Gameplay closely resembles the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, which is in turn similar to the Trope Codifier, Magic: The Gathering. The similarities and differences are discussed by one of the game's creators in a blog post
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This game provides examples of:
- An Ice Person: The female human mage, Eladwen Frostmire.
- Arrows on Fire: Shadow hunter Banebow's special ability. All hunters can use them, as well.
- Artificial Stupidity: The AI in the game makes some interesting choices. For example, Ter Adun will destroy his own weapons if his ability is charged up but no other items are in play.
- Badass Long Robe: Two of the heroes, Nishaven (as seen on the homepage) and Eladwen Frostmire, wear one of these, as do other characters and cards.
- The Berserker: Most of the Warrior-type heroes are portrayed as this, and the weapons that they can equip further the idea. Two of those weapons increase in damage when an ally dies, one for your allies and one for your foes.
- Black Knight: The shadow ally, Shadow Knight, who also doubles as a necromancer.
- Black Mage: The Mage Heroes are offensive-minded magic-users. They use fire, ice, poison, electricity and many more elements.
- Booby Trap: Hunters can set face down trap cards, although as of writing they only are set off by summoning an ally and only effect is to kill/damage/entrap said ally.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: "Rabid Bite" makes the attached attack their hero and then makes said ally die.
- Bribing Your Way to Victory: While the game does allow you to play completely free, the option to pay still exists. Players earn gold for every battle and Shadow Crystals for each level they gain. Shadow Crystals are used to buy packs or decks; gold is used for individual cards. Gold isn't buyable, but the Shadow Crystals are.
- Note, however, that there are NO cards that can only be obtained by using real world money. In theory it is possible to get every card in the game without spending a cent, but it will take awhile.
- Cast from Hit Points: Several attacks (Supernova), allies (Brutal Minotaur), and weapons (Rusty Sword) can damage your Hero card under various conditions. Other cards reduce the amount of resources you can use (Shriek of Vengence).
- Chainmail Bikini: Cards with females as the art almost always have some form of revealing armor/clothing.
- Distractedbythe Sexy: Jasmine's ability is to stop enemy allies from attack the next turn (not just males, not just the human allies, ANYTHING), which causes hearts to rise from the card. Even her flavor text alludes to this ("Keep your eyes on the road.")
- Dual Wielding: Many cards dual wield in their art. Also a special ability that warriors can use.
- Epic Flail: Wielded by Kristoffer Wyld.
- Fantastic Nuke: Three board wipe cards, Super Nova, Tidal Wave, and Energy Discharge all function as these.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: Used for heroes on both teams (Human and Shadow).
- The three most basic types of heroes are Warrior, Mage, and Hunter. There are two human allies that are Rogues.
- Femme Fatale: Several of the female allies, but Belladonna in particular.
- Golem: There are two different golem allies: the Marshland Sentinel, which is plant-based, and the Earthen Protector, a stone golem.
- Magikarp Power: Spark is a one resource ally only has one health and does one damage. However, it's damage and health increases when more sparks are in play, thus making it possible to have four allies that do four damage if you can play all of them from your deck, which is pretty devastating for your enemies.
- Carnibor starts as a fairly weak 2 health, 2 attack ally that gains health and damage every time it manages to kill another ally. Similarly, Ogloth the Glutton gains health and damage every time ANY ally is killed, no matter the means or reason, quickly becoming a nearly unstoppable monster if left alive.
- Meaningful Name: Nearly all of the named characters in the game have meaningful names, such as the warrior Boris Skullcrusher.
- Mystical White Hair: Majiya, the female shadow mage.
- Our Minotaurs Are Different: Logan Stonebreaker, along with other random minotaur mooks.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: The wulven shadow heroes, Darkclaw and Moonstalker.
- Sand Worm: The human ally card, Armored Sandworm.
- Shield Bash: One of the warrior abilities.
- Status Effects: Poison, burn, paralyzed, confused, frozen, and instant death are all fairly common card effects.
- Tribal Face Paint: Kristoffer Wyld.
- Theme Twin Naming: The sisters, Lily and Jasmine Rosecult.
- White Magic: The Priest Hero uses white magic to bolster and rejuvenate allies in play.
