The Rathe Times

Table for 4 with Smash Palace Two writers enter the Smash Palace at GenCon 2025. Has LSS finally solved multiplayer FAB?

Two writers enter the Smash Palace at GenCon 2025. Has LSS finally solved multiplayer FAB?
rathetimes.com/articles/pla...

Navigating the Game with Compass of Sunken Depths Find your bearings with these heuristics on Compass activations.

Find your bearings with these heuristics on Compass activations.
rathetimes.com/articles/nav...

Cutting the Strings: A Guide to Dagger Marionette To master Marionette, begin with the daggers.

Andrew Henderson took Dagger Marionette to Top 4 at Battle Hardened: Minneapolis. His deck tech marks the latest addition to our Pro Series (for Rathe Times subscribers).
rathetimes.com/articles/cut...

Thoughts and Baubles: Living Legend Comes For Us All Sometimes, LL just hits different. How do you build a new identity when your main rotates?

Sometimes, LL just hits different. How do you build a new identity when your main rotates?
rathetimes.com/articles/tho...

60 for 60: Arakni With a budget of $60, this series sets out to build Armory decks in the style of LSS' official offerings.

Slippy is the hot deck of the weekend, but can you build a Slippy deck on a budget? Our latest 60 for 60 sets out to try!
rathetimes.com/articles/60-...

Serving Vengeance with the Ira Armory Deck Ira is reinvented once again with the latest Armory Deck.

Picking up the Armory Deck today? Ayli explains how the Armory Deck has added an entirely new archetype to an already-versatile hero.
rathetimes.com/articles/ser...

High Seas Huntress: A Marlynn Deck Tech Learn the essential skills of the Pirate Ranger and overpower the opposition.

Marlynn may not have made a name for herself yet, but it doesn't mean she's not cooking. Learn the essentials and grab a decklist while you're at it!
rathetimes.com/articles/hig...

Cultivating Verdance In 2025, Verdance has blossomed into a multifaceted hero with several branches to success. In this Pro Series piece, Ayli identifies the variants and explains that makes them bloom.

In 2025, Verdance has blossomed into a multifaceted hero with several branches to success. In this Pro Series piece (for Rathe Times subscribers), Ayli identifies the variants and explains that makes them bloom.
rathetimes.com/articles/cul...

Full Steam Ahead: Locking in on Puffin What does it take to hone a preview hero ahead of a major event? Abby gives us the inside look at the trials of developing Puffin for US Nationals.

What does it take to prep a Preview Hero for a major event on release weekend?
rathetimes.com/articles/ful...

Armory Headlines:
"Azalea Leaves It All on the Table with a Full Leyline"

Leylines of the Watery Grave Gravy Bones, the breakout hero of High Seas, brings graveyard gameplay to Flesh and Blood. New author Ashelin Pepper Gadal is here with a deck that makes the most of Gravy's colors.

Gravy Bones, the breakout hero of High Seas, brings graveyard gameplay to Flesh and Blood. New author Ashelin Pepper Gadal is here with a deck that makes the most of Gravy's colors.
rathetimes.com/articles/ley...

I was hoping you'd be on more boats - that's my favorite Marlynn gameplan so far - but you gave me some real good stuff to consider and inspired a number of modifications to my list. Thanks, great writeup!

Making Sense of Marlynn Marlynn approaches the Ranger class in an entirely new way - but some truths can't be denied. What should you be keeping in mind while finding a build that works for you?

Marlynn approaches the Ranger class in an entirely new way - but some truths can't be denied. What should you be keeping in mind while finding a build that works for you?
rathetimes.com/articles/mak...

Find yourself a Sandscour Azalea. I still believe!

The 3 Dragons of Volcor

Alright, I'll give it another go. Fyendal's Spring Tunic.

Armory Headlines:
"While Opponents Work Out Complex New Synergies, Scurv Player Simply Shuffles Up Boats and Wins."

Glint the Quicksilver. My daughter has that mat. Absolutely outstanding art.

No, I'm the great Sandscour Evangelist. I thought you liked the bow for its gameplay.

And here I thought you were coming over to my side...

60 for 60: Kassai With a budget of $60, this series sets out to build Armory decks in the style of LSS' official offerings.

With a budget of $60, this series sets out to build Armory decks in the style of LSS' official offerings.
rathetimes.com/articles/60-...

Armory Headlines:
"Mourning Nuu's Impending Rotation, Man Admits He Never Found a List He Likes"

Call me crazy, but I almost think that's Azalea...

Nearing the Horizon: Sandscour Azalea Reaches Shore In these final days before Azalea reaches Living Legend, Alex adapts his Sandscour list for the High Seas.

In these final days before Azalea reaches Living Legend, Alex adapts his Sandscour list for the High Seas.
rathetimes.com/articles/nea...

An odd element of LL and bans that I always enjoy is the cascading impact they have on my collection of decks.
Aurora hit LL, so I have an extra copy of every card now.
Blitz banned Channel Lightning Valley, so that one comes out entirely.
Suddenly I have the cards free to CC my Blitz Oscilio...

See you there!

New Year, Nuu Deck: Setting Goals for FAB in 2025 I'm not one for resolutions, but when it comes to TCGs, having set goals is key to growth.

rathetimes.com/articles/new...

Landed a Top 8 placement with Verdance at the local Pro Quest! That's a pair of 2025 goals accomplished.

My favorite spoiler video so far. I showed this to my 7-year-old FAB-playing daughter (who unexpectedly chose Gravy Bones as her must-play hero of the set) and she had a good laugh.

The Last Illusion: Succession Falls to Prism (Again) The Highlander dynamic of Illusionist has once again left us with one playable hero for the class - but is Prism primed to rise, or just the only one still standing?

The Highlander dynamic of Illusionist has once again left us with one playable hero for the class - but is Prism primed to rise, or just the only one still standing?
rathetimes.com/articles/the...