Roguebook, by Abrakam Entertainment, is the latest indie deck builder to hit the market. With theinvolvement of Magic: the Gathering creator Richard Garfield,Roguebookhas blossomed into a fully fleshed-out deck builder with some unique ideas of its own.
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From map traversal to dual character management, the game stands out amongst its contemporaries for its gameplay aspects. One such mechanic that helps the game shine is its gem system. With these gems, players can take their game to the next level and really push their decks to the top. There is much to know about these gems if players want to utilize them to the best of their abilities. Here’s what players should keep in mind.
Rarities
The game has the player sort through gems of 4 different rarities thatdetermine the potencyof the gem’s effect when applied to a card:
A gem that provides extra damage to a card will boost damage higher if the player has the legendary variant of rather than the common or rare version. It can also mean a gem’s effect is moreexotic and interesting. A common gem may add an extra 4 block, while a legendary gem may convert block into damage.
It isn’t likehow defense works in Pokemon, where the card only needs a high defense stat. These are hard numbers that change based on cards played.Rarities make obtaining gems more difficult; naturally, a legendary gem costs more to buy in a shop than a common gem.
Effects
Gem effects vary widely. Some are common, easy-to-understandupgrades and simple stat boosts. Others, however, are better used in more specific scenarios. It is one thing to increase the damage of a card by 5, but if the card in question is dealing enough damage already, it may be wiser to install a gem that causes the card toattack for double damage. The game offers nearly asmany modifiers as Magic Legends, so players should take advantage however they can.
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There are even cards fordriving down the energy costof a card, or for modifying the player character themselves. They can be broken up into gems that can do any of the following:
Gem Slots
Gem slots are the ultimate limiting factor in what players can or cannot do with gems. Each card has acertain number of gem slotsthat dictate how many gems they can have equipped. However, it is quite unlike theslot system found in Loop Hero.
Cards willmost commonly have only one gem slot, but they can also havetwo gem slots or none at all. It is up to the player to decide what to do with this limited amount of space, as a gem cannot be removed from a card once it has been placed.
Card Synergy
Anyone familiar with the deckbuilding genre will be familiar with the concept ofsynergy. In essence, it is the practice of managing a game in such a way that all of the tools at the player’s disposal compliment each other, resulting in a specific playstyle that they cater to for that run. Similar concepts aboutplaystyles can be found in most Roguelikes, like Minecraft Dungeons.
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It is up to the player to invest in cards thatadhere to their desired playstyle, and gems are what take that investment to the next level. If the player has invested heavily in a deck that causes their enemy to bleed, it may be in their best interest to add a gem to one of their cards that inflicts bleeding equal to the damage dealt.
Character Synergy
Each character has its own strengths and weaknesses. These strengths and weaknesses must be taken into account when the player is deciding what gems to use.
For example, the characterSorocco has the ability to gain extra blockwhen he is at the front at the end of the turn. This makes him especially qualified to act as a tank, absorbing damage for the sake of his teammate. On the opposite end of the spectrum are characterswhofocus more on dealing damage.Therefore, pursuing gems that help such characters fulfill these roles is a factor the player must understand if they wish to be successful.
How To Collect
There are a variety of ways that the player can obtain gems throughout their game, as listed below:
Gemstone-Finding Treasures
Treasures aresimilar to grafts from Griftlandsin that they are allowed to do more wild things, anddo not need to be attached to a card. One such treasure,Jalmyr’s Tablet, reveals the location of Alchemists on the world map and makes them all free. To reiterate, Alchemists can give the player a gem if they remove a card from their deck, so being able to use them with ease is a major plus.
Meanwhile, theGabrian Compasswill reveal the location of an undiscovered Gem Stone whenever the player uses a Rune Of Sight. For more general use, there are also treasures that aid the player inrevealing more of the world map, which inherently increases their chances of finding a gem.
