11 hours ago, JJ48 said:

Is there currently any way of getting a fifth Ring (not just the elemental effects)? I just think that if they introduce only one card to get Rings outside of conflict (or allowing you to declare additional conflicts), it'll likely be too rare and random to really see much play. If they introduce multiple ways of getting Rings outside of conflicts, it could easily make it so that the person doesn't need to win four conflicts, which could start removing some of the interaction that makes the game so great. I'm not saying there's no way around this, but I'm highly skeptical.

One straightforward, but unlikely way:

T1 Wholeness of the World to keep a ring into T2. Rings: 1

T2 Know the World/Wholeness of the World combo to get two rings before conflicts. Rings: 2

Win a conflict. Rings: 3

Display of Power your opponent's conflict. Rings: 4

Win a conflict. Rings: 5

It might be necessary to use Way of the Phoenix to limit your opponent to one conflict in case you are second player on the turn you go off.

An Enlightening victory that (right now) only one clan can achieve, or at least that one clan is way better prepared (in the future) to achieve would be a very bad idea.

10 hours ago, Iuchi Toshimo said:

One straightforward, but unlikely way:

T1 Wholeness of the World to keep a ring into T2. Rings: 1

T2 Know the World/Wholeness of the World combo to get two rings before conflicts. Rings: 2

Win a conflict. Rings: 3

Display of Power your opponent's conflict. Rings: 4

Win a conflict. Rings: 5

It might be necessary to use Way of the Phoenix to limit your opponent to one conflict in case you are second player on the turn you go off.

The funny part is that your opponent can wreck this whole plan by just not declaring a conflict, at which point you've burned 3 combo cards for no gain.

10 hours ago, HamHamJ2 said:

The funny part is that your opponent can wreck this whole plan by just not declaring a conflict, at which point you've burned 3 combo cards for no gain.

I tried to find a way to create a scenario which minimizes opponent interaction. Opponent is on the hook for declaring only one conflict. All other situations require them to go for two conflicts. If "enlightening" becomes a thing in the ways people are supposing, it's important to note that Phoenix can turn off an enemy's conflict phase by simply threatening this. Of course, cards like Policy Debate and Event Cancel not withstanding.

One could "trick" their opponent with 2x Display of Power, winning their own conflicts, then using the Know/Whole combo for absolute secrecy. Or by using my original scenario in the post above and waiting until the last minute to use Know/Whole.

Probably best to know all of the potential outs if "claim all five rings" means anything ever.

I definitely think there are issues with the 6x6 method of distribution. Not necessarily from a seller perspective. Been said before, anyone who wants them will buy them. More casual players will buy them at a more casual rate. The main issue is that is keeps the environment stagnant. If that happens, it reduces the players playing the game and ultimately reduces your competitive and casual appeal. I think they need to reconsider this to build interest and keep people interested. Even if they were all packs larger like DotV and they had 6 releases a year, that would be better.

1 hour ago, Strange1 said:

I definitely think there are issues with the 6x6 method of distribution. Not necessarily from a seller perspective. Been said before, anyone who wants them will buy them. More casual players will buy them at a more casual rate. The main issue is that is keeps the environment stagnant. If that happens, it reduces the players playing the game and ultimately reduces your competitive and casual appeal. I think they need to reconsider this to build interest and keep people interested. Even if they were all packs larger like DotV and they had 6 releases a year, that would be better.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Even if they want more focused releases, they should try to keep the environment fresh with a big release (~60 new cards) every 3 months. Having only a 28 Card Expansion within a 6> month break is very suboptimal.

Maybe we don't know the full picture yet? Perhaps they're planning on releasing clan packs and novellas on a schedule that would ensure there is a steady drip of content. Example: May- Phoenix novella. June- 2nd clan pack. July- 2nd clan novella. August- 3rd clan pack. Etc, etc, etc. In this scenario the 6×6 makes more sense, especially if the STORY in the dynasty packs needs to be told before those other releases.

Having been a regular on the FFG website for almost 2 decades and buying loads of the products including LCG's i think we can pretty much say that we are not likely to be getting any packs between now and the third quarter, otherwise they would already have been announced. I feel that any additional packs we are getting will probably be in Q4 if at all. It may just be that the releases are timed as they are and the size they are to better support organized play for the following season