Trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Digimon, Final Fantasy, and others are perhaps my favorite genre of tabletop goodness. Being a child of the late ’80s and growing up in the ’90s, I attribute this love to my fond memories of “attempting” to play Magic with my older brother and dad at the time and playing matches with my friends on Boy Scout camping trips. It’s a passion that has stayed with me and evolved over the course of now three decades, and it’s what keeps me always on the lookout for more colorful cardboard I want to try. This vigilance is what made Hero: Tales of the Tome, designed by Jimmy Ellerth, catch my eye back a few PAXs ago. It’s an all-in-one card game that offers much of the strategy that my favorite TCGs provide while only requiring a single copy of the game to enjoy.
The base game of Hero features five unique characters that 2-5 players can choose from, with the objective of the game to be the last character standing. Each character will grow in power over the course of the game’s rounds, unlocking new spells and abilities to use while also increasing the amount of resources they can generate, letting you use more cards as the game gets farther in. In typical TCG fashion, games are played over a series of rounds where each player takes turns drawing cards from their deck, conjuring powerful spells, summoning creatures, and attacking their foes. From a distance, Hero may sound a lot like other card games of the genre, but it features a few special features that make it a unique beast that will still appeal to fans of those other games.
The most obvious aspect that sets Hero apart is that each player is playing and pulling cards from the same deck. Opposed to requiring everyone to construct and bring their own unique set of cards, Hero instead presents everyone with a single deck that everyone will draw from, requiring you to strategize and plan on the fly with what you’re given. If you find the shared deck gameplay a bit too heavy on randomness and chance, you can opt for a draft-style game instead. Players compose their own decks from the shared single deck in this mode, requiring careful planning and strategic decision-making. This adds a layer of depth and complexity to the game, making it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy a challenge.
What may throw experienced TCG players for a loop (more so than even the single shared deck), and took me the most time to wrap my head around, was assigning your blocking creatures at the END of your turn. Instead of assigning creatures to block for your hero in response to your opponent declaring their attack, you will need to attempt to plan ahead and figure out what is the biggest target before your opponent has acted or even played their cards. This unique gameplay mechanic really changed up my thought processes and approach compared to other games I play, making me have to be more proactive in my play and less reactionary.
I am a big fan of games that provide a big experience but come in small packages and/or are easy to take with me. Hero’s original release – and the one I initially picked up years ago at PAX – came in a small and incredibly portable form-factor, barely bigger than two decks of playing cards stacked on top of each other. It is a perfect size to throw in my bag to take with me to work or my local brewery. It’s perhaps a little too small, however, leaving no room for the additional hero cards that you could buy in the Hero Expansion Pack or being able to hold the deck when sleeved. The 2nd Edition addresses this issue, and for about the same price you get a larger box that has no issue fitting sleeved versions of all the cards – including the Hero Expansions – and gives you additional wooden tokens to use. It may not fit in your handbag anymore, but it will still easily fit in your backpack or any board game-designed bag. Outside of the box size, the cards, rules, and overall contents are the same, so which edition you go with really comes down to your preference!
Hero: Tales of the Tome has found its way into my collection of mainstay “take with me” games whenever I head somewhere. Jimmy has also been busy working on a brand new standalone expansion, Hero: Reign of The Onyx King, that looks to add a brand new asymmetrical game type where three players team up against one who takes on the role of the Onyx King in addition to 200 new cards, 4 new heroes, and new mechanics to strategize around. This giant new expansion will be arriving on Kickstarter soon so be sure to head over to the page and follow the project if you’re interested! Hero: Tales of the Tome removes one of the biggest hurdles in introducing new players to the trading card game genre – the deck building – making it a great trial game while still providing a rewarding and exciting gameplay experience for seasoned vets. With its ancient tome-looking box, and relatively low price point of $30 USD, Hero: Tales of the Tome is worth your time to check out if your in the mood to sling some spells.
Hero: Tales of the Tome can be purchases off of the official website, Barnes & Nobel, or Amazon.
A copy of the 2nd Edition was provided to the reviewer who had previously purchased the 1st Edition.
