatred is so strong, in fact, that he can concentrate it into the attacks he makes with his TIE Advanced v1 to add a critical damage result. This also applies to attacks the Fifth Brother makes with missiles, making his shots with

Homing Missiles

even more dangerous.

“Vagabond” drops a proximity mine during the System Phase. Then, they use their ability to drop another proximity mine in the path of the incoming T-65 X-wings after using the Adaptive Ailerons ship ability! 

The dark side of the Force can be a powerful tool in the midst of battle, but it isn’t the only way an Imperial pilot can be aggressive. A TIE/sk Striker pilot like

“Vagabond,”

for instance, takes advantage of the ship’s natural abilities to cover a wide swath of the battlefield with devices. They can swoop in front of an enemy formation and drop one device during the System Phase and another after using Adaptive Ailerons, setting up a deadly danger zone for any oncoming enemies.

When it isn’t spreading fear through small ships like the TIE Advanced v1 or the TIE Striker, the Empire intimidates its enemies with large ships like the VT-49 Decimator. These bulky ships may lack the agility of their smaller counterparts, but a pilot like

Morna Kee

 excels at mitigating the damage her ship takes. Rather than removing her reinforce tokens during the End Phase, Kee can choose to keep them and flip them to her other full arc instead, freeing her to cover her entire ship with another reinforce action the following round.

Echoes of the Empire

The First Order seeks power above all else. Relegated to the Unknown Regions of the galaxy for too long, it will stop at nothing to sweep away the New Republic and build the Empire anew. It is no surprise, then, that this lust for power often extends to the pilots who fly into battle to accomplish this goal. These pilots are so relentless, in fact, that they are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals, even if it means harming their own wingmates.  

An expert TIE/sf pilot like

Lieutenant LeHuse,

for example, can spend a friendly ship’s lock on a ship to reroll any number of his own results. This certainly helps him be more accurate with his primary weapons, of course, but it is especially useful when LeHuse is using missiles. In addition to helping him maintain a high level of accuracy without spending his own lock, LeHuse can also make the most of

Cluster Missiles

to slam two targets all at once.

While Lieutenant LeHuse is brutally efficient on offense,

Captain Phasma

takes a similar approach to defense. She’ll do whatever it takes to cover herself, including forcing a friendly ship to suffer damage to weaken an attack made against her. This works out especially well if Phasma is flying alongside a TIE Silencer pilot like

“Rush,”

who thrives on the pressure of battle.

Making Your Way

Unlike the other factions in X-Wing, the galaxy’s Scum and Villainy aren’t united in a common goal. Instead, they each look out for their own interests and make use of their own dirty tricks as they engage in ship-to-ship combat. A bounty hunter like

Bossk,

for instance, tends to work alone and can turn even a small Z-95-AF4 Headhunter into a fearsome opponent.

At the same time, syndicates like the Black Sun are focused on maintaining their criminal operations and can’t always afford professionals like Bossk. Rather than recruit expensive, highly-skilled pilots, then, they often send droids like

G4R-GOR V/M

into the heart of battle to pester enemy fighters. Not only can G4R block the flight paths of better pilots, it deals a critical damage to every ship at range 0 after defending, making it particularly difficult to remove from the fight without paying a high price.

Similarly,

Nom Lumb

may not be the most talented pilot, but they can effectively use the size of the JumpMaster 5000 to disrupt the enemy’s plans. What’s more, Lumb quickly snaps the ship’s turret to face anyone who launches an attack against them, ensuring they will always have a shot and making them a good match for gunners like the notorious

Dengar.

Build Your Empire 

Some ace pilots fly for something greater than themselves; others enter battle with their own interests in mind. Whatever cause you fight for, bolster your squadrons with the pilots in the Hotshots and Aces Reinforcements Pack!

Look for the Hotshots and Aces Reinforcements Pack (SWZ66) at your local retailer in the first quarter of 2020. You can pre-order your copies of theis expansion at your local retailer or online through our website with free shipping in the continental United States here!