In Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series, certain individuals possess the intriguing ability to harness magic by metabolizing metals. They can burn pewter to boost their physical strength or brass to calm others’ emotions. However, the real powerhouses are the Mistborn, who can manipulate multiple metals to effectively achieve feats like soaring through the skies and even glimpsing into the future.
Sanderson’s well-defined magical system is at the heart of Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game, enabling players to showcase the prowess of a Mistborn through crafting intricate combinations with their metals. Your objective? Either complete three missions by hitting various milestones or outlast your rivals by reducing their health to zero.
As the game progresses, characters grow stronger, gaining the ability to burn more of the eight available metals each turn. These metals fuel actions like moving along mission tracks, launching attacks against others, or refining your deck by acquiring new cards or phasing out weaker, initial cards. Many cards feature “kickers,” providing enhanced effects if you burn additional metals of the same type, promoting a focused approach. Alternatively, you can opt for a broader strategy by flaring metals, temporarily setting them aside until you reactivate them with a future card. I realized I didn’t capitalize on this strategy early enough to give my deck that extra edge.
One unique twist in the game is its handling of damage. In matches with three or four players, only one person serves as the target and can be attacked, though they gain the advantage of damaging all opponents when they strike back. After taking damage, this target can decide to pass the token to another player or retain it. This mechanic cleverly prevents everyone from piling on to whoever’s leading, while also allowing more aggressive players the option to strategically hold onto it.
I’m excited to dive deeper into the game and experiment with new strategies, including its cooperative mode, which aligns more closely with the series’ storyline where Mistborn unite against the oppressive Lord Ruler. The game seems poised for expansions, potentially introducing more characters and unfolding plot elements from beyond the first book in the series.
