Exactly. Rarely do companies do that. It's all about how much they can milk the customer for rather than how someone buys and uses their product. Look at AAA gaming right now. They're in shambles right now, because it's all live service hell right now to get as much money out of the player.
If I may add to your points presented, I can see LSS adding a paper playmat to give new players a guide to how to board is set up in future armory decks; similar to how pokemon and yu-gi-oh provides one with their precon products.
Paper playmats would be a fine include as well. I figured they could put a layout in the quickstart guide (like how they did with the little include in the Ira Welcome decks) but a playmat with basic info on it would also be great
@@Sloopdoop When I started I bought some self made commoner decks from ebay for around 6 euros each for me and my gf. Each included 8 small dices and a small paper playmat. Kinda sad that it felt like a better start then the official decks
I like that a 3 year old pack is recommended for upgrades, because it makes me feel like cards remain valueble for a long time. I also agree wholeheartedly with all the comments about the packaging. I feel like there is sooo much potential, especially for fab
I agree! They could've mentioned both Aria and Rosetta as potential resources for cards. Fruits, Summer's fall and Rootbound are great cards to consider, let alone the majestics.
100%-AMEN! Thank you so much for the video. I recently got my first Boltyn Armory, and while I’m thrilled to dive into the game, the experience was a bit underwhelming. The packaging left so much empty space, and it didn’t quite match the incredible quality of the game itself. The game is fantastic, and I truly believe the packaging should reflect that greatness. I hope future releases will align better with the amazing experience the game provides. Thanks again for the video!
Thank you! I hope someone does watch, and hopefully they read the comments. I forgot to script it in, but I was originally going to tell people to use the comments to voice their thoughts (they did it anyways, thankfully) so that IF someone from LSS sees the video, hopefully they can read the comments for more feedback
Give me more baby!!! lol good stuff brother. I wonder if the challenge is just getting all the other things manufactured and combined with the manufacturers FaB is using.
You are 100% right. I believe they made all the first batch of decks with the same model, but this pause till the next product could mean the time they need to adapt
I do agree with most of the points. I really love this armory decks LSS gives us, they are a great entrypoint to new players and even though i'm not a new player, i always try to buy the decks... But... there is another TCG i play, as a secondary TCG: Grand Archive and this year they released what i considered to be the best TCG product (maybe ever?), with the Re:Collection decks. Very strong decks right out of the box (there was a guy who one a tournament with no changes to the deck), a magnetic box, a playset of all the cards (amazing!) and dragonshield sleeves of the hero (and other smaller things). It felt really like a premium product. Hoping LSS would improve a bit on the armory decks with these examples.
Wow this sounds like if the cardfight vanguard decksets were good! I could see LSS doing these in the future for sure. James wants the game to be premiere, but the precons are lacking in that feeling. Not even cardboard deck box like the mtg pioneer decks :/. I meet a lot of new players at events, they start with armory decks and they could use some goods with those damn cards.
I don't even play Grand Archive, but I've seen those Re: Collection boxes. How much value is packed in there is insane, and really makes any other pre-con look like straight up trash. Imagine my disappointment when for $20 less I opened the Jarl box, and it's just the deck, lol.
I had this same thought. I recently got into Grand Archive too, and the value in those Re:Collection decks is crazy. Considering the price point of the armory origins deck, I feel like sleeves would be a bare minimum include.
I played GA for a bit, and liked the game. I originally considered comparing these to both the Re:Collection decks, as well as Magic's old Event Decks. I might still do a video in the future on it
Great video. Thank you!! New player here. I can’t tell you how awesome it would have been for me to have one of those resource tokens included in the box. Yeah, I use a die, but all the other guys have those nice metal / enamel discs from different events. Would have been cool to have an ice one, even if acrylic, to feel like a real player without having to track down some specialty store and spend even more money. To their credit, the locals have been very generous in giving me AB equipment and other cards to upgrade and stand a fighting chance in the weekly armories. Jarl is my 2nd Armory Deck purchase. I got Kayo 1st because he makes me laugh. I think I had a bit of disappointment with Jarl though because it seemed to me that if Kayo was alright out of the box at $50, then the higher price should have come with some of the upgrades you mentioned and been a bit better. As it goes, adding the oaken olds, frost fangs, and a few other cards wasn’t outrageously expensive, but they were still enough to make this already higher priced item ($70 here) go over 100 USD easily. Maybe LSS will hear this feedback and create some amazing armory products soon for some of the other heroes I’m interested in trying out.
The points you made on the packaging i hope actually get heard. Even if its just carboard tokens like MTG bundle boxes. And a quick start guide is exactly what i want so when im showing a friend how to play, they can keep it near them for a reference. Just like the MTG cards that come in some packs. Just anything extra to keep is amazing even if its worth next to mothing realistically
I would love to see a manual in these in the future some type of little booklet it doesn't have to be huge but something to get started with and maybe a few recommended upgrades in the back of the booklet
As someone who got into FaB 2months ago via the Kayo armoury deck I did feel a little disappointed finding only the deck inside as I am very used to at least receiving a cheap plasticy play mat (and/or a startup guide) and one booster pack with a starter deck. Therefore, my initial impression on the game did go down, but luckily the community, artwork of the cards and solid gameplay hooked me after already one armoury event :)
Grand Archive managed to nail precons for their game perfectly. Around $60 with a deckbox, health counter, fully playable deck with a playset of every single card in the deck, sleeves, and 3 packs. Just imagine an armory deck with the resource token and matching sleeves.
Oh man you really hit the nail on the head with the AB and sideboarding. It's one of those things where you wouldn't know about till you take 10 runechants to the face😂
Most of this stuff seems like common sense fixes that shouldn't cost LSS too much to make, I genuinely hope they're aware of this and are considering changes. I could definitely use a set of Go Again tokens, -1 Armor tokens for equipment, etc. Side note, Rune Factory 4 was one of my favorite 3DS games hands down, you're based as heck for including it in the video. Clorica gang rise up!
It would pay to compare this product to other similiar priced products from the TCG space. Comparing to a 4-figure phone is wild (although I understand your point). I for one like the minimalism if the product inside is good (which it is), but wasted space in packaging actually increases the price for the customer (shipping less decks per case = higher price per deck) which is my biggest gripe with it being mostly empty.
You've got a solid point. I genuinely did consider comparing these to the Re:Collection decks from Grand Archive, and the Event Decks from Magic, but I didn't want to come across as "these products good, Armory deck bad". That being said, I have considered going to my one LGS and seeing if they have old Event decks, and doing another video outlining what I think these products got right that FaB could copy. The phone point was purely to outline how packaging sets the tone for a customer's feelings. Your point about the size making it harder to ship is also great. Plus it takes up more store shelf space, which is a small thing, but it is a factor
As a new player the onboarding is a bumpy road. The game is really damn fun, I love it and I expect to stick with it for a long time going forward, but the Armory decks are definitely a little oddly built and none of you can tell me the price for a full playset of Codex of Frailty or Command and Conquer is okay. Mastery packs for every class is something but LSS also needs to print another History Pack and then keep printing them at least once a year. Slightly more on topic I picked up a One Piece starter deck (the game is alright, I don't think I like it enough to stick with it) and while being half the price there are physical rules in the box that doubles as a playmat and a 10 card booster pack. All while being half the price of an Armory deck. And I understand that Bandai have more money than god and all that, but a sideboard, a thing, a booster and physical instructions would do a lot to make armory decks better.
I've found that there's been a lot of blind positivity towards Armory Decks within the community when in reality they really easily could be so, so much better for all the reasons you said and more. It baffles me that these decks come with empty space and no knick-knack or instruction booklet. I know Rhinar vs. Dorinthea was extremely unpopular, but in that product, above the decks, was a little lore booklet. Armory decks could easily have a booklet like these with a couple of pages of basic how-to-play instructions and a quick reference rules guide on the back with a couple of pages of hero lore as well. I feel it's hypocritical for flesh and blood to be all about playing in flesh and blood but you have to go *online* or use the included QR code to find these things digitally. The argument that a sideboard complicates things sort of falls apart when the 1st Strike decks come with spellvoid equipment as a sideboard - that or nullrune equipment is a minimum requirement for a sideboard, I feel. Many players would argue these decks are NOT playable out of the box if they're just going to get spanked by arcane heroes. I also remember when the final majestic revealed to be in the Jarl armory deck was Exposed to the Elements... people were baffled that it wasn't Oaken old, which is such an obvious choice in a deck that can fuse Ice and Earth together more easily than any hero before. Apologies for the long rant, I just really love this hero and would love to introduce more people to the game if only it were easier to do.
I really wish that they would include some accessories like what you mentioned in the video or even a paper playmat with the card positions great for beginners that can have the guide on the back. To me it's expensive enough to have those at least especially when taking to account of different currencies
I bought my first commander precon this year and opening it, all I could think of is why tf can't LSS do this? Cardboard counters, life counters, 1 pack, special treatment commander card. This was right after opening my dash IO deck and throwing everything in it except the armory exclusives
Not having rulebooks in games is a terrible look. I also like consulting these things during a game, way more than trying to find something on the phone. Also, I have a lot of MtG cards worth many hundreds of dollars, but for a new player, a single deck of 60 cards costing anything more than $30 is a crazy ask. $60 is a premium board-game, with plastic pieces and sometimes hundreds of cards.
i don't get why they still don't include a sideboard, especially with such a more premium product. Would it really hurt to add some AB equipment for example?
I’m a very experienced player, but when the Azalea armory deck came out, I wanted to relive that new player experience. So I went to my armory with nothing but $40 and a box of sleeves. I sleeved up the armory deck and round one started. Kano. I have no AB. Instant loss. Round two. Florian. I have no AB. Slower, but still a deterministic loss. Round 3. Verdance. Instant loss. LSS. PLEASE PUT ARCANE BARRIER IN YOUR ARMORY DECKS. If I was a new FAB player, I would’ve quit on the spot. That’s not a good first impression for the greatest card game of all time to make.
I've seen some people online say the increased price is because LSS included more Majestics and a Legendary to the deck For a PreCon, there literally is no difference between a Common and a Legendary card since you are asured to be getting them all at the same time. I want LSS to be better, but the Armory decks really do kinda suck right now
I actually like cheesing people for the win with Channel Mount Isen. Just pitch stack your Ice cards with GA like Winters Bite to combine with it to get the frost bites.
Right! It was such a fun letter to research about because I hadn't seen it before (and I didnt recall it from the decades ago I saw the Beowulf poem in Old English). It's crazy how there's variance in the th sound but my ears wont hear it. To me its almost like Moðer would produce an almost soft D sound while đursday would be the true Th sound.
My only complaints about your recommendations for improving the Armoury decks is the resulting extra cost, If LSS believe that these prices are fair for what is included already then adding a sideboard + tokens + quickstart guide surely will put the price up. That must be a concern of theirs I've no doubt
This is why I tried to recommend things that I think would be cheap to produce. I can't imagine these items would add much to the overall cost of production, but I could be wrong
By far Kayo is the best armory deck to date, needing only a playset of bloodrush bellows and you have a real shot at winning first at Armories, that's only 40 dollar. LSS needs to think about what does the 20 dollar value really mean, and it can't be just rarity symbols on cardboard, it makes absolutely no sense for them to claim a higher price because they be pulling a wotc and are trying to justify perceived value from the secondary market, too soon LSS. You need at least 15 years of bored judges and a 1 grass roots casual format that hits it off before cashing in. I think they should just go the collector's commander precon route. I dont mind paying for a 80+ dollar version of the armory if its full bling, i'm talking EAs, alt cold foiling (like blue/red/green), full tokens (they can afford 10 token cards that are -1 armor and frostbite with different arts, not the disposable token), or maybe if they were feeling generous Marvels. But paying 20 dollars more on a armory deck that isn't better than the 40 dollar one is a huge issue. The side board should be the minimum. Its not hard to come up with 14 cards on side when 2-3 slots can just be AB equipment and an alternate weapon, the rest could of been silver bullets or pushes you more towards earth or ice. The side board doesn't need to be meta.
@4:35 This is great feedback. If this is a premium product I think having a deck box/card sleeves & resource token would be great since this is a "Convenience good" where you pick up off the shelf and can instantly play in an armory. Would be good to be all encompassing but also when you open the product you don't just have a bunch of cards in clear wrap. And sideboard dude totally agreed with AB, just need like 3 nullrune armor and would solve the problem. Overall though LSS has great direction I think of increasing the price tag and putting more quality into an intro competitive deck and reducing the amount of tweaking you need to upgrade. Great video man.
Yeah the price is less of an issue as long as the value is there. Decks cost a lot, and if the Armory deck being $20 more means you spend $80 less on upgrades, I think that's a win. I just feel like these are leaving so much potential on the table. Glad you enjoy the video, Bronson!
In Poland and in my city in particular (one of 5 biggest cities) FAB pretty much failed. While popular at first, it simply died. While the group of players we had could teach new players, the products visible at the store just did not have ANYTHING to really entice new players. Just packs, boxes and blitz decks and blitzs wasn't even a proper format. New players bought blitz decks, wanted to play at tournament then learned its a different format. This lead to pretty much zero-sized influx of new players and our group just fell apart across a few months. By the time those armory decks arrived, it was too late and nobody played FAB anymore. New players often asked about the decks, got intrested but upon hearing people don't play it at the store, they gave up and opted to try Pokemon, mtg or onepiece.
I actually disagree on the sideboard point. Having a focused 60 cards + equipment to come to terms with first allows you to focus on the game, hero and core list. Then once you get it, look to make upgrades, you can just throw the extra cards you replace into the sideboard.
Even if there is a sideboard, they could easily print on a card (like the QR code card) a warning to not use the sideboard right away if new to the hero/game. People can use their 60 card deck as-is, then they have the sideboard when they are ready
Same here from germany, showed a few frieds fab and they bought armory decks and where a bit confused with the pretty empty box, luckily i could teach them the game :D but first they tried it at home and got a bit lost and started calling me xD and pls at least nullrune eq for arcane dmg xD
I buy this product and i feel like you have too many things to change. The most important one is changing the non-block cards because you will get stuck when you draw those cards. Need to buy the earth card for damage and control in ROS set. This hero is fun but too many things to upgrade.
Holding a shotgun microphone is really weird. It should pick your voice up from off-screen well enough. For having such good gear, your pre-amble camera is fuzzy. Probably need better lighting :3
After opening each Armory deck, it slowly becomes a letdown because you know all you'll see is a deck and air. To quote Manlybadasshero, "empty like my soul". All that space could easily be used to put paper, just paper that can help new players. Compare that to the less popular Blitz bundle/Round the Table. Sure, the box is full of air, but it's a storage box. You can reuse everything in the box, minus the cardboard packaging that keeps the decks from jingling around. Sure, it costs more, but we don't need the armory decks to come in an 800-count (1000-count?) box and a neoprene playmat. They could change the box to resemble the blitz decks. Or, keep the fancy outside but have a smaller box inside that can hold 100 cards. Take a note from MTG and have a cheap paper box that unfolds. And of course cheap tokens. Or take a note from the Dash and Jarl decks and make new mini mini tokens for resources, plus attack, etc.
Oh man the Blitz bundles are an upcoming video too lol. But yes, smaller box that could double as a deckbox for the Armory decks might be the best way to go
I agree with the packaging argument, I was disappointed the first time I opened the kayo deck to only find a bloated package. the only thing I can consider is that maybe LSS doesn't get much in terms of profit from what these deck make. I don't think tokens like a metal one or even plastic is the way to go and will likely increase the price further. Booklets are expensive to print just for the individual to end up tossing most of the time. Videos are way better in the long run. I would suggest converting the bloated box into a functional deck box, one that has the retailer packaging over it but when it's opened it's a Jarl theme deck box and it should allow for double sleeving a full inventoried deck of up to 100. Way more value to a new player and often time a clutch win for players who grab this at a event to enter into the armory with out fumbling cards eveyrwhere
The reason I say acrylic tokens and a quickstart guide are my go-to's is because these are already common in products for many other games, so it seems like it would be relatively cheap (but I could be wrong). But I do like your idea of changing the box. I remember MTG's Event decks were the packaging and served as a deckbox, which I actually used for a while after buying the deck.
i think they do this for the fact they want u to play with someone in flesh and blood or to make u talk to more players so they can show u how to play making it very sociable
Great points, salient editing, and down to earth recommendations. Such small pivots that don't add a huge amount of production cost. Banger video
@@Lixeffect making the product have more value for little extra cost is key. I don't want these to have to be any more expensive 😅
dude understands customer exp & marketing better than most $50m+ companies
I just looked at the product from the eyes of a casual customer lol
Exactly. Rarely do companies do that. It's all about how much they can milk the customer for rather than how someone buys and uses their product. Look at AAA gaming right now. They're in shambles right now, because it's all live service hell right now to get as much money out of the player.
If I may add to your points presented, I can see LSS adding a paper playmat to give new players a guide to how to board is set up in future armory decks; similar to how pokemon and yu-gi-oh provides one with their precon products.
Paper playmats would be a fine include as well. I figured they could put a layout in the quickstart guide (like how they did with the little include in the Ira Welcome decks) but a playmat with basic info on it would also be great
@@Sloopdoop When I started I bought some self made commoner decks from ebay for around 6 euros each for me and my gf. Each included 8 small dices and a small paper playmat. Kinda sad that it felt like a better start then the official decks
As a new player, this video put my all feelings and experience with this deck into words. Thank you very much!
Happy to be of service!
I like that a 3 year old pack is recommended for upgrades, because it makes me feel like cards remain valueble for a long time. I also agree wholeheartedly with all the comments about the packaging. I feel like there is sooo much potential, especially for fab
This is a good point about the packs. Like I said, it's definitely something that's a bit weird but isn't inherently bad
I agree! They could've mentioned both Aria and Rosetta as potential resources for cards. Fruits, Summer's fall and Rootbound are great cards to consider, let alone the majestics.
"You think you do, but you don't" cutting to an image of Iyslander (in a Blizzard) was clever ngl.
100%-AMEN! Thank you so much for the video. I recently got my first Boltyn Armory, and while I’m thrilled to dive into the game, the experience was a bit underwhelming. The packaging left so much empty space, and it didn’t quite match the incredible quality of the game itself.
The game is fantastic, and I truly believe the packaging should reflect that greatness. I hope future releases will align better with the amazing experience the game provides. Thanks again for the video!
I love your passion. I really hope LSS watches this and gives it full consideration. Everything you said was spot on.
Thank you! I hope someone does watch, and hopefully they read the comments. I forgot to script it in, but I was originally going to tell people to use the comments to voice their thoughts (they did it anyways, thankfully) so that IF someone from LSS sees the video, hopefully they can read the comments for more feedback
Give me more baby!!! lol good stuff brother. I wonder if the challenge is just getting all the other things manufactured and combined with the manufacturers FaB is using.
Yeah being a smaller TCG company probably makes it harder to get what you want from manufacturers
As stated in another comment, Grand Archive is an even smalller TCG, and the amount of value crammed in their pre-con decks for $80 is amazing.
You are 100% right. I believe they made all the first batch of decks with the same model, but this pause till the next product could mean the time they need to adapt
I do agree with most of the points. I really love this armory decks LSS gives us, they are a great entrypoint to new players and even though i'm not a new player, i always try to buy the decks... But... there is another TCG i play, as a secondary TCG: Grand Archive and this year they released what i considered to be the best TCG product (maybe ever?), with the Re:Collection decks. Very strong decks right out of the box (there was a guy who one a tournament with no changes to the deck), a magnetic box, a playset of all the cards (amazing!) and dragonshield sleeves of the hero (and other smaller things). It felt really like a premium product. Hoping LSS would improve a bit on the armory decks with these examples.
Wow this sounds like if the cardfight vanguard decksets were good! I could see LSS doing these in the future for sure. James wants the game to be premiere, but the precons are lacking in that feeling.
Not even cardboard deck box like the mtg pioneer decks :/.
I meet a lot of new players at events, they start with armory decks and they could use some goods with those damn cards.
I don't even play Grand Archive, but I've seen those Re: Collection boxes. How much value is packed in there is insane, and really makes any other pre-con look like straight up trash. Imagine my disappointment when for $20 less I opened the Jarl box, and it's just the deck, lol.
I had this same thought. I recently got into Grand Archive too, and the value in those Re:Collection decks is crazy. Considering the price point of the armory origins deck, I feel like sleeves would be a bare minimum include.
I played GA for a bit, and liked the game. I originally considered comparing these to both the Re:Collection decks, as well as Magic's old Event Decks. I might still do a video in the future on it
Great video. Thank you!!
New player here. I can’t tell you how awesome it would have been for me to have one of those resource tokens included in the box. Yeah, I use a die, but all the other guys have those nice metal / enamel discs from different events. Would have been cool to have an ice one, even if acrylic, to feel like a real player without having to track down some specialty store and spend even more money. To their credit, the locals have been very generous in giving me AB equipment and other cards to upgrade and stand a fighting chance in the weekly armories.
Jarl is my 2nd Armory Deck purchase. I got Kayo 1st because he makes me laugh. I think I had a bit of disappointment with Jarl though because it seemed to me that if Kayo was alright out of the box at $50, then the higher price should have come with some of the upgrades you mentioned and been a bit better. As it goes, adding the oaken olds, frost fangs, and a few other cards wasn’t outrageously expensive, but they were still enough to make this already higher priced item ($70 here) go over 100 USD easily.
Maybe LSS will hear this feedback and create some amazing armory products soon for some of the other heroes I’m interested in trying out.
17:14 song hits me in the memories
The points you made on the packaging i hope actually get heard. Even if its just carboard tokens like MTG bundle boxes. And a quick start guide is exactly what i want so when im showing a friend how to play, they can keep it near them for a reference. Just like the MTG cards that come in some packs. Just anything extra to keep is amazing even if its worth next to mothing realistically
I would love to see a manual in these in the future some type of little booklet it doesn't have to be huge but something to get started with and maybe a few recommended upgrades in the back of the booklet
As someone who got into FaB 2months ago via the Kayo armoury deck I did feel a little disappointed finding only the deck inside as I am very used to at least receiving a cheap plasticy play mat (and/or a startup guide) and one booster pack with a starter deck. Therefore, my initial impression on the game did go down, but luckily the community, artwork of the cards and solid gameplay hooked me after already one armoury event :)
Grand Archive managed to nail precons for their game perfectly. Around $60 with a deckbox, health counter, fully playable deck with a playset of every single card in the deck, sleeves, and 3 packs. Just imagine an armory deck with the resource token and matching sleeves.
Fantastic points! Definitely agree the Box needs some filler for all that empty air
Oh man you really hit the nail on the head with the AB and sideboarding. It's one of those things where you wouldn't know about till you take 10 runechants to the face😂
I really liked the review and think that you did a good job giving constructive criticism that also helps me understand what I would be picking up.
Most of this stuff seems like common sense fixes that shouldn't cost LSS too much to make, I genuinely hope they're aware of this and are considering changes. I could definitely use a set of Go Again tokens, -1 Armor tokens for equipment, etc.
Side note, Rune Factory 4 was one of my favorite 3DS games hands down, you're based as heck for including it in the video. Clorica gang rise up!
It would pay to compare this product to other similiar priced products from the TCG space. Comparing to a 4-figure phone is wild (although I understand your point). I for one like the minimalism if the product inside is good (which it is), but wasted space in packaging actually increases the price for the customer (shipping less decks per case = higher price per deck) which is my biggest gripe with it being mostly empty.
You've got a solid point. I genuinely did consider comparing these to the Re:Collection decks from Grand Archive, and the Event Decks from Magic, but I didn't want to come across as "these products good, Armory deck bad". That being said, I have considered going to my one LGS and seeing if they have old Event decks, and doing another video outlining what I think these products got right that FaB could copy. The phone point was purely to outline how packaging sets the tone for a customer's feelings.
Your point about the size making it harder to ship is also great. Plus it takes up more store shelf space, which is a small thing, but it is a factor
As a new player the onboarding is a bumpy road. The game is really damn fun, I love it and I expect to stick with it for a long time going forward, but the Armory decks are definitely a little oddly built and none of you can tell me the price for a full playset of Codex of Frailty or Command and Conquer is okay. Mastery packs for every class is something but LSS also needs to print another History Pack and then keep printing them at least once a year.
Slightly more on topic I picked up a One Piece starter deck (the game is alright, I don't think I like it enough to stick with it) and while being half the price there are physical rules in the box that doubles as a playmat and a 10 card booster pack. All while being half the price of an Armory deck. And I understand that Bandai have more money than god and all that, but a sideboard, a thing, a booster and physical instructions would do a lot to make armory decks better.
I've found that there's been a lot of blind positivity towards Armory Decks within the community when in reality they really easily could be so, so much better for all the reasons you said and more. It baffles me that these decks come with empty space and no knick-knack or instruction booklet.
I know Rhinar vs. Dorinthea was extremely unpopular, but in that product, above the decks, was a little lore booklet. Armory decks could easily have a booklet like these with a couple of pages of basic how-to-play instructions and a quick reference rules guide on the back with a couple of pages of hero lore as well. I feel it's hypocritical for flesh and blood to be all about playing in flesh and blood but you have to go *online* or use the included QR code to find these things digitally.
The argument that a sideboard complicates things sort of falls apart when the 1st Strike decks come with spellvoid equipment as a sideboard - that or nullrune equipment is a minimum requirement for a sideboard, I feel. Many players would argue these decks are NOT playable out of the box if they're just going to get spanked by arcane heroes.
I also remember when the final majestic revealed to be in the Jarl armory deck was Exposed to the Elements... people were baffled that it wasn't Oaken old, which is such an obvious choice in a deck that can fuse Ice and Earth together more easily than any hero before. Apologies for the long rant, I just really love this hero and would love to introduce more people to the game if only it were easier to do.
I really wish that they would include some accessories like what you mentioned in the video or even a paper playmat with the card positions great for beginners that can have the guide on the back. To me it's expensive enough to have those at least especially when taking to account of different currencies
I bought my first commander precon this year and opening it, all I could think of is why tf can't LSS do this? Cardboard counters, life counters, 1 pack, special treatment commander card.
This was right after opening my dash IO deck and throwing everything in it except the armory exclusives
glad for finally someone saying this
I really wish the included armor in these kind of decks were the same as pictured in the character art.
Not having rulebooks in games is a terrible look. I also like consulting these things during a game, way more than trying to find something on the phone.
Also, I have a lot of MtG cards worth many hundreds of dollars, but for a new player, a single deck of 60 cards costing anything more than $30 is a crazy ask. $60 is a premium board-game, with plastic pieces and sometimes hundreds of cards.
i don't get why they still don't include a sideboard, especially with such a more premium product. Would it really hurt to add some AB equipment for example?
I enjoed this. ❤ lovely jokes and wonderful pacing
Glad you enjoyed the humour, can't be too serious all the time!
I’m a very experienced player, but when the Azalea armory deck came out, I wanted to relive that new player experience. So I went to my armory with nothing but $40 and a box of sleeves. I sleeved up the armory deck and round one started.
Kano. I have no AB. Instant loss.
Round two.
Florian. I have no AB. Slower, but still a deterministic loss.
Round 3.
Verdance. Instant loss.
LSS. PLEASE PUT ARCANE BARRIER IN YOUR ARMORY DECKS. If I was a new FAB player, I would’ve quit on the spot. That’s not a good first impression for the greatest card game of all time to make.
AB just really needs to be in there, it's not even funny
I've seen some people online say the increased price is because LSS included more Majestics and a Legendary to the deck
For a PreCon, there literally is no difference between a Common and a Legendary card since you are asured to be getting them all at the same time.
I want LSS to be better, but the Armory decks really do kinda suck right now
appreciate these deep dives
I actually like cheesing people for the win with Channel Mount Isen. Just pitch stack your Ice cards with GA like Winters Bite to combine with it to get the frost bites.
I got the azalea deck as a new player and was low key disappointed with it a lil bit with the no accessories
Fun fact: Vetreiði's ð is olde english like in the epic poem Beowulf. It is pronounced with a th sound.
I googled this :D
To add to this. It's the th in "mother" not "thursday". Thursday would use the letter þ/Þ.
Right! It was such a fun letter to research about because I hadn't seen it before (and I didnt recall it from the decades ago I saw the Beowulf poem in Old English).
It's crazy how there's variance in the th sound but my ears wont hear it. To me its almost like Moðer would produce an almost soft D sound while đursday would be the true Th sound.
My only complaints about your recommendations for improving the Armoury decks is the resulting extra cost, If LSS believe that these prices are fair for what is included already then adding a sideboard + tokens + quickstart guide surely will put the price up. That must be a concern of theirs I've no doubt
This is why I tried to recommend things that I think would be cheap to produce. I can't imagine these items would add much to the overall cost of production, but I could be wrong
By far Kayo is the best armory deck to date, needing only a playset of bloodrush bellows and you have a real shot at winning first at Armories, that's only 40 dollar. LSS needs to think about what does the 20 dollar value really mean, and it can't be just rarity symbols on cardboard, it makes absolutely no sense for them to claim a higher price because they be pulling a wotc and are trying to justify perceived value from the secondary market, too soon LSS. You need at least 15 years of bored judges and a 1 grass roots casual format that hits it off before cashing in. I think they should just go the collector's commander precon route. I dont mind paying for a 80+ dollar version of the armory if its full bling, i'm talking EAs, alt cold foiling (like blue/red/green), full tokens (they can afford 10 token cards that are -1 armor and frostbite with different arts, not the disposable token), or maybe if they were feeling generous Marvels. But paying 20 dollars more on a armory deck that isn't better than the 40 dollar one is a huge issue. The side board should be the minimum. Its not hard to come up with 14 cards on side when 2-3 slots can just be AB equipment and an alternate weapon, the rest could of been silver bullets or pushes you more towards earth or ice. The side board doesn't need to be meta.
I wonder if the new Arakni will get an Armory deck. Or any of the new Hunted releases
jarl is so cool!
i wish he had a young version :c
You get Terra and you'll like it
This game always seems to struggle with Arcane Barrier. I feel like it's such a half cooked mechanic with how little they provide ways to counter it.
@4:35 This is great feedback. If this is a premium product I think having a deck box/card sleeves & resource token would be great since this is a "Convenience good" where you pick up off the shelf and can instantly play in an armory. Would be good to be all encompassing but also when you open the product you don't just have a bunch of cards in clear wrap. And sideboard dude totally agreed with AB, just need like 3 nullrune armor and would solve the problem.
Overall though LSS has great direction I think of increasing the price tag and putting more quality into an intro competitive deck and reducing the amount of tweaking you need to upgrade. Great video man.
Yeah the price is less of an issue as long as the value is there. Decks cost a lot, and if the Armory deck being $20 more means you spend $80 less on upgrades, I think that's a win. I just feel like these are leaving so much potential on the table.
Glad you enjoy the video, Bronson!
In Poland and in my city in particular (one of 5 biggest cities) FAB pretty much failed.
While popular at first, it simply died. While the group of players we had could teach new players, the products visible at the store just did not have ANYTHING to really entice new players.
Just packs, boxes and blitz decks and blitzs wasn't even a proper format. New players bought blitz decks, wanted to play at tournament then learned its a different format.
This lead to pretty much zero-sized influx of new players and our group just fell apart across a few months.
By the time those armory decks arrived, it was too late and nobody played FAB anymore. New players often asked about the decks, got intrested but upon hearing people don't play it at the store, they gave up and opted to try Pokemon, mtg or onepiece.
I actually disagree on the sideboard point. Having a focused 60 cards + equipment to come to terms with first allows you to focus on the game, hero and core list. Then once you get it, look to make upgrades, you can just throw the extra cards you replace into the sideboard.
Even if there is a sideboard, they could easily print on a card (like the QR code card) a warning to not use the sideboard right away if new to the hero/game. People can use their 60 card deck as-is, then they have the sideboard when they are ready
great job
Thanks!
I would like to have a deckbox instead of an empty unusable box with cards
Same here from germany, showed a few frieds fab and they bought armory decks and where a bit confused with the pretty empty box, luckily i could teach them the game :D but first they tried it at home and got a bit lost and started calling me xD and pls at least nullrune eq for arcane dmg xD
I buy this product and i feel like you have too many things to change. The most important one is changing the non-block cards because you will get stuck when you draw those cards. Need to buy the earth card for damage and control in ROS set. This hero is fun but too many things to upgrade.
Holding a shotgun microphone is really weird. It should pick your voice up from off-screen well enough.
For having such good gear, your pre-amble camera is fuzzy. Probably need better lighting :3
Too expensive, we get one of these decks like every other month
SLOOOOOOPDOOOOOOOOOOP
After opening each Armory deck, it slowly becomes a letdown because you know all you'll see is a deck and air. To quote Manlybadasshero, "empty like my soul". All that space could easily be used to put paper, just paper that can help new players.
Compare that to the less popular Blitz bundle/Round the Table. Sure, the box is full of air, but it's a storage box. You can reuse everything in the box, minus the cardboard packaging that keeps the decks from jingling around. Sure, it costs more, but we don't need the armory decks to come in an 800-count (1000-count?) box and a neoprene playmat.
They could change the box to resemble the blitz decks. Or, keep the fancy outside but have a smaller box inside that can hold 100 cards. Take a note from MTG and have a cheap paper box that unfolds. And of course cheap tokens. Or take a note from the Dash and Jarl decks and make new mini mini tokens for resources, plus attack, etc.
Oh man the Blitz bundles are an upcoming video too lol.
But yes, smaller box that could double as a deckbox for the Armory decks might be the best way to go
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
I agree with the packaging argument, I was disappointed the first time I opened the kayo deck to only find a bloated package. the only thing I can consider is that maybe LSS doesn't get much in terms of profit from what these deck make. I don't think tokens like a metal one or even plastic is the way to go and will likely increase the price further. Booklets are expensive to print just for the individual to end up tossing most of the time. Videos are way better in the long run.
I would suggest converting the bloated box into a functional deck box, one that has the retailer packaging over it but when it's opened it's a Jarl theme deck box and it should allow for double sleeving a full inventoried deck of up to 100. Way more value to a new player and often time a clutch win for players who grab this at a event to enter into the armory with out fumbling cards eveyrwhere
The reason I say acrylic tokens and a quickstart guide are my go-to's is because these are already common in products for many other games, so it seems like it would be relatively cheap (but I could be wrong).
But I do like your idea of changing the box. I remember MTG's Event decks were the packaging and served as a deckbox, which I actually used for a while after buying the deck.
It’s pronounced “stalagmite” not “stalagmite”
i think they do this for the fact they want u to play with someone in flesh and blood or to make u talk to more players so they can show u how to play making it very sociable
Bad take.