Critical Role: Heroes of Exandria Design Primer, Volume IV

Welcome back, UniVersus players and Critical Role fans alike! Today I’m going to go more into depth on a topic I’ve only touched on in previous articles: we’re going to examine the powerful artifacts of Heroes of Exandria, the Vestiges of Divergence! So break out your black card, 'cause it’s time to accessorize... and these babies can't be found at your local Mega Mart! Its time for FashionVersus!

The Vestiges of Divergence are unique items created by the deities of Exandria and gifted to their chosen heroes in the long-past Age of Arcanum, before the Calamity. Now they are merely legends, but legends can be told anew. Because they are so rare and legendary, I knew we’d have to make them unique--I also wanted them to have an ability somewhat locked away to symbolize the fact that each one would awaken, and eventually exalt, through heroic deeds and adventures. Ultimately, we found the best expression of this by thinking a bit sideways. Most of the abilities of each one will be useable by any character, but for a few of the Vestiges--if you’re playing with a specific Class trait--you will gain an extra benefit not accessible to others.

Let’s take a look at the first of the six Vestiges in the set.

Cabal’s Ruin is a cloak that absorbs spells and helps the wearer be sneaky--we wanted this to focus on defensive play. By practicing strong defense and preventing your rival’s Attacks from dealing damage, you have the potential to build up a massive store of damage to turn back onto your rival. Thieves and Inventors get a bonus here to help them do so with a -1 speed enhance.

Beginning with an unassuming purchase at a magic shop of a piece of a broken sword, the Mighty Nein began what would turn into a quest to restore one of the Vestiges of Divergence, ending with a weapon that would help Fjord replace some of the power he lost by renouncing his nautical patron and undergoing a Kain-esque transformation. Dwueth’var, the Star Razon is a weapon of incredible power when held in the hands of a hero with strong convictions. The ability to seal a rival Foundation is always welcome, and the defensive response will assist in holding a rival’s aggression at bay to a degree. Champions will play this more easily.

The Fenthras bow is known for its arrows flying true. The extra speed helps this, and it combos quite well with a certain tracking spell that some Hunters might know. The bow has the rare and powerful capability of firing an arrow that will constrict the target in a lashing of brambles--this is emulated with the chance to commit your rival’s character.

The Plate of the Dawnmartyr is a bastion of defense. Recovered from the fiery elements of the Plane of Fire, this armor was a gift from the sun deity to the high priest. It prevents losing the game due to health loss effects. With a suite of defensive abilities, adding a few of these to your deck should provide enough protection to give you a good chance at surviving some of those powerful aggressive turns. The question that remains is, “can you make use of that opportunity?”

The Spire of Conflux can cast an array of magical spells, and makes a Caster’s magic even more potent. This is provided by a +1 damage increase as a continuous ability. It also protects a Mage or Warden’s Spell attacks from being removed or flipped. The ability for the staff to case additional spells is represented by its function as a limited draw engine while in play.

Finally, we have the Titanstone Knuckles. With the power to wreak havoc, these gauntlets are definitely weapons of mass destruction. Whether you’re playing a Brute or Brawler character, you’ll want to highly consider adding the Knuckles to your arsenal--not only do they provide a damage increase, but they help keep your rival’s stage in check. And they add a little last-minute defense if all else goes sideways!

Okay Critters, you’ve seen all the Vestiges included in the Heroes of Exandria booster set. Of course there’s more of the powerful artifacts from the show that we haven’t included, but there’s always a chance for more quests in the future. Don’t just wait around: get up, seize your fortune, and take an adventure with these mighty assets in UniVersus!