Notions of Horde: August 29, 1997
January 14, 2016
by Billy
August 29, 1997. Skynet becomes self-aware at 2:14 AM. In retaliation for its human handlers attempting to shut it down, it launches a nuclear strike against all of humanity. The survivors would call it Judgment Day. It is now the distant future–the year 2000–and you and your fellow commanders must lead the resistance against the onslaught of machines.
Notions of Horde: Zombies
February 4, 2016
By Billy
It happens to every group at some point. Tensions start running high, and maybe people need something inanimate to take that out on. I like it, because it appeals to the game designer in me. Quite a few video games ship with level editors these days, but very few board games do. Horde gives a unique outlet for that creative urge. In my second (of what I hope to be many) sporadic articles about my adventures in Horde design, I’m going to discuss the first horde I built: Zombies.
Notions of Horde: Allies and Eldrazi, a Study in Opposites
February 19, 2016
By Billy
Today I’m going to be discussing two different hordes, both of which I’ve been wanting to build for quite a while but never felt like there were enough Horde-playable cards for the tribes. That’s right: it’s Kor and Vampires Tribal!
Just kidding.
I’m talking about Eldrazi and Allies Hordes. These are two horde ideas that have been bouncing around my head since I’d first heard of Horde, but I wasn’t sure how to build them in interesting and fun ways. Thanks to Magic’s return to Zendikar, I feel like I have the tools available to produce hordes that are worthwhile and provide enough of a different spin on the format to feel different from other, more standard hordes.
Notions of Horde: Wrath of the Gods
March 11, 2016
By Billy
The gods have been angered! Fear their unyielding wrath!
Ok, maybe that is a little over dramatic. What we’ve got here is a pile of enchantment creature tokens I found inspiring a little project.
The central theme of this horde was initially going to be getting Constellation triggers, but after looking at the options too many Constellation cards required decisions that couldn’t easily be ruled for the horde. Then there was Eidolon of Blossoms, which initially looked good, right up until I realized it would cause the horde to draw its whole deck off the triggers. Do not let the low Constellation count fool you; this horde is brutal and remarkably synergistic.
Notions of Horde: Might of the Legions
May 20, 2016
By Billy
Today we’re going to be looking at a fairly straight-forward horde that is very easy to build on a budget, and ought to provide a decent amount of challenge and entertainment for a beginning horde builder. Today we look at Soldiers.
Notions of Horde: Real Estate on a Budget
June 3, 2016
By Billy
Lands. We all use them, we all need them, so frequently we can’t afford them. After a comment Mark made about the landbase I built for “The Charmander Vibrator,” I started thinking about budget lands in Commander. Of all the formats, we have the widest pool of playable lands available. This is due in part to the eternal nature of the format, though it’s really the singleton nature of the of the format that makes the second- and third-string lands much more playable than they are in formats where you can simply grab four of the best. Today, we’re going to dig deep into the bench and sort out just which of these lands make my 99, and which are staying on the JV team.