Bethesda has pulled back the curtain on a game mode for their upcoming digital card game The Elder Scrolls Legends. Beyond the standard single player and online 1v1 competitive format, the game will feature a mode called the Arena, which is an on the fly format where players construct their decks right then and there. If you’re new to the game and want an idea of the basics before reading on, check out our E3 Hands-On Preview.

The Arena Features

Using in game currency, players enter the Arena to do battle against the AI or another player using a newly constructed deck built exactly for this instance. The steps of the Arena are as follows:

• Choose your type of deck class from 1 of 3 randomly presented. A deck class is a deck comprised of cards from 2 different colors.
• Select 1 of 3 cards shown at random, over a series of 30 rounds until you arrive at a deck of 30 cards.
• In solo play you will face up to 8 AI opponents and 1 boss
• In competitive play you will face up to 9 players
• Losing 3 times during these runs results in the game ending

The random nature of the format ensures that players will have to make snap decisions and make the most out of the cards presented, paying attention to their mana curve and the way the different abilities of the cards interact with each other. Having all the time in the world to make a constructed deck is all well and good, but can you create cohesion from chaos? Folks who have played Magic: The Gathering blind like this understand this challenge well. Luck of the draw is a factor but players have a lot of agency in how they respond.

The mode is set up to reward victory and success on the battlefield in a couple of different ways. At the end of the Arena and after every match you win, you earn prizes based on how well you performed. Although players can’t keep the cards they draft during an Arena run, the prizes can vary between new cards, gold, upgrades and quests. Whenever you dispatch an enemy you are given the opportunity to draft a new card from your deck, allowing your deck to be refined as you progress. The better you do, the better your deck gets and vice versa. Positive feedback loops in gaming are always a win.

In a new era of digital card gaming, we are starting to see attempts at innovation and the Arena is a step in that direction. The format is familiar in principle but features some interesting wrinkles that combined with The Elder Scrolls Legends own unique mechanics could become an addicting diversion from the standard formats. We’ll keep monitoring the development of the game and its various modes as it edges towards release some time this year. Like what you see? Sound off in the comments!

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