I love a good card game with fantasy elements, but most of these tend to follow a more Magic: The Gathering CCG route. I have yet to see a role-playing game feature a combat mechanic using actual playing cards to take down your opponents. In the case of Lord of Poker, it takes traditional Texas Hold’em rules and turns it on its head. And it sounds like a very interesting concept to level up your character using a deck of playing cards.
What really sets Lord of Poker apart, though, is how you earn experience and gear to take on tougher opponents. From what I’ve gathered in the pitch you pick one of four traditional fantasy classes and your stats and magical aptitude determine what you can do during your matches. There are also environmental effects and spells that alter what you can and cannot do. So, basically it’s a mash-up of two entirely different genres that on paper looks like it shouldn’t work. Whether it does or not remains to be seen, though.
Whilst I love the unique idea of using poker as a combat mechanic to take down your enemies and incorporating leveling up options and gear to improve your play the one thing that is keeping me from pledging is the fact that Lord of Poker is a monthly subscription. Which wouldn’t be too bad in an online game with a lot more meat on its bones but then again we don’t know the pricing. I also don’t like the idea of getting the game for “50% off” in the reward tiers. Most gaming Kickstarters give you a copy with your pledge, not a discount. That said, even with a lofty six digit funding goal they might not make it. Not without a good raise or two.
Track the progress of the Lord of Poker Kickstarter in our Campaign Calendar.
