Radiant (2018) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Radiant is a fantasy board game designed by Randal Marsh and released in in 2018. It is a game for 2-4 players, with a playing time of 30-60 minutes. The game features a unique blend of area majority/influence, hand management, open drafting, set collection, and trick-taking mechanics.

Game Components of Radiant

Core set containing a full set of cards for two players

Nine heroes to choose from, categorized as Warriors, Tanks, and Supports

Each hero has a deck of 10 cards representing their unique powers and abilities

Conduit cards, which are the lanes in the game

Item cards for upgrades and equipment

UltraPro gameplay mats (optional)

How To Setup Radiant

Setting up Radiant involves several key steps. First, each player selects three heroes to form their roster, drafting a combination of Warriors, Tanks, and Supports. The game board is set up with three lanes, each containing a conduit for each team. Players then build their decks using the skill cards for their chosen heroes. The shop is prepared with a list of items chosen in secret by the players at the beginning of the game. For a detailed guide, the Learn-to-Play Booklet is highly recommended, as the rulebook has been criticized for its complexity and lack of a clear tutorial section.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Action Economy: Players spend actions to attack, heal, change lanes, level up, or use talents.

Lane Management: Assign heroes to lanes and protect or attack conduits.

Hero Abilities: Use skill cards to represent heroes’ unique powers and abilities.

Power System: Earn power by knocking out enemy heroes or through certain hero abilities; use power to level up heroes, buy equipment, or resurrect heroes.

Conduit Destruction: Destroy enemy conduits to force the enemy’s deity to manifest; defeating the deity wins the game.

Item Purchase: Visit the shop to purchase upgrades for heroes during each round.

Player Experience

Playing Radiant involves a mix of strategic planning and tactical decision-making. The game is fast-paced, lasting 30 to 45 minutes, with each round offering several key choices. Players must balance defending their conduits, attacking enemy heroes, and upgrading their own heroes. The game requires a tight action economy, leading to interesting and challenging decisions. However, the rulebook’s complexity can make the initial learning process frustrating.

Pros

Streamlined Rules: Once understood, the game mechanics are elegantly simple.

Intuitive Gameplay: Recognizable MOBA concepts make it easy for fans of the genre to pick up.

Beautiful Art: Colorful, stylized art reminiscent of video game art.

Tactical Depth: Offers a rich thematic experience with plenty of strategic decisions.

Reusable Heroes: Heroes can be brought back into the game after being knocked out.

Cons

Complex Rulebook: The rulebook is poorly explained and lacks a clear tutorial section.

Power Management: Power trickles in slowly, often feeling insufficient for necessary actions.

Steep Learning Curve: Initial setup and understanding can be time-consuming and frustrating.

Personal Thoughts on Radiant

Radiant: Offline Battle Arena is ideal for fans of MOBAs who are looking to translate their digital gaming experience into a tabletop format. While it has the potential to be an engaging and tactical game, the current version suffers from a poorly explained rulebook. With some improvements in the rulebook and possibly an expansion, Radiant could become a staple for those who enjoy strategic card games. For now, it is best suited for players who are willing to invest time into understanding its mechanics and are familiar with MOBA gameplay.

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