Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Today we will use this opportunity to showcase one of the Drakkorith's finest leaders, Basson, The Unstoppable Force. The tale of this strong and somewhat savage Drakkorith is surely a remarkable one.

When he was a kid, still very young and inexperienced, Basson and his father were attacked by the Great Iron Beast in the wild. During that encounter, the vicious Beast killed his father, and young Basson barely survived the assault, only by feigning death. After that, in Basson's mind and heart there was a place for just one thing: revenge. He spent decades in training, fueled by rage, preparing himself for the time he will track down the Great Iron Beast and execute his retribution. Finally, Basson managed to track down the Beast and they engaged in what can only be described as an epic battle. During this brutal encounter, the Beast managed to ram its horn into the side of Basson's jaw, thrusting it as deep as it can, practically impaling Basson's head onto its horn. Then, in one swift and powerful move, it swung its head to the side and it mangled Basson's lower jaw, removing it from his face with incredible ease. However, even then Basson didn't fall down on his knees. He could not fall here and now, not while revenge was so close to his grasp. He would NOT fall! Basson felt like all the rage he ever felt in his life was pumping through his body and he lost himself in this feeling, letting it take over. It was as though godlike strength was bestowed upon him and with it, he finally managed to completely obliterate the Great Iron Beast. So he stood there victorious, blood flowing from where his jaw was over the corpse, soaking the earth beneath him. The mighty hammer barely supported his weight as his newfound strength started to fade from him. His revenge is fulfilled. He would die a warriors' death. And he smiled as he went down...
His almost lifeless body was found by scouts from the nearby encampment which tended to his wounds. During the recovery, he managed to persuade his saviors to install a metal jaw on his head, taken from none other than the Great Iron Beast itself. Now, Basson is the leader of the Outcast tribes, his heartiness and sense of right and wrong is only matched by his savage rage. The Unstoppable Force, the name given to him by his followers, truly reflects what he is, a force to be reckoned with.

Basson's special skill, Destroyer Stance, makes his next basic attack that turn deal damage equal to your leadership when attacking Avatars. However, this skill has a passive effect which disables Basson from gaining health from leveling leadership.
As with every other Avatar, when playing with Basson you can choose between three traits. His first trait, Overpowering blow, increases your juggernaut damage by 2. Keep this in mind while creating your deck and try to add cards that would synergize well with this trait.
Highlander's focus, Basson's second trait, reduces the cost of a random energy card in your hand that costs more than 0 by 1 if at the start of your turn there are no local-friendly units. This trait may be up your alley if playing the leadership decks doesn't fit your playstyle completely.
Last Basson's trait you can choose from is Impenetrable rage. Whenever you use Basson's skill, his health can't be reduced below 1 until the end of the turn. This can allow you to clear out some of the stronger enemy units without having to sacrifice your Avatar or units. Just don't forget to switch Basson to the safer lane after his health fell to 1 otherwise your opponent may use the opportunity to subdue your low health Avatar.

How did you like playing with Basson? Feel free to comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your thoughts with other Residents of Issilith!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

One of the players' favourites in the past version of the game, Glaciris battleground stayed true to its name even in the 3D.
Many legends have been told about what made Glaciris such an inhospitable place. While the myths themself differ, all of them have one thing in common, the Frostfang curse. Regardless of the origin story you believe in, the effects of the Frostfang curse are undeniable.
No matter how hard you try to get yourself warm, you will fail, and the cold will just keep creeping over your body, slowly grasping your heart and brain with its freezing claws, digging in deeper with every hour you spend in that forsaken, icy wasteland. All until it will push you over the edge and into madness. And you will never feel warmth again...

While this is still a work in progress, we would love to hear your thoughts. Check out the Glaciris battleground Sneak Peek we prepared for you on YouTube: Glaciris Showcase.

Which version do you like more and why? Feel free to comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your expectations and desires with other Residents of Issilith!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Instead of talking to you about the game today, we will show you a small glimpse of what awaits you when Phageborn comes back up. Are you ready to wreak Havoc yet?

Check out our sneak peek: YouTube.

What are your thoughts on our new legendary animation? Feel free to comment below or join our Discord channel and discuss it with other Residents of Issilith: Discord.

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Since the dawn of Phageborn, Avatars have played a key role in ensuring victory over the enemy. Their unique skills and traits can either be a good supplement to your deck or a focal point of your strategy. The way they are utilized depends solely on you. That's why it is prudent to know thy Avatars, not just the ones you play but the ones your opponents might play as well.

Evie, also known as the Sting of Issilith, earned her name thanks to her expertise in plots and deception. This assassin gained the favour of the Vestige high queen Arianna by helping her overthrow the previous Vestige queen, thus becoming her personal agent. She is also the leader of the Death Petals, an elite group specialized in infiltration and assassination. They are oftentimes tasked with eliminating any covenants that are deemed unworthy or particularly dangerous and threatening to the current agenda of the Vestige. Evie is no stranger to the use of charms and curses in her quest to dispose of anything that stands in the way of her and her goals. Take everything you hear from her with a grain of salt, as it is always possible that she is keeping her true intentions for herself...

Evie's special skill, Allure, allows her to relocate all non-local enemy Avatars. If your enemy ever finds themself in the opposite lane, hiding behind their units, thinking they are safe with their 1 or so HP, even though their other lane lacks any blockers, you can always Allure them to that lane and make the finishing blow and subdue them.
Like all other Avatars, she also has three traits you can choose from and which can greatly affect the way you play. If you choose Viper's Edge as her trait, Evie will get caustic 1 and lose 1 power while attacking Avatars. This trait synergizes well with cards like Festering Boltus, whose power increases by 2 every time you place an acid counter on any enemy target. Nerve – Racking Poison on the other hand will reduce Avatar's energy by 1 until your next turn every time Evie attacks them. This trait is very useful against Caster type Avatars and energy heavy decks, or simply if you wish to force your enemies to level energy one extra time so they can use their Avatar skill. If you instead opt for Healing Toxins, Evie will become more durable because every time acid deals damage to an enemy unit, Avatar or Core, Evie is healed by 1. Since the whole faction revolves around mechanics that synergize with Acid, that trait shouldn't be hard to activate.

Whatever your choice may be, don’t forget to have fun! Which trait do you prefer to pick when playing Evie? Feel free to comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your experiences and desires with other Residents of Issilith!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

“My child… Sometimes it is not enough to rely on your units alone. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. Do not hesitate to use Avatars. You know, they are called like that for a reason…”

If you remember, Avatars are like your extension. At their every turn they can make up to three actions: move, make a basic attack, and use their skill. Every faction has four unique avatars and each of them has a unique skill and three traits you can choose from. That is... One, two, three… 12 Avatars, 12 unique skills, and more than 30 different traits! You really have your work cut out for you. Depending on the trait you use, the way you play your Avatar can change drastically. That allows you to adapt Avatar’s playstyle to your own. When talking about Avatar playstyles, it is possible to divide them into five types: Leaders, Warriors, Casters, Assassins, and Specialists.

Avatars who have offensive and defensive abilities which are centered around your units are Leader Avatars. They buff and protect your units enabling you to maximize their efficiency and get the most value out of each of them. Tyberiuth, The Warrior King of Drakkoriths, is a perfect example of the Leader type Avatar. His skill will allow you to increase the power of one of your units until your next turn, and with his traits, you can either increase your leadership or further buff your units.

When was the last time you managed to kill a mighty dragon or some badass aberrations? If your answer is not long ago, then Warrior Avatars are most likely right up your alley! Their skills and traits usually give them more sustainability which in turn allows them to fight more dangerous creatures and create a meaningful board advantage. Especially if you add Avatar supporting units to your deck. Saffron, The Sentinel in service of the Vestige witches, has some very interesting traits you can choose from. If you wish to be able to kill strong, buffed enemy units with your Avatar the trait that makes it so that it can’t take more than 3 retaliation damage is probably the best choice for you. Or you realize that oftentimes you find yourself on 2 or less health with your Avatar. Saffron has a trait that will in that case unmute its skill. And since you can’t use Saffron’s skill to deal damage directly to the enemy Core unless Saffron has taken damage, those traits can really come in handy and influence your playstyle.

Casters are perfect for those who prefer to stand back and focus primarily on their skills. They usually have traits that allow them to modify the way their spells work, so if you ever find yourself against a Caster type Avatar make sure you check its trait as it can be a major factor in creating the best possible strategy against them. Caster Avatars are most often paired with energy heavy decks which means they have fewer units in their deck. However, it does not mean they should be taken lightly. You can expect heavy ability support from them and some combo finishers. For example, Ozzordomu, Drakkorith’s Cinder Archon, has a skill with which he can target any wounded unit or enemy Core and deal damage to it. Depending on the trait you choose you can add REAP effect which will heal Ozzordomu every time he kills a unit or Avatar, have an extra attack every time you play 7+ cost unit, or obtain an Overpower card which will add +1 on your Avatar’s basic attack and REAP effect that allows you to draw a card.

Sometimes you just want to dive in behind the enemy lines and cripple their defenses. Usually, the best way to do that is to eliminate their Avatar. If it is subdued, the enemy Avatar can’t attack and that player can’t play energy cards. That can take a lot of pressure off of you and put your opponent into an unfavourable position. Perfect Avatars to do this are Assassins. Their skills and traits allow them to get close and personal with the enemy Avatar, and if your opponent isn’t careful, you can even subdue their Avatar multiple times in the game. That is also 5 extra damage to the enemy Core each time their Avatar is subdued! Lyxia, Oblivion’s very own Voidwraith, has mastered this ability. Her skill allows her to target an enemy unit after which her attacks can’t be blocked by it that turn. The traits you can choose from can influence the way you play her. She can deal 1 more damage to Avatars with equal or more health, deal damage to the enemy Core every time she deals damage to the enemy Avatar, or you can just choose that her base skill costs 2 energy less. There is something for everyone.

They are the odd ones, the misfits, the outcasts. At least when we are talking about playstyles. This merry bunch of Specialist Avatars are here to test you and your deck-building skills. With their specific skills, a different type of approach is usually needed and your strategic thinking will be crucial if you wish to fully use their potential. Zhtugg, Oblivion's Lord of Frailty, Theodora, Vestige's Daughter of Thorns, Reina, Drakkorith's very own Crimson Cultist… These are just some of the Specialist Avatars and every one of them brings something different to the table. Zhtugg's skill will target a local unit and reduce its power by 1 until your next turn. You can modify his spell with his traits and choose if he will buff your random local-owned unit with 1 power or if he can use his skill twice per turn. But if that doesn't suit your playstyle, you can always opt for a +1 leadership trait. On the other hand, Theodora can target a local unit after which that unit can't use its move action until your next turn. Her traits can enable you to buff a random local friendly unit with +1 power during the enemy turn, or, if you expect Theodora to be subdued, a trait that spawns a Spirit of Vengeance (a 3/3 unit) may be a better fit for you. And Reina, well, she will deal 1 damage to your local owned unit and deal 1 damage to it, and in return, she will heal your Core for 2. That works quite well with her trait which gives her +1 power as long as your Core is at full health, especially during the early stages of the game. Perhaps you like to strategize a bit more and her trait to obtain a Sanguine Enchantment (a 2 Energy cost card which gives +1/+1 to targeted unit) every time she kills a unit is more interesting to you. Or you want to have a card more than your opponent at the start of the game. There is a sea of possibilities!

Feel free to explore and experiment with different combinations Avatars can add to your arsenal. If you utilize them properly you can easily turn the tides in your favour.

“As you can see, my dear child, it is possible for you not only to lead your units or support them, you can be in the front rows with them, taking down creatures your soldiers wouldn’t even dare to dream of encountering. Or you can shift your focus and do everything in your power to destroy the enemy’s Avatar, making its army weaker and yours closer to victory. Which path to choose is entirely up to you… However, if you find yourself overwhelmed with doubt, feel free to join our Discord channel: Discord. Its Residents are always happy to help.“

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

It is our greatest pleasure to (re)introduce to you our Lead game designer and one of our Phages, the great Nikša Lučev! Today, Nikša will answer the game design question and give us some insight into his vision and thought process regarding Phageborn.

Q: Tell us something about yourself.
A: My name is Nikša and I’ve been working here in Games Revolted on Phageborn for the past five, six years. I’m an avid card game player. Well, mostly Magic, I’ve been playing it for more than 10 years, I can’t really remember the first time, it was around the Kamigawa block, and I’ve been a Magic judge for around five years. That’s my preferred card game of choice. I did play Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Hearthstone, Runaterra and that’s pretty much it. I do like board games in general and I play computer games. So yeah, I did start my career in game development by being a QA and then I basically came here by accident. It was by recommendation of a friend who worked with me in the past. So I came here, I talked with the guys, showed them some of my work, like the board game and the card game I did in college. And they loved it so much they gave me full-time employment here to do a bunch of stuff. Since at the beginning we were a really small team, all of us had to do a bunch of stuff. So I did UI/UX design, concepts, managing assets, and such. And yeah, I just think about all the cool stuff we can make. That’s it.

Q: What’s a typical workday like for you?
A: Well, a typical workday is… Dealing with stuff. Since I’ve been here for a pretty long time, I do an overview of all things that are going on so that we all have the same vision, then I do some of my scheduled tasks, and when I’m not doing that I'll do some brainstorming for future content. I do work on completing our Lore also, because that is the area we are not completely done with, at least with writing everything down. I'll also help out with various bugs and features, are they intended to work that way or not, and so on. That is a typical workday for me now at this point of development.

Q: What are you enjoying working on the most?
A: Mostly I enjoy working on new cards, new concepts, and exploring ideas and how to bring those ideas into the digital card game. It’s one thing to bring them to a physical card game and another to bring them to digital, so it’s a really cool process to do some top-down design.

Q: You said you did a lot of things regarding the design of the Phageborn, is there anything in particular that was your focus during the development?
A: My focus during development was managing assets that others are doing since I personally can't do anything besides telling others what to do. I really tried to make sure that everything is somewhat situated in this dark fantasy setting. Some things may deviate from strictly dark fantasy and are mixed with regular or high fantasy, but I did try to do my best to keep it in that tone throughout all of the assets I was managing. That was primarily through sound and visual effects. So I tried to keep it down to the ground and not too flashy and too out there, but still not going into full-on depression mode with things. I helped whenever we were doing concepts for new cards, new Avatars, anything like that, and I did have my say in some of the Phageborn design balance-wise. Before it was all a combined effort from multiple people and that’s about it.

Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
A: Well, mostly I draw my inspiration from other card games in general, like seeing what mechanics are good in them and why they are good, and I try to see how certain mechanics would work in Phageborn and figure out how to make Phageborn more fun. So my primary inspiration comes from board games and card games in general, characters and stories from video games, and old myths and legends. One big inspiration from the start was actually Heroes of Might and Magic and we talked about that a long time ago, and we did implement some of its elements but it didn’t work so we just made them better.

Q: What do you find most challenging about game design?
A: Nothing really, I’m perfect. Just kidding. Well, the most challenging part actually is when you have an idea, a mechanic that sounds really cool on paper, and you test it out and it’s still really cool and amazing and you know that you love it, even some people you test it with love it, but then the sad reality of life sets in and you figure out that it’s not intuitive, the UI mess is horrible, and there are a lot of problems that go with it. The novelty is refreshing but once that novelty runs out you just have a mess. So the biggest problem is to find something that is fun, novel, and engaging but also make it clean execution-wise, functional, and actually enjoyable to other people, not just you and the people who are already very well acquainted with the project.

Q: One of the things you mentioned is how a part of your job is to make sure all of you have the same vision. So my question to you is how do you reconcile creative differences inside the team?
A: Well, we pull out our ideas and we just basically brainstorm until we find the best solution. We gather multiple inputs, take them all into consideration, and just figure out which is the best approach to solve it. Although we rarely have some creative differences, when they do happen it’s pretty much finding common ground, compromising, and seeing what best fits into the game.

Q: Did you re-evaluate the game’s mechanics since our last update to the game?
A: Yes, we have been looking at some mechanics of the game, like the overall feeling of leadership thresholds and what can we do with them. Certain cards have their abilities locked behind the leadership thresholds and we want to see what it would be like if those abilities weren’t locked behind leadership thresholds but if the leadership threshold gave some other bonuses. So, exploring and thinking about what we could do if we make, I’m not gonna say overhaul, but a slight tweak to cards to keep their utility but still have their leadership bonuses, which is not a really simple task, because Phageborn is built upon the three attributes the player can use and we have to make sure that there isn’t a prevalent playstyle. In the ideal meta, the distribution would be like there are equally good leadership decks, equally good energy-only decks, and equally good 50/50 splits. So, I believe that the state of the game is pretty good now but we are always looking at certain aspects of the game and how we can make it better and how to make them not stand out too much, to somehow achieve that harmony of leadership, energy and leadership/energy.

Q: Can you tell us a thing or two about what you did regarding the balancing of the last build?
A: Well, since we never had the chance to openly put the game in front of hundreds and thousands of players, we only had a small group of people who could say their balancing problems and issues, and that all changed once we got a lot more feedback. So we looked at that kind of feedback and statistics, what cards are too used and what cards are underused, and we took those numbers and data in regulating the last balance update, but we still plan on balancing the game regularly until we reach something that is going to be enjoyable to the players. It’s not something that one person handles, we get all the data and then we make an educated decision.

Q: There was some feedback from the community about the high tempo nature of the energy system. One of the potential solutions was the implementation of dual-cost cards. What are your thoughts about that?
A: Well, from what we gathered during our, unfortunately, limited time on Steam is how there can be situations where you can get tempo advantage and never lose it but those situations aren't that often and we got an idea of how decks which use 50/50 energy and essence cards aren’t the best still. So, it’s not really heavily skewed into the tempo match-up and normally, having a card game that has two resources means that you can play double the cards, so, you know, if you have one player that plays two cards per turn and one player that plays one card per turn, naturally, there is going to be a tempo advantage but we didn’t notice that was a big issue because you also get out of the resources that much quicker. But the idea of dual resource cards, it is an interesting mechanic to explore but it isn’t something we would necessarily like to do on a regular basis because it kinda defeats the whole double resource aspect of the game which is like a big part of our game. And just because it’s hard to balance it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t embrace it to the fullest. So, we will try our best not to skewer the game into any one playstyle.

Q: How do you plan to innovate the game to meet the standards of contemporary card games?
A: First, we want to focus on the things that make us unique. We want to take advantage of the fact that we are a digital card game so we can do things you cannot do in physical card games. I mean other contemporary card games do that now, even Magic for some reason. But we would like to explore that area even further. And to do so we plan on introducing new Avatars in our future updates, new factions, new mechanics, and maybe even new game mods that will allow you to play Phageborn like you never played before.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add before we finish?
A: Yeah, I would just like to thank the community for being so patient with us and keeping their hopes up. This is a really good boost to our morale, that there are people that are still hyped for the game even after all these years. So that's really nice of you. It’s really hard for us to keep all this information back, we would love to tell you EVERYTHING that we do because there are some really, really good things we have in plan. And yeah, stay safe, and we’ll be seeing you soon on the battlefield.



Feel free to join our Discord channel to stay updated with more information about Phageborn and its development: Discord.

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

At first, The Oblivion was a place that was used as a graveyard for all those creations that just weren’t good enough. But with so much biological waste at one place, it was only a matter of time before nature took its course and life began to sprout. That is just a part of the story of how the first Oblivions came to be. And the rest is history, written in the DNA of the Oblivions, evolving every time they feed…

Zixeron, The Bringer of Enervation
“It is said that where Zixeron treads, all hope ends. That might have even been an understatement.”
If you are ever so unlucky to find yourself face to face with this imposing dragon-like creature, it will most definitely strike terror in your heart. However, Zixeron is not a dragon. In fact, it is a very powerful shapeshifter that can mimic the traits and abilities of the beings it transforms itself into. It just needs their genetic sample to do so. Even though dragons are extinct, some creatures still have traces of the original dragon genes embedded into their DNA. Teradons, huge beasts of war, are one of those creatures. While feasting on them, Zixeron managed to absorb those genes and shapeshift into a real-life dragon.



Zixeron is portrayed by a legendary card that has all its stats set at 6, making it, at least for now, the only 6 cost unit with 6 power and 6 health. Coincidence? Hmm… The Bringer of Enervation also has a very special effect. When you play this unit, it will put 1 vulnerability counter on each local enemy unit and enemy Avatar. That can be quite handy when you’re faced with a full lane of enemies or just need that little boost to your damage so you can clear the enemy units more effectively with your voidlings. Also, it looks damn good while doing it.



Hazzerin, Harbinger of Tza'thog
“Fear not the ascended ones, those who rose above the rabble and broke free of the collective. Fear the one who chose not to.”
Most Oblivion beings are connected through a hive mind. When an individual attains enough power they can evolve beyond the constraints of the hive mind. However, once Hazzerin reached this level, he refused to become disconnected from the collective. This was highly unusual, but Hazzerin has plans, ones he learned to hide, even while still being part of the hive mind.



This legendary card costs 7 essence and can bring you many advantages on the battlefield. If you play your cards right, you can obtain a legendary unit from your opponent (deck restrictions do not apply) or some other unit that can swing the odds in your favour. With his Blink ability, which lets him attack units in the non-local lane as well, setting him up to deliver a killing blow on the desired unit is even easier.



Rewind Time
“ "Time is as linear as we wish it to be." - Zhutgg ”
Magic is something creatures of the Oblivion use quite often. Manipulation of the boundaries of dimensions gives them a unique ability to perform brief time skips. Those among them who are more powerful can even make a copy of their current state in their dimension. While that copy only lasts for a short time, it grants the Oblivions an opportunity to mitigate damage or even completely avoid attacks.



This energy card is an ambush card which means it will remain hidden until it triggers. If you find yourself in a sticky situation where you expect to receive a lot of damage to your Core next turn, this energy card will nullify all damage your Core sustained that turn, giving you extra time to finish off your opponent or make adjustments to your defense. Just make sure your math is on point, if the damage you take that turn would destroy your core, Rewind Time will not have an opportunity to trigger.



What are your experiences with the Oblivion faction? Which combination stuck with you? Comment below or join our Discord channel to discuss it with other Residents of Issilith: Discord .

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

“Dear child… Before we go ahead and start to talk about synergies and playstyles, let’s take a step back and go over some other basic gameplay mechanics you need to know in order to advance through this world. Today I want to introduce you to card types, blocker mechanics, and attributes. Without this knowledge you are doomed to fail, like those before you.”

Last time, I talked to you about dual resources, Essence and Energy, what they are and what is their use, so today, I would like to introduce to you card types you will encounter while adventuring throughout Issilith and beyond.

You can use Essence for only one card type - units. Don’t take that as a negative thing, units are the core of your deck, they are your soldiers.

This seems like a great time to introduce you to one more gameplay mechanic: Blocking. At the start of your turn, all your previously played units become “Ready”. That means that they can attack, move to the other lane, or they can block. If you leave a unit to be a blocker, then the enemy's Avatar and units can’t attack the core or your Avatar (if your Avatar is positioned in the same lane as the blocker unit). Don’t forget, some units have an effect which will allow them to ignore the blocker and attack your core or avatar regardless. Plan your move accordingly!

Energy can be used to play three different types of energy cards: ability, ambush, and special attack cards. Utilizing energy cards can bring you a strategic advantage over your opponent.

Ability cards have a great variety of one-shot effects which can deal damage, draw cards, heal units, etc. Depending on the ability cards you choose for your deck, they can bring you utility and support, or even some crazy combos with your units and Avatars.

The second type of energy cards are Ambush cards. When you play them, they will be secretly placed on the battleground. That means that your opponent won’t see which card you have played, the only thing visible will be purple mist around your core, indicating that an ambush card has been placed. Every ambush card has its condition which, when met, will trigger the ambush. They can only be triggered on your opponent's turn, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally activating it. After the ambush card has been triggered and its effect has occurred, that ambush card is sent to the graveyard.

The last type of energy cards are Special Attacks which will replace the next basic attack of your Avatar. Special attack stays on your Avatar until it attacks or until you play another special attack, in which case only the last special attack will apply (special attacks do not stack). It’s important to distinguish a special attack from a basic attack since some cards might empower only your basic attack and will not apply to the special attack.

At the beginning of each of your rounds, unless you’re going first, you will be able to level up one of the three attributes: Leadership, Energy, and Overcharge. Which one you will level mostly depends on your playstyle and the circumstances you find yourself in.

Leadership is an attribute that, when leveled, increases your Avatar’s health by one and empowers certain cards. Some cards have a little blue flag icon in their description. That flag represents leadership and how much leadership you need to have to trigger the described effect. If you meet the requirements, the text following the flag will also be blue, if you don’t it will stay white.

Since Energy doesn’t automatically increase every turn like Essence, you can choose to level it at the start of your round. It’s usually prudent to level Energy to the cost of your Avatar’s skill, even if you don’t play an ability-oriented deck, since your Avatar also uses energy for casting his skill, not just for playing energy cards.

Overcharge lets you deal damage to your core and in exchange, you can draw an extra card. The first time you use an overcharge it will deal 1 damage to your core, but every time you use it, the cost of the overcharge is increased by 1. That means that the second time you want to level overcharge, you will have to take two damage to your core for drawing one extra card, and so on. Overcharge is a very powerful tool that can bring you an advantage over your opponent, but it can also put you in an unfavorable position if you use it too much and take too much damage so use it wisely!

“Do not be intimidated, my child... While your knowledge about this world must be vast to proceed, it is your creativity and strategic thinking that will single you out in the sea of adventurers. Perhaps you are ready, perhaps you are not, but you will not know unless you try...
If you need anything before we see each other again, go over to Discord, its Residents will gladly help: Discord.”

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Today we’ll introduce one of the core members of the team, our one and only Marko Turkalj! This fearsome warchief spent the last year and a half in the trenches with his fellow soldiers and today he took some time off to share a little insight on himself as well as on the development of Phageborn.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.
A: Hey, everyone! My name is Marko Turkalj and as a kid, I have always wanted to create things. If I had to pick a trait for myself, creativity would be the first that comes to mind. I used to do board games for my friends and adjust other board games to make them more interesting, to make it a better experience for us all. If we fast forward to 7th grade, that’s when I got my first PC. My dad said if I help him build a fireplace, he would purchase a PC for me. We finished the fireplace in record time, and that’s how I started. The first game for PC that I got was Heroes of Might and Magic. I loved and adored that game and it basically expanded my views on how games can be played and what games can be about. After that, the genres just kept coming, and yeah… That would be that.

Q: What is your role in the team?
A: My primary role is Game Producer and, since we are a smaller team, I also do project management for us. For anybody that doesn’t know, a Game producer coordinates with programmers, art department, sound department, VFX department, well, all departments, and has the last say in what feature will make it to the final version of the game. Depending on the studio size and policy they also do game design and any other areas they are proficient in. Project management is one of these things, coordinating with publishers as well. Being driven by creativity, I really enjoy the role in the new and updated Phageborn.

Q: What’s a typical workday like for you?
A: Typical workday? Well, we do a recap on where we’re at and we go from there. Currently, we make sure we have a plan for every department for at least 2 weeks ahead. Longer, monthly plans also exist, but when the time comes we tend to break them down into smaller tasks for a more efficient way of handling them. Our workflow is done on Trello and Slack, so the majority of the tasks are assigned there and most of our workflow is automated. I go from department to department, checking if everything is fine and if there are uncertain things that need to be resolved, and then help them resolve those things, whether they are creative/art related, or general problem-solving.

Q: You said that your work also involves a game design process as well. Can you tell us how you stay creative and where do you draw your inspiration from?
A: Well, like I said before, I consider myself a creative person and that is something that I can do indefinitely as long as I’m not limited. I think that is the core thing. Of course, there needs to be limitations within the game, but when you’re brainstorming there are no limitations and that is the process that motivates me the most. That process where you basically come up with anything and just pluck out a few of the juicy fruit ideas and use those as a reference.

Q: How did it feel picking up the project from the old Games Revolted team?
A: Well, at first, I was unsure, of course. You are joining an existing team, you basically don’t know anyone and suddenly, there you are. It kinda started as a step-by-step process where the first goal was to meet everyone and to get along. I didn’t know much about the project. All I knew was that it was a card game and I played it only once before joining. It was at Infogamer, I think 2019. Yeah, it was a really pleasurable experience when I saw how good the game was and how different it was from other card games all thanks to Danijel Matić (and his old team), the creator of Phageborn and the person I had to replace. Danijel and I made a blood pact to uphold those standards and to try to make it better, which, you know, we are all trying to do here. From day to day everyone is giving their best to give you guys the game you’ll look forward to, hopefully with a smile on your face.

Q: What was the most difficult part you faced during the development of Phageborn up until now and how did you overcome these challenges?
A: Well, there have been a lot of difficult challenges I would say, but the most difficult one is definitely the one we currently have. Since the GameSparks is shutting down and we have a good part of our game on GameSparks we need to migrate it all to the different platform and that involves quite detailed processes to be done correctly. I would say this is the most difficult phase we’ve been in just because we are forced to do such a major rehaul in as little time as possible so that we can continue to normally work on the game development like we did before migration process started.

Q: Something that often occurs in game development is crunching. What’s the situation here? Do you have a lot of it?
A: Okay, regarding crunches I can proudly say that we’ve only crunched, in the time that I’m here, for three weeks, that’s in the one year and six months I have been here. We usually try to avoid it when possible. But it was actually a really enjoyable crunch because we got extra snacks and refreshments and we got to talk a bit more privately. It wasn’t as noisy as it usually is. Just some of us had to crunch, not the whole studio, and thinking back on it, it was a more pleasurable experience than people tend to have or they expect when they hear about crunching. You know, crunching is usually something really bad in the industry and it exhausts people. Of course, we were more exhausted than usual, but we have wonderful people here that really try their best and they give it their all and that's what makes working with those people a much more pleasurable experience than if that wouldn’t been the case.

Q: Why Unity and c#, why not some other engine?
A: Like you know, I wasn’t here from the start but from my memory… The programmers who were at the beginning of the project were Unity experts and they didn't know much about Unreal and C++, so it was a natural course to pick Unity and C#. Also, people at the time wanted Phageborn to go out on multiple platforms and at that time it was a common belief that Unity was the best platform to do it on.

Q: What is your favourite part of Phageborn?
A: My favorite part of Phageborn, compared to the other games I played, such as Hearthstone, is that we almost have zero to none randomness. That means that the better player will win 9 out of 10 times since it is a tightly balanced game. Of course, there is randomness in every card game, you know the mulligan and the card draw, sometimes you can just be unlucky if you created a specific deck, but in most cases, the better player will win in Phageborn. Compared to Hearthstone, where there are so many swings and randomness involved that It sometimes feels more like a luck rollercoaster than a skillful F1 ride. Which, if you play any competitive game, is something you don’t want. If you are better and put more hours in the game you don’t want to lose due to some random effect in the last round.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: Well, I would just like to add that this has been, up until now, a very, very wonderful experience and like I said, full of creativity, full of challenges that we tend to overcome to the best of our abilities. It has been a hell of a ride. I know some of you stayed with us through the two years of silence, and that’s really amazing. That is a huge motivator for us to make the best game we can for you and to revive the project we all love so much and believe in. And what is most important, everything you write is being read and everything you suggest, if it makes sense and a lot of it does, we are trying to do it. We can’t say anything yet, but we are doing it. So, yeah, keep up the good work, and thank you for every contribution, it really means a lot. Because I don’t believe a single person can do anything better than the whole community can do together. So stay active and creative! That would be my message for you.



Feel free to join our Discord channel to stay updated with more information about Phageborn and it’s development: Discord.

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

In all of Issilith, The Drakkorith Empire can easily be called the mightiest of them all. Drakkoriths are a race that values physical strength and martial prowess above all else, but they don’t neglect their spiritual side. The Dragon-God Trinity, (Harigazz, Reva, and Versilion) are offered veneration from their worshippers whose innate Drakkorith power and adamant will are strengthened in exchange. However, their culture mostly revolves around substantial and tangible things. That is why they are not too keen on using magic, even though they sometimes dabble with fire magic, Wildflame mostly. They are disciplined, honourable, loyal, and willing to lay their life down when needed to protect the Drakkorith heritage.
These characteristics are also apparent in the way the Drakkorith faction is played. Recognizable mechanics for them are buffing units, synergies with leadership, and special attacks.

General Tyros, Hand of the King “He is called by many names while folk recount his victories, but seeing him on the field of battle leaves both his allies and his foes mute with awe more often than not.”

The Drakkorith army is notorious for its well-renowned generals. But the most legendary of them all is definitely General Tyros. Many times his superior tactics were the difference between victory and defeat. On one of those occasions, when the enemy was known for its almost impenetrable front lines, Tyros introduced the concept of organized ostodon charges, utilizing the strength and agility of these beasts to trample the enemy’s frontline and turn the tides to his advantage. This strategic mastermind developed a multitude of effective battle tactics, many of which were integrated into military training and are frequently used by the Drakkorith. You won’t find him commanding his army from behind the lines. No, he is always in the front row with his comrades, motivating them and giving them advice on how to best handle certain tricky situations.


General Tyros is portrayed by a legendary card costing 4 essence. His stats are set at 3 power and 4 health, but this General also has a very special effect. Every time General Tyros changes zone, units adjacent to him gain +2 power and juggernaut mod (juggernaut unit deals excess damage to the enemy Core when attacking). That means you can effectively buff up to 2 units every turn, and this effect can stack (juggernaut mod can only be applied once). Just make sure to position him in between cards you wish to buff.


Ashbringer Templar “Woe be to those who stand in his way, for ash is always preceded by incineration.”

After the first charge breaks down the enemy’s formation, it is time for the Cinderith legion to shine. Ashbringer Templars are the heavy infantry of this elite squad. Ferociously charging on their enemies, they disrupt their still-standing defenses and thoroughly wipe out enemy forces. Even though their heavy armor makes them somewhat slower than your average light-footed unit, Ashbringer Templar are deadly and can easily shear off any limb. At least the wounds will be instantly cauterized so they don’t need to worry about bloodstains on their armor.


Ashbringer Templar is a 3 power, 6 health unit that gains +3 power at the end of your turn, effectively becoming a 6/6 for 7 essence on the end of turn he is played. You generally want to keep this devoted unit in play for as long as possible for some impressive damage.


Seismic Shock"What's the matter, whelp? Lost your balance?" - Basson

Even though most of the Drakkoriths aren’t inclined to the use of magic in the traditional sense, you can often see them on the battlefield being fueled and empowered by combat. When using these enhanced abilities, for which some believe are the gift of gods, they amplify their natural skills and use them to put their enemies in an inferior position or simply to deliver the killing blow. One of these skills is Seismic shock. Drakkorith soldiers can slam the ground in such a way they send focused shockwaves to unbalance their enemies, opening their defenses and leaving them vulnerable to attacks.


Seismic shock is a 4 energy cost ability card that is best used on powerful units. For maximum value play it on your turn while having units on your side of the board ready to push into an enemy that can’t hit back.


What is your favourite way to play Drakkoriths? Comment below or join our Discord channel to discuss it with other Residents of Issilith: Discord.
While we will close this year with a Drakkorith art showcase, let’s turn to 2022 with hope for a better tomorrow and more Phageborn related content!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted