After I wrote those last paragraphs in yesterdays post about getting back into Dice Masters I started looking for play mats (could have sworn I had one, but no longer the case).

It was during this search of the Internet that I discovered I had been incorrect in calling the game deceased.

There does indeed appear to be a scene for the game. Apparently there was a world championships at GenCon. Plus a tournament at this years UKGE.

It’s also had a lot more releases than I’d thought over the years since I got out of the game. Some have even been within the last three years! Not sure in the last couple though.

Heck there are even a couple of active podcasts for the game too.

Obviously Dice Masters fails my test for if a game is popular and has legs. The game just isn’t being played at any of the FLGS in my area. I don’t care if there is a “scene” in big cities like London. They are the outliers, not the norm. You’re not going to travel hundreds of miles or many hours regularly to play a game or two. So unless you live in those cities with their larger communities they are irrelevant and don’t prove the game is alive and doing well.

“…you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein’ tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.” Monty Python Dead Parrot Sketch

The Ashes Reborn (I also loved playing this when it was Rise of the Phoenixborn) also fails this test. It has some die hard hardcore players mainly in the capital from what I can tell. It does seem less active than the Dice Masters scene.

It’s this rule that I judge new kids on the block such as Lorcana with as well.

Back to the play mats for Dice Masters.

I think I’ll have to go the custom route. There are some cool designs out there. I need a couple. One for me and another player (most likely Nathan).

Oh and before I forget a second dice bag. I hate those waxy ones that come with the starter and box sets.

Also like any ccg Wizkids have had to deal with the rotation issue. My current searches have uncovered that Wizkids have two official formats, Modern and Golden Age.

Not owning any sets from the last couple of years means I won’t be playing Modern anytime soon. However with Golden Age being everything ever produced it looks like this will be my format of choice for the time being.

Heck Wizkids also have their version of the banned and restricted list. Surprising to me that the ol’ Gobby and Black Widow cards that were so op when I was playing the game are not on it. So I’m assuming that in the intervening years since I left the game that they became less powerful or there are solutions.

I’m looking forward to teaching Nathan the game.