Making sacrifices to the Gods in a remote sanctuary dedicated to a particular deity is so cliche, yet it a perfect scenario to drive an objective for a Campaign. Gathering the right item, moving it to the appropriate location and then sacrificing said item all in the name of Victory Points and of course appease the Gods with your righteous sacrifice. The Bloodstone Campaign is the latest strategy ruleset revealed by Artcraft Entertainment for the upcoming title Crowfall. With the release of the video Bloodstone Campaign ruleset overview we get a very basic look inside the mechanics of how this campaign could play out as one Guild attempts to Bleed the Bloodstone on the Altar for glory.
The Bloodstone Campaign is interesting in the fact that players must first collect the reagents to create a Bloodstone Tree and then plant it. There are benefits and restrictions to this that makes the location of planting extremely important. Once planted, the tree will provide an aura of protection to your area providing a safe haven as if the hands of the Gods are reaching down and making it impossible for the region to be attacked. This can be very strategic, plant your tree around a fortification and resource location to advance your guild while protected. But keep in mind that no two trees can overlap their protective area and that the protection is not permanent, it cycle off as it produces a Bloodstone. The Bloodstone needs to transported to be sacrificed and the Tree needs to be protected until its protective powers return.
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To be successful, teams will have to work together deciding who will move and sacrifice the stone before its potency expires and is rejected by the Gods. All the while someone will need to protect the tree because if destroyed by an opposing team, they will repeat the rewards IF they can get them to their target location for redemption. Victory is Teamwork and without working together to achieve the multiple common objectives, a small organized group could come in a take the glory for themselves regardless of the size of your fortifications or the number of people on your side. As seen in the example below, Guild 1 overextended, left their castle unoccupied and Guild 2 swept in and destroyed the Bloodstone Tree, captured the stronghold for themselves and set themselves on the road to victory.
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Now the scenario presented does make a lot of assumptions, but is a great illustration of how the heat of battle can make teams make impulsive decisions. Though it also implies how quick this scenario could go down and that has the forums in a steady debate about how great or how bad this type of campaign could be. Most of the discussions center on the size of the area and the length of time it would take to siege. With so much information still not revealed on specifics, I for one have to say I am intrigued on the concept. Sending out roving parties to harass, draw out and otherwise antagonize the other team all the while building up better fortifications to protect my tree sounds amazing. But it will come down to how effective it is to move siege gear and take down fortifications, how willing teams are to work towards the greater goals vice individual objects and the amount of play time required per play session for this scenario to successfully play out.
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The Bloodstone Campaign is definitely an interesting take on the capture the flag style objective. My brain is buzzing with various strategies I want to try out. I am really interested to know if a single team can have multiple trees active at once or if they are only allowed one at a time or one period. Each answer provides so many different ways to affect the overall strategic value of location you plant your tree. One strategy that comes to mind is sacrificing your tree for an even larger plan that may involve an new tree in a new resource rich area. Proper use and management of the Bloodstone Trees protection as a crafter or gather while the protection is up is paradise of unimpeded manufacturing time. This of course assumes you have team support and the overall strategy is understood. Whether you are Bleeding the Bloodstone or you get bled for the Bloodstone, I have to think the Gods will be happy either way, you just have to wonder which Gods.
