- Publisher : Pixie Games
- Designer(s) : Hiroken
- Artist(s) : MUJUNSHA
- Players : 1–4
- Playing time : 30 - 40 Min
- Weight BGG : 2.92
What's this?
Eternal Decks is a cooperative card game in which players explore the mysterious World of the Eternals , populated by creatures with mystical powers. Together, you must understand the rules that govern this world, awaken the Eternals, lift their curses, and uncover the secret that threatens humanity.
How do you play?
The game turn
In turn, a player must perform one of the following three actions :
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Play a card
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Generate a Jewel
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Give a card to a teammate
After his action, he draws to have 3 cards in hand (if possible), then the turn passes to the next player.
If a player cannot perform any action , the game is immediately lost.
Play a card
The cards can be played:
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In the Field (main area of the plateau)
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In the River
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Or as a Capacity card
The Field
The Field is composed of three rows (upper, middle, lower), each associated with a Terrain card (Mountain, Cave, Camp, etc.) which imposes its own rules.
Common placement rules:
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Two cards of the same color cannot be adjacent.
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Two cards of the same value cannot be adjacent.
Some rows add additional constraints, for example:
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Increasing values (Mountain)
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Decreasing values (Cave)
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No specific constraints (Camping)
When the last square in a row is filled, an Eternal is awakened .
Awakening an Eternal and the Curses
Awakening an Eternal allows the active player to retrieve their 8-card deck , but immediately triggers a Curse that affects all players.
Examples of curses:
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Some values can no longer be played in the Field
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Certain colors become banned.
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Rare cards can become unusable on the field
These curses remain active until they are lifted.
Generate a Jewel
To lift a curse, players must generate a Jewel using cards from their hand according to specific recipes (cards of the same value, same colors, trio 1/5/9, etc.).
The Jewel is then offered to an awakened Eternal, which:
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Cancel his curse
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Helps the team progress towards victory
The cards used are placed in the River , which can also offer a bonus if it fills up.
Give a card
A player can spend a Heart to give a card from their hand to a teammate, face down.
This action is crucial to prevent a player from getting stuck without a solution.
Limited communication
Players are not allowed to directly discuss the colors or values of the cards in their hand.
Instead, they use:
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Indirect discussions
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Communication discs , placed on the board to indicate game intentions
This constraint greatly enhances the tension and cooperative aspect of the game.
Is it good?
Eternal Decks is a particularly original cooperative experience, driven by a card mechanic where indirect, or even totally forbidden, communication is at the heart of every decision.
The different levels, the evolving placement rules of the Field, and the curses of the Eternals force the group to constantly adapt, creating genuine collective tension. The game offers several scenarios spread across different tiers, which modify the rules during gameplay and establish a real learning curve.
Mechanically, it’s very fluid and elegant. Eternal Decks particularly shines in its tactical aspect, where each card played seems to have a real impact on the outcome of the game. You’ll often find yourself looking at each other without speaking, trying to anticipate the other players’ intentions, all while using limited communication tokens to subtly guide the group’s decisions.
Replayability is ensured by the numerous combinations of cards, Eternals, tiers and scenarios, which force players to renew their strategy with each session.
The material is of very good quality, with an original and divisive artistic direction, which may be a subject of debate, but which, personally, completely won me over.
However, it can be criticized for a rather long setup, a universe that is more mechanical than truly thematic, very dense rules, not to mention the luck factor linked to the draw.
Despite this, Eternal Decks remains a unique cooperative game, relying on indirect communication and constant adaptation to offer a particularly memorable experience. Its rich strategic depth and elegant mechanics will undoubtedly appeal to players ready to fully immerse themselves in its various scenarios.
A big thank you to my online partner store, Espritjeu. To discover their catalog, I invite you to visit their website:
Eternal Decks
Positives
- An original cooperative concept based on indirect communication
- Elegant and highly tactical mechanics
- Various levels and scenarios that keep the games fresh
- Excellent replayability
- High-quality materials and striking art direction
Negatives
- Dense rules and a demanding learning curve
- A rather abstract theme
- Luck factor related to the draw
- A somewhat lengthy setup
