Chaotic TCG: Silent Sands Expansion
From: 4Kids Entertainment/TC Digital
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Chaotic TCG: Silent Sands Expansion is a new trading card game booster expansion from 4Kids Entertainment/TC Digital.
Chaotic, the Trading Card Game has made a considerable impact on the collectible and trading card game industry. In one short year, they have introduced a new way of playing a CCG and some would say it is revolutionary. With the combination of an innovative card game, the online aspect of the game, and the revamped TV show, this card game continues to do well. Silent Sands is the third set of cards for this popular card game.
From the website: “In the setting sun, the Conjurors knelt down in the catacombs, focusing their Mugical energies on a single point.”
Silent Sands brings to Chaotic 100 new cards – 35 new Creatures, 30 new Attacks, 15 new Mugic cards, 10 new Locations, and 10 new Battlegear cards. Of course, they come in a wide variety of rarity levels. Silent Sands primarily focuses on the Mipedian Tribe. While the other three Tribes of Perim got treatment in OverWorld and UnderWorld in Dawn of Perim, and Danians in Zenith of the Hive, Silent Sands provides the Mipedians with some meat.
Examples of new creatures – Gnarlus the Mipedian Warpainter – a highly specialized enchanter of the Mipedian Tribe that is able to bestow powerful anti-Mugic onto his allies – or Karraba, the Overworld Muge with his new ability that uses the mechanic of “Diminishing Mugic”. Familiar creatures from the show such as Iparu and Blazvatan have also been included. There are additional creature types added to the game – Assimilated Danians, Warbeasts, Conjurors, and Chanters.
Silent Sands brings a number of new game mechanics to the game. With a game as simple and elegant as Chaotic is, one might be concerned that the designers would run out of ways to do things. However, Silent Sands proves the designers are innovative and have many trick under their hats. One interesting aspect of the game is the Mirage Locations – like the Rao’pa Sahkk, the Ocean with No Water. These Locations can change the properties on the Battleboard, making one of the unique aspects of the Chaotic game even more interesting. For example, Rao’pa Sahkk increases damage of Air and Earth attacks by 5 points. If a Water attack is played, the attacker replaces the current location with the top card in the location deck. Whenever a Mirage Location is to be placed at the bottom of the Location deck, it instead is placed elsewhere on the Battleboard. This represents places that appear and disappear in the Mipedian Desert.
From the website: “ The harmony of their chant and the intricate patterns of indigo blue that adorned the room paled in the swirling nexus of the Warbeast.”
One of the interesting aspects of the expansion is the paired creature types: Warbeasts and Conjurors. The Mipediants Warbeasts are extraordinary fighting creatures, most considerably more powerful then the other tribal counterparts. As a balancing factor, each Warbeast has a large Recklessness drawback – damage done to the creature when it attacks. Damage can be as high as 25. This damage can be reduced if paired up with a Conjuror, the Muges that summon these beasts.
Some other additional mechanics include Multiple Elemental Costs for some Attacks, Progressive Attacks, and Zero-Cost Mugics. As the name implies, these Attack cards require multiple elements to use. There are also additional updates to the Rules of Two, Movement Rules, and Diminishing Muges. Additionally, as a secondary theme, Silent Sands provides players with ways to deal with the Danian Infection first seen in Zenith of the Hive expansion.
What is also interesting is that even though it adds two new mechanics, it only introduces one new keyword – Mirage. This speaks well of the simplicity and elegance of the design as well as the forethought of the designers. It is quite obvious they worked closely with the makers of the show to make sure it was true to it. It does appear that they also kept game balance in mind, from what I have seen and read about this expansion.
In conclusion, Silent Sands brings more for your Choatic card playing pleasure. I am impressed not only with the additions and design, but also with the forethought into the game. Players of Chaotic now have a new powerful faction to work into their Chaotic games.
For more details on 4Kids Entertainment/TC Digital and their new trading card game booster expansion “Chaotic TCG: Silent Sands Expansion” check them out at their website http://chaoticgame.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Chaotic TCG: Silent Sands Expansion
From: 4Kids Entertainment/TC Digital
Type of Game: trading card game booster expansion
Game Design by: MRN, Arthur Murakami, Brian David-Marshall, Matt Wang, Don Lim, Billy Moreno, Drew Nolosco, Eric Smith, Joseph Cho, Jason Kennedy
Art Design by: Jason Narvaez, Rob Robbers
Graphics Design by: 4Kids Entertainment (Jennifer Obrotka, Anthony Cangelosi, Chawen Chou, Kana Hashimoto)
Number of Pages: 43 page rule booklet
Game Components Included: Start Set, playing mat, rulebook
Game Components Not Included: Booster packs
Retail Price: Booster Packs $3.99 (US)
Player Age: 8+
Number of Players: 2
Website: chaoticgame.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung