From distant shores, the Dread have come. Madness seizes the weak, while the bold embrace the encroaching Dread. What malevolent force weaves such terror?
Dread Awakening, the latest monumental expansion for Gods Unchained, emerges from the shadows on April 22nd at 6pm PST. This set unveils 132 new cards, 7 mythic variants, and 3 promotional cards, each unfolding the chilling saga of the Dread that now envelops Eucos.
Continuing from the events of Tides of Fate, the Dread has been unleashed, spreading across the Blessed Continent of Faenar. Join the Band of the Wolf as a hunter and traverse a land transforming under the Dread’s eerie and corrupting touch, all in search for the enigmatic “Lord of Luster”.
Meta Shifts in the Shadow of Dread
Dread Awakening introduces the ‘Dreadtouched’ mechanic, a new keyword at the heart of this expansion. Cards bearing the Dreadtouched keyword empower players to sacrifice on-field cards, boosting the baseline effect of the Dreadtouched card and weaving sacrifice into strategy.
Magic players can delve into ‘Elderytch Mysteries’, an ability allowing players to uncover the Mysteries in search of increasingly powerful card options.
Death gets a whole new strategy with the deck-polluting Dread alongside enhanced support for Dragon Reanimator tactics.
Nature has gained the ability to mutate their spells with the Mutation card, allowing them to get highly powerful spells inexpensively. Control Nature is strengthened by a new suite of interaction and recovery cards, bringing it back to the forefront.
Light gains new support for the Chosen One with the terrifying Ilarac, and Thaeriel's Lustric cult expands onwards as more and more Fanearians flock to his banner.
War has a new ground aggro/midrange strategy focused around spells and carvings, culminating in a devastating 9 mana spell ‘Aurora of Oblivion’.
Deception refines its mastery over theft and nightmares, offering fresh twists on classic Deception mechanics alongside a wealth of new sleep synergies.
Set Distribution
In our relentless pursuit to improve the Gods Unchained experience, we've overhauled the distribution strategy for the Dread Awakening set. These changes are shaped by insights from past releases and direct feedback from our community and the venerable Council of Mortals: These include:
- Increased Cards Per Pack: To amplify the thrill of each pack, all Weekend Ranked and Sealed packs now contain 5 cards, while Premium packs boast 6 cards. This adjustment not only simplifies the pack contents but also ensures every pack opening is a richer and more rewarding experience.
- Simplified Slot Probabilities: To eliminate confusion and streamline the collecting process, we've standardized slot probabilities across all packs. Unlike previous sets, where a common slot's chance at a rare card could vary dramatically between pack tiers, Dread Awakening maintains consistent drop probabilities, enhancing the player's understanding and anticipation. The only exception to this rule is the introduction of Wild slots.
- Introduction of Wild Slots: A thrilling new feature, Wild slots appear in high-tier Weekend Ranked, Sealed, and Premium packs. These slots are exclusive gateways to the set's most coveted cards, adding an extra layer of excitement to pack openings. Wild slots in Reward packs offer a chance to obtain cards from the Reward, Premium and Chase sets, while those in Premium packs draw exclusively from the Premium and Chase sets.
- Return of Mythic Variants: By popular demand, the ultra-rare, one-of-a-kind Mythic art variants of Legendary Cards make a triumphant return, available only in Premium packs.
- New Crafting Recipes: The number of meteorite crafting recipes has increased from 12 to 18, reintroducing Rare card crafting that utilizes Common cards as inputs. This expansion of crafting recipes gives players more opportunities to creatively use and upgrade their decks.
- Exclusive Promo Cards: Three ultra-rare promo cards will become available in Premium packs once all Mythic Variants have been discovered or otherwise acquired through community events.
Set Design
The Dread Awakening set contains 132 unique collectible cards which are obtained from the following sets, correlating to their source of emission:
- Reward Set: Comprising 48 cards, these are earned through diligent participation in Weekend Ranked and Sealed games.
- Premium Set: Featuring 52 cards, this set is available through packs purchased directly from the store.
- Crafted Set: This set includes 18 cards (6 Rares, 6 Epics, and 6 Legendaries), which must be crafted using a specific combination of input cards and a small amount of $GODS.
- Chase Set: Consisting of 14 cards (7 Epics and 7 Legendaries), the Legendary cards within this set are among the rarest and most potent in the game. These cards can be obtained exclusively from Wild slots, present in both Reward and Premium packs.
Pack Details
There are three different overall types of packs, being
- Premium packs: Available exclusively through the Gods Unchained Store
- Rare Packs: Priced at $4.99, with a supply cap of 120,000.
- Epic Packs: Priced at $19.99, with a supply cap of 8,000.
- Legendary Packs: Priced at $99.99, with a supply cap of 1,000.
- Shiny Legendary Packs: Priced at $209.99, with a supply cap of 500.
- Reward Packs: Earned through competitive play, these packs are awarded based on performance and are available in the following types:
- Common
- Rare
- Epic
- Sealed Packs: Earned through sealed mode, these packs are awarded based on performance and are available in the following types:
- Common
- Rare
- Epic
- Legendary
Detailed Drop Rates
Mythic Variants
Mythic Variants stand as the pinnacle of collectible rarity within the Dread Awakening expansion. Each Mythic Variant is a unique 1/1 version of the Legendary cards from the set, featuring distinct artwork and exclusive card frames that set them apart as true collector's items.
They are available exclusively through Premium packs, with increasing drop rates depending on the rarity of the pack purchased:
- Rare Packs: 1 in 33,333 chance to pull a Mythic Variant
- Epic Packs: 1 in 5,882 chance to pull a Mythic Variant
- Legendary Packs: 1 in 1,000 chance to pull a Mythic Variant
- Shiny Legendary Packs: 1 in 350 chance to pull a Mythic Variant
Early Adopter Bonus
Dread Awakening sale will start on April 22nd at 6pm PST, with the sale expected to run for 120 days until 21 August 2024.
Based on popular feedback, the Early Adopter Bonus (previously known as First Strike Discount mechanic in Band of the Wolf) will be making a return - the sale will have a discount period where packs will be cheaper to purchase the earlier these purchases are made. This discount will start at 15% and will reduce down to 0% over the course of the first $600k in sales.
"A swift strike can often dictate a duel's outcome." - Eiko
Crafting
In Dread Awakening there are 6 Rare cards, 6 Epic cards and 6 Legendary cards that can only be obtained through Crafting, one for each domain.
We also changed the legendary crafting, incorporating a “Shine-down” mechanic where players receive a Meteorite version of the Epic input cards, in addition to the Crafted Legendary card.
Click Here for the Full list of Crafting Recipes
We hope that this new mechanic would encourage more players to make more use of Legendary crafting, without having to worry about depriving their deck of playable cards.
With these updates to Crafting, collecting the full Dread Awakening set will become a more rewarding experience!
Card Art and Cosmetics
In Dread Awakening's art we see the return of many well-known and loved Eucosian creatures. However, a darkness has taken hold, corrupting and transforming these familiar faces in horrifying ways. Drawing from across the cosmic horror genre, the art style of this expansion is set deep in the valley of the uncanny. Our artists have created works that are both beautiful and terrifying. We hope there is something here to make everyone's skin crawl.
With the Dread Awakening release comes a set of brand new trinket cosmetics to be found and won! Some of them will be won by dedicated (or lucky) players who spend their time and effort braving the challenges of Sealed mode. Others will be available through engaging with other parts of the Gods Unchained ecosystem, earnt through community challenges and events.
4x Card Backs
- Eiko - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
- Dread Eiko - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
- Automabunn - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
- Dread Automabunn - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
Trinkets
- Dread Hatchling - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
- Vasek Island - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
- Digby - Distributed via events
- Dread Tome - available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs
Board
The Dark Academy board, embodying the thematic essence of this expansion is available in Sealed Cosmetic Packs and may also be obtained through special events.
Detailed Cosmetic Drop Rates
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Update 23 April 11:10 am AET:
Collection Rewards
Embark on a collector’s journey with Dread Awakening and unlock exclusive rewards based on the size of your collection!
How it Works:
- Reward Subset: Earn 1 point for collecting all 48 cards.
- Premium Subset: Earn 3 points for collecting all 52 cards.
- Chase Subset: Earn 5 points for collecting all 14 cards.
- Crafting Subset: Earn 5 points for collecting all 18 cards.
- Full Collection: An additional 6 points for collecting all 132 cards.
Diamond Hand Bonus:
Enhance your collection with Diamond quality Dread Awakening cards to accumulate more points:
- Common Cards: 1 Point
- Rare Cards: 2 Points
- Epic Cards: 6 Points
- Legendary Cards: 12 Points
Points stack, so holding multiple sets and multiple Diamond cards will provide additional points! Please ensure that your NFTs are held in the same wallet for your points to accumulate.
Rewards:
Achieve the highest collection points to earn ultra-rare promo cards, the coveted Digby cosmetic, and the elusive Dark Academy board.
A snapshot will be taken 45 days post-release (around Midnight UTC, 7th June 2024) to determine the top 10 collectors who will be featured on a commemorative leaderboard. Collection Rewards will be distributed to players within 1 month of the snapshot.
Dread Awakening - Community Sales $GODS Rewards
For the first time, we’re rewarding the Gods Unchained community directly for the success of the Dread Awakening expansion! Alongside Gods Unchained Corporation, we have created a rewards program as away to give players a token of our appreciation. As sales milestones are reached, more $GODS rewards will be distributed back to the community as a token of our gratitude:
- $600K USD Sales: 5% rebate, $30K USD in $GODS rewards.
- $700K USD Sales: 5% rebate, $35K USD in $GODS rewards.
- $800K USD Sales: 5% rebate, $40K USD in $GODS rewards.
A total of up to $105K USD in $GODS will be rewarded, divided proportionally based on the total amount each player has spent on purchasing Dread Awakening Premium Packs.
Sealed Mode
As we usher in the Dread Awakening expansion, Sealed Mode will be transformed with the introduction of the new expansion cards, offering players a fresh and challenging gameplay environment.
Early Access to New Cards
Starting April 18th at 6pm PST, players will have the exclusive opportunity to access the Dread Awakening cards in Sealed Mode in the drafting pool. This early preview allows you to familiarize yourself with the new cards and begin strategizing before the official release.
Timed Sealed Events:
We will continue to host a series of timed Sealed events. These events are designed not only to test your adaptability and skill with the new cards but also to reward your participation and successes in Sealed Mode. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to Gods Unchained, these events provide a platform to showcase your prowess and earn exclusive rewards.
Join us in Sealed Mode to be among the first to witness and wield the power of Dread Awakening. Challenge yourself and others, refine your strategies, and perhaps discover your new favorite card combinations.
Balancing Period
As with each of our releases, Dread Awakening will be subject to a live balancing period known as the Balancing Phase post-release for 8 weeks, with the option to extend this period for another 8 weeks.
This is a period when the Dread Awakening cards can be used by players in a live environment and our balance designers can monitor how each card is performing. During this time, the development team can make changes in response to any imbalances that might show up.
Once balancing is complete after 8 weeks, the Dread Awakening set will be “locked”, meaning that no further changes to the gameplay utility of the cards will be made.
If you want to learn more about the game’s balancing mechanics, methodology and process, please visit the Balance Charter.
Set Availability
Here’s a final rundown on the most important dates in the near future for collectors:
- April 18th, 6pm PST: Early Access in Sealed Mode - Get an early taste of the Dread Awakening cards as they become available in the Sealed Pool. This is your first opportunity to explore the new strategies and card interactions in a competitive setting.
- April 22nd, 5pm PST: Farewell to Tides of Fate - Just one hour before the big launch, Tides of Fate packs will be removed from the Gods Unchained Store. This is your last chance to secure any packs from this previous set. Crafting recipes for Tides of Fate will also sunset at the same time - make sure to get those final crafts in before the end!
- April 22nd, 6pm PST: Official Launch of Dread Awakening - Starting this hour, you can purchase Packs directly from the Gods Unchained Store. Additionally, Dread Awakening cards will start to be distributed through Weekend Ranked and Sealed Mode play, offering everyone a chance to earn new cards through gameplay.
As the shadows of Dread Awakening spread across Eucos, the howl of adventure sounds louder than ever. Whether you're crafting the next unstoppable deck, competing in exhilarating tournaments, or simply basking in the rich artwork and lore, there's something in this set for you. Embrace the Dread, join the hunt, and let your legacy in Eucos be one of cunning, strength, and unity. The time to awaken is now—will you answer the call?
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