PoxNora

Infobox VG


designer = Dan Kopycienski, Arthur Griffith, Justin Felker
developer = Octopi, Inc., FUN Technologies Company
released = flagicon|USA August 1, 2006
genre = turn-based strategy, collectible card game
platforms = Java
modes = single player and two player
players = one or two

"PoxNora: Battlefield of the Immortals" is a multiplayer online game that combines a collectible card game with a turn-based strategy game. PoxNora was originally launched via Java Web Start through a browser and can be played on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. The game is free to play with "Sample Battlegroups" and players can purchase additional game pieces, called "runes", and build their own strategies. The game currently includes more than 500 runes.

Gameplay

Players build decks, called "BattleGroups", on PoxNora's website. A Battlegroup consists of twenty runes in any combination of spells, relics, equipment and champions. The game is launched via Java Web Start and players enter one of four game lobbies where they can chat or enter games. A fifth game lobby is reserved solely for trading discussion. Games consist of two players, though matches against AI "bots" are possible now with the release of single-player campaigns, first introduced in the "Path to Conquest" Expansion.

Each player's Battlegroup is shuffled (like a deck of cards) and (in standard settings) players reveal two runes per turn (except the first turn, when three are revealed and the second player's first turn, in which four runes are revealed). The game is played on one of 8 different square, "tiled" maps with various obstacles, fonts, and a Shrine representing each player. To win, you need to be the first to destroy your opponent's Shrine.

Players accumulate Nora (magical energy) each turn and can use it to cast spells, deploy champions, place relics, or use equipment. When a champion rune is played, it appears on the game map and can be moved around, just like any other tactical roleplaying game. Champion movement is limited by their Action Points (AP), which they regenerate at the start of your turn. Champions gain Champion Points (CP) as they participate in battles. You can spend CP to improve or add to your champion's abilities. Tokens can be used to reset a champion's spent CP, as well as to provide bonus CP. Tokens are obtained through purchasing traditional booster packs or separate token packs. Tokens can be traded with other players for alternative tokens or runes.

The game is free for trial play, but to be able to upgrade runes, create your own custom BattleGroups, or to trade for other runes, it is necessary to purchase your own runes. $3 US buys a pack of 10 randomized runes. $25 US buys a pack of 100 runes. Every booster pack has a set number of rarity slots. Many players also purchase a premium subscription, which costs $5 US per month. The premium subscription gives access to Premium Campaigns, store discounts, the possibility of being allowed the privilege of beta testing upcoming expansion runes, the ability to "craft" runes by sacrificing other runes using "crafting recipes", and the ability to obtain a few "Limited Edition" runes that otherwise do not appear in purchased packs.

You can even trade your runes with other players from around the world to get better runes or to make a better deck. There are several "rune shops" in the Trader forum that can give players a good idea of what their runes are worth. For an automated approximation of rune values, see the fan site [http://www.PoxShop.com/ PoxShop] . It is important to do some research before you trade, as values are not approximate and there can be some dishonest traders.

Factions

PoxNora's world is split among eight factions. Each rune belongs to a particular faction. Players receive bonuses if their Battlegroups have at least 10 runes of a given faction and a greater bonus if all 20 runes are from the same faction. An additional Shrine Bonus is activated by having 10 runes of a faction. In the case of 2 factions with 10 runes in your BattleGroup, the faction with the greatest Nora cost total rules the shrine and controlled font zones.

Forglar Swamp

The telepathic Firk, the Salaman and agile Boghoppers fill the Forglar Swamp, a place where creatures inhabit water as well as land.
Faction bonus: +4/+8 Nora per turn.
Shrine bonus: All friendly Champions heal 1 HP per turn while inside this Shrine's deployment zone. The four spaces adjacent to this Shrine which are closest to the enemy Shrine are water.

Forsaken Wastes

A faction of skeletons, liches, and zombies the Forsaken Wastes has an unending army of undead.
Faction bonus: Champions can be redeployed in 30%/60% fewer turns.
Shrine bonus: This Shrine's deployment zone becomes a Dead Magic zone: spells cast by the opposing player may not be targeted within this area.

Ironfist Stronghold

The Ironfist Stronghold is a well-defended mountain kingdom inhabited by dwarves and barbarians.
Faction bonus: Damage to controlled champions from spells is reduced by 3/6
Shrine bonus: All friendly Champions regain an extra AP each turn while inside this Shrine's deployment zone.

K'thir Forest

The people of K'thir Forest are elves, treant (animated trees and other plants), and garu (man-bears), and are known for being in touch with nature.
Faction bonus: +1/+2 speed (SPD) to your Champions.
Shrine bonus: All friendly Champions have mobility, allowing them to disengage from combat for free while inside this Shrine's deployment zone.

Savage Tundra

The frigid tundras of PoxNora are home to the Jakei, a blue-skinned people at home in the snow, as well as the Lonx and all manner of frozen beasts.
Faction bonus: +5/+10 hitpoints (HP) to your Champions.
Shrine bonus: All friendly Champions have +1 Damage(DMG) while inside this Shrine's deployment zone.

Shattered Peaks

These jagged peaks full of crags are home to Cyclops and the cruel Voil, but most noticeably the Moga and their dominating G'hern.
Faction bonus: +6%/+12% Nora when you deploy a champion.
Shrine bonus: Whenever a friendly Champion is deployed within this Shrine's deployment zone, it gains 2 AP.

Sundered Lands

The desolate Sundered Lands are home to the Draksar, and the Skeezick, both forms of Dragonkin.
Faction bonus: +8/+16 DEF to your Champions.
Shrine bonus: All friendly Champions have +5 ATK while inside this Shrine's deployment zone.

The Underdepths

The Underdepths is a dark, hot place filled with numerous demons and the fallen Nefari Deep Elves.
Faction bonus: +2/+5 damage (DMG) for your Champions.
Shrine bonus: All enemy Champions in this Shrine's deployment zone take 1 Fire damage each round.

Expansion: The Savage Tundra

Octopi, Inc. released PoxNora's first expansion on 25 October 2006. The expansion, consisting of approximately 70 new runes, introduced the Savage Tundra faction. This brought the total rune count to almost 250.http://fan.poxnora.com/]

Expansion: The Shattered Peaks

Octopi, Inc. released PoxNora's second expansion January 2, 2007. This expansion added close to 100 runes, introduced the 8th and final faction, the Tribes of the Shattered Peaks, and added additional changes and improvements to gameplay mechanics.

Expansion: Drums of War

Octopi, Inc. released PoxNora's third expansion on May 9 2007. This expansion introduced premium user accounts, heroes, "King of the Hill" and "Capture the Flag" modes, a spectator mode, 80 new runes (10 per faction), and a faction ranking system where players could influence the game's future storyline.

Expansion: Skeezick Rebellion

Octopi, Inc. released PoxNora's fourth expansion on August 29 2007. This expansion introduced 80 new runes, diplomat runes, and a rune crafter.

Expansion: Grimlic's Descent

Was released on Wednesday December 12, 2007. It added an exotic rune for each faction.

Expansion: Path To Conquest

Was released on Wednesday May 21, 2008. This expansion introduced the new single-player campaign modes, which come in three types: Free, Premium (available only to Premium members), and Purchasable. These campaigns offer rare rewards for completion; each campaign has several difficulty levels that yield rewards based on the difficulty completed. This expansion also introduced many new runes, as well as the "Sand" terrain type. The rune crafter that was previously available only to Premium Members became available to everyone (in a limited capacity).

Expansion: Nora Surge

Was released on Wednesday August 13, 2008. This expansion added additional single-player campaign levels. Like previously released campaigns, these single-player levels offer rare rewards for completion; each campaign has several difficulty levels that yield rewards based on the difficulty completed. This expansion introduced titans. There is a titan for each faction, all are exotics, and they can have a tremendous impact on games. Because of their strength, un-upgraded versions of every one costs over 100 nora to deploy. Additionally, each faction received an equipment, in the form of a helm, that automatically tranfers to the nearest friendly champion when the equipped champion dies. This is the first time an equipment transfer mechanic has been included in the game. This expansion also introduced the "tar" terrain type.

References

External links

* [http://www.poxnora.com/ PoxNora Official Web Site]
* [http://www.poxwiki.com/ PoxWiki - The PoxNora Wiki]
* [http://www.datachild.ca/ Pox Portal]
* [http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/13/1320246 Review] on Slashdot.org
* [http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/poxnora/753735p1.html Review] on Gamespy.com
* [http://pc.ign.com/objects/844/844850.html Review] on ign.com
* [http://www.games32.com/Poxnora-(PC)-Reviews/p2000_articleid/447 Review] on games32.com
* [http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=8119 Review] on gamingtarget.com
* [http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/p30141.htm Preview] on Gamezone.com