''Blood Wars'' is an out-of-print
collectible card game
A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names, is a type of card game that mixes strategy game, strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards, introduced with ''Magic: The Gathering'' in ...
produced by
TSR, based on the
Planescape campaign setting from ''
Dungeons & Dragons''.
Publication history
The game was released in March 1995 as part of TSR's 20th anniversary.
The original release contained 334 cards in the set, sold in 15-card
booster pack
In collectible card games, digital collectible card games and collectible miniature wargames, a booster pack is a sealed package of cards or figurines, designed to add to a player's collection. A box of multiple booster packs is referred to as a b ...
s and two 50-card dual decks.
Card art was designed by various artists, including
Tony DiTerlizzi,
Newt Ewell,
Henry Higgenbotham,
Jennell Jaquays,
Dana Knutson,
Rob Lazzaretti, Robin Raab,
Robh Ruppel
Robh Ruppel is an American artist best known for his work on role-playing game products. Critic Joseph Szadkowski of ''The Washington Times'' has referred to him as a "horror genius".
Early life
Robh Ruppel grew up in Bellaire, Texas, and att ...
, and
Dave Sutherland.
A series of
expansion set
An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game or collectible card game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters, or a ...
s called ''escalation packs'' were scheduled for publication.
''Insurgents of the Inner Planes'' never materialized and was halted at the printer in February 1996.
The player guide ''
Warlord's Tactical Manual ''Warlord's Tactical Manual'' is a book about '' Blood Wars'' published by TSR in January 1996.
Contents
''Warlord's Tactical Manual'' is a book which presents several variations on how to play the game, as well as new official rules for the game ...
'' was published in January 1996.
Gameplay
Players use cards representing Warlords and Legions for combat to claim Battlefield cards.
Reception
The game was said to play "pretty well as a multi-player game, and it's much better than TSR's Spellfire" according to
Allen Varney of ''
The Duelist.''
Reviews
*''
The Duelist'' #5
Legacy
Blood Wars was notable for the aggressive stance TSR took against fan websites displaying artwork from the game. The result was to suppress popularity of the game while it was still being published. This was in contrast to
Wizards of the Coast, which allowed fair use reproduction of ''
Magic: The Gathering'' copyrighted images online. The collectability of its chase cards was also notable across CCGs, especially "The Lady of Pain."
The card game is not associated with the ''
Blood Wars'' Polish online MMORPG, which is not based on Planescape.
Notes
References
Further reading
Previewin ''
Scrye
''SCRYE'' (''Scrye Collectible Card Game Checklist and Price Guide'') was a gaming magazine published from 1994 to April 2009 by Scrye, Inc. It was the longest-running periodical to have reported on the collectible card game hobby. It was also t ...
'' #4
Card games introduced in 1995
Collectible card games
Planescape
TSR, Inc. games
{{D&D-stub