When The Elder Scrolls Online gets Update 40 for the base game, not only will the Endless Archive dungeon be freely available to all, but there’s a new Hermaeus Mora Patron Deck for Tales of Tribute on the way.
The team previewed the upcoming deck, which won't be tied to a DLC purchase. Those who undertake the challenging Endless Archive will be able to find fragments that they can use to unlock the new deck.
Tale of Tribute Patron decks are themed to their patron. When you start a round, you get to choose two Patron decks to take into the game with you. One of the victory conditions is gaining favor from all of the patrons in play. you can use Patron abilities strategically.
The Hermaeus Mora deck is designed for raw power and speed. Senior Systems designer John Carlson is interviewed for the preview and he dives into the design and the mechanics of the new deck.
“Hermaeus Mora cards are looking to accumulate a game-winning amount of Prestige before the free resources and cards you’ve given your opponent begin to pile up against you.”
When you design a deck to be focused on faster games and power instead of having to strategically calculate actions, there have to be some trade-offs to keep some balance. This deck introduces a new mechanic to the table: setback.
According to Carlson, “Hermaeus Mora introduces the “setback” mechanic, where players give their opponents a resource in exchange for the card being significantly cheaper to buy. We paired this with the new patron ability to acquire any non-contract cards in the Tavern, but your opponent receives a copy of it as well.”
Trade-offs are part of choosing this deck. You'll have to decide when to use your Patron power or you may decide to skip certain cards if the reward isn't worth the setback. Also have to guard as best you can or play as fast as you can to try and get ahead of any player that uses a deck that can slow you down.
Once the update is live on October 30th on PC / Mac and consoles November 14th, everyone will be able to get deck fragments by venturing into the Endless Archive.
See the full preview over at The Elder Scrolls Online.
