Images courtesy of Legend Story Studios

Greetings and salutations my fabulous, soon to be #FAB folks! Welcome to Card Gamer and, for the first timers, welcome to the world of Rathe!

If you clicked on this article, one of two things are probably true. One, you’re curious about Flesh and Blood and need a starting point. Or two, you’re a long-time reader who can’t get enough of little old me. (Aww, shucks.)

Either way, I’m glad you’re here! Today, we’re going to talk about the very basic components of this amazing game from Legend Story Studios.

Let’s learn how to play Flesh and Blood!

What IS Flesh and Blood TCG, and Why Should You Play It?

Let’s start with the basics. If you’re new to the world of Rathe, first let’s see what the game is all about. After that, I’ll tell you why so many of us are hooked.

So… What Is Flesh and Blood?

Flesh and Blood (FAB) is a hero-focused trading card game from Legend Story Studios (LSS), a New Zealand based company. In FAB, you sit down across from your opponent, choose a hero, and go toe to toe until one of you hits zero life. The game doesn’t end until someone loses, even if there are no more cards in a player’s deck.

You won’t be building up mana or summoning creatures here (most of the time). The combat is direct. The pace is fast. And the game rewards you for knowing your deck and thinking a few steps ahead.

If Magic: The Gathering had a baby with Street Fighter, it would probably look a lot like Flesh and Blood.

Why Should I Play Flesh and Blood?

Because it’s just plain fun. Full stop. Game’s good.

Seriously though, the game is easy to start and tough to outgrow. You can jam games at the kitchen table, compete at your local Armory, or even chase invites to big events if that’s your thing.

And honestly, the community is the best I’ve ever been part of. Most players are happy to help new folks get settled in. From your first game to your first Calling, someone at your friendly local game store will have your back.

If you want a game that’s smart, intense, and built for real human connection, you’ve come to the right place.

How Do You Win Flesh and Blood?

In Flesh and Blood, your goal is simple: bring your opponent’s life total down to zero before they do the same to you.

Each player starts with a set amount of life, based on the hero they chose. As of right this second, there’s over 30 different options for heroes in Classic Constructed alone. During the game, you’ll attack using action cards and weapon(s), and you’ll defend, all using the four cards you draw at the end of your turn.

There’s no separate phase for defense. You’re making real-time decisions on every turn with every card.

This game is all about timing. You have to know when to push for damage and when to hold back, when to protect your life total and when to take a hit.

Why Timing and Flexibility Matter in FAB

Some turns are about swinging big. Others are about surviving long enough to swing bigger later.

What makes Flesh and Blood different from other trading card games is that every card has multiple roles. You can attack with your cards, you can block with them, or you can pitch them to generate resources and pay for something else. That’s where the true depth of the game comes in.

Maybe you have a perfect attacking hand, but you need to block an attack to stop a devastating on hit effect. Maybe you pitch your biggest bomb now to fuel a smaller turn and save the heat for the long game. The decisions add up fast.

If you can manage your hand, your life total, and your resources better than your opponent, you’ll win. On September 4, 2024, James White said it best when he revealed FAB’s new design principles going forward.

“Victory is earned through the accumulation of many good decisions. FAB is not a game where you slam “a dragon” and ride it to victory.” – James White, CEO LSS

Simple on the surface – smart underneath.

Next, let’s talk about what kind of hero you’ll be piloting and what’s actually in one of these decks.

What’s in a Flesh and Blood Deck?

In Flesh and Blood, you’re not just playing a deck; you’re stepping into the arena as a hero. When you play FAB, you actually feel like a Warrior swinging a weapon or a Ranger firing arrows to keep an enemy at bay.

Hero identity is strong, and people form real connections with their heroes. (Nuu is love, Nuu is life.)

The hero card you choose is more than just a name and a face, though. It sets your life total, your hand size, and your class. Since you can only play cards that are generic or share a class and/or talent with your hero, that means it determines what kind of cards you’re allowed to bring into battle.

Every hero plays differently, even from other heroes of the same class. Some are all about brute force. Others rely on finesse, combos, or clever card interactions. Whether you like swinging a claw, casting spells, or knifing your enemies from the shadows, there’s a hero that fits your style.

What Else Comes With Your Hero?

Alongside your hero, you’ll bring at least one weapon and up to four pieces of equipment to battle. These cards start in play and stay there (“SIPSIP”- Starts in Play, Stays in Play).

For some heroes, your weapon is your go-to attack. Others rarely use them. For every hero, your equipment gives you armor, utility, and sometimes a game-changing effect at just the right moment.

Then there’s your deck. Depending on the format, you’ll bring either 40 or 60+ cards into the fight. These are your actions, attacks, reactions, block cards, and instants. Most of them can be pitched for resources, blocked with for defense, or played to apply pressure.

I can’t emphasize enough how every card in the game has multiple uses. That flexibility is part of what makes the game so deep. You’re always weighing what you need now against what you might need later.

Your hero is your identity. Your deck is your voice. Now that you know what’s in it, let me explain how to read these amazing cards.

How Do You Read a Flesh and Blood Card? (Parts of a Card)

Let’s break down a couple of cards to help you understand what you’re looking at. We’ll look at Snatch, a commonly played generic attack action, Snapdragon Scalers, a common rarity piece of generic equipment, and a hero that might use both.

The two cards actually work really well together in fast-paced decks and show you how card layout and function tie directly into gameplay.

How to Read an Attack Action – Snatch (Red)

Pitch Value (Top Left):

Snatch (Red) pitches for one, which you’ll see as a red dot in the top left corner with a matching red stripe over the name. Red-pitch cards like this are common in aggressive decks.

Card Name and Pitch Stripe (Top Center):

The red stripe is an easy way to spot red-pitch cards, which usually have stronger effects but generate fewer resources when pitched.

Yellow cards have a yellow stripe, blue cards have a blue stripe – you get the idea. If a card has multiple color versions, you can include up to three copies of each color in your deck in Classic Constructed or two of each in young hero formats. (Three reds, three yellows, three blues for up to nine total copies of Snatch if you want.)

Cost (Top Right):

This card costs zero. You don’t have to pitch anything to play it. That makes it perfect as a one-card play or at the end of a combat chain.

Attack Value (Bottom Left):

The red version of Snatch attacks for four, which hits what FAB players call a “breakpoint.” Since most cards in the game block for three, your opponent needs two cards, or a card plus equipment, to stop all the damage. And they want to stop this from hitting because if it hits, you get to draw a card.

The yellow version attacks for three and the blue attacks for two. This is how most Flesh and Blood cards work. Pitching for more resources means less power when used on offense.

Card Type and Class (Bottom Center):

Snatch is a “Generic Action – Attack,” which means any hero can play it. That flexibility is part of why it’s widely used. There are cards specific to every class and even cards specific to each talent.

Defense Value (Bottom Right):

Snatch blocks for two, which is common for more aggressively slanted cards. Most cards’ block value stays the same regardless of their color, but defense reactions like Sink Below are an exception. (Note the number in the bottom right changes in each version below.)

How to Read an Equipment Card – Snapdragon Scalers

Card Name (Top Center) and Class/Talent and Type (Bottom Center):

Snapdragon Scalers is a generic leg equipment, which means any hero can use it and it goes in your legs slot. It starts the game in play and stays there until used.

You can only use equipment that’s generic or shares an aspect with your hero. If an equipment has both a class and a talent, like Meridian Pathway, only a hero that shares both can use it. (In this case, Enigma, Ledger of Ancestry.)

There are hybrid cards too, as shown on Flick Knives and Leap Frog Vocal Sac which can be used by either class that shares a type with it. The hybrid quality is defined by the slash between the two aspects. For instance, Flick Knives shows Assassin / Ninja, meaning your hero has to be either an Assassin or Ninja to play this card.

Defense Value (Bottom Right):

Defense is shown by the number next to the gray shield at the bottom right. If there’s no number there, the card can’t be used to block.

While Snapdragon Scalers doesn’t, some equipment have effects that trigger when they block, telling you what to do next. Examples are Battleworn, Blade Break, or Temper.

Keyword and Ability (Text Box):

The activated ability in the text box lets you destroy Snapdragon Scalers to give an attack with cost one or less go again during the reaction step. That includes cards like Snatch, since it costs zero to play.

In aggressive decks, it’s common to play Snatch, give it go again with your Snappies, and then follow up with another play after drawing a card.

Set Info (Very Bottom Line):

At the bottom is the card’s rarity and set code. Snapdragons are common and have been around since the game’s first set, Welcome to Rathe, but they’ve seen play across multiple formats and still show up in competitive lists.

How to Read a Hero Card – Aurora, Shooting Star

Let’s take a look at how to read a hero card, using Aurora, Shooting Star as the example. She’s an Elemental Runeblade hero released in the Rosetta set and the face of the Armory Deck that shares her name.

Name (Top Center), Talent/Class (Bottom Center):

At the top of the card, you’ll see her full name, Aurora, Shooting Star. At the bottom, her title shows you her class and talent combination. In this case, she’s a Runeblade with the Elemental talent and “Essence of Lightning” in her text box.

That means her deck can include both Runeblade class cards and Lightning talent cards, any card that shares both type, and any generic cards at all.

Text Box (Middle Center):

This is where Aurora’s hero ability lives. Whenever you play your second non-attack action each turn, you create an Embodiment of Lightning token. That token gives your next attack action go again when you play it. Her whole deck is built to take advantage of this ability by sequencing plays that stack up value and tempo.

Intellect (Bottom Left), Life Total (Bottom Right):

Down in the bottom corners, you’ll see two important numbers. On the left, next to the blue icon, is your intellect. That tells you how many cards you draw at the end of your turn. Aurora has four intellect, which is standard for most heroes. On the right, next to the green icon, is her life total. She starts with forty life as an adult, and half that as a young hero.

Aurora’s hero card gives you hints on what her strategy is and what kind of deck she wants to play. Usually you can tell what a hero wants to do from their text box.

Now that you’ve got a feel for how to read your cards and what your deck is made of, let’s talk about where you’ll actually use it. Flesh and Blood has a few different formats, each with its own vibe and deck size.

Some are faster and more casual. Others go deeper and give you more control. Let’s break them down.

What Are Flesh and Blood’s Main Formats?

Once you’ve got a hero that you’re excited to learn about and play, the next step is picking a format. Flesh and Blood has a few different ways to play, and each comes with its own pace and personality.

Keep in mind that I’m giving broad generalizations here. The rules are consistent, but every playgroup and event has its own vibe. But if you’re looking for a place to start, here’s the quick rundown.

Blitz

Blitz is fast, fun, and beginner-friendly. You’ll use a young hero, bring a 40-card deck (52 card pool total that includes equipment), and start with less life than in Classic Constructed. Games move quickly and usually wrap up in 20 to 30 minutes.

It’s a great way to learn the basics and get comfortable with your cards.

Legend Story Studios has made new player on-boarding much easier than it used to be. I’ll give some examples of great starter products further down.

Classic Constructed

Classic Constructed is the main competitive format that the game is designed around and what people play the most. You’ll use an adult hero, build a 60-card deck, and bring a sideboard of extras. You’ll need a total of 80 cards that includes your equipment and weapon. Plus a hero token that isn’t counted in your total pool.

Games are longer, usually more strategic, and give you more chances to pivot your plan mid-match. If you enjoy deep decision-making and long-term improvement, Classic Constructed is where most of the serious grinding happens.

Sealed and Draft

These limited formats are perfect for events like pre-releases or local tournaments and most major events use Booster Draft as part of the main event. In Sealed, you open a pool of packs and build from what you get. The exact number of packs depends on the booster set being used. In Draft, you sit around a table, open boosters, and take turns picking cards.

These formats level the playing field and really reward your gameplay and card evaluation skills. Plus, you don’t need to bring a deck to play. Just show up, crack packs, build, and play.

There are also casual formats like Commoner (commons/rares only), and Ultimate Pit Fight (multiplayer Flesh and Blood). If you’re just looking to hang out and have a good time, they’re great options too, but we’re not going to get too far into those right now.

No matter your style, there’s a format that fits.

Next, let’s talk about setting up a game.

What Are the Zones in Flesh and Blood?

Before we get to game play, let’s talk about how your side of the battlefield is set up.

There’s a standard layout that players follow, laid out on most official Flesh and Blood playmats. It helps keep everything organized, especially when the game gets intense.

Starting from the left side of your play area and moving right, here’s what each zone is and what it’s for:

Equipment (Left Side of the Mat)

Your equipment sits in a vertical row on the left side of the field. From top to bottom, the order goes:
Head, Chest, Legs, Arms (to the right of the Chest)

Each of these starts the game in play. Some equipment block, some give passive effects, and some break after you use them. Others stick around the whole game. Most decks rely on equipment at key moments, so don’t underestimate them.

Conversely, don’t use your equipment too quickly either. Sometimes it’s worth blocking with an extra card in the early game instead of your gear. That way you have equipment around later when you have less life and really need to keep cards in hand for offense.

Weapon, Hero, Off-hand (Center)

Your hero sits front and center in the middle of the board. That card shows your life total, class, and hero ability. Your weapon usually sits to the hero’s right, and if you have an off-hand item like a shield or lantern, that goes on the left. Two-handed weapons take both slots.

Arsenal (Below your hero token)

This is your one-card staging area under your hero. At the end of your turn, you can place a card from your hand into arsenal. On a future turn, you can play that card like it’s in your hand, but you can’t pitch or block with it. (You can, however, play defense reactions from arsenal to block with.)

Learning how to properly manage your arsenal is one of the early signs of improving at the game. The sooner you get the hang of what cards to arsenal and when to play them, the better off you’ll be.

Pitch Zone (To the Left of Your Deck)

When you pitch a card to generate resources, it goes here. At the end of every turn, pitched cards go to the bottom of their owner’s deck in whatever order they like. That order can matter later in the game.

Graveyard, Deck, and Banish (Right Side of the Mat)

On the far right are your remaining zones.

• The deck is your draw pile. You start each game with it face down. (Players don’t lose when they have no cards left, but they often concede to save time when they run out or get “fatigued,” because there’s no way to win.)
• The graveyard is where your played and blocked cards go. You’ll reference it often during the game.
• The banish zone is for cards removed from play. Some return later. Others stay gone.

Once you understand how everything is laid out, it becomes way easier to follow the turn flow and stay focused on gameplay.

Alright, so now you’ve got your play area set up. Your hero is ready for war and you’re eager to get going. What happens next?

Let’s walk through how to actually start a game of Flesh and Blood.

How Do You Start a Game of Flesh and Blood?

Before the first turn begins, both players reveal their hero cards at the same time. Then, a random method, usually a dice roll, is used to determine who gets to choose whether they want to go first or second. (Most heroes like going second when they have a choice.)

After that, players choose their weapon, equipment, and finalize their deck configuration. This is commonly referred to as sideboarding, and it lets you adjust your strategy based on what your opponent is playing.

Once both players are ready, they present their decks to each other for a shuffle or cut. From this point on, no further changes can be made. Your loadout and your list are locked in for the match.

Minimum deck size depends on the format. In Classic Constructed, you must have at least 60 cards in your deck, but can include more than 60 if that’s your strategy. In formats that use young heroes, like Blitz, your main deck must contain exactly 40 cards to play. (Or exactly 30 in Limited formats.)

Once the decks are set, both players draw up to their hero’s Intellect (full hand size, usually four) and the game begins.

What Happens If You Go First?

If you go first, you take a normal turn. You can pitch cards for resources, play actions, or attack like usual.

Some players go aggressive right away, others take a setup turn, arsenal a card, and pass. “Arsenal, pass” is an extremely common opening when you don’t want to let your opponent filter their hand by blocking.

Speaking of, keep in mind that if your opponent blocks on the very first turn of a game, they’ll get a brand-new hand to send back at you on their turn. So, any damage you threaten may not land since the player going second is incentivized to use their whole hand to block.

This is the only turn of the game where both players get a fresh hand at the end of the turn.

You almost always want to end the first turn of the game by setting up an arsenal card for the future.

What Happens If You Go Second?

If you go second, your opponent will attack first. You’ll likely use some or all of your hand to block. Once their turn ends, you draw back up to your full hand size before taking your first turn.

Like I said above, most heroes like playing second. Going second gives you the chance to slow down aggressive openings and respond with a full hand of your own. It’s often called the first real turn of the game. Generally, you need a good reason to choose going first over going second.

At the end of each of your own turns you draw cards up to your hero’s intellect. Because you get a fresh hand every turn, you want to maximize the value you get from every card, every turn.

How Does a Turn Work in Flesh and Blood?

Turns in Flesh and Blood follow a rhythm commonly called a “Turn Cycle.” One player attacks while the other defends. Then roles switch and the process repeats. That back-and-forth is the heartbeat of the game.

At the start of your turn, you can pitch cards from your hand to create resources. You’ll use those resources to play actions, swing your weapon, or activate abilities.

You begin each turn with one action point. You usually spend that point to play an attack action or to swing your weapon. Once that action resolves, your turn is over unless the card you played has go again.

Cards with “go again” grant you another action point after they resolve. This lets you follow up with more plays during the same turn. Without “go again,” you are limited to a single action. With it, you can chain attacks, play setup cards, or finish the turn with a weapon swing or powerful on hit (like the one we mentioned earlier on Snatch).

How Do You Block Stuff and Finish a Turn?

When your opponent attacks you, you have the chance to defend. You can block with cards from your hand or use your equipment. After blocks are declared, there is a short reaction window. Both players may play reactions if they have them (I’ll be more specific in a moment).

Once the combat resolves, any cards left in your hand can help fuel your next turn. Pro Tip: always think about what your next turn will look like when making a blocking decision in game.

At the end of your turn, you may place one card face down into your arsenal to save for a future turn. Then you draw up to your full hand size again. That ends your turn and passes it to your opponent.

The cycle continues from there. It’s fast, interactive, and full of small but important choices that get easier with repetitions.

Now that you’ve seen how a turn works, let’s look a little closer at what you’re actually doing with the cards in your hand. Choosing when to pitch, when to block, and when to go on the offensive is what makes each turn feel different.

This is where the game really starts to open up.

How Does Pitching, Blocking, and the Combat Chain Work?

Once you’ve drawn your hand, the real decision-making begins. Every turn, you’re choosing how to use every single card you draw. Every card is live in some way, every time you see it.

You might pitch them to pay for an action, block with them to stay alive, or play them to go on the offensive. Here’s how it all works:

Pitching

Pitching is how you pay for things in Flesh and Blood. But you can’t just pitch cards randomly. You have to declare what you’re doing first, then pitch the resources you need to pay for it. For example:

“I’ll swing with my Dawnblade.”

*Move Dawnblade onto the Combat Chain section of the playmat.*

“I’ll pitch Glint the Quicksilver, a blue, to pay for it.”

*Put Glint the Quicksilver into your pitch zone.*

“Attacking for three. Two resources floating.”

*Use a die or resource token to show floating/available resources remaining.*

Again, blue cards give you three resources, yellow gives two, and red gives one. After you pitch a card, it goes to the bottom of your deck and helps fuel your next play.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Most games of Flesh and Blood go long enough that you’ll see your entire deck again. That means the cards you pitch early in the game will come back later. This is where pitch stacking comes into play. Skilled players will pitch in a specific order to line up powerful hands when their deck cycles back around.

Really advanced players can even track what both players are pitching and use that to counter stack; that’s next-level stuff. My advice? Don’t worry about any of that yet. I’m just mentioning it to show the depth of the game.

You can play incredible games and win without ever thinking about pitch stacks. If and when you’re ready, that advanced layer will still be there waiting for you to explore.

Blocking

When your opponent attacks, you get a chance to block. Most cards in your hand can be used to defend, and like I mentioned earlier, each one has a shield value showing how much damage it prevents.

You can also use your equipment to block, sometimes multiple times, depending on the equipment.

Knowing when to defend and when to take damage is a big part of the game. Sometimes saving your cards for your own turn is worth the hit.

Combat Chain

Each attack you make on an empty board starts a combat chain. That chain stays open until both players finish responding to the current “link,” or active attack. If the card you played has “go again,” you can follow up with another action.

There are also attack reactions and defense reactions. These are special cards that can boost an attack or strengthen a block during the chain. They add another layer of strategy to each exchange.

If it’s your turn, you declare an attack. Your opponent then decides how they want to block, if at all. Once they’ve decided, you move into the reaction step. This is when you can play any attack reactions you have available, then your opponent can play defense reactions. No more cards can be added to blocks during this phase, unless they’re a defense reaction.

I’m not going to get into priority windows in a beginner article. Just know that once both players pass with no reactions on the board left to resolve, the reaction phase is over.

That’s the end of the chain link and where damage is calculated. Once the final chain link closes, the turn moves on to the attack or ends, depending on what’s left to do.

Mastering these parts of the game takes time, but once you get a feel for the rhythm, everything starts to click. Seriously, the best way to figure it out is to get some cardboard in your hands and a friendly face on the other side of a table.

But what cardboard? Well, I’ve got a few suggestions for where to start.

What’s the Best Starter Deck for Flesh and Blood TCG?

If you’re looking for the best way to jump into Flesh and Blood, start with a First Strike deck. These are made for new players and give you a full 40-card Blitz-ready deck you can open and play right away. No extra cards. No stress. Just shuffle up and learn.

Right now, Aurora is the only hero with both a First Strike deck and an Armory Deck. Armory Decks are the next step up for players who want to move into Classic Constructed without building a deck from scratch.

The Armory Deck gives you better cards and a more competitive version of the same hero, so you can keep improving without switching playstyles.

If Aurora’s not your vibe, no sweat. The Blitz format has tons of other options. You’ll find heroes that play fast and aggressive, some that focus on defense and control, and others that lean into weird tricks or offbeat combos.

You can also pick up an Armory Deck for other heroes, but not all of them have a young version. (Like Jarl Vitreidi, who started in an Armory Deck as an adult hero only.)

My advice? Pick a hero that looks fun and start learning how they play. Don’t worry about having the best list or a tippy-top-tier meta deck.

This game rewards game reps way more than raw power. The best deck you can play is the one you’ll actually want to play again.

Where Can I Learn and Practice Flesh and Blood?

The best place to learn Flesh and Blood is at your local game store (LGS). Most stores run weekly Armory events, and that’s where the game really shines.

Flesh and Blood was built for in-person play. That’s why there’s no official online client, and according to the game’s creator, James White, there won’t be. The name says it all.

If you show up at an Armory with a Blitz or Armory deck (or even without any cards at all), you’ll find friendly people ready to help you learn. And I’m not just saying that as someone giving advice.

I’ve been on both sides of the experience. When I started playing, I walked into my local scene with almost no idea what I was doing. Just some nifty cardboard and a dream.

The other players welcomed me, helped me through my games, and gave me extra cards to improve my deck. Now I get to do the same for others. I see it happen every… single… week. New players show up, and we welcome them with open arms.

What If I Can’t Get to my Local Game Store?

If you can’t make it to your local game store right away, Talishar.net is a free online option for practicing. It’s not a replacement for playing in person by any means, but it’s great for getting in reps.

You can also check out fabtcg.com for official tutorials or watch learn-to-play videos from The Professor at Tolarian Community College.

Are you the type who wants more content or someone to explain things in video format before showing up at your LGS? The Official Flesh and Blood YouTube channel and Three Floating both do excellent game play videos. DMArmada, Sloopdoop, Dice Commando, and The Card Guyz are all excellent resources too.

Or if you’re looking for more of a statistical analysis of the FAB heroes, check out FABREC.

No matter where you start, if you’re excited to learn, the FAB community is excited to have you.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve made it this far, I hope you’re feeling more confident about jumping into Flesh and Blood. There’s a lot to take in at first, but the learning curve is part of what makes the game so rewarding.

You don’t need to know everything right away. You just need a deck, a hero you enjoy, and a willingness to learn. (In some areas, like my locals, you don’t really even need your own deck to get started. Just show up and say you want to learn.)

I’ve played a lot of card games over the years, but none of them pulled me in the way this one has. The mechanics are smart. The gameplay is intense. The card art is incredible. And to top it all off, the community is one of the most welcoming I’ve ever been part of.

So grab a deck, find your local Armory, and give it a shot! Ask questions. Make mistakes. Learn from them. That’s how everyone, from this humble #fabdad to former World Champion Michael Hamilton, got started.

And if you ever feel stuck or unsure, just remember this: you’re not alone. There’s a whole world of players out there who want to see you succeed.

I love this game. I really think you will too.

Is there a particular hero speaking to you yet? Are you leaning toward a class, a talent, or maybe just a cool card name? What’s caught your eye so far?

Want to hear me and a few buddies nerd out about FAB every week on our podcast? Drop a comment and tell me what you’re thinking about picking up. Or hit me up on Discord, Twitter, or BlueSky as Dracohominis87 and let me know!

Looking to expand your FAB knowledge? Check out our guide to sideboarding.