Light or Shadow
Your side decides your Leader and which cards go in your deck. Some cards work for both.
Fight for the Light. Or the Shadow.
A free-to-play card game set in The Wheel of Time, coming to PC and mobile. Choose a Leader from the books, build a 30-card deck around them and win in turn-based matches.
Your side
The game
Pick a side. Then a Leader from the books.
You pick a side, the Light or the Shadow, and a Leader: Rand al’Thor, Egwene al’Vere, Rhuarc, Lanfear, Graendal, Moghedien and others. Then you build a deck around them and try to bring the other Leader to zero Health before they do it to you.
A Leader and a Companion
Both sit outside your 30 cards. The Leader’s ability decides a lot about how the deck wants to play.
Every card earned by playing
Unlock a card and you get every copy a deck can use, so you never chase duplicates.
Cosmetics only
Nothing that affects play is for sale, and money can’t buy Threads. No crypto, no NFTs, no blockchain.
Leaders
The Leader decides how your deck plays.
Every deck has a Leader from the books. Their ability decides a lot about how the deck wants to play, and your Leader must match your side.
Lanfear
Leader ability
Development artwork. Leader abilities are described by playstyle and may change.
Companions
Every deck brings a Companion.
A Darkhound, a Draghkar, a Torm, or one of the others. Each brings an ability of its own: a passive edge, or an action you can use once per match.
Draghkar
Companion ability
Development artwork. Companions must match your side or be usable by both.
The match
Bring the other Leader to zero Health.
Beings fight on the board. Spells happen the moment you play them. Equipment goes on your Leader. That is most of the rules. The rest is deciding what to hold back.
Build around your Leader
Choose a Leader and a Companion, then 30 cards. Leader Paths let you change how a Leader plays for each deck.
Spend the One Power
You pay for every card with the One Power, which grows by one every turn until it reaches ten.
Play in any order
Play cards, use abilities and attack with ready Beings when you choose. End your turn when you are done.
Your deck
Beings, Spells and Equipment.
Beings fight on the board.
Put them into play, then send ready Beings at the opposing Leader or into the Beings standing in the way.
Spells happen the moment you play them.
Their effects resolve straight away. Find the opening and turn the board in one move.
Equipment goes on your Leader.
It attaches to your Leader and gives its effects there, at the heart of your deck.
Most cards allow two copies in a deck. Legendary and Mythic cards allow one. Card art shown is in-game artwork.
Mythic cards
One Mythic per deck. No more.
A deck can hold one Mythic card, across your Leader, Companion and cards. When it is played, the whole board knows about it.
Mythic Spell Sundering Weave
Earned by playing
You unlock every card by playing.
Matches pay out Threads. You spend them in the Great Tapestry: pick a chapter and unlock its nodes in order, and each node shows what you get and what it costs before you claim it.
Every copy, once
When you unlock a card you get every copy a deck can use, so you never chase duplicates.
The shop sells cosmetics
Leader skins, boards, card backs and more. Every item is labelled “Cosmetic. No effect on play.”
Leader Paths
Every Leader gets Paths and traits. Pick them in the Deck Builder and change them between matches.
Modes
Story, 1v1, 2v2 and Ranked.
A story campaign, 1v1 and 2v2 with a friend, and Solo and Duo Ranked with seasons and leaderboards. All of it is planned for launch.
Story campaign
A story-driven campaign set in The Wheel of Time, played against the game.
1v1 and 2v2
Head-to-head duels, or team up with a friend for 2v2.
Solo and Duo Ranked
Two separate ladders, with ratings, seasons and leaderboards.
Platforms
Coming to PC and mobile.
Steam and the Epic Games Store
Wishlist Heroes and Forsaken to follow the game. A release date has not been announced.
Android and iOS
Store links will be added when the listings are live.
- Google Play Planned
- App Store Planned
Play across platforms
Cross-play between PC and mobile is planned.
Keep your progress
Shared progress between PC and mobile is planned.
Official channels
Follow development.
Gameplay, card reveals and updates from development.
Email updates
News, playtests, launches and offers for Heroes and Forsaken, sent by email. Unsubscribe at any time.
The essentials
Questions and answers
What is Heroes and Forsaken?
Heroes and Forsaken is a competitive, turn-based strategy card game set in the world of The Wheel of Time. Build your deck around a Leader and Companion, and use tactical decisions, card combinations and careful timing to outplay your opponent.
Will there be a story PvE mode?
Yes. We are working on a story-driven PvE mode alongside competitive play. The mode is currently in development.
Can I team up with a friend?
We are working on a Duo queue so you can team up with a friend for 2v2 matches. The mode is currently in development.
How will ranked play work?
Solo and Duo Ranked are being developed as separate competitions. Solo is for individual matches; Duo is for a pair of friends competing in 2v2. The ranked design includes ratings, leaderboards and seasons.
Does the game use crypto, NFTs or blockchain?
No. Heroes and Forsaken has no cryptocurrency, NFT or blockchain features, and we have no plans to add them.
What can I work toward as I play?
Progression connects your account, collection and the Leaders you play. Earn account XP, unlock new cards with Threads, and work toward cosmetic rewards through account levels and matches completed with your Leaders.
How do I earn new cards?
Earn Threads through eligible matches and spend them in the Great Tapestry. Choose a chapter and unlock its reward nodes in order. Each node shows its reward and Threads cost before you claim it.
Will every Leader have a talent system?
Yes. Every Leader will have their own Paths and traits through the Leader Paths system, letting you shape how they play and build different strategies around them. We are developing the system across the full Leader roster.
Can I change my Leader’s talent build?
Yes. Available Paths and traits can be selected directly in the Deck Builder and changed between matches. Each deck saves its own build, and you can switch back to your Leader’s Original Ability.
What does choosing Light or Shadow change?
It determines which cards you can include in your standard deck. Your Leader must match your chosen side. Your cards and Companion must match that side or be usable by both Light and Shadow.
What does my Leader do?
Your Leader has an ability that helps shape your strategy. Some abilities reward particular plays; others give you an action to use during the match. Your Leader is chosen before the match, separately from your deck.
What is a Companion?
A Companion is an ally you choose alongside your Leader. Each has its own ability: some provide a passive benefit, while others offer an action you can use once per match. Your Companion is separate from the cards in your deck.
How many cards are in a deck?
A standard deck contains 30 cards, plus a separately selected Leader and Companion. Your Leader and Companion do not count toward those 30 cards.
Can I use multiple copies of a card?
When you unlock a card, you get all the copies you can use in a deck. Most cards allow up to two copies in a standard deck. Legendary and Mythic cards allow one copy each. You can include only one Mythic across your Leader, Companion and deck.
How do I win a match?
In a standard head-to-head match, reduce the opposing Leader to zero Health while protecting your own. If both Leaders fall together, the match is a draw.
What kinds of cards can I play?
Beings enter the battlefield and fight. Spells resolve their effects when played. Equipment attaches to your Leader and provides its effects there.
What is One Power used for?
In the game, One Power is the resource you spend to play cards. At the start of your turn, your maximum increases by one, up to ten, and your available One Power refills.
Can I play cards and attack in any order?
You choose when to play cards, use available abilities and attack during your turn, as long as the move is available. When you have finished, end your turn to pass play to your opponent.
How does the game approach the books?
The novels are our reference for the setting and its characters. We adapt that material into card abilities and battlefield effects, with game rules and visual choices serving the needs of a strategy game.
Which platforms are planned?
Windows PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, Android through Google Play, and iOS through the App Store are planned.
Will PC and mobile players be able to play together?
Cross-play between PC and mobile is planned. It is still in development.
Will my progress carry across platforms?
Shared progression across PC and mobile is planned. The aim is to let you continue your progress when you switch platforms.
When will the game be released?
A release date has not been announced. You can wishlist Heroes and Forsaken on Steam or the Epic Games Store to follow the game.
Where can I follow development?
Visit the official website, wishlist the game on Steam or the Epic Games Store, and follow the official Heroes and Forsaken YouTube channel.
The seals are weakening.
Wishlist Heroes and Forsaken to follow development and hear first when it is ready.