The Elder Scrolls Legends – Alliance War – Coming April 15th, 2019

Bethesda and Sparkypants reveal the first Alliance War cards and five new tri-color factions to come with the set. Alliance War will release on April 15th, 2019 and is available for pre-order as of yesterday!

Alliance War – Pre-Order

The Pre-Order Announcement at Bethesda Game Days, March 30

You can pre-order the Alliance War expansion as of now. For 49.99 USD you will get 50 Alliance War packs, one Alliance War Legendary, plus the special player title Warmonger and the premium Alliance War Pre-Order Card Back. Both title and cardback are probably only available through the pre-order offering.

You get the Premium Card back and title immediately. The packs are still locked though…

During their panel at Bethesda Game Days, Bethesda and Sparkypants reveal 9 new cards from the Alliance War Expansion. Here is the break-down and a quick introduction of the 5 new tri-color factions.

Alliance War

The Alliance War, also known as the Three Banners War, was a war that occurred during the Second Era, which began in 2E 580 shortly after the First Aldmeri Dominion was formed after Queen Ayrenn returned to the Summerset Isles after decades of adventuring. The three alliances involved were the First Aldmeri Dominion, the Ebonheart Pact, and the Daggerfall Covenant, all of which were fighting to rule Tamriel. In 2E 578, Emperor Varen Aquilarios was convinced by Mannimarco that he knew a ritual which would allow him to become Dragonborn. Varen desired to further legitimize his claim to the Imperial throne by lighting the Dragonfires in the Temple of the One in the Imperial City, which can only be done by one of the Dragon Blood. Mannimarco and Varen were part of a group referred to as the Five Companions, which also included; Sai Sahan, Lyris Titanborn and Abnur Tharn. Though the ritual turned out to be an elaborate trick setup by Mannimarco. He then incapacitated the others and declared he was a servant of Molag Bal, and the ritual was actually one that would weaken the barriers between Mundus and Coldharbour.

Clivia Tharn was soon after named the new Empress Regent of Tamriel and turned the Empire to Daedra worship, in particular to Molag Bal. Her father Abnur Tharn was the High Chancellor of the Elder Council and Overlord of Nibenay, but Abnur despised Molag Bal and his minions, thus dividing the Tharn family in two. Clivia managed to convince Mannimarco to use his Necromantic abilities to resurrect Imperial Soldiers to bolster the Empire’s forces. When the alliances saw that the Empire was weak, they took advantage of its weakness in an attempt to expand their territory. Thus, the war began.

About the Alliance War. Source: Alliance War, The Elder Scrolls Wiki

Guildsworn

The Guildsworn faction combines Strength, Intelligence and Willpower (red, blue and yellow). The first reveal from this faction is Guildsworn Apprentice a 2-cost 1/2 Argonian with Prophecy and Guard that draws a card when summoned. While Guildsworn Apprentice is easy to remove, he does have value when you need a Turnaround. A Prophecy with Guard can help to block your opponent’s attack and the card-draw extends your resources for next turn. Certainly a 2-drop we will see more of in April and the months to come! We are not sure, yet, if the Guildsworn faction will come with a new keyword

Daggerfall Covenant – Mobilize Keyword

The Daggerfall Covenant is a military alliance between Camlorn, Daggerfall, Evermore, Stornhelm, Wayrest, Hammerfell, Hallin’s Stand and Orsinium. High King Emeric presides over the Royal Council, the leadership council of the Covenant, with representation from the Redguard and Orcs.

In Legends, the Covenant represents Strength, Intelligence and Endurance (red, blue, purple) and builds on the new keyword Mobilize. Mobilize allows you to play an item to an empty lane. When you do, you automatically summon a 1/1 Recruit to equip the item to.

Covenant Mail

Covenant Mail is the first card with this mechanic. The 3-cost item also bears the Prophecy and the Guard keyword and buffs a creature with +1/+3. Thus, if you get to play this as a prophecy from a broken rune, you can set-up a 2/4 creature with Guard to dodge further attacks by your opponent.

As a mechanics, Mobilize solves the issue that you always needed a creature on board to equip the item to. Thus, a regular item as a top-deck at Parity was really awful if you had no creatures in play. Mobilize will now allow you to get these specials items onto the board much more effectively.

Daggerfall Phantom

The second card that was revealed for the Covenant is Daggerfall Phantom, a 2-cost Spirit that can be tutored by Wake the Dead. The 2/2 is reasonable for a 2-cost, but the Phantom’s Last Gasp ability can flourish in item decks: it returns all equipped items back to your hand, if it dies. Obviously, if you equip lots of items , your opponent will prefer to Silence or Banish it, before he uses a Piercing Javelin to kill it.

Daggerfall Phantom – Daggerfall Covenant – Item Decks Theme

Aldmeri Dominion – Empower Keyword

The Aldmeri Dominion aims to restore the rule of Tamriel to the Elves. The Dominion consists of the Altmer from Summerset, the Bosmer of Valenwood as well as the Khajiit of Elsewyr. Queen Ayrenn is the leader of the Aldmeri Dominion.

In The Elder Scrolls Legends, the Aldmeri Dominion unites Intelligence, Willpower and Agility. The Dominion also gets a new keyword: Empower. When your opponent takes damage, Empower allows you to increase the effect of actions bearing this keyword for the turn. Empower is a push for Pilfer and Burn spells and brings some interesting opportunities for Swindler’s Market…

Channeled Storm is the card reveal featuring the Empower keyword. The 3-cost action deals three damage to a creature, +1 more each time your opponent took damage on the same turn. Spoils of War is the second card with Empower. This 5-cost action allows you to draw two cards and reduce their cost by 1 for each time you damaged your opponent this turn. A very interesting mechanic that promotes breaking runes and should make for some interesting games…





The first creature revealed for the Dominion is the Dominion Oathman. The Dominion Oathman is a very powerful 1-cost. While you can play it on turn 1 and use a decent 2/2 body, the card really shines with another yellow and a blue in play. In this case, Dominion Oathman gains Drain and deals 2 damage to your opponent. We have recently seen a few cards like Renegade Magister or Destruction Tutor that incentivize the use of “Burn” actions that deal damage.

Ebonheart Pact

The Ebonheart Pact is another faction that fought for the Ruby Throne in the Alliance War. In Elder Scrolls Online, it was an Alliance between the Nords of Skyrim, the Dunmer of Morrowind and the Argonians of Black Marsh. The Ebonheart Pact is led by High King Jorunn, a big Nord. The three races have a long history of war between each other. This is still a topic, even after the formal formation of the Pact.

Jorunn the Skald-King

In The Elder Scrolls Legends, the Ebonheart Pact is a combination of Strength, Agility and Endurance. Jorunn the Skald-King was the first card revealed from the Pact. He is a 5-drop with good stats of 5/5. More frightening, he is immune to Silence.

In addition, all friendly creatures cost 1 less, while enemy non-creatures (=actions, items, supports) cost 1 more. A very special ability on this unique legendary. Jorunn certainly promotes a creature-heavy midrange strategy and threatens opponent’s that like to heavily rely on removal actions to control the board.

Empire of Cyrodiil

The Empire of Cyrodiil has become hostile to the other races and stands alone during the war for the Ruby Throne. They are not destined to fill the position, but have aims of their own creating a new empire. After Emperor Aquilarios disappeared, the Imperial leaders joined forces with supporters of Molag Bal.

Clivia Tharn – Empress Regent of the Imperial Legion

In Legends, the Empire of Cyrodiil is made up of Willpower, Agility and Endurance. Clivia Tharn is the first card revealed for yellow, green and purple. She was the Empress Regent and reigned the Empire during the Alliance War. Mannimarko made her worship Molag Bal and manipulated her to expel the the Mages Guild from Cyrodiil, allowing the Worm Cult to operate freely. In Legends, Clivia Tharn is a 6-cost 4/4 that gives other friendly creatures in her lane Guard. She also summons a 1/1 Recruit in each lane at the end of your turn. The Empire benefits from creatures in both lanes, and Clivia can easily generate Tokens in a deck backed up by Divine Fervor.

Mannimarco

Mannimarco

The High Elf Mannimarco is one of our main villains in the Alliance War. As a 10-cost with stats of 6/6 he summons a creature from your opponent’s discard pile when he is summoned for 10 magicka. He is a unique legendary and indeed the first card that allows you to steal and even summon a creature from your opponent’s discard pile. A strong effect that can reward you for removing your opponent’s big threats and brings it back in your army. With A Night to Remember or Ulfric’s Uprising you can get much more value out of this card, making for an exciting combo win condition.

Additional Cards in the Teaser Video

Guildswoen Recruit, Defensice Formation, Varen Aquilarios and Dark Anchor

The teaser video for the expansion provides hints at some additional Alliance War cards. In a first passage we can see an Imperial Legion deck with some new yellow cards: Guildsworn Recruit (3-drop), Defensive Formation (1-drop), Varen Aquilarios (unique legendary 4-drop) as well as a new 5-drop in Endurance: Dark Anchor.

Next up, we have Martial Master in Strength as a 7-drop Nord as well as a 3-drop Argonian Black Marsh Prod-something.

Martial Master and Black Marsh Prod-something

Followed by a 4-cost action Cry for Help and Guildsworn Rev(ival?) in Willpower, as well as Powcaster, a 1-drop Wood Elf in Agility (maybe it’s me, but the card art look like Death Hound?!). The effects on the game board, of how the factions attack Cyrodiil are also super cool-looking!

Cry for Help, Powcaster and Guildsworn Rev(ival) or Guildsworn Recruit?

Towards the end of the video, two additional screens reveal Sai Sahan as a 7-cost unique legendary for Agility, and Abur Tharn as a 6-cost unique legendary in Intelligence. Finally, an 8-cost Ayrenn appears in the colors of the first Aldmeri Dominion.

Sai Sahan, Abur Tharn and an 8-cost Ayrenn

In the final picture, we can see an 11-cost Guildsworn Redguard whose title is a little bit difficult to read…

15 more days to go and card reveal season will be starting soon. One reveal by Silverfuse was already confirmed for Tuesday next week. Make sure to tune in!

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