When I look at the cards in https://keyforge-compendium.com , there are only 6 cards regarding the "chain" in The Call of The Archons.

Each one says "gain x chains". What is the purpose of that? I can only think of a scenario when you start a game with -x chains on your card to equalize the strength of two decks.

Is that correct?

In Call of the Archons, certain cards would give you chains if they had particularly nasty effects so that after you played them, you had to pay a little bit of a penalty to balance out the power move you just played. You would shed the chains just as you would in any other scenario (draw one less for 1-6 chains, 2 less for 7-12, etc.)

In the new set there's a Dis card (Binding Irons) that you can use to give your opponent 3 chains and inhibit their draw ability.

3 hours ago, blinkingline said:

In Call of the Archons, certain cards would give you chains if they had particularly nasty effects so that after you played them, you had to pay a little bit of a penalty to balance out the power move you just played. You would shed the chains just as you would in any other scenario (draw one less for 1-6 chains, 2 less for 7-12, etc.)

In the new set there's a Dis card (Binding Irons) that you can use to give your opponent 3 chains and inhibit their draw ability.

Don't I know it. We played a sealed tournament at my local store where someone had 2 of those in his deck. He cycled his deck in our game, around turn 4 or 5, I got hit with it. Never let me draw up to 6 again. Still beat him, but dang son.