Force of Will needs a set like Magic's Return to Ravnica

The new frame sucks, man... it just does. If they change the frame back to Reiya I will flip and go nuts buying new sets. Right now, I am sticking to nostalgia pack cracks of Grimm/Alice/Lapis. I think those three first North American clusters have so much mojo going, even with all those mistakes (MOA no rulers, Reflect/Refrain, and so on).

I think Force of Will is at a stage where it has it's own dedicated community, however small, and it's less dependent of the ebbs and flows of the big three-meaning that players from the big three (Pokemon, Magic, Yugioh, in that order) don't have to dip into FOW in bad times to make FOW successful, enough people are doing that already.

The game still needs a Ravnica cluster, four sets that are a blow-out. It's still missing that. Ravnica has given Magic a huge popularity boost three times: (1) at the bottom of the 2008-9 recession (2) in 2012 with a HUGE influx of new players, and (3) after a terrible range of sets that sucked. Force of Will needs to learn from Ravnica. It just does.

Magic offers many lessons on what not to do, and a few really good ones on what to do. Alice Origins is in some ways a Ravnica play: game is in bad shape, go back to a popular cluster. But Alice Origins and Saga are not really doing what three Ravnicas have done for Magic. If that had been the case, this subrediit would be like three times bigger, maybe five times bigger. That will be one of the key signals that Force of Will has reached a new and higher plateau. I so want to see this happen.

Just as a point of reference, boxes for the second Ravnica block (Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, Dragon's Maze), were printed into oblivion. RTR, the best set of the three, can still be had for $125 a box almost a decade after the sets were issued. It was overprinted beyond what anything in Force of Will has been. I remember seeing an eBay lot for 1000, yes, one thousand RTR booster boxes. The print run for RTR is probably more booster boxes than all of Force of Will combined to date. Wizards knew it could get away with printing pallets and palllets of RTR, and they ALL sold, every single one of them. That one set did it. Force of Will needs an RTR. It needs a set that will be reprinted six, seven times, and every batch will sell out.

Box Prices Grimm Alice and Lapis

 First number is from March 2017, second number is today. Not much has changed, with the exception of TAT, LEL, and RDE. A $140 TAT today would be a steal!

Grimm Cluster

1 Crimson Moon's Fairy Tale   $80 $60 

2 The Castle of Heaven and The Two Towers    $140 approx $400  

3 The Moon Priestess Returns    $70 $55

4 The Millennia of Ages    $35  $30

Alice Cluster

5 The Seven Kings of the Lands  $75 $90  

6 The Twilight Wanderer    $90 $90

7 The Moonlit Savior    $75 $60

8 Battle for Attoractia   $60  $35

Lapis Cluster

9 Curse of the Frozen Casket $90 $35 

10 Legacy Lost  $100  approx $300

11 Return of the Dragon Emperor $80 approx $200  

12 Echoes of the New World  $85 $70  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E5nHiHmBzI

The Grimm-Alice-Lapis Megacube on YouTube

 I have continued to crack Force of Will packs through the years. I have cracked closed to 300 packs just in 2021. Here is the playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4fjHQoGTndU8YxMaltZnVzVVZLvM2wc1

Force of Will continues to need help

 I recently posted these points on the FOW Reddit:

"What I would like to see post Saga cluster

I will preface by stating that this is just my opinion and that I am only in and out of FOW to collect the cards, but I would like to play the game at my LGS once we are safely out of the worst of COVID. I really really really want FOW to be around ten years from now and played by at least ten times as many players, if not more.

Here is my wish list post Saga cluster:

1. Get back to the Reiya/New Valhalla frame. The new frame just isn't as attractive. The color line in the middle of the card is distracting and takes away from the card. The text box needs to be as small as possible to show off the beautiful artwork.

2. New lore with new characters. FOW needs to stop repeating itself. Bring in a whole new cast, then play out their interactions with the established characters in follow-on clusters. Maybe Ancient Egypt meets Fairy Tales. I know this is like Yugioh, but Ancient Egypt works great everywhere.

3. New artwork that takes us back to top notch quality, like in ADK Misty Dragon Spirit for all new Secret Rares.

4. Take a page from mark Rosewater's six year plan of clusters in one bang. That enabled Magic to plan content long term. 

https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/six-year-plan-2012-12-03

5. Get back to the LGSs post pandemic. Exploit the vulnerability Wizards has created by sticking it to their LGSs with Amazon.

6. Make Wanderer work. Make it popular. Get all those CFC boxes with ten dual stones to be hot and get them all cracked.

7. Make a digital game like Magic Arena, the Pokemon TCG Online, or Yugioh Legacy of the Duelist.

Everyone who works on FOW should be required to watch the following video, no exceptions (Mark Rosewater, '20 years, 20 lessons,' at Game Developer's Conference)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHg99hwQGY

"

Force of Will needs help

1. Don't change what works: the artwork is awesome and specific to this game. That means that there is a "look" of what a FOW card looks like. Also, agree with point 4 that the Alice/Grimm cards would look great reprinted in the new frame, especially with the clearer title font of Reiya cards. Keep the lore going. Get to Kaguya 10.0 and so on.
2. Don't change what works: the starter decks are well designed. Just keep making them ahead of every new cluster. If it works, don't change that. Also, the simple rulers for drafting and prerelease make sense.
3. In the US, at least, a TCG lives or dies at the Local Game Store. Send a couple of FOW Co. ambassadors on an LGS tour cross-country and restart all those LGSs that have dropped the game. This can be done on the cheap. It does not need to be a big production. If you hit the major metropolitan areas, that's good enough for now.
4. More rulers per box, go back to TAT numbers, and NO starter rulers in the packs-yes in the box for drafting. Oh, and no buy-a-box gimmicks for rulers. Just don't!
5. Rebalance away from Wind being the must-play color just as Magic did when it (perhaps too slowly) hosed Blue. Hose the Wind strong cards in Wanderer with new cards, or ban those cards outright. Balance all attributes (the Magic color wheel). Right now Wind does a lot that it should not be doing, like counter spells. And if you are going to keep counter spells in Wind, then you need to take something out and give it to some other attribute.
6. Release a product specific to new players, similar to the Magic Deckbuilder's Toolkit, or the Pokemon toolkits that are issued in Japan (I wish we had these in the US).
7. Step it up with Limited. If it works for Magic, it will definitely work for FOW. Make 250 card sets with ten basic ways to build a deck, each of a specific attribute pair (like the guilds of Ravnica). If you have to increase the size of the packs to 15 cards for this, do it. Yes, the number of janky cards will increase to the levels found in Magic. It's worth it.
8. Do more playtesting to make sure you don't end up with a one-deck format such as Reflect/Refrain (all TCGs suffer from this problem).
9. Don't wait for players to make Wanderer a thing, because that is never going to happen. If it happens, it will be too late. Get Wanderer going by making FOW Co. care about Wanderer more than any one player. If FOW Co. does not plant the seed, there will be no Wanderer "tree." Put out a reprint set for Wanderer and make it work. If you have to take the dual stones that enter untapped out of New Frontiers for this goal, do so.

Box Prices Grimm Alice and Lapis

First number is from March 2017, second number is today. "--" means I have pulled a box's worth.

Grimm Cluster

1-- Crimson Moon's Fairy Tale   $80 $45
2-- The Castle of Heaven and The Two Towers    $140  $110
3-- The Moon Priestess Returns    $70 $47
4-- The Millennia of Ages    $35  $32

Alice Cluster

5-- The Seven Kings of the Lands  $75  $60
6-- The Twilight Wanderer    $90 $75
7-- The Moonlit Savior    $75 $50
8-- Battle for Attoractia   $60  $45

Lapis Cluster

9-- Curse of the Frozen Casket $90  $65
10 Legacy Lost  $100  $85
11 Return of the Dragon Emperor $80  $65
12 Echoes of the New World  $85  $55

Grimm Casual Cube

This is the selection. I have completed the four sets, and these are all the cards left over from cracking a booster box of each and a few additional CMF packs.

These are the rulers I am interested in using. I started with ten, and then expanded to 14. I plan to build ten casual decks out of these cards. I may buy a few singles since they are so cheap. (-- means I have it ready for cube-building)

1. (--) Grimm, the Fairy Tale Prince (CMF-005)
Text: ("Continuous You may pay the attribute cost of Fairy Tale resonators with will of any attribute.
Activate [1], discard a Fairy Tale resonator: Search your deck for a Fairy Tale resonator, reveal it and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck. Play this ability only once per turn.")

Grimm does not have a J-Ruler side, which is a disadvantage. However, as more Fairy Tales are issued, the number of cards that Grimm enables will only increase.

2. (--) Pandora, Girl of the Box / Pandora of Dark (CMF-013/087)
Text: ("Judgement [W][B][3]"::"Automatic [Enter]Your opponent discards his or her hand.")
400/800

The five will requirement is steep. A deck will need some will acceleration to force your opponent to discard something. If by the time you J-activate, your opponent has an empty hand, there is no benefit from the Automatic ability. Pandora of Dark will not get better as more cards are issued, yet it is an interesting ruler in a cube.

3. (--) Little Red Riding Hood / Little Red, the Wolf Girl (CMF-027)
Text: ("Judgement [0] Play this ability only if you put a Moon into a field this turn."::"[Swiftness] (This card can attack and play its abilities the same turn it enters a field.) Automatic [Enter]This card deals 800 damage to target resonator. Automatic At the end of turn ⇒ Put this card into your ruler area as a ruler."

1200/200

The Moon restriction limits what stones you use. Otherwise, it's a beat stick for an aggro deck. Little Red, the Wolf Girl will not get better as more cards are issued, yet it is an interesting ruler in a cube.

4. (--) Snow White / Bloody Snow White (CMF-036)
Text: ("Judgement [W][R][2]. Judgement [1], discard ""Poison Apple"""::"[Precision] (This card can attack recovered J/resonators.) Activate [rest]: Rest target J/resonator. Activate [1], discard ""Poison Apple"": Destroy target resonator.")
1300/1300

It requires two types of will and will not get better since it's unlike more cards with "Poison Apple" will be issued. It's a strong body, though. 1300/1300 is nothing to laugh at. It's an interesting addition that will likely not get better in the future.

5. (--) Nameless Girl / Jeanne d'Arc, the Flame of Hatred (CMF-047)
Text: ("Judgement [R][U][2] If a Human was put into your graveyard from a field this turn, you may pay [0] to play this ability instead."::"Automatic [Enter]Destroy all other Humans. Activate [rest]: Prevent all damage that would be dealt by target Human resonator until end of turn." )
1200/1200

It requires two types of will and will likely get better since it's very likely that more Human resonators will be issued. If in a future Wanderer metagame there is an overpowered Human, this will be the J-Ruler to keep it in check. 1200/1200 is nothing to laugh at. 

6. (--) Christie, the Wind Tracker / Helsing, the Vampire Hunter (CMF-061)
Text: ("Judgement [G][G][2] If your opponent controls a Vampire, Immortal or Werewolf resonator, you may pay [0] to play this ability instead. Activate [rest]: Draw a card. Play this ability only if you have exactly five cards in your hand." "Automatic [Enter]Target non-Human J/resonator loses all abilities until end of turn. At the end of turn ⇒ destroy it.")
1000/1000

It has been superseded by Helsing, from Lapis Cluster. Elf rulers are here to stay. If in a future meta Vampires, Immortals, or Werewolfs get out of control, this ruler will keep them in check. Right now, it's only an interesting addition in this cube.

7. Alucard, the Dark Noble / Dracula, the Demonic One (CMF-077)
Text: ("Judgement [0] Play this ability only if you control a Vampire resonator and a resonator was put into a graveyard from your opponent's field this turn. Activate [rest]: Target resonator gains [+0/-300] until end of turn."::"[Flying][Imperishable] Automatic Whenever a resonator is put into a graveyard from your opponent's field ⇒ If it was dealt damage by this card this turn, put it into your field under your control. It gains Nightmare and Vampire in addition to its own race.")
1000/1000

It has a strong J-Ruler body with Flying, and can take out small resonators. It could be one of those J-Rulers that stick around as more Vampires are issued. It could also be powered creeped if -300 is not so strong several clusters from now. Right now, it's only an interesting addition in this cube.

8. (--) Sacred Princess of Guidance / Lumia, the Creator of Hope (TAT-014)
Text: ("Judgement [W]. Play this ability only if you control ""Almerius, the Levitating Stone"". Judgement [W][W][1]. Activate (Rest): You gain 300 life."::"Continuous Once per turn, you may play a card from your removed area. Activate [0]: If there are no cards in your removed area, remove the top three cards of your deck from the game face down. You may look at them at any time.")
1000/1000

A solid J-Ruler body. It requires a specific stone, and that can be a drawback. I can see this ruler getting stronger in the future. It's any card in your deck, and that can mean a lot of great choices. Never mind what it does, thought, this is one beautiful card. 

9. (--) Falltgold, the Dragoon / Bahamut, the Dragon King (TAT-026)
Text: ("Judgement Banish a fire resonator. Activate [rest]: Search your deck for a Dragon resonator, reveal it and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck."::"[Flying] Automatic [Enter] This card deals damage to target resonator equal to the ATK of resonator banished for its judgment cost. Activate Banish a fire resonator: This card gains [Imperishable] until end of turn.")
1000/1000

It can only get better if there are strong Dragons available. A 1000/1000 Flyer is good. Let's hope the game does not get power creeped enough that Flying becomes irrelevant. I love the artwork, too.

10. (--) Alice in Wonderland / Alice, the Drifter in the World (TAT-037)
Text: ("Judgement [J-Activate]: any number of will. You cannot choose to pay [0]"::"Automatic
[Enter] If you paid [W] for doing judgment, you gain 1000 life. If you paid [U], draw a card. If you paid [B], target opponent discard a card. If you paid [R], this card deals 1000 damage to up to one target resonator. If you paid [G], destroy up to one target addition. If you paid will of each attribute and will produced from ""Moojdart, the Fantasy Stone"", this card gains [Flying] and [Swiftness] until end of turn.")
700/700

This is a really fun ruler for a multi-colored deck. So many options! It is not a broken toolbox like Reflect/Refrain. It just has a lot of options. Yeah, this ruler reads versatility all the way.

11. Crimson Girl in the Sky / Little Red, the True Fairy Tale (TAT-057)
Text: ("Judgement [0]. Play this ability only if you put ""Refarth, the Castle in Heaven"" into a field this turn. Judgement [G][G][1]."::"Continuous This card cannot be targeted by darkness or fire spells or darkness or fire card's abilities. Continuous If a spell or ability would increase ATK or DEF of resonators you control, it increases double that much instead. Continuous If a spell or ability would decrease ATK or DEF of resonators you control, it decreases none instead.")
800/1000

It has a solid body as a J-Ruler, it is easy to buff, and it protects itself from any negative life spell. What's not to like? I think it can get better and better.

12. Moon Princess of Stellar Wars / Kaguya, the Immortal Princess (MPR-046)
Text: ("Judgement [2][x]. Spend only [M] will on X."::"[Flying] [Imperishable] Automatic [Enter] Search your deck for X Treasury Item cards and put them into your field. Continuous This card gains [+200/+0] for each Treasury Item you control. Activate Banish three Treasury Items: Gain control of target resonator.")
400/1000

It has Flying and can get big, but it is limited by whatever Treasury Items are available. I don't see more being issued, and that's why I think it is only an interesting addition to this cube.

13. (--) Liberator of Wind / Scheherazade, the Teller of 1001 Stories (MPR-064)
Text: ("Automatic At the beginning of the game ⇒ Search your magic stone deck for a card. Then, shuffle the rest of your magic stone deck and put that card on top of it. Judgement
[1][G][G]."::"Automatic [Enter] Search your deck for a card and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck. Activate [rest]: Draw two cards if you have no cards in your hand.")
700/800

Interestingly, I think this is the ruler from Grimm cluster that could end up having the best long term potential. It tutors (searches for a card) and there is no restriction on which card that could be, and it mana ramps (bumps up your will). Both are great, with tutoring, of course, being a completely busted benefit.

14. (--) Fiend of Dark Pyre / Nyarlathotep, the Faceless God (MPR-080)
Text: ("Judgement [0]. Play this ability only if you put a Cthulhu into a field this turn."::"Automatic
[Enter] Your opponent banishes a non-Cthulhu resonator. Continuous This card's ATK is equal to total ATK of Cthulhu resonators you control."
0/1000

The body on this one is tricky. It forces you to have Cthulhus on the board. I am looking forward to this tribe getting bigger, but also, it definitely needs to get better. Better Cthulhus will make this a great ruler long-term. Your opponent chooses which resonator to banish, which is not that great against a board full of elves, but is simply awesome against one or two resonators with a lot of protection, because asking your opponent to banish bypasses any protection on their resonators.