PODCAST · leisure
The Covenant Cast
by Covenant
We've spent over a decade in the tabletop gaming space, as content creators, local store owners, and online retailers. Now it's time to answer your questions, dive into complex topics, and have an incredible amount of fun along the way -- featuring exclusive updates, candid dialogue, and fascinating interviews with designers, publishers, and visionaries.
Episodes
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The Perfect Lap
The Sorcery TCG Dust launch illustrates a number of lessons in the pursuit of perfection and the reality of the world. Join us as we wrestle with them.
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Balance is Overrated
People often optimize for efficiency and fairness, which is often times counter to optimizing for fun. Alpha Clash has pivoted to maximizing fun at their tournaments and now Sorcery with their Avatar prizes. Zach is hot off rebuilding his Earthborne Rangers decks to make them harder to play and...
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Just Find One Person
The best and hardest part of tabletop games is that they require other people to play. It's what leads to such amazing communities, but also a lot of frustration for those who just want to play their favorite games. Today, we talk about the lessons we've learned from over a decade of bringing...
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Say Less
00:09:03 "Let's Cover the News" 00:09:35 Earthborne Games News 00:18:39 Sorcery TCG News 00:40:40 Warlord TCG News 00:41:45 Covenant News 00:50:49 Main Topic: Say Less
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Playing Outside the LGS
A great game can happen anywhere two people want to gather. With breweries, libraries, and community centers opening their doors to tabletop, what can an LGS do to become that preferred third space?
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Is a Great Game Enough?
We ask ourselves if, in our current moment, it is enough to make the best game possible, or if there is now an even more competitive meta game that designers need to understand to ensure success. 00:11:21 Flesh and Blood TCG News 00:11:53 Warlord TCG News 00:15:17 Arkham Horror LCG and Marvel...
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There and Back Again - New Zealand & Vegas
In this episode, we share highlights from our recent travels to the Flesh and Blood TCG Pro Tour in Las Vegas and to the Erik's Curiosa offices in New Zealand (Sorcery TCG). The filming and conversations at each were enlightening. 00:06:12 Here Be Monsters TCG News 00:08:57 Hubworld: Aidalon News...
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The TCG Fatigue Is Real
We can all feel it. So many new TCGs on the market, so many new products from the old games, digital repacks, exclusives, stretch goals, and a seemingly endless supply of gimmicks. Perhaps we've lost our way. Perhaps it's time to return to the fundamentals. 00:02:36 Here Be Monsters TCG News...
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Is This the Perfect Indie TCG?
This week, Here Be Monsters TCG launched their Kickstarter campaign with a game-changing business model. Are they the first to solve the problem of TCGs without jettisoning all the upsides? We think that just might be the case! 00:00:00 Intro 00:08:32 Here Be Monsters TCG News 00:12:02 Zattic…
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Are TCGs Gambling?
It's time we addressed the perennial question. 00:36:38 Main Topic: Are TCGs Gambling?
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Tabletop Isn't Digital
On a fateful Monday, BradW shared an ad for Rush of Ikorr, the TCG from Upper Deck, coming to their ePack platform. What's the ePack platform, you ask? An abomination. It's not what tabletop is, and it misses the point completely. Digital integration? We don't want it, and it's ruining the hobby....
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FOMO is Necessary
Our current crowdfunding and tcg-heavy tabletop gaming era necessitates a question: is there nobility in removing overtly FOMO-creating elements from your campaigns and product design, or are you just losing sales? 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:42 Sorcery TCG News 00:07:23 Warlord TCG News 00:07:44 Alpha...
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Earthborne Trailblazer First Impressions
A few weeks ago, the Earthborne team came to our office to share a vertical slice of their new game, Earthborne Trailblazer, with us, our team, and three fans of Rangers. Now, with the launch of the Earthborne Trailblazer Kickstarter, we are excited to share our thoughts with the world!…
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Why Distribution Had to Change
Traditional distribution serves a critical function for tabletop gaming, but for many publishers it is often a hindrance to success—that's why we launched Covenant Fulfilled earlier this year. With the platform receiving a number of updates this week, including the addition of Earthborne Games,...
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Artistic Inspiration vs Plagiarism
All last week we stared at the beautiful Earthborne Trailblazer board, created by Evan Simonet and inspired by Jaro Hess's "The Land of Make Believe". This week we wake up to a fresh controversy involving long time Magic: The Gathering artist Dan Frazier. There is clearly a line somewhere between...
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Q&A with Andrew Navaro, Head of Studio at Earthborne Games
Fresh off of their Earthborne Trailblazer announcement, Andrew Navaro joins us to answer your questions and ours!
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The End of Crowdfunding
In the early days of crowdfunding, we were very hesitant to consider games that used the platform. Crowdfunding was seen as a negative. Somewhere along the way we entered an era where crowdfunding every game, or even every set, is seen as the standard. We wonder aloud how we got here and what the...
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How the LCG Succeeds
In this episode, we revisit the topic of LCG viability. Are there ways, tested or untested, that an LCG can prosper as a long-running game and also on the balance sheet of the local game store? After a week of reflection and so many good comments across the internet, there may indeed be some…
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There is No "LCG Model"
Gudnak has pulled off the pipe dream of LCG fans everywhere by creating a functional limited experience. Hubworld announced that every set will be also be a draftable cube. Arkham Horror continues to tweak how it's products are delivered. None of these games are taking a similar path, but we have...
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The Perfect Organized Play
Sorcery TCG has announced its Cornerstone events emphasizing Creativity, Mastery, and Wonder. Alpha Clash has gone international, announcing an even more open tournament scene in locations from Vegas to Dubai to the Philippines. FAB continues to deliver ever more on it's promise of high-level...
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The Mirage of the Crowdfunded TCG
First Sorcery TCG, then Altered TCG, and now Cyberpunk 2027 TCG. These games continue to break crowdfunding records, but what does that mean for the actual health of the game? Zach and Steven sit down for an all new podcast format where we talk about all things indie card games.
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Erik Olofsson - Sorcery TCG | Gothic Reflections and Future
At the end of our 12-hour Gothic release stream, we got to chat with Erik Olofsson—founder of Erik's Curiosa and co-founder of Grinding Gear Games—about Sorery's new Gothic set and the future of the game. That content was over the archive limit for YouTube live, so we're releasing it here in its...
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227: Andrew Navaro - From Fantasy Flight Games to Earthborne Games
"I think as long as you're following your heart, your life will take you wherever you're intended to go." Andrew Navaro, Former Head of Studio at FFG and current Head of Studio at Earthborne Games, sits down with us to talk about his journey so far. Join us as we discuss Netrunner, Asmodee,...
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226: When Comic Books are the Answer - Alpha Clash
Ridge Kiley, co-founder of Rising Empire Studios, sits down with Zach to discuss their recently announced Alpha Clash comic book series and how the comics allow for a top-down design approach that will completely reshape the Alpha Clash trading card game. Find out more:...
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225: Alpha Clash Blazes New Path For Indie Card Games
Garett Kiley, co-founder of Rising Empire Studios, sits down with Zach to discuss their recent move away from traditional distribution and into direct LGS relationships via their Champion Store program. This is the most honest accounting of what it's actually like working with traditional...
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224: Gudnak - In Pursuit of the Third Way
Tim O'Brien, co-designer of Gudnak, sits down with Zach for a far-reaching discussion that offers a behind-the-scenes look into Chaotic Great's journey as a new indie card game publisher. At the heart of the discussion is the inevitable question for this new round of "LCGs" - what has to change…
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223: Kingswood Games - The Warlord CCG Interview
Woodrow and Josh, the founders of Kingswood Games, are relaunching the AEG classic card game, Warlord, into the modern era. It's an incredible story of two longtime fans bringing back something that they clearly love, with serious echoes of FFG's Android: Netrunner relaunch. Catch our interview…
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222: Andrew Navaro - The Reality of Independent Publishing
We're back after seven months with one of our favorite creators in the tabletop gaming industry, Andrew Navaro (former Fantasy Flight Games Head of Studio, founder of Earthborne Games), for a deeper look at independent publishing through the lens of someone who has been on both sides of the...
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221: Introducing the Alpha Clash TCG ft. Ridge (Founder)
We've been following Alpha Clash since 2022, and have consistently been impressed with the drive and output of the people behind it. Join us for a conversation with Ridge Kiley, founder of Rising Empire Studios and creator of the Alpha Clash TCG, as we learn more about the game, Cirque de Soleil,...
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220: Andrew Parks - Stories from The Nightmare Before Christmas TCG
A remarkable moment - a random comment on our Nighmare Before Christmas TCG stream turns into a conversation and relationship with its designer, Andrew Parks, who then blows us away with fascinating stories from the early days of tabletop (Z-Man, Ed Beard Jr., Iron Crown Enterprises, NECA…
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219: Getting Into Magic: The Gathering
Zach has been taken in by the upcoming Lord of the Rings "Universes Beyond" set of Magic: The Gathering. So much so that he's now learning everything about what to buy, where to buy it, and where to play it. Join us for a conversation about how it has been going, and what things are like for a...
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218: The Retail Incentive
Conversations around expandable games and the LGS continue to swirl online, especially amid things like Magic's continued embrace of direct sales, Flesh and Blood's presence (or non-presence) at retail, and Sorcery's "one set a year, play how you want" approach. Join us as we attempt to cut…
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217: Event Theory Into Practice - FuseFest 2023
We recently hosted our first big event since COVID shut everything down (technically our biggest to date!). As those of you following for the past few years are certainly aware, we've been fascinated by the competitive v casual paradigm, especially as it relates to local events and our plan for...
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216: The End of an Era
As 2022 wraps up, in many ways it signals the end of the "pandemic" era of thinking, both professionally and personally. Join us for a recap of 2022 in the context of the past few years, and a look ahead to a world that is once again full of possibility.
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215: Questioning Culture - Are You Casual or Competitive?
These two words seem to haunt the tabletop gaming landscape, and after many decades of exposure there still is not broad agreement as to what they mean. Behind these terms is a more accurate understanding of what each of us is looking for in the hobby, knowledge that has the potential to...
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214: KeyForge Gets It Right
A lesson to publishers, and to every human being who communicates - Ghost Galaxy's "Dis In Formats" article is everything we could have hoped for as concern over new Organized Play formats spread throughout the online community. Even if you've never heard of KeyForge, join us for a breakdown of...
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213: KeyForge Returns w/ Christian T. Petersen
Who better to see KeyForge through its next era than the founder of Fantasy Flight Games - Christian T. Petersen. Join us for a wonderfully candid conversation about GameFound, crowdfunding, retail, organized play, PvE, and the future of the first unique deck game with an undeniable visionary of...
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212: Rekindling the Magic
Card games - and so many things in life - aren't always about having it all. As the expectations around "instant" card access and competitive advantage skew the original TCG (and LCG) equation, we look to our recent Sorcery One Box Meta series as proof that a more joyful approach may well be...
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211: TCGPlayer Buys Channel Fireball
When the largest TCG marketplace buys one of the largest TCG content and event management entities, it's sure to have an impact on the industry. Join two non-Magic players as they look into the future - and inevitably dig up old questions about the concept of collectibility.
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210: Crowdfunding KeyForge
This week, Ghost Galaxy (run by former FFG founder Christian Petersen) announced that their reboot of KeyForge would be kicked off by a GameFound campaign for the first "new" set, Winds of Exchange. The questions this raises, and their potential answers, says as much about the industry as it does...
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209: The Future of Unique Deck Games, Part 2
Hot on the heels of SolForge Fusion's release and our subsequent podcast (Ep 194) about the Future of Unique Deck Games, Christian Petersen's Ghost Galaxy Games announces their acquisition of KeyForge and a full release of two PvE scenarios - Keyracken and Abyssal Conspiracy. Does the future look...
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208: Tabletop Terms - TCG & TC Edition
Confused or overwhelmed by all the seemingly insane things that players say in this hobby? Join us as we define terms like "aggro", "limited", "bounce", and even TC classics like "bugatti". You'll be up to speed in no time!
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The Power Seven: Free
For the final episode of the series, Steven and Zach tackle the issue of "free" effects in games with an approach now influenced by all of the previous Power Seven conversations. Notably, can anything really be "free"?
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The Power Seven: Resource Cards w/ Isaac Vega
Concepts like "mana screw" and "non-games" have existed in card gaming from the start, stemming from the reality that sometimes you do not draw the resource cards you need to play out your deck. With more recent designs doing away with resource cards entirely, we call up Isaac Vega (Dead of…
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The Power Seven: Silver Bullets w/ Alex Davy
Designers often employ powerful effects that target specific cards or archetypes when a meta becomes unbalanced. But is this ever the right answer? Our dear friend Alex Davy (Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Legion) joins us for an enticing conversation about silver bullets, with clear examples from...
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The Power Seven: Memory w/ Justin Gary
Huge board states, compounding static effects, unlimited stacked triggers - some games can get to a point where simply operating the rules is difficult and making meaningful decisions feels impossible. We've brought in Justin Gary (Ascension, SolForge, Magic PT) to unpack the benefits and…
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The Power Seven: Denial w/ Nick Conley
How many metagames have been ruined by a deck that just simply says "no" to whatever you want to do? And yet how many of your friends absolutely love playing said decks? Denial mechanics might be the most difficult game design needle to thread. That's why we've brought in Nick Conley (Ashes…
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The Power Seven: Recursion w/ Lukas Litzsinger
A simple act - replaying a card or two from your discard pile - has been the bane of countless metagames. Does such a seemingly innocent mechanic really cause problems? Should designers stay away from the idea of recursion entirely? Join us as we catch up with the King of Recursion, Lukas...
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The Power Seven: Limit 1 w/ MJ Newman
Should cards ever be limited to "1 per deck", especially as a balancing mechanic? Can strong cards exist if they are drawn less often? Can the variance of rare cards be fun for all players? Join us for a phenomenal conversation with MJ Newman (Arkham Horror LCG, Marvel Champions) about the merits...
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The Power Seven: Introduction
Get ready for our most ambitious podcast series to date! Expanding on the principles of our "How to Ruin a Game" series, we've identified seven common design mechanics that are particularly troublesome to game balance, and are interviewing an esteemed designer about each! You'll hear from MJ...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We've spent over a decade in the tabletop gaming space, as content creators, local store owners, and online retailers. Now it's time to answer your questions, dive into complex topics, and have an incredible amount of fun along the way -- featuring exclusive updates, candid dialogue, and fascinating interviews with designers, publishers, and visionaries.
HOSTED BY
Covenant
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Covenant Cast have?
The Covenant Cast currently has 252 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Covenant Cast about?
We've spent over a decade in the tabletop gaming space, as content creators, local store owners, and online retailers. Now it's time to answer your questions, dive into complex topics, and have an incredible amount of fun along the way -- featuring exclusive updates, candid dialogue, and...
How often does The Covenant Cast release new episodes?
The Covenant Cast publishes regularly with 252 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Covenant Cast?
You can listen to The Covenant Cast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Covenant Cast?
The Covenant Cast is created and hosted by Covenant.
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