Designer Diary:

Bringing Ninja All-Stars to Super Dungeon

At long last Ninja All-Stars is officially coming to the world of Super Dungeon! For many fans of both games this is the fulfillment of a long asked for request. It is also, no doubt, a new source of many questions. In this article we will discuss how Kagejima fits into the world of Super Dungeon, looking at both some basic rules questions as well a looking at how both Kagejima and Crystalia are enriched (and thrown into conflict) as these two continents discover one another.

The Island of Shadows

The most immediate question you may have is where does Kagejima fit into the lore of Crystalia? There is a reason maps of Crystalia have always been depicted as a single landmass surrounded by ocean. Crystalia, has always been envisioned as a single continent of a larger world. It felt only natural for Kagejima to become the first new continent discovered by the inhabitants of Crystalia!  (Astute scholars will note that Celestia was actually once a continent itself, before being fractured and drug into the Dark Realm.)

On the surface, Kagejima may seem to share some thematic territory with the Crystalian realm of the Wandering Monk Mountains. In fact, there are rumors that the capital of Yuyang has long known about Kagejima, as well as the Sun Empire. However, as you will soon discover, these two cultures (and models) are dramatically different.

The Wandering Monks are steeped in their own traditions drawn from their deeply held monastic beliefs. While largely sheltered from the worst of the Dark Consul’s war, they have nonetheless been shaped and affected by the Dark Consul, their shared border with the Arcadian Dunes, as well as interactions with the diverse inhabitants of Crystalia.

Kagejima, by contrast, has long been isolated both by choice and by the deep enchantments placed around it. Kagejima’s secretive and insular people have long been consumed by their own internal struggles and remained distrustful and hostile of even closely related outsiders, such as those of the Sun Empire. Without facing the direct consequences of the rise of the Dark Consul and the fall of the Goddess they have remained blessed to thrive outside of the Consul’s influence.

Yet Kagejima is not as separate as they may believe. Their stories of creation, and the mythology of Ameratsu closely mirror Crystalia’s own creation myths of the Goddess. And the dark origins of the oni, bakemono, and other yokai that populate Kagejima are similarly shrouded in mystery. Locked in a near perpetual state of conflict and war, perhaps the inhabitants are not truly free of the Dark Consul’s influence…

The first contact between Kagejima and Crystalia is detailed in our ongoing story arc, Island of Shadows. Be sure to visit ninjadivision.com each week for new installments!

Ninja Fight!

The ninja clans of Kagejima are naturally distrustful and prone to attack those outside of their clan. Indeed, the Moonlight Tournaments were developed by the Moon Princess to keep the clan’s constant conflicts from devolving into outright war!

The bellicose nature of the ninja clans make them natural adversaries for adventuring parties. While the various heroes and ronin make ideal Heroes and mini-bosses. A few of the more deadly inhabitants such as the Jorogumo and Onibaba stand apart as powerful and terrible foes, worthy of dungeon boss status.

As such, existing clan boxes have become warband boxes in Super Dungeon. While the various ronin and heroes have become Super Dungeon Heroes, mini-bosses, and dungeon bosses. Each of these new heroes and villains will have their roles explored in detail in their own unique articles.

Of these, the new clan warbands deserve a special mention since they debut a new spawning point mechanic. While the Dark Consul’s influence is not (yet) as strong on Kagejima, spawning points remain rare. However, the ninja clans have always been adept at harnessing magic and striking from the shadows to appear from virtually nowhere. To represent this, clan madoushi represent spawning points in game. They are not traditional, stationary spawning points though! Madoushi may spawn new ninjas, but may also be activated, move, and even use some potent unique actions. This versatility makes them a unique and challenging new aspect to your games of Super Dungeon.

If you’re wondering which versions of Super Dungeon your ninja’s can be used in, the answer is—all of them!

Super Dungeon: Arena is a perfect starting place for you ninja to appear in Super Dungeon. It is an easy task to convert your ninja team into a warband and get fighting right away. Ninjas can also easily be played using your existing copies of Super Dungeon: Forgotten King. Cards for both classic mode and arcade mode are included.

For the more forward-minded, you can even download the rulebooks and mighty monster charts for the upcoming 2nd Edition versions of Super Dungeon: Explore (rulebook | mighty monster chart) and Super Dungeon: Arcade (rulebook | mighty monster chart)!

As you can see, your ninjas will never be at a loss for exciting ways to play. If you can’t wait to start some super ninja adventures you can order Clan Kitsune, Jorogumo, Hanzo, and Uzumaki today! Or, if you already have a bunch of ninjas, you can purchase or download the first upgrade deck.

For general enquiries, customer service and more information on Ninja Division products, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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