PHAGEBORN online card game News

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Sumac may be the second favourite card for our dear team, however, there is one more hagly toxic Vestige card that made the list. And never forget the card which was most likely responsible for crushing your dreams at one point. Any guesses on today's team's favourite cards?

Team member: Filip Matanović (Unity Developer)
Favourite Card: Virulent Hag
The older a Vestige witch is, usually the more power she has to rely on. That is why you should never underestimate a Virulent Hag when you see one. She may be old, she may appear fragile, but she will hurt you in more ways than one. Her toxic words will curse you, your kin, their kin, and the kin of their kin.
Virulent Hag, a 3 essence cost unit, can bring a lot of value to your deck. While her stats, set at 2/3, are adequate, the effect of this card is what makes it so interesting. At the start of your turn, Virulent Hag will put 2 acid counters on a random non-local enemy unit. Position Virulent Hag in the lane where she will have the biggest impact.


Why: Virulent Hag is a great card. Especially if used correctly. It will easily help you snowball tempo and put pressure on your opponent just by having this card on the battleground. And all that for 3 essence! What else do you need in a card?

Team member: Rahela Bargh (3D Artist)
Favourite Card: Monster Slayer
Issilith is a home for many creatures, both big and small, benevolent and maleficent. You can imagine what havoc these big, bloodthirsty creatures can wreak. That is why Issilith's finest bounty hunters train their whole life so they can go head to head with such creatures. No bounty is too big. It only becomes more tempting.
Monster Slayer is a neutral card which means you can have it in your deck no matter which faction you choose to play. For 6 essence you get a 4/3 unit which can destroy a local unit with 6 or more power once you played it on the battleground! All that hard training really paid out.


Why: Its ability to neutralize a strong card that my opponent has on board is something that can easily swing the scale in my favour. That is why the Monster Slayer is my favourite card. The bigger the unit, the harder it falls.

Did you cross your path with any of these cards while playing Phageborn? What were your experiences? Feel free to comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your experience with us!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

„Do not be so quick to judge, young one. The Vestige witches may be mad now but there was a time when they were the first to stand up and protect. Do you even know how the Vestige came to be? No? Well then, my child, sit down and listen. After all, I am The Storyteller...“

In the days far gone, Mother Issilith had many children. They all lived together happily until one of them, Lucille, started to yearn for more. She left her home and her siblings, leaving her past way of life behind. The journey led her to seek shelter beneath the large tree crowns where she created Bratuscula, or the Eternal Tree as you may know it, the beginning and end of every Vestige witch.
But if Lucille thought that her deeds would go unpunished, she was gravely mistaken. Her siblings, consumed with rage, cast a curse on Lucille so horrid and oh, so twisted... If Lucille was ever to have a child it would not live past its childhood years. For the one who betrays her family, only to live amongst inferior beings, does not deserve to feel the warmth of motherly love, only the harsh grip of excruciating pain. Eradicating her legacy will just be an added bonus.

Eager to help and protect, the Vestige witches soon became the protectors of nature and all living creatures in their midst. The most powerful ones were even handpicked by Lucille herself and bestowed with a gift of immortality, so if someone managed to kill them they would just be reborn with all of their memories intact. They lived in harmony, happy and thriving. Until Lucille had a daughter. After a few years, the child fell ill. Lucille tried everything she could to save her. But nothing worked, healing magic couldn't save her life. Devastated with grief she became desperate. In one last attempt to save her child, Lucille sacrificed a part of herself so she would become one with her daughter again. And so it was.
As the time flew by we can only assume that the curse affected Lucille too. She started to lose herself, madness crept into her mind, and even the Vestige had to turn against her. But they couldn't hurt the High Queen, their Mother, they were made in her image and likeness after all. And they sealed her away so she couldn't hurt anyone. The immortal witches fell into deep slumber afterwards, only to wake up if their protection is needed.

„The rest of the story you should remember, my child. It is with the arrival of the Phage that the Vestige witches started to go mad as well, without even knowing why. Such a shame...“

„The Drakkorith Empire may be the mightiest, but sometimes, my child, there are threats bigger lurking from the shadows. For you can never know what to expect when those who were once good suddenly turn bad...“

Vestige... Before this whole mayhem befell Issilith, Vestige were the protectors of all nature. Their magic was pure, just like their hearts were. But as the presence of the Phage slowly descended on Issilith, it started to leave its mark on everything connected to it, including that which is the source of Vestige's magic, nature. With time, as nature became tainted with Phage's influence, these immortal protectors started slowly to fall into madness. Their healing powers healed no more, their hearts are now filled with hatred, beautiful trees became things from nightmares... And as time goes by, they only grow stronger.

Vestige witches are patient beings. The strongest of them are immortal, so time has little meaning for them. You can see that trait in their playstyle. They will seek to limit the opponent's options and try to force them to make unfavourable trades. And they only need that little opening so they can start to overgrow on everything.

Acid is a signature Vestige mechanic which allows players to deal damage well above their curve, with the little help of time. Acid damages its target every turn, but with every tick, it loses its potency by 1. So if a unit had 2 acid counters on itself, at the end of the turn it will deal 2 damage and reduce the current acid counter to 1. But what is even better, acid counters can stack! So if a unit has 2 acid counters on itself and you apply 2 more on it, it will stack to 4 and at the end of that turn, it will apply 4 points of acid damage all while reducing its potency to 3.
Besides the acid, some remnants of Vestige healing magic can still be found in their deck as well as on some of their Avatars. Although you just might cross your path with their curses beforehand. From healers to assassins, this faction can check a lot of boxes.
If you’re sneaky and cunning (and have a lot of patience), the Vestige may be the right choice for you to play. Just keep in mind how their patience can easily become their downfall. Oftentimes Vestige will think they have all the time in the world to make the perfect setup and execute everything they want. But the reality is a cruel mistress, even to Vestige, so make sure your early game will be good enough to give you the time and space Vestige need in order to truly become a force to be reckoned with.

However, if you find yourself against them, don’t give them time to set up what they desire! Get on that battleground with your faithful mouse prepared and your cards blazing, or you just might go back to the earth from which you came.

“Will their madness become their undoing? Or will it give them what they desire the most? Who knows... But one thing is sure if you ever set your foot in Cursed Woods be very aware of your every step because your next may become your last… So join our Discord community (Discord) and have someone watching your back while you explore everything Issilith has to offer… ”

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

Do you know what is the second favourite card amongst Phageborn developers? It is no more and no less than our very own Father Nature, Sumac! The reasoning behind it? Well, let's see what our team members have to say about this...

Favourite card: Sumac
Even though Sumac is technically a Deadwood, he is under no circumstances useless. In his eyes, all those living things, both plants and creatures, are alike. Everything is connected to the Great Tree. We are merely spawns of its seeds. And as such, it is Sumac's fatherly duty to bring everyone back on the right path. His right path.

Sumac is a Vestige unit that costs 6 essence. With its stats at 4/4, it may not be the first choice you might make. But if you take into account his effect, which allows you to target a local friendly unit on play and make two 0/3 adjacent copies of it, it becomes much more clear why this is, in fact, a legendary card. Don't be afraid to experiment with it! Especially if you have some other cards with cool effects in your deck. The possibilities are almost limitless.



Team member: Danijel Dragičević (Lead Frontend Developer)
Why: „Sumac, while not very strong himself, allows many crazy strategies and combos. Creating copies of other (even legendary) cards that have strong effects instead of stats, breaks free of the copies per deck limit, and when pulled off correctly, can turn many games into your favour. It feels amazing to play since it fills an entire zone if there is a target, intimidating opponents. Lastly, it mixes well with many cards, making it a versatile tool for offence, defence, and utility. That's why Sumac is a cornerstone in my Vestige decks.“

Team member: Antonio Vujasinović (UI/UX Designer)
Why: Bringing both the visual and practical perks together, Sumac has it all. The card art looks AMAZING, and not just that, it also enables hilarious combos, making the game even more enjoyable!

We have introduced you to our second favourite card. Can you guess which card holds the first place? Comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your opinion with us!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted

Dear Denizens of Issilith!

If you've played with Ascended during our testing, you have played with Mao Wei. This Avatar is a perfect example of who the Ascended are and what they represent.

Mao Wei was born blind. This circumstance of her birth made her attuned to her surroundings and she started to feel the presence of others around her. While growing up, Mao Wei showed tenacity and a strong sense of selflessness, which made her a perfect fit for the Amrit order. Her teachers recognized her unique gift and a good part of the training was specifically designed so that Mao Wei can hone it. To complete her training she had to walk down the Path, an arduous trial that every Ascended has to undergo to complete the final part of their training. No one knows what awaits them on their Path. And neither did Mao Wei. She set out to travel the Issilith in search of it. One day she stumbled upon a small village and took a respite in its tavern. She felt the unease of the villagers there, something was off. After a few rounds of drinks had passed, she overheard them talking about invisible demons stalking the village. Something in her told her that she should stay. And so she did. The next day, the settlement was indeed attacked. The villagers didn't even see the attackers, they were utterly defenseless against this unseen foe and the help, while on its way, was still distant. But for Mao Wei not seeing her opponents never made a difference. She set out on the field and she focused. She felt the presence of these raging spirits, moving fast, creating mayhem all around her, and she struck. With just one hit she redirected all of their attention to herself. And their dance began… Mao Wei managed to fend off the attackers singlehandedly until the cavalry arrived. Her Path was complete and she earned her title, the Wings of Salvation.



Mao Wei can target a local wounded unit with her skill, Shield, which will put 2 shield counters on it. Her traits are shield focused as well. If you choose her first trait, Radiant Grace, Mao Wei will, at the start of your every turn, put a shield counter on your Core. Talking about early game advantage, that can mitigate a nice chunk of Core damage at the start all while giving you an option to take a bit more aggressive approach. Her second trait, Shroud of Serenity, will put 2 shield counters on Mao Wei every time you use her skill, making her a more viable help in clearing out those low-health units. The third trait, Mao's Chosen, is something you may want to have if your deck consists of higher-cost cards. If you choose this trait, every time you play a unit that costs 7 essence or more, Mao Wei will put 2 shield counters on it. She is indeed the epitome of what an Amrit should be.

How did you like playing with Mao Wei? Comment below or join our Discord channel (Discord) and share your thoughts with us!

Yours truly,
Games Revolted