/pic8437558.jpg)
Game Info
Year
2025
Collection
Your Tier
Loading…
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
Legions of Kadmon is a deathly strategic card game themed around necromancy. Enter Morbidia, a cursed realm where the line between life and death is no longer certain. Become a Death Summoner, tainted creatures born out of Kadmon's teachings. A group of talented individuals capable of wielding the Death Esa — the ability to control the Dead.
Players will face a gauntlet of bosses called the Sovereigns. These special units are hosts to Kadmon's Ichor. Players deal damage to the Sovereign to collect Kadmon's Ichor. At the end of the game, the player with the most Ichor wins.
Every turn, a unit will ambush each player. These units are a part of Kadmon's Legion. As a Death Summoner, you can summon your own unit or cast a spell. Every card in the game can act as both a unit or a spell in an intricate duality. You must choose carefully on how to use each card.
In this card game, players do not obtain cards in a conventional manner. In order to obtain cards, a player must kill a unit on the board. Then, those players put the killed units in their hands. Every unit on the table are valid targets, including those belonging to other players. As players progress further in the gauntlet, Sovereigns will be killed and obtained by players. Use their power in the battle against Kadmon.
—description from the designer
Featured Videos
Ask a Rules Question
All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 3
This page: 3
Sentiment:
pos 3 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–3 of 3
Video bJyVyYCEROs
BoardGameCo Playthrough at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41704 · mention_pk 126391
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- deep, phase-driven combat with multiple interacting systems (ambush, dawn, midnight) that create evolving tactical decisions
- strong spell/summon interaction and the potential for dramatic big-turn plays via invoke tokens
- theme and flavor are engaging (necromantic horror, ethereal units, and a boss-style Cadmon as the culminating challenge)
- scales to multiplayer and team play, offering varied group setups
- elements of engine-building via horror creatures and resurrective mechanics create comeback potential
Cons
- complex rule interactions and a dense rule set can invite misreads or the need for careful clarification
- prototype status mentioned in the video suggests potential balance or component changes before final release
- edge-case interactions (ethereal units, stacking invokes, spell vs unit targeting) can be confusing and slow the pace for new players
Thematic elements
- Dark fantasy; necromancy; undead legions and ephemeral combat
- A boss-rush fantasy confrontation with sovereigns, legions, and a necromantic war for Aker in the wilds.
- Epic, chaotic, engine-build / combo-driven combat with shifting per-round threats
Comparison games
- Magic: The Gathering
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action_tokens — players spend action tokens to play cards into their vassals; fast reactions exist via quick casts.
- Aker_resource — Aker is the shared pool that tracks damage and effects; excess damage interacts with Aker during combat.
- ambush_phase — at the ambush phase, both players draw and reveal ambush units which enter combat.
- combat_resolution — combat involves damage down to units, shields mitigating damage, and some units being ethereal.
- Combat: Damage Based — combat involves damage down to units, shields mitigating damage, and some units being ethereal.
- dawn_phase — the dawn phase reveals sovereigns and reshapes the battlefield; ambushes and reinforcements occur.
- invoke_tokens — special tokens that allow invoking abilities and resurrecting units; influence turn economy.
- midnight_phase — end-of-round cleanup where players discard to their hand size and Aker pool changes.
- random Sovereigns / tombs — sovereign cards and tomb sovereigns reset or reappear in the dawn phase, changing strategy.
- resurrection / graveyard — destroyed units and graveyard cards can be resurrected via sovereign abilities and invokes.
- spells vs. units / quick cast — spells splash damage and can interact with quick casts; some units are immune to spells.
- unit_vs_legion — units (vassels) have health/attack and can be fortified with shields; legions attack/defend.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- mind blown.
- The spell splash unit aspect of it is very intriguing.
- It's crazy.
- This is crazy.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video klRJlg0LQU4
BoardGameCo Game Preview at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40018 · mention_pk 120943
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Innovative mechanic where defeated enemies become hand cards, enabling dynamic recursion and strategic tempo
- Deep, multi-layered strategy shaped by sovereigns, unit-types, and vassel capacity
- Rich phase structure (dawn, ambush, etc.) that creates varied pacing and clever timing opportunities
- Strong thematic flavor with a necromancer-like mechanic and epic boss feel
- Tension-filled endgame thanks to Aker and diverse sovereigns that incentivize careful planning
Cons
- Prototype copy means rules and components may shift; balance could shift in later iterations
- High complexity with many interacting systems may impose a steep learning curve for new players
- Balance across player counts (2 vs higher) may differ, requiring validation in broader playgroups
- Ambiguities around certain interactions (e.g., grave access timing) could slow initial playthroughs
Thematic elements
- Epic boss battler with shifting power through sovereignty and necromantic card recycling; emphasis on strategic timing and risk management.
- A dark fantasy realm where rival factions summon legions, battle sovereigns, and seek prestige through conquest; a necromancer-like arc emerges as defeated foes return as resources.
- Grand fantasy saga with evolving board state, time-gated phases (dawn, ambush, combat, midnight) and a central race to collect Aker.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Aker resource and endgame pressure — Aker acts as the primary resource and victory potential; gaining sovereigns grants points and sometimes immediate effects, while endgame is triggered by wilds depletion or Cadmon’s unveiling.
- ambush and card draw — Ambush draws cards from the wilds into the legion, influencing how many threats appear and how you allocate your resources during combat.
- Boss Battler — Cadmon is the ultimate objective; slaying or engaging with him shifts the endgame, and sovereign cards around the table intensify competition for Aker.
- Deck Manipulation — Spells cast from the hand send cards to the graveyard, which then unlocks opportunities to draw from the grave, sometimes by type, adding a predictive deck-management layer.
- deck-building through combat rewards — Defeated enemies become cards in your hand, enabling you to plan future sequences and trigger synergies with your vassel. This creates a necromancer-like loop where the battlefield transforms into resources.
- End Game Bonuses — Aker acts as the primary resource and victory potential; gaining sovereigns grants points and sometimes immediate effects, while endgame is triggered by wilds depletion or Cadmon’s unveiling.
- epic phase structure (dawn, ambush, action, combat, midnight) — Structured rounds with distinct phases that refresh tokens, draw combat units, ambush new threats, resolve combat, and finally discard to hand limit; this pacing creates tactical tension.
- final boss Cadmon and sovereign-driven escalation — Cadmon is the ultimate objective; slaying or engaging with him shifts the endgame, and sovereign cards around the table intensify competition for Aker.
- four unit-types with special interactions — The game features four distinct unit types (including undead and spirit variants) that interact with different mechanics, granting synergies and risks as units are added or removed.
- graveyard access and spellcasting — Spells cast from the hand send cards to the graveyard, which then unlocks opportunities to draw from the grave, sometimes by type, adding a predictive deck-management layer.
- invoke, quick cast, and special abilities — Invoke tokens enable targeted abilities; quick cast can affect other players’ units, adding inter-player disruption and timing considerations.
- sovereigns with multi-type units — Sovereign cards add stronger effects and allow multiple unit types to appear; the presence of 4 unit types drives strategic deck composition and vassel growth.
- unit-type bonuses and vassel capacity — Having three units of the same type unlocks special abilities, expanding the strategic space and altering endgame dynamics, with some types increasing vassel capacity.
- Variable Phase Order — Structured rounds with distinct phases that refresh tokens, draw combat units, ambush new threats, resolve combat, and finally discard to hand limit; this pacing creates tactical tension.
- vassel vs legion combat (simultaneous, card-resolving) — Combat is largely simultaneous; damage calculations determine which cards survive or are added to the hand, and any excess damage can affect subsequent actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Legions of Cadmon is going to be a boss battler where players are facing off against these legions of enemies
- as you start taking out these different units, you get to almost be a necromancer and have them in your hand to be able to play into your own vassel in the future
- there are four different types available
- the endgame is triggered either by the wilds being emptied or Cadmon is unveiled
- you can see where there are so many layers to what you want to do
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7eHEEx9eXHI
Meeple University Rules Teach at 0:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 27754 · mention_pk 81057
Click to watch at 0:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clear round structure with five distinct phases (dawn, ambush, action, combat, midnight) that guides play pace
- Deep interlocking systems (legion vs vassels vs sovereign) that support layered strategic planning
- Greveyard/hand recursion creates ongoing decision points and hand economy tension
- Dynamic spell and invoke stack (quickcast) adds player interaction and counterplay
- Strong thematic framing with tomb mechanics and evolving sovereigns that affect endgame state
Cons
- Rules-dense design can impose a steep learning curve for new players
- Setup and token management may slow early game and require careful organization
- High interaction burden may overwhelm groups unfamiliar with multi-layered strategy
Thematic elements
- death, necromancy, political power, and a crown struggle through sovereigns and blood-collecting resources
- Morbidia, a realm of death summoners and a contested crown
- dark fantasy with arena-style combat and evolving sovereign/tomb mechanics
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Ambush — at the start of each round, draw a basic unit from the wilds to each player's legion; there is no fixed limit to the number of units in the legion beyond practical play balance.
- cast — flip a cast token to play a spell from hand; resolve the spell effect, then discard it face-down to the grave unless it targets a sovereign in which case it goes to the tomb.
- Combat — combat resolution between your legion and your vassels; power totals determine distributed damage; shields absorb damage; excess can break through to the sovereign and generate Aika; destroyed units go to hand or grave depending on location.
- dawn — round-start phase where dawn effects resolve; tokens are restored (from round two onward, with special calamities resolved as applicable).
- ethereal — ethereal units cannot take combat damage; if all relevant units are ethereal, excess damage cannot break through that direction; ethereal status affects both legions and vassels in combat.
- graveyard_and_hand — when units are destroyed, they go to the grave or hand; destroying a unit can return it to hand (in some cases) or to the grave; there are graveyard effects like ungrave and resurrect that interact with drawing and summoning.
- invoke — spend an invoke token on available invoke effects, usually tied to sovereigns on the board or global invokes; the availability of invokes depends on board state and unit composition.
- summon — play units from your hand into your vassels (front-line row); you can have up to three units in your vassels; sovereigns sit among front-line units; summoned units interact with both your legions and vassels.
- unit_types_and_bonuses — three matching unit types in your vassels grant an immediate bonus (summon token, increased vassel capacity, or other persistent effects); undead/spirit/horror/samuel types provide unique synergies and constraints.
- win_conditions_and_invokes — cards like horror vassels grant extra invokes; Samuel cards create an alternative, immediate win condition; the main endgame is defeating Cadmon by collecting Aika/Aker with the final Cadmon's defeat.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- In Legions of Cadman, players are competing death summoners in the land of Morbidia.
- Round by round, your vassels will fight.
- The objective, the blood of the kings, precious Aika.
- Whoever has collected the most aka by the time Cadmon is defeated will be the winner.
- Cadmon has four times as much Aika as the number of players.
- Spells have a wide range of abilities.
- Quick casting still costs the action token of the appropriate type, and you don't refresh them until the dawn phase.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–3 of 3