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TCG Interview #5: Birthright: Alliance of Lords


I got a chance to speak with the creator of Birthright: Alliance of Lords. Here are his answers to my questions:


Q: Please describe your trading card game!

A: Birthright: Alliance of Lords is a Trading Card Game where players take on the role of powerful Lords to do battle with armies of Minions and by casting magical Charms! Strengthen your Birthright over the course of the game to unlock additional powerful effects for all of your cards!


Q: What inspired you to create your own TCG?

A: I've been an avid player of TCGs for over a decade. I've always been interested in the Create-a-Card subculture for whatever game I was playing at the time, so this just felt like a natural advancement of that. What really pushed me to take the leap into designing my own game was that my friend group had been out of the TCG scene for a while and we were all itching to play something, but didn't have any real interest in the popular games at the time.



Q: What TCGs did you grow up playing as a kid?

A: Growing up, I played Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic: The Gathering, Force of Will, and Cardfight! Vanguard.


Q:  What sets Birthright: Alliance of Lords apart from other TCGs?

A: What I feel sets Birthright apart from other TCGs are the Ichor and Threshold mechanics. Your Lord's Ichor increases each turn, and your main deck cards unlock stronger effects depending on how much Ichor you have. I feel this is a unique mechanic that combines the slower pacing of other games with the ability to play any card at any time, regardless of its overall power level.


Q:  How long have you been working on the game?

A: So far this has been a 3-4 year process. Birthright has gone through a ton of different iterations over that time period. I believe I'm on version 5.


Q: How did you come up with the name Birthright: Alliance of Lords?

A: "Birthright" was the name of a really old card game I designed where different royals would battle for control of their family. I liked the name so I kept it and retooled the lore so "Birthrights" became sources of powerful magic that awaken in Lords. There was an unfulfilled TCG Kickstarter for "Birthright TCG", so I added the "Alliance of Lords" to the name to differentiate my game.


Q: When will the game be officially released?

A: I'm aiming for an October/November launch for the Kickstarter, with a conservative estimate of a year for printing and art. There are a lot of supply chain issues going on currently, so I'd rather under-promise and over-deliver. This is my first venture like this, so I'm trying to be conservative with all my estimates until I can get a better idea of work flow required.


Q: What are your future plans for Birthright: Alliance of Lords?

A: Ultimately I'd like Birthright to become a mainstream TCG, with product in big box stores and weekly tournaments at local game stores. I will be launching the first two Debut Decks, and a small expansion set for them, as the first Kickstarter. If things go as planned, I will release two more waves, one for the Light/Water Debut Decks and a paired expansion, and one for the Earth/Darkness Debut Decks and a paired expansion. Following that, I'm aiming for a major set release every 3-4 months. In the long-term I'd like to expand on the game's lore through books and other media.


Q: Do you have any advice for someone looking to make their own TCG?

A: I think the biggest piece of advice I can give is to find a direction for your game that really resonates with you and stick to it. The deeper you go into the development process and the closer you get to an actual release, the more pressure people will put on you to be more like the mainstream games. And while there is merit to learning from their mistakes, you don't want to lose what makes your game special.



For more, check out @birthrightallianceoflords on Instagram and https://birthrightallianceoflords.com 
















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