Sharing the excitement of Flesh and Blood with your friends is priceless. At the same time, showcasing what the game is about to a new player isn’t the easiest task. This is even more true for someone who has little to no trading card game experience. The instructions have to be easy enough to comprehend, the game should feel fair – and most of all – be fun enough so your friend wants to play again! Whatever gaming experience they have, this three-step process is the most straightforward way to start off their Flesh and Blood career.
Simple, evenly matched and skill-based, the Ira mirror is perfect for complete beginners and seasoned TCG players to start off their Flesh and Blood journey.
There are a few factors on why the Ira Blitz starter deck is the ideal way to introduce someone to the game. First, the deck does an amazing job of explaining the basics of combat. Attack step, defense step, attack reaction step and defense reaction step are all explained with simple cards and straightforward interactions. On top of that, you can always refer to the FAB TCG intro video on YouTube, which uses the exact Ira deck to explain the game.
Second, playing a mirror match ensures that your friend knows the game will be even in terms of power level. There is nothing more off-putting than sitting down to learn to play a game and finding out the person teaching you has a far more powerful deck and obliterates you game after game. Another advantage of playing a mirror match is the new player is learning your cards as they’re learning theirs. This makes explaining interactions much easier.
Finally, despite all the cards being quite simple, the gameplay itself can be fun and complex. Finding how to maneuver combat in terms of attacking and defending is actually quite exciting with Ira. Lots of attacks have go again and the dilemma of whether to attack or defend is very interesting. On top of that, Ira has a very simple value-generating ability. All the new player has to do is realize the value from the +1 power over time to start developing a strategic mindset and there is less pressure to try and comprehend too many new concepts at once.
If you’re struggling to find a couple of Ira decks at your local game store, try finding some online or even feel free to build them from bulk. These decks are really cheap to make and adding some adjustments can make it interesting. Just remember to use the same list for both players so it remains even in terms of power level.
Once your friend understands the basics of how the game works, you can start building on your knowledge of the game by trying out the latest Blitz decks. Once the Ira starter has introduced the general flow of the game, the new hero Blitz decks add a layer of complexity in the form of new mechanics and playstyles. You can showcase to the new player that each hero has a unique approach to the game and each can apply different strategies and pathways to win. Showcasing this variety is a great way to find the new player’s playstyle and hero preference. Any information here can help you to see what heroes they might be interested in long term.
The starter Blitz decks are all similar enough in power level to keep the games fun and entertaining, while the added mechanics and possibly talents make it interesting for your friend to keep on exploring the diversity and complexity of playstyles that Flesh and Blood has to offer.
A huge part of the enjoyment from trading card games like Flesh and Blood is the creativity in constructing your own deck. Deciding which card to add to the deck adds another layer of strategy to the game. Also, it allows the new player to express themselves and start to cement their preferred playstyle.
I recommend getting half a booster box, or just a whole one and doing one or two rounds of Sealed with the cards. Not only is it a fun and unique way to continue learning Flesh and Blood, it can also be a start of your friend’s collection. By opening new cards, you learn a new format while adding cards that you can both use later on. Combining the cards with the Blitz starter decks gives both you and your friend upgraded decks that can serve as a basis to start trying out playing in Armories and so on. In most limited sets, you can split the cards into two groups, each based on a particular class or strategy – such as Light and Shadow in Monarch.
The three step process is probably the ideal way that I wish I learned the game, as it’s extremely simple to grasp and slowly builds on complexity. It’s a fairly even way to introduce a novice, without disheartening them about their playing ability and its very affordable. Ira Blitz starter decks, as well as the Blitz hero decks, are very cost efficient ways to start to enjoy the game. If you already have a collection, using up your bulk is a great way to not only make some space, but gift a solid foundation to a potential new competitor in the world of Flesh and Blood.
