Greetings, orx-terminators!
With the release of the Boreal Nomads getting ever closer, we’ve prepared for you a gameplay overview of the 3rd playable faction. Let’s peek through the blizzard and see what makes them stand out from the rest!
Those who’ve read our lore devlog might’ve already guessed that the core gameplay of Boreal Nomads rests on two main pillars — the giants called Boreals, who protect the nation, and, well, the Nomads, which act as the craftsmen and the architects. Of course, in true ORX-slaying fashion, the northerners have a completely new play style that feels familiar yet fresh!
But what exactly do we mean by that?
Hand of stone, Arm of strength
The Boreals themselves essentially serve as the faction’s heroes. Although, they’re not simply units — like Rune Guardian militants or blades of the Dune Reavers, — no, they’re actual autonomous heroes, each with personal goals and motivations. We really wanted to convey their independent nature as mentioned in our lore devlog through the core gameplay of the faction.
The giants are not controlled by the player and instead freely roam the map. Depending on their archetype, they might hunt down threats to protect the main village, scouting the land for treasures, or search for powerful yet elusive miracles and runestones. Of course, as soon as night falls, all of them will join forces to stand against the ORX.
You may be wondering, “But where does the player come in?”. Well, Boreals don’t just wander about — they also seek to buy new gear, potions and hone their skills. They will earn gold by slaying monsters and finding treasures, and then use it to buy their desired items and upgrades from the village.
It’s also possible to nudge them to complete a certain objective by playing one of the Bounty cards. These will not only give a bonus reward for the Boreals, but even provide them with different buffs. It’s not a direct order though and some Boreals, depending on their archetype, might prioritise a different task still. After all, the giants are all about personal freedom, and they lived this way even before the Empire of Medea existed!
To further highlight the individuality of each Boreal, we’re making it so they carry their experience levels and gear throughout the campaign. They are also bestowed with a unique name after you place their haven at least once. Yes, we’re thinking of ways for you to be able to name the Boreals personally! We absolutely want you to have a squad of orx-slaying stone giants named Orker Morder, Thor Mjöllnir, and Mektig Bonk!
I'm at home in the North
While the Boreals are busy roaming the map, the player can focus on the hearth of the village. The Northern Iceplanes are harsh and unforgiving lands, where one must seek protection from both the elements and wildlife behind sturdy walls. Unfortunately, in such an icy landscape there is no robust selection of building materials, and as such the wood becomes your main option.
Inspired by traditional Scandinavian and Slavic architecture, the settlements of Boreal Nomads are also built with wood. Palisade walls surround the settlement, tasked with keeping it safe, which are made up of entire trees felled by the giants. Here the familiar gameplay of placing tiles and buildings again comes with a twist.
The buildings themselves can only be placed either inside or outside, depending on the nation — after all, living together would be too crowded. And the villages inside are teeming with life! Craftsmen work day and night to make gear and potions for the Boreals, diary production uses nearby pastures to produce cheese, and the Tsar is busily managing everything to help his people brave the harsh winters. Here the Boreals will exchange gold for goods and services, bringing to life the symbiotic relationship between the two nations.
To brighten up the bleak iceplanes and bring some much needed warmth into their lives, Nomads regularly hold various holidays. These festivities are not just for show, however, as they empower the Boreals with additional bonuses! These can range from granting attack speed buffs to resurrecting the giants — with their strength depending on the size of the village. However, you will need to close the walls on all perimeters in order to place a monument and can only have one holiday active per village. As the saying goes: “Most time to work and an hour to have fun”!
And in the winter cold, with opened eyes…
Naturally, this is just a sneak peek at the very core of Boreal Nomads. We’ve recently implemented a new system for the players to empower the giants through runestones, which will grant them unique abilities. As well as the 4th archetype for the Boreals themselves, the cunning Rogue — this way, we have all 4 basic fantasy archetypes covered!
Boreal Nomads will also receive a weighty deck of new cards down the road. Of course, that will include new buildings and spells unique to the faction, but we might include something extra in that expansion — like a new mechanic or a building with a unique interaction!
While working on Boreal Nomads, we’ve also had a lot of new ideas for Rune Guardians and Dune Reavers pop up. If you saw our updated Roadmap, you’ve probably noticed an item on the list called “mechanics update,” mentioning the initial two factions. And by this, we’ve meant bringing the first two factions up to the game’s current standards. This might include things like refreshing some of the older mechanics, adding new ones to prevent a power creep between newer and older factions, and, of course, new cards.
See you with the first snow in the Boreal Nomads content update!
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