Might & Magic Fates: Turn-Based Battles Meet TCGs

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The anticipated Trading Card Game (TCG) from the Might & Magic universe is finally here: Might & Magic Fates. After years of waiting, the legendary franchise has reimagined itself in the card-battling genre, bringing its familiar turn-based combat into a collectible card game format.

The recent mobile playtest (available on both iOS and Android) gave players a first taste of what’s to come. And good news: the full release will also launch on PC via Steam. I spent a week trying out the playtest, experimenting with different decks and testing the core mechanics. Here’s what I learned and why Might & Magic Fates might be one of the most unique TCGs to watch this year.

How Might & Magic Fates Differs from Other TCGs

At its core, Might & Magic Fates combines traditional trading card game mechanics (similar to Hearthstone) with tactical, turn-based gameplay that feels straight out of the original Might & Magic series.

Unlike other TCGs, where you take turns to play your cards, Fates introduces a battle stage similar to Turn-Based games. The strategy doesn’t stop at summoning your units. It continues as you choose which character attacks first and how to maximize your hero’s abilities.

This hybrid system makes every match feel more like a mini turn-based RPG battle than a simple card duel.

Game Modes and Features (During Playtest)

The playtest offered a glimpse into several of the game’s planned features, though only a few were available for now:

Available during playtest:

• Ranked Battle: Compete against real players in the traditional PvP matches.
• Collection: Customize and reorganize your decks.
• Shop: Buy card packs using gold earned from victories.

Not yet available:

• Arena: I'm guessing unique gameplay based on seasons
• Sacrificial Altar: Highly likely to sacrifice extra cards for higher rarity cards
• Quests: I'm hoping for additional gold obtainable from completing tasks
• Battle Pass: Perhaps monthly quests and extra bonuses within obtained from purchasing battle passes

Even in this limited build, the game’s structure already hinted at a strong live-service model similar to other modern TCGs.

Gameplay Breakdown: How Each Match Works

A typical match in Might & Magic Fates follows a familiar yet strategic flow.

Hero Selection:
The game starts with your hero on the field. The hero is chosen when you customize your deck.

Opening Hand:
Each player starts with five cards in hand and takes turns based on a coin toss.

Deployment Phase:
Every turn begins with 10 gold by default, used to summon cards. All cards have basic information on them:

• Top-left: Summon cost & Gold earnings
• Bottom-left: Attack value
• Bottom-right: Health value

Certain cards have abilities such as:

• Holy Shield: Absorb the next instance of damage
• Protector: Must be attacked first before other units
• Deploy: Effect activates when the card is deployed on the field
• Death: Effect activates on removal of the card from the field
• Activate: The Effect can be activated during the battle stage

Battle Phase:
This is where Might & Magic Fates truly shines. After each deployment phase, you and your opponent take turns commanding your units, one at a time.

You can’t move all your units in a single go; turns alternate between players. This system creates deep tactical layers. For instance, attacking with a unit with an effect that triggers protector first might protect your other cards for the rest of the round.

Each hero gains experience with every battle. Leveling up allows you to choose between two new abilities, adding long-term progression and build variety.
Higher-level abilities drastically impact late-game strategy, rewarding players who specialize in certain heroes. This system adds an RPG-like growth element, something rarely seen in typical TCGs.

Round Transition:
Once the battle stage ends, the next round begins. You can choose to keep or replace unused cards.

Your available gold adjusts based on card effects you may have triggered in the previous round.

Winning Condition:
The match continues until one player’s hero's health is fully depleted.

First Impressions and Gameplay Feel

After a week of testing, Might & Magic Fates feels both familiar and fresh:

• The card mechanics are easy to understand for anyone who’s played Hearthstone.
• The turn-based battle system adds a meaningful tactical layer that makes every decision matter and reminds you of the older Might & Magic titles.
• The visual presentation and interface are clean, though I hope the PC version offers better animations and resolution options.

Despite some early limitations in content, the playtest showcased a solid foundation for what could become a standout entry in the digital TCG genre.

Deck Spotlight: The Undead Starter (Aggro Zoo Strategy)

For my playtest, I went all-in on the Undead Starter Deck, led by Anastasya as the hero. This deck leans heavily on aggressive “zoo” gameplay, focusing on overwhelming the opponent early with low-cost units.

My strategy was straightforward but effective:

• Focus on directly attacking the opponent’s hero.
• Fill my field with as many cards as possible each turn
• Use Protector abilities to force opponents to waste attacks on my defenders.

This tactic worked surprisingly well. I climbed from Bronze to Platinum quickly thanks to consistent early-game dominance.

Web3 Integration

Fates currently has Founder's Keys sold before the playtest started at around USD$70. If you're interested, you can buy from the secondary market. The cards are only expected to be sold once the game is released.

Fates is one of the games promoted in Immutable Play. Expect to earn gems when interacting with them on Social Media. If you have yet to sign up for Immutable Play, you can do so here.

Final Verdict: Is Might & Magic Fates Worth Playing?

If you’ve ever wished Hearthstone had more tactical depth or that Might & Magic had a collectible card twist, this game delivers both. It’s easy to learn, strategic to master, and most importantly, fun to play.

While still in development, Might & Magic Fates shows strong potential. Once the missing features (Arena, Quests, Battle Pass) roll out, this could easily become one of the most exciting hybrid TCGs on the market.

✅ Fresh blend of TCG and turn-based RPG gameplay
✅ Easy to pick up for new players
✅ Strategic depth in the battle phase
❌ Turn-based battle may be disliked by traditional TCG fans
❌ Limited features during playtest
❌ Meta balance still unclear