General:Firesong Preview—The Druid King Tales of Tribute Patron & Deck

Originally published October 06, 2022. The original article can be found here.

Learn more about a brand-new patron and deck coming to Tales of Tribute with the Firesong DLC and Update 36.

The Druid King Returns

For those cardsharps who dove deep into the High Isle Chapter's Tales of Tribute system, the upcoming Firesong DLC adds even greater challenge and fun by introducing an all-new patron and deck: the Druid King.

Unlocked by collecting deck fragments from various activities throughout the zone (including exploring Delves, shutting down Volcanic Vents, and others), the Druid King brings an all-new patron ability and cards to challenge you and (hopefully) your opponents. When designing this patron and deck, the team sought to create new gameplay that would both synergize with existing decks and improve Tribute's meta long term.

"With players gaining mastery of the decks available with High Isle's release, we heard the joy over hitting big combos and using patrons at just the right time," says Irenio Calmon-Huang, a Senior Systems Designer for Tribute. "We took that into account when reviewing several potential decks and in the end the Druid King rose to the top. We wanted to offer another layer of strategy and skill while pushing potential deck synergies."

The Druid King can add powerful new cards to your deck

When it came to choosing the theme for the new deck, the legendary figure of the Druid King seemed like a natural choice.

"Firesong is all about druids, and we felt it was a great chance to have this new deck tie into the lore surrounding Galen," explains Senior Systems Designer John Carlson. "All the card names and art have a deep connection to the three druid circles. And it felt thematically appropriate that creating a large enough combo would grant the Chimera as a payoff to the deck."

New Mechanics & Strategies

With the ability to cycle cards out of the Tavern AND summon a powerful Chimera from combos, the Druid King patron ability provides both utility and power for those who wield it well. However, with the creation of the new patron and deck, the team also decided to add a brand-new card ability to the game.

"The Druid King introduces a new type of card mechanic called 'While in Play,'" explains Carlson. "This is similar to combos in that you get extra effects from playing other cards, but these focus on the actions players perform. One such card, the Stonelore Rockseeker, earns you 1 Coin whenever any agent is played or activated. With an effect like this, you are rewarded for every agent you play, even ones from other decks."

The result is a patron and card set that builds up both Coin and Power slowly at first but can also explode in a single turn. As a result, if you (or your opponent) are leaning into Druid King cards, you should expect a strong late-game push. Never count the Druid King out until the game ends!

‘While in Play' agent cards can provide extra boons

"The deck has several good early Coin-generating cards and solid mid-tier cards, but much of its strength is in getting higher-level 3, 4, and even 5 combos," explains Calmon-Huang. "I'll say it, though it should need no saying: Earning a Chimera from the Druid King can be tremendous."

"What you prioritize buying can change dramatically based on which cards you get early from the Druid King," warns Carlson. "Starting with the big combo cards means you'll want to prioritize staying in the suit. If you pick up some early cards with 'While in Play' abilities though, look for cards that synergize with them to maximize their value."

Heads of the Chimera

Of course, the Druid King won't be the only deck in play during your games of Tales of Tribute. You'll have to pick another to bring to the table, and your opponent will pick an additional two. With that in mind, it's important to understand how Druid King cards play with the other patrons and decks.

"Similar to the Duke of Crows, pairing with Red Eagle helps to keep your Draw Pile thin and enable more combos," explains Carlson. "My favorite is using the powerful toss cards from Loremaster Celarus to synergize with several of the 'While in Play' effects." "Having a guard agent or two can help ensure your 'While in Play' agents last an extra turn or two, whether this comes from Saint Pelin's knights or Rajhin's shadows," says Calmon-Huang. "Keeping your druids and spirits alive can make your opponent's life miserable and they'll be forced to dedicate extra resources to knocking them out."

One thing is for certain: the Druid King patron and deck stands to dramatically change the way you play Tales of Tribute. You'll have the opportunity to discover all the powerful combos and plays that the Druid King enables for yourself when Firesong and Update 36 arrives this November. Don't forget, you'll need access to both the Firesong DLC and the High Isle Chapter to unlock and play this new deck.

We can't wait to see how the community reacts to Tribute's very first expansion as it dives deep into this deck's new strategies and mechanics. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of the Druid King in your Tales of Tribute games? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

The Firesong DLC game pack and Update 36 base-game patch arrives November 1 for PC/Mac and Stadia, and November 15 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.