No Pain No Gain

Karol Ruszkiewicz is a game developer at Legend Story Studios, giving us the scoop on how to open the Rune Gate with Vynnset, Iron Maiden!

He gazed up at the Iron Maiden in all her dark glory, feeling his insides curdle. The dark steel of her outer husk glinted evilly with reflections of fire and blood that decorated the battlescape. Swallowing his terror, Dheric, son of Darian, grandson of Daxius, gripped his family’s sword and charged at the motionless Runeblade.

A sharp pang burned all the way up from his stomach to his chest, and glancing down, he realised what a fool he had been. A wicked barbed hook had snagged his gut, its clinking chain connected to Vynnset's shell. With the sound of scraping metal he was reeled in like a helpless fish, until he was pinned to the Iron Maiden’s carapace. It was then, that he got a proper glimpse at her gaunt face. Marred and pale, grim lips fixed in stone cold disposition.

Shuddering with pain, Dheric tried to break loose, but it was for nought. His eyes widened as the air began to crackle with arcane energy. Several intricate violet symbols consisting of pure energy phased into existence, hovering patiently at the beck and call of their master. Vynnset whispered some foul utterance under her breath, as the Runechants slowly homed in, singeing both of their flesh. Dheric howled in agony, yet Vynnset didn’t even flinch as the dark magic ate away at their skin. A cruel grin slowly crept across her cracked lips as she watched the man sizzle. Suddenly, the bloodline of Daxius was no more than a puddle of ash and ichor.

“Pity.” Vynnset croaked. “I thought you’d last longer.”

Vynnset, Iron Maiden is the new Shadow Runeblade introduced in Dusk till Dawn. She is one of Chane’s disciples, following his tormented footsteps. She unlocks the power of íArathael - a parallel realm, in which all kinds of monsters and demons roam. Vynnset draws her power from Runechants. By combining Runechants with paying her own life, she can channel Nasreth, the Soul Harrower, a powerful demon from beyond.

Pay Your Debts

One of the distinct features of Vynnset is using her life total to pay for abilities. While most heroes have to exert resource points to attack with their weapons, Vynnset pays for it with her life. Similarly, she can push unpreventable arcane damage with her hero ability if you have played a non-attack action card from the banished zone. This synergises well with her three signature attack action cards.

Heavy Hitters

Dusk Till Dawn introduces a new mechanic for Shadow Runeblades - Rune Gate. Shadow Runeblades can now leverage Runechants to play out Rune Gate attacks from the banished zone for free. All you need to do is amass enough Runechants to equal the resource cost. Luckily for Vynnset, her hero ability grants you a Runechant every turn, as long as you have a card in hand available to be banished.

Getting multiple Runechants to pay for these heavy hitters isn’t always an easy task. Cards like Envelop in Darkness and Funeral Moon help reach the Rune Gate target. Older cards like Runeblood Incantation are also great for setting up stacks of Runechants. Reduce to Runechant is another defensive tool that can help you build up to the target.

Choir Practice

A key Runeblade theme is creating arcane powers through song and spoken word. Whether it’s chanting using ancient runes or murmuring the verses of forbidden tomes, Shadow Runeblades now have access to Eloquence. Requiem for the Damned and Grimoire of the Haunt are the two main ways that Shadow Runeblades can create Eloquence. This new token aura helps to chain together non-attack action cards without go again.

Summoning Nasreth

As a child, Vynnset was drawn into the shadows by the whisperings of an ancient deity - Nasreth, the Soul Harrower. Just like Chane has Ursur and Levia has Blasmophet, Nasreth is especially useful for draining Light heroes of their life and soul, delivering it back to Vynnset.

Getting to exactly 6 Runechants is not the easiest task for Vynnset, but as Oblivion happens to be an instant, it allows you to cast it even if you have more than 6 Runechants. By resolving any excess Runechants first then playing Oblivion on the stack when exactly 6 Runechants are left to resolve, you are able to meet the requirements and summon the aid of your demonic buddy.

Pick a Path

Having access to all the existing Runeblade cards, Shadow cards from Monarch, and now a variety of new tools in Dusk Till Dawn, Vynnset can be built and played in a variety of different ways.

Aggro

Runeblade has traditionally been a strong, aggressive class. Heroes like Viserai, Chane, and Briar could all lean on offensive output. Similarly, Vynnset can create explosive turns using Chane’s signature package of Seeds of Agony, Rift Bind, and Bounding Demigon. However, it is a lot harder for Vynnset to get go again freely and unlike Chane, she needs time to set up her banished zone with threats.

Midrange

The heavy hitters combined with Putrid Stirrings give Vynnset a huge damage ceiling, especially when using the Rune Gate mechanic. A lot of these cards also defend for 3, which means you have a lot of agency over when you want to attack or defend. Sometimes it’s worth just storing some threats in the banished zone until the right window to strike. But be careful of piling up too many. Her hero ability is mandatory, so sometimes it’s better to continue to block heavily instead of keeping a single card in hand to avoid having too many cards with Blood Debt that you’ll struggle to play out.

One Turn Kill

Back in the day, Viserai had a One Turn Kill strategy. It involved spending most of the game slowly stacking up Runechants, then unleashing them all at once, taking your opponent out in a single sweeping blow. Dusk Till Dawn introduces a new tool for this strategy - Scepter of Pain. With the aid of Runechant generators, Vynnset can follow in Viserai's footsteps. Nasreth slots nicely into this archetype. Simply spend time building up your stack of Runechants, hit them with an overwhelming attack, and summon your partner in crime as a cherry on top.

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

The playstyle of Vynnset heavily embodies the sacrificial aspect of the Shadow Runeblade. Every turn you must banish a card if able. This is a pact that has to be upheld. In return you get a Runechant and access to some of the most powerful cards in the game - Shadow cards and Runeblade cards. Your weapon and hero ability are both powered directly by your life points. But tread wisely, as giving up too much life for too much power could be the last mistake you ever make.