I recently had the pleasure of being able to chat with Taylor and Isaac of the Attack Action podcast. Their laid-back approach to their podcast discussions, along wth their wit and great content cemented in my mind their place in the Flesh & Blood community. Join me as I chat quickly with this enigmatic duo about their project and where they believe the game is headed.
1. What kickstarted your journey into Flesh & Blood?
We used to play a lot of Star Wars Destiny. Loved that card game but it became less fun with later sets and then it died. But we were still looking for a new card game to play. We tried FFGs L5R briefly which we really liked but didn't really hit the spot. Then Taylor, through Team Covenant got really interested in FaB, introduced it to Isaac and we both were hooked!
As a friend group we have always had a game to play together and get really into. We found Flesh and Blood to be a very intriguing game for us to play, as well as believing it had the quality to last for the long haul.
2. What made you want to start your own podcast?
It was the pandemic and we knew we would be sitting around talking about FaB all day anyway. So we thought why not try to make a podcast and talk about the game on the internet. Plus there weren't that many podcasts out there for FaB yet so we also thought it would be a good niche to fill in the community.
Once we were fully immersed in FaB, it became a drive for us to promote the game and do our part to help grow the community as content creators. Now the game is flourishing, but back then it felt important for us to do our part to help the game grow.
3. How do you view the release of Monarch and the current trajectory of Flesh & Blood? Good, bad, ugly?
Taylor: I love the release of Monarch, I think that it has made the game so much better and the meta more healthy. It has sped up the pace of games, which I like a slightly quicker game. It looks like the game is just going to get better and better.
Isaac: I also couldn’t have higher praise for Monarch. While the game is of the highest quality, I was getting a little tired of some of the balancing issues found in both formats. Some classes were simply much stronger than others. The addition of Monarch has, so far, broken the meta wide open both in terms of making the old top decks beatable and, therefore, making room for other decks to be playable. I was disappointed in the apparent abandonment of class loyalty, as it seems that some classes people love will not get any upgrade for over a year. This seems a smaller price to pay though when weighed against the healthy balancing of the classic constructed meta that Monarch has brought.
4. What's your local scene like for Flesh & Blood?
Local scene is just getting started, this month (July) we are helping run two learn to play events at some LGS in our area. But the excitement is there!
We have four diehards to grow from!
5. Is there anything you're looking forward to?
Taylor: I am really looking forward to the Vegas Calling. I am hoping to meet some listeners of the podcast and play a ton of high level FaB. Should be a great celebration of the game!
Isaac: I am also looking forward to both Road to Nationals and The Calling. So far we have not really had anything to think about, prepare for, or be excited about as far as higher level play. I am not particularly keen on blitz, so the influx of CC events lately is a breath of fresh air.
6. What would you most like to see in the game?
Taylor: I would like to see more women and people of color in the content creator space.
Isaac: More support of class loyalty. Certain classes are just not going to see any kind of development for a very long period of time. I do realize the danger of making too large of a card pool for one class, and that going “wider” in terms of development is safer in terms of balance. I would still like to see some support for those who stand by their class, even if it comes in the form of separate class booster decks or something along those lines.
7. Who are your favourite heroes, and what are you playing right now?
Taylor: Viserai is my first love. But I am really torn between Chane and Boltyn, both are so fun to play one of them could steal my heart away from Viserai, but only time will tell.
Isaac: I am a diehard Azalea player! Her playstyle is thematically rewarding, and the fact that you have to try really hard for each win is also pretty appealing. The need to be flexible and approach every matchup with a very specific plan tailored to your opponent is extremely satisfying. I’m not as into the characters that kind of autopilot themselves. The poor matchups against the dominant decks in the past (control ninja and bravo) has made her tough to play, but hopefully there will be more space for her as the meta unfolds.
8. Any other thoughts/views you'd like to share.
Taylor - Really excited to see what happens with the release of Tales of Aria, Arcane Ranger maybe?
