We recently covered KeyForge’s massive changes to make the game more player-friendly. The update was extremely well received by the KeyForge community, quickly rallying the veteran players, hyped up beginners, and bringing in much-needed new blood to the game. Ghost Galaxy Games have also released even more updates to KeyForge, all of which are in the spirit of making the game more accessible to new players and making the rules clean-cut, understandable, and easy to learn. In short, the game has been making a comeback.
Let’s start with the changes for KeyForge’s Master Rulebook. While Ghost Galaxy keep referring to it as “version 17”, the update is so massive they should have called it “Master Rulebook 2.0”, as it has been completely revamped and rewritten to be in compliance with Learn to Play KeyForge (LTP) – the new beginner’s guide. With this in mind, the Master Rulebook will essentially transform into a reference document, while the Learn to Play KeyForge will take on the main role of teaching new players how to play the game.
And while we’re on that topic, Ghost Galaxy Games are addressing some issues with the “Omega” keyword – something that players have been very vocal about online. The original effect definition was causing some confusion and problems with other card effects and their respective rulings, which Ghost Galaxy Games attributed to KeyForge’s previous publisher – Fantasy Flight Games. The new definition of Omega will aim to preserve the original intention of what the effect was supposed to do, explain how Omega works as simply as possible in any situation, and finally – preserve previously-issued card rulings as much as possible.
Master Rulebook – Rules and Definitions Made Clear and Easy
Continuing with the Master Rulebook updates, Ghost Galaxy Games have also settled on the semantics of KeyForge. Older versions of the rulebook used the terms “trigger” and “resolve” synonymously when describing the act of carrying out instructions on certain cards. Version 17 will only use the term “resolve” for such descriptions. Continuing the topic of card semantics, Offering to Killigog and Space Invaders have also been heavily updated by receiving an errata. While this is a heavy edit in the world of card games, Ghost Galaxy Games deemed it necessary. It has not been made clear that their effects count as “making” token creatures. It is important to note that only the decks after KeyForge Celebration 2022 will have the updated text.
Another neat change will be in the FAQ section. The new Master Rulebook will include a lot of new question/answer scenarios added, and will also be split into two distinct sections – General FAQ and a Card-Specific FAQ. Ghost Galaxy Games have stated that there will be text duplications in both sections, but that is strictly for clarity and convenience. Finally, the Timing Chart section has received a useful addition, which players can reference should they not remember where “after enters play” effects exactly resolve.
An Epic Feel to KeyForge Tournament Finals
The Tournaments Rules and Guidelines (TRG) have also received a much-needed update, based on data collected from judges, tournament organizers, and players of all skill levels. One major change will be in the way tournaments are played – playoff matches leading to the finals will now be timed single-elimination battles. Only the final match will be played as a non-timed best-of-three battle format. This will add an epic feeling to the final match, making it feel a lot more exciting.