KeyForge, designed by Richard Garfield and published by Ghost Galaxy, is a unique deck game that has captivated card game enthusiasts since its release in 2018. Unlike traditional collectible card games, KeyForge offers a distinctive experience where each deck is procedurally generated, ensuring no two decks are alike. This guide aims to provide an in-depth understanding of KeyForge, from its components and setup to advanced strategies, enabling both newcomers and seasoned players to enhance their gameplay[cm_simple_footnote id=1].

KeyForge stands out in the card gaming world due to its innovative approach to deck construction and gameplay. Each player assumes the role of an Archon, leading a unique deck in a race to forge three keys before their opponent. The game’s objective revolves around collecting Æmber, a vital resource used to forge keys. The first player to forge three keys unlocks the secrets of the Crucible and wins the game.

Game Components

A standard KeyForge game includes the following components:

• Unique Decks: Each deck consists of 36 cards, featuring a combination of three out of the seven Houses in the game. The uniqueness of each deck is a hallmark of KeyForge, eliminating the need for deck-building and ensuring a fresh experience with every deck.
• Card Types:
  • Creatures: Entities that can fight opponents’ creatures or reap to gather Æmber.
  • Artifacts: Permanent cards that provide ongoing effects or abilities.
  • Actions: One-time effects that are executed upon play and then discarded.
  • Upgrades: Enhancements attached to creatures, granting them additional abilities or stats.
• Tokens:
  • Æmber Tokens: Represent the resource needed to forge keys.
  • Damage Tokens: Indicate damage dealt to creatures.
  • Status Counters: Include stun, power, and other markers to denote various effects on cards.
  • Keys: Each player has three key tokens, which are flipped to their forged side upon spending Æmber to forge a key.

Setting Up the Game

To set up a game of KeyForge, follow these steps:

1. Prepare the Play Area: Place all tokens and counters within easy reach of both players.
2. Deck Placement: Each player places their Archon identity card to the left or right side of their play area.
3. Key Tokens: Each player places three key tokens, one of each color, with the unforged side faceup near their Archon identity card.
4. Determine First Player: Randomly decide who will take the first turn.
5. Shuffle Decks: Each player shuffles their deck thoroughly and offers it to the opponent for additional shuffling or a final cut.
6. Draw Starting Hands: The first player draws a starting hand of seven cards, while the second player draws six cards.
7. Mulligan Option: Each player, starting with the first player, has one opportunity to mulligan their starting hand by shuffling it back into their deck and drawing a new starting hand with one fewer card.

Understanding the Houses

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KeyForge features seven distinct Houses, each with its unique theme and playstyle:

• Brobnar: Comprising mighty warriors and giants, Brobnar focuses on strength and combat prowess. Their cards often feature high power values and abilities that enhance fighting capabilities.
• Dis: A House of demons and dark entities, Dis specializes in disrupting the opponent’s strategy through control effects, forcing discards, and manipulating the game state.
• Logos: The scholars and scientists of the Crucible, Logos excels in card draw and efficiency. Their abilities often involve drawing additional cards, archiving, and accelerating gameplay.
• Mars: Alien invaders with advanced technology, Mars cards often work best in synergy with other Mars cards, featuring abilities that benefit from having multiple Mars creatures or artifacts in play.
• Sanctum: Knights and holy warriors, Sanctum focuses on protection and healing. Their cards often feature high armor values and abilities that shield other creatures or provide healing effects.
• Shadows: Rogues and thieves, Shadows specialize in stealth and Æmber manipulation. They excel at stealing Æmber from opponents and evading attacks with abilities like Elusive.
• Untamed: Representing the wild and natural forces, Untamed focuses on rapid Æmber generation and explosive plays. Their cards often feature creatures with the Skirmish ability and effects that generate Æmber quickly.

Each deck contains cards from three of these Houses, and understanding the synergies between them is key to mastering your deck.

Turn Structure

A player’s turn in KeyForge consists of the following five steps:

1. Forge a Key:
   • At the start of your turn, if you have enough Æmber (typically six), you must forge a key by spending the Æmber and flipping one of your key tokens to its forged side.
2. Choose a House:
   • Declare one of the three Houses present in your deck as the active house for this turn.
3. Play, Use, and Discard Cards:
   • Play: Place cards of the active house from your hand into play.
   • Use: Activate abilities of creatures and artifacts of the active house that are already in play.
   • Discard: Discard any number of cards of the active house from your hand.
   • Note: During the first player’s first turn, they may only play or discard one card from their hand.
4. Ready Cards:
   • Ready each of your exhausted cards.
5. Draw Cards:
   • Draw cards from your deck until you have six cards in your hand.

Card Types and Their Functions

Understanding the different card types is crucial for effective gameplay:

• Creatures:
  • Enter play on either flank of your battleline.
  • Can fight enemy creatures or reap to gain Æmber.
  • Have power and armor values that determine their combat effectiveness.
• Artifacts:
  • Enter play exhausted and are placed in your play area.
  • Provide ongoing effects or abilities that can be activated on subsequent turns.
• Actions:
  • Provide one-time effects when played.
  • After resolving their effect, they are placed in your discard pile.
• Upgrades:
  • Attach to a creature, enhancing its abilities or stats.
  • Remain in play as long as the creature they are attached to stays in play.

Collecting and Spending Æmber

Æmber is the primary resource in KeyForge, used to forge keys:

• Gaining Æmber:
  • Reaping: Exhaust a creature to gain 1 Æmber.
  • Card Effects: Some cards provide Æmber when played or through their abilities.
  • Bonus Icons: Certain cards have bonus icons that grant Æmber when the card is played.
• Spending Æmber:
  • At the start of your turn, if you have enough Æmber, you must spend it to forge a key.
  • The standard cost to forge a key is six Æmber, but this can be modified by card effects.

Combat Mechanics

Combat is a key aspect of KeyForge, involving creatures fighting each other:

• Fighting:
  • Exhaust a creature to fight an enemy creature.
  • Both creatures deal damage equal to their power to each other simultaneously.
  • If a creature has damage equal to or greater than its power, it is destroyed and placed in its owner’s discard pile.
• Reaping:
  • Instead of fighting, a creature can reap to gain 1 Æmber.
  • The creature becomes exhausted after reaping.

Special Abilities and Keywords

Cards in KeyForge often have special abilities or keywords that provide unique effects:

• Elusive: The first time a creature with Elusive is attacked each turn, it takes no damage and deals no damage in return.
• Skirmish: When a creature with Skirmish is used to fight, it takes no damage from the opposing creature.
• Taunt: Creatures adjacent to a creature with Taunt cannot be attacked; the creature with Taunt must be attacked first.

Understanding these abilities is essential for strategic play.

Winning the Game

The primary objective in KeyForge is to forge three keys:

• Forging Keys:
  • At the start of your turn, if you have enough Æmber, you must forge a key.
  • The standard cost is six Æmber, but this can be modified by card effects.
• Victory Condition:
  • The first player to forge three keys wins the game.

Advanced Strategies and Tips

• Æmber Management:
  • Efficient Generation: Prioritize actions and plays that maximize Æmber gain. Utilize creatures with high reaping potential and play actions that provide bonus Æmber.
  • Control and Denial: Implement cards and strategies that hinder your opponent’s Æmber accumulation. Cards that capture, steal, or destroy Æmber can delay their key forging and provide you with a strategic advantage.
• Board Control:
  • Creature Management: Assess when to engage in combat versus when to reap. Eliminating key threats on your opponent’s side can prevent them from executing powerful combos or gaining excessive Æmber.
  • Threat Assessment: Identify and neutralize your opponent’s most dangerous creatures or artifacts. Prioritize targets that could disrupt your strategy or accelerate their path to victory.
• Hand Optimization:
  • Discarding Unnecessary Cards: If certain cards are situational and not immediately useful, consider discarding them to draw into more impactful options. This approach keeps your hand dynamic and responsive to the evolving game state.
  • Anticipating Future Turns: Plan your plays several turns ahead. Recognize potential synergies and prepare to capitalize on them when the opportunity arises.
• Adaptability:
  • Flexible House Selection: While it’s beneficial to play multiple cards from a single house, remain adaptable. Sometimes, activating a single powerful card from a different house can be more advantageous than playing several less impactful cards.
  • Responding to Opponent’s Strategy: Stay observant of your opponent’s moves and adjust your tactics accordingly. Being reactive and proactive in equal measure can keep your opponent off balance.
• Deck Familiarity:
  • Know Your Deck: Spend time understanding the intricacies of your deck. Familiarity with your cards and their interactions allows for more strategic decision-making during play.
  • Practice: Regular gameplay with your deck will reveal its strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to refine your strategies and improve your performance.

Conclusion

Mastering KeyForge requires a blend of strategic planning, adaptability, and in-depth knowledge of your unique deck. By focusing on efficient Æmber management, maintaining board control, optimizing your hand, and staying adaptable, you can enhance your gameplay and increase your chances of victory. Remember, each game offers a new opportunity to learn and refine your strategies. Embrace the uniqueness of your deck, enjoy the dynamic gameplay, and may your keys forge swiftly.