The Elder Scrolls: Legends - Alliance War exclusive card reveal

Alliance War is the next expansion coming to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls: Legends CCG, adding more than 100 new cards inspired by the war that never ends in The Elder Scrolls Online MMO. Players will fight alongside one of five factions—the Aldmeri Dominion, Ebonheart Pact, and Daggerfall Covenant from TESO, plus the new Guildsworn and Empire of Cyrodiil—each with its own three-color attribute combination and unique mechanic. One of them, the Guildsworn's "Expertise," is a potential game-changer, and we've got the exclusive reveal of one of the new cards that takes advantage of that powerful new ability. 

"Cards with Expertise have a bonus effect at the end of the turn if you’ve played an action, item, or support card that turn," Elder Scrolls: Legends community manager Christian Van Hoose explained. "This new mechanic is found in the Guildsworn faction (Strength/Intelligence/Willpower). Intelligence and Willpower have many strong actions that can help enable cards with Expertise, while Strength (Fighters Guild Elite’s attribute) is known for powerful items." 

The Fighters Guild Elite card starts off as a relative lightweight 2/2 for five Magicka, but that picture changes dramatically if you can equip it with, for instance, a Steel Scimitar, which makes the card a 4/4 and triggers the Expertise ability, turning it into an 8/8 at the end of the turn. Suddenly, and for a relatively low cost, you've got a potentially serious heavy-hitter on your hands.

"If it’s able to survive subsequent turns, it’s easy to envision Fighters Guild Elite delivering some game-ending attacks," Van Hoose said.

The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Alliance War will go live on April 15. A preorder bundle is available for $50 that includes 50 card packs, a Legendary card from the expansion, a premium card back, and the exclusive "Warmonger" player title. Details are up at legends.bethesda.net

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.