Spellfire
| Designer(s) | James Ward |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | TSR |
| Players | 2+ |
| Age range | 10+ |
| Playing time | Approx 90 min |
| Random chance | Some |
| Skill(s) required |
Card playing Arithmetic Basic Reading Ability |
Spellfire: Master the Magic was a collectible card game (CCG) created by TSR, Inc. and based on their popular Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. The game appeared in 1994, shortly after the introduction of Magic: The Gathering, in the wake of the success enjoyed by trading card games. It was the second-ever CCG, preceding Wizards of the Coast's second CCG Jyhad by a mere two months.
After the successful launch of Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering card game in 1993, TSR entered the fledgling CCG market with their take on a fantasy-themed card game in June 1994. Spellfire was designed by Steve Winter, Jim Ward, Dave Cook, and Tim Brown.
Spellfire used characters, locations, magic items, artifacts, monsters, events, and spells from the intellectual properties of TSR's Dungeons & Dragons gaming worlds. However, it faced criticism immediately after release. One concern was TSR's use of artwork on Spellfire cards that had already been used on TSR's products like AD&D and Dragon Magazine. Another source of debate was Spellfire's use of completely different game mechanics. Many fans who purchased Spellfire expected a similar style of gameplay to that of Magic: The Gathering and when Spellfire provided a different set of rules and style of play, they rejected the game.
The first release had a selection of 400 cards, which included cards from the Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun, and Greyhawk settings. The basic set came packaged in a double deck (55 cards per deck), in three levels of rarity (Common, Uncommon, and Rare), and booster packs were also sold which included 25 additional cards not available in the basic set.
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