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After an eternity, a dungeon appears. Resting within are relics that were supposed to have been lost to the past. The people who brave the dungeon in search of relics are called Relic Takers. Yes, you are a Relic Taker! Gather your friends to help you on your adventure and set off into an unknown dungeon!
-description from the publisher (translated)
In Relic Takers, players delve into a dungeon in search of relics using 2 characters each round. Each character has special abilities and order, so players must select the best character for their needs. Outside of the dungeon, there are requests for specific combinations of relics (combinations of color and number of relics needed to 'complete' a request). Players must acquire these from within the dungeon. This is accomplished by drawing from a bag of relics... but a player's character is limited in how many relics they can carry. Get to greedy and spend too much time in the dungeon and your haul out may be quite a bit sorter than your needs.
The game centers on a press-your-luck mechanic in drawing relics. Players must balance this risk by drafting the right characters to aid them in completing requests. The game ends and the winner is determined when a player completes 6 requests or all 12 crystals are recovered.
—user summary
Relic Wars ▸ Shelfside Plays
- Dynamic portal-heavy map creates evolving play space
- Diverse item and spell system with strategic theft elements
- Character abilities offer tactical depth and counterplay
- The theft mechanic can disrupt player plans and create chaos
- Some luck elements (divine intervention draws) may swing outcomes
- Rule complexity and occasional unclear interactions (e.g., revivify timing, stacking actions) can slow play
- Array
- medieval fantasy world
- PvP arena combat with heroic champions
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Ability-rich characters — Characters have unique abilities that trigger during play (e.g., retaliation when attacked; pickpocket steals items).
- Action Interruption — After taking two actions, players draw a divine intervention card that can heal or grant extra actions.
- attack — Basic and ranged combat using dice; weapons add to attack dice; defenders roll defense dice when equipped with shield or in defensible terrain.
- Combat: Dice — Basic and ranged combat using dice; weapons add to attack dice; defenders roll defense dice when equipped with shield or in defensible terrain.
- Divine intervention cards — After taking two actions, players draw a divine intervention card that can heal or grant extra actions.
- End condition — Game ends when a player holds three chalices or is the last one standing.
- Item Management — Players pick up items from the map; items are stored in inventory and can be spent for special effects.
- Movement — Players have a movement value and spend movement points to navigate tiles; exploring unexplored tiles requires spending two movement points to flip them over.
- Movement Points — Players have a movement value and spend movement points to navigate tiles; exploring unexplored tiles requires spending two movement points to flip them over.
- Spells — Magic items with spell types that grant special effects when used from inventory.
- Tile/Map Shifting — Terrain like forests, hills, cities and monasteries affect defense, range and healing; portals connect areas.
- Tile/terrain effects — Terrain like forests, hills, cities and monasteries affect defense, range and healing; portals connect areas.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Relic Wars, a savage medieval fantasy fight to the death fought by our champions.
- The game ends when you hold three chalicees for one full round, or when you're the last one standing.
- There are two actions to do on a turn, and you can repeat any of them.
- Divine intervention card, which can do all sorts of things like healing you or letting you launch an extra attack.
- St. Michael's sword.
- Portal instability. Any player on a portal tile, that's nobody. Nobody.
References (from this video)
- Fun, compact tactical play
- Appeals to players exploring non-traditional war game formats
- Kickstarter risk/uncertainty noted
- Limited published material may affect replayability
- Magic and melee clashes in a fantastical setting
- Fantasy tactical skirmish
- Skirmish-scale fantasy warfare
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Non-traditional war-game direction — Aimed at expanding into non-traditional war game territory.
- Tactical skirmish combat — Small-unit engagements with special abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we are but specks of sand on the beach of YouTube
- 20,000 subscribers, that's not teeny anymore
- This might be the longest monthly update
- I would invite you to join in if you've got the game and haven't played it yet
- Empire of the Sun and get there. That is my side quest for the summer