UNDEAD

The Undead are a wicked race brought to existence by dark magic. The practitioners of the dark arts are outlawed and hunted in civilized lands, as such sorcery desecrates holy sites and disturbs the spirits of ancestors. However, mortal necromancers are not only ones with the power over undeath. Liches and vampires, possessing their own free will, can also raise hordes of lesser undead to do their bidding. And sometimes, restless dead are bound to the mortal world not by powerful sorceries but by horrible tragedies. Be it betrayal, murder, broken oath or unfulfilled duty, spirits of the dead often haunt dark places, seeking vengeance or purpose. But no matter why undead hosts appear in the lands of the living, they are to be feared, as they show no pity or remorse to their victims.

For Undead warlords, every minion is disposable. They are capable of sending waves after waves of shambling corpses to assault their foes and even if all of them die to bring their master victory, it doesn't matter. The most valuable ones can always be raised again and again until they are useful no longer.

When playing as Undead, remember that the death of your minions is not their end and you will be able to overwhelm your opponents with unending tides of your servants. Be it hordes of will-less zombies or immortal champions that are raised back after their fall, your army will have no shortage of new recruits. It is also important to understand, which of your slain minions should be raised back and which of them have already served their purpose and can be left in the dust.

When playing against Undead, don't forget that the endless undead armies will fall as soon as their master dies. Sometimes, it can be worthwhile to focus your efforts on killing the evil mastermind that controls the shambling legions. Liches and necromancers are powerful when they can cast their spells from safety but their bodies are feeble and a single assault can bring them down.

Undead favors the following mechanics:

• Raising fallen units from the graveyard, letting them fight again

• Card draw and generation, ensuring that there is no shortage of new servants

• Last words that take effect when a minion dies, making even their deaths useful

• Deadly minions, letting them kill enemies with a single strike or spell

• Vampirism, sustaining your warriors in combat

• Curses, weakening or eliminating dangerous opponents

• Poisons, making enemies take damage continuously

Undead factions:

• Cult of the Pale Hand is an enigmatic order of necromancers that strives to keep its activities and identities of its members secret, as such practices are outlawed in civilized lands. Even under the threat of being exiled or executed, the dark arts attract many aspiring scholars, promising eternal life and immense power. Driven by the desire to achieve immortality, such mages often bind their own souls to vessels of power, raise and haunt their own bodies after the end of their natural life. Once such a ritual is complete, they become liches. Both liches and necromancers are formidable spellcasters that can curse or slay their enemies with powerful spells.

• Sanguine Aristocracy are those who pledged their souls to dark powers and became vampires, feeding on the life force of mortals for the entirety of their eternal lives. The first of them were the most dedicated and wicked followers of the dark gods and received the undeath as a boon in return for their servitude. Now, all vampires can pass on their curse to living mortals in a special ritual. Dedicated disciples of dark powers or rich nobles that purchased such afterlives for themselves, they are forever damned to drain others of life to extend their own. Arrogant and cruel, vampires can sustain their existence indefinitely with the blood of their enemies.

• Shambling Hordes are will-less zombies that were animated by dark magic or evil spirits. Having no mind or purpose, they obey their masters in every move. Filled with unholy strength, they fight with their bare hands or carry crude weapons. But their brute force is not the only danger they pose. Decaying and festering, they often spread diseases and infections among the living.

• Tomb Guardians are long-dead warriors that were brought back by a dark will. Serving as gatekeepers and soldiers for ancient liches or skilled necromancers, they guard secluded crypts from unwelcome guests. Even though their armor and weaponry may look rusted and neglected, it is completely battle-ready, fortified by the magic of their master.

• Renounced Ones are spirits of the dead that could not ascend to the heavens and became bound to the mortal world. Punished for their crimes, held by an oath or the lust for vengeance, they are damned to linger as specters until they fade into oblivion or earn the right to pass on. Dangerous and unpredictable, they often become a valuable tool for the masters of the dead that can bend their will and force them to do their bidding.