Review: Duel of Wands: Kids on Brooms Card Game

Every student at the school of magic knows the dueling rules. There’s only one and it’s easy: No dueling. Which means, of course, that there’s dueling.

Set in the world of their popular Kids on Brooms roleplaying game, Duel of Wands (Renegade Game Studios) lets two players take the roles of students in one of these secretive challenge matches to see who’s really the more powerful spell caster.

Let’s step into the shadows and unlock the top five mysteries in Duel of Wands.

Starting as an (Almost) Even Match

#

The game gives each player an identical deck of 11 cards. During setup, each player also receives two unique spell cards from a set of seven. They add one of the unique cards to their deck and secretly discard the other.

In the advanced rules, players also replace two of their regular spells with upgraded versions, adding another potential twist to the game’s outcome.

By the time you’re ready to begin, each player’s deck is similar, but flavored with small differences that make it unique.

Reveal, Cast, or Banish

#

Play focuses on five classic card game mechanics: revealing, playing, recycling, discarding, and stealing.

Revealing is your information gathering tool. Cards that reveal force one player to show the other some of the spell cards in their hand.

You play spell cards from your hand by putting them into your “cast spells” pile and taking the action described on the card. Cast spells can be recycled into play with an action called “refresh.” With so few cards in each player’s deck, recycling the discard pile at the right time can dramatically change a game’s outcome.

More powerful spells require that you put them in your “banished spells” pile instead of merely discarding them. Banished spells don’t come back during a refresh; they’re out of the game for the rest of that round. Most of your attack spells force your opponent to banish a spell.

Stealing one of the other player’s cards turned out to be our favorite part of the game. Only one spell lets you do it, but when you can make it happen, it radically alters the balance of power.

A Sharp Skill Challenge

#

Given how closely matched the players’ decks are, Duel of Wands plays out as a very tight game of observation, strategy, and occasionally pushing your luck.

You start the game blind to your opponent’s spells, like two student wizards meeting for the first time. Since each player’s cast and dispelled card piles are public knowledge, the longer each round goes, the more you know about what your opponent can or can’t still do.

Paying attention to which cards are in those piles along with the number of cards left in your opponent’s draw deck helps you decide when to take risks or play defensively.

Protecting Your Psyche

#

The “Psyche” spell is the most powerful and dangerous item in your arsenal. When you play it, the game immediately ends, one way or another. That makes it a fascinating strategic tool as well as last-ditch ploy to snag the win.

Playing your psyche card forces an immediate spell caster showdown. If your opponent has their psyche card in their hand, they must either defend it with another spell or banish it. If they successfully defend it, then you lose the game. If they can’t defend, then the round is yours.

Because a round ends when one player can’t draw cards to refill their hand, playing psyche sometimes became a “last resort” move in of our games. After all, if you’re going to lose anyway, you might as well go out with a bang.

Adding to a Roleplaying Session

#

Since Duel of Wands lives in the world of the Kids On Brooms roleplaying game, the card game rules include a section on how to use it as a tool to create engaging roleplaying moments.

The developers suggest using the card game to play out a school-sanctioned casting competition, with players narrating each spell’s effects to build the story. Of course, each player needs to be familiar with both the card game and the roleplaying game to make this work, so the game master should make sure everyone is prepared before introducing it to their table.

Verdict

#

We love this game, which is surprising because we don’t usually go for games that focus on direct player-versus-player competition. Duel of Wands captured our imagination thanks to its compact design and strategic tension.

The game’s balanced deck building system helps new players learn the game and enjoy great duels right out of the box. Letting players select their own unique and advanced spell cards ensures that every game offers a unique challenge. It also gives experienced players the chance to tune their strategies for different opponents.

All of that works perfectly with the game’s classic “best of three” scoring system, which captures the back-and-forth feeling of a fencing match as each player tests their opponent, takes advantage of an opening, and guards against a magical misstep.

Duel of Wands definitely earns a spot on our two-player game shelf.