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* SummoningArtifact: The Frog Kingdom's Guardian Stone is used to protect the tadpoles and unhatched young of Dawnglow from harm. It's programmed to summon [[SandWorm Guardian Wurms]] to the area in case of an attack.
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* HoldYourHippogriffs: Several Chaos-aligned characters, such as the necromancer Aria and the DragonTamer Fiona, use "fire lord" in place of "God" (e.g. "thank the fire lord you've arrived"). This may be referring to [[JerkassGods Vulcanos]].
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* WeaponizedStench: In the [[TemporaryOnlineContent now-unavailable]] Dawnglow Swamp expedition, Aria and Elyse encounter a monster that sprays them with something that smells like raw meat. This gets them chased by hungry swamp creatures, and Aria theorizes this is how the monster lures in its prey.
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* GilliganCut: One is used in a [[TemporaryOnlineContent now-inaccessible]] expedition to Dawnglow Swamp, when Aria tells Elyse she'd sooner freeze to death than explore the swampland. Cue the next part of the level, and...
--> '''Aria:''' ''I can't BELIEVE we are wading through this filth!''
--> '''Aria:''' ''I can't BELIEVE we are wading through this filth!''
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* BubblegloopSwamp: Dawnglow Swamp, home of the FrogMen, is the fifth map. It serves as a BreatherEpisode after the first visit to [[DiscOneFinalDungeon the Void]], and has the player investigating a mysterious case of [[GrimyWater water poisoning]].
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* BubblegloopSwamp: Dawnglow Swamp, home of the FrogMen, [[FrogMen Frog Kingdom]], is the fifth map. It serves as a BreatherEpisode after the first visit to [[DiscOneFinalDungeon the Void]], and has the player investigating a mysterious case of [[GrimyWater water poisoning]]. It's visited a few more times later on, including once in an expedition that's [[TemporaryOnlineContent no longer accessible]].
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* UpsettingTheBalance: The Void's presence in Arcantica is treated this way, to the point where it drives the elementals of the Celestial Vault berserk trying to stop it from spreading. A [[TemporaryOnlineContent no-longer-available]] arc revolves around calming them down with the Guardian Stone, found in [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]].
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* FloatingContinent: The Celestial Vault, a mysterious plane high in the sky that's home to countless Elementals. It's also where the player is meant to encounter [[RockMonster Groc]] for the first time, although [[TemporaryOnlineContent this meeting is no longer possible]].
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* MonsterIsAMommy: {{Subverted|Trope}} with Kerlor, the Ice Dragon fought during the first Tarragon Peak expedition. It's been driven mad by earthquakes, and the dragon eggs it's protecting were stolen from other nests.
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* EarthquakesCauseFissures: In the first Tarragon Peak expedition (which can't be accessed anymore), the dragons have gone berserk thanks to a mysterious earthquake that has torn the ground apart.
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* LethalLavaLand: Karthos, the third map, is a volcano known as the "lair of Chaos". It's home to aggressive [[UndergroundMonkey lava crabs]] and the castle of [[TheNecrocracy Tarian, the Lich Lord]].
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* LethalLavaLand: Karthos, the third map, is a volcano volcanic locale known as the "lair of Chaos". It's home to aggressive [[UndergroundMonkey lava crabs]] and the castle of [[TheNecrocracy Tarian, the Lich Lord]]. There's also Tarragon Peak, an enormous volcano that's home to countless dragons.
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* NaturalDisasterCascade: There's always ''something'' amiss in the world of Arcantica, from [[GrimyWater water pollution]] all throughout Dawnglow Swamp to damaging earthquakes on [[LethalLavaLand Tarragon Peak]] that have been driving the local dragons crazy.
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* OlympusMons: The eight Mythic-rarity cards are some of the strongest in the entire game, and they're distinguished from other cards by having {{animation|Bump}} and a [[SignatureMove unique skill]]. Champion cards, special Legendaries that [[MechanicallyUnusualClass rival them in power]], can also count if they're at a high enough level.
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* OlympusMons: The eight Mythic-rarity cards are some of the strongest in the entire game, and they're distinguished from other cards by having {{animation|Bump}} and a [[SignatureMove [[SecretArt unique skill]]. Champion cards, special Legendaries that [[MechanicallyUnusualClass rival them in power]], can also count if they're at a high enough level.
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* SignatureMove: [[OlympusMons Mythic cards]] distinguish themselves from other cards by having a special skill only they can use. For example, Atlas's "Invigorate" will not only [[HealThyself heal all of your cards]], but permanently increase their maximum HP by a few points.
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* SignatureMove: SecretArt: [[OlympusMons Mythic cards]] distinguish themselves from other cards by having a special skill only they can use. For example, Atlas's "Invigorate" will not only [[HealThyself heal all of your cards]], but permanently increase their maximum HP by a few points.
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* ADayInTheLimelight: The very first [[TemporaryOnlineContent temporary event]] in the game was called "Aria's Fall", starring Aria the Necromancer on a journey through the Salt Wastes. It's meant to explain what got her corrupted by the Void in her first in-game appearance.
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* DrawAggro: The Taunt skill, used by a few enemies [[SecretAIMoves the player can never obtain]], can be used to draw direct attacks.
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* HarmlessFreezing: The Freeze skill encases an enemy card in ice for one turn, preventing it from taking any action. Mercifully, this is one of the few skills with a [[StealthPun cooldown]].
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* InitiationCeremony: In order for Oda to become a Keeper of the First Order and obtain the Seastone Citadel's holy artifact, he must undergo a ritual of fending off several undead while inside a magic circle. The last opponent is some sort of [[EldritchAbomination bizarre demon]] with a huge eye on its stomach and two sets of tentacles.
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* PlaceOfProtection: The Seastone Citadel, located on the easternmost coast of Arcantica, was meant as a safeguard against the Void.
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* PlaceOfProtection: The Seastone Citadel, located on the easternmost coast of Arcantica, was meant as a safeguard against the Void. It's sought out by Elyse and Oda once they deduce that it may contain an [[ArtifactOfHope ancient artifact]] that could aid in the fight against the Void.
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* MagicDance: The Seastone Citadel is locked behind the First Order's magic, and needs to be opened using a dance. According to Oda, this is proof that the Citadel is ancient; his tribe no longer uses these sorts of locks because, in his words...
-->'''Oda:''' ''The drinking enthusiasts of my country had a way of figuring out the dance...''
-->'''Oda:''' ''The drinking enthusiasts of my country had a way of figuring out the dance...''
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* PlaceOfProtection: The Seastone Citadel, located on the easternmost coast of Arcantica, was meant as a safeguard against the Void.
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* MysticalPlague: Close contact with [[MadeOfEvil the Void]] can cause infections, fevers, and [[BrainwashedAndCrazy evil deeds]].
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* FreemiumTimer: ''Spellstone'' uses an energy system that regenerates by one point every ten minutes. [[spoiler:Once you get the Heart of Blue Fire, it regenerates by one point every eight minutes and raises the cap by 30.]]
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* FreemiumTimer: ''Spellstone'' uses an energy system that regenerates by one point every ten minutes. [[spoiler:Once Once you get the Heart of Blue Fire, it regenerates by one point every eight minutes and raises the cap by 30.]]
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* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before. [[spoiler:In the wrong hands, however, the Heart serves as a major source of TheCorruption -- and the bad guys getting their hands on it forms the game's first Story Arc.]]
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* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before. [[spoiler:In the wrong hands, however, the Heart serves as a major source of TheCorruption -- and the bad guys getting their hands on it forms the game's first Story Arc.{{story arc}}.]]
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** [[spoiler:The Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] are responsible for the poisoning of Dawnglow Swamp, [[spoiler:though [[NonMaliciousMonster not intentionally]] -- they're simply [[WalkingWasteland native to the Void]].]]
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** [[spoiler:The The Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] Corruptrex are responsible for the poisoning of Dawnglow Swamp, [[spoiler:though though [[NonMaliciousMonster not intentionally]] -- they're simply [[WalkingWasteland native to the Void]].]]
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* ArtifactOfDoom: [[spoiler:The Heart of Blue Fire turns out to be the source of TheCorruption plaguing the lands in the game's first arc.]]
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* ArtifactOfDoom: [[spoiler:The Heart of Blue Fire Fire]] turns out to be the source of TheCorruption plaguing the lands in the game's first arc.]]
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* TheCorruption: The Void, a powerful force of evil, poisons the minds of several named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]]. On the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to [[WalkingWasteland the Corruptrex and her babies]], who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
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* TheCorruption: The Void, a powerful force of evil, poisons the minds of several named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]]. On the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks thanks to [[WalkingWasteland the Corruptrex and her babies]], who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].Void.
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* DetectivesFollowFootprints: During the Dawnglow Swamp map, Groc and Ursurio track down [[spoiler:the Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] by scanning the swamp until they can find footprints to follow.
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* DetectivesFollowFootprints: During the Dawnglow Swamp map, Groc and Ursurio track down [[spoiler:the the Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] Corruptrex by scanning the swamp until they can find footprints to follow.
* InfinityMinusOneSword: Champion cards, especially once they've reached a [[MagikarpPower high enough level]], are a player's bread-and-butter once they reach endgame thanks to having higher stats and stronger skills than most Legendary cards.
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* TechnicolorFire: The Heart of Blue Fire looks like a dark blue rock wreathed in blue flames. [[spoiler:Once the player finally obtains it, they'll be able to collect Blue Fire Souls as rewards, which look like small pebbles covered in blue fire.]]
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* TechnicolorFire: The Heart of Blue Fire looks like a dark blue rock wreathed in blue flames. [[spoiler:Once Once the player finally obtains it, they'll be able to collect Blue Fire Souls as rewards, which look like small pebbles covered in blue fire.]]
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* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle for dominance.
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* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle for dominance. [[spoiler:This, coupled with some FantasticRacism, is what drove [[EvilAllAlong Samael]] to try using the [[ArtifactOfDoom Heart of Blue Fire]] as a way to [[FinalSolution permanently end the Chaos faction]].]]
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* BreatherEpisode: After the party's first visit to the Void [[spoiler:and their climactic battle with [[EvilAllAlong Samael]]]], there are two short missions in Dawnglow Swamp and Seastone Citadel to tide the player over before the story continues.
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* ArcVillain: The first arc's BigBad is none other than [[spoiler:Samael, who plans to use the Heart of Blue Fire to [[FinalSolution wipe out the Chaos]] once and for all.]]
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* ArcVillain: ArcVillain:
** The first arc's BigBad is none other than [[spoiler:Samael, who plans to use the Heart of Blue Fire to [[FinalSolution wipe out the Chaos]] once and for all.]]
** [[spoiler:The Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] are responsible for the poisoning of Dawnglow Swamp, [[spoiler:though [[NonMaliciousMonster not intentionally]] -- they're simply [[WalkingWasteland native to the Void]].]]
** The first arc's BigBad is none other than [[spoiler:Samael, who plans to use the Heart of Blue Fire to [[FinalSolution wipe out the Chaos]] once and for all.]]
** [[spoiler:The Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] are responsible for the poisoning of Dawnglow Swamp, [[spoiler:though [[NonMaliciousMonster not intentionally]] -- they're simply [[WalkingWasteland native to the Void]].]]
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* TheCorruption: The Void, a powerful force of evil, poisons the minds of several named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]]. On the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to the Corruptrex and her babies, who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
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* TheCorruption: The Void, a powerful force of evil, poisons the minds of several named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]]. On the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to [[WalkingWasteland the Corruptrex and her babies, babies]], who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
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* DetectivesFollowFootprints: During the Dawnglow Swamp map, Groc and Ursurio track down [[spoiler:the Corruptlings and Corruptrex]] by scanning the swamp until they can find footprints to follow.
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* TheCorruption: The expedition in [[JungleJapes Elaria]] is halted by [[StarterVillain Aria]]'s undead invasion, but it turns out she's [[DarkIsNotEvil an otherwise good person]] who's fallen under the influence of [[BlackMagic the Void]]. The Void poisons the minds of several other named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]] -- on the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to the Corruptrex and her babies, who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
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* BubblegloopSwamp: Dawnglow Swamp, home of the FrogMen, is the fifth map. It serves as a BreatherEpisode after the first visit to [[DiscOneFinalDungeon the Void]], and has the player investigating a mysterious case of [[GrimyWater water poisoning]].
* TheCorruption: Theexpedition in [[JungleJapes Elaria]] is halted by [[StarterVillain Aria]]'s undead invasion, but it turns out she's [[DarkIsNotEvil an otherwise good person]] who's fallen under the influence Void, a powerful force of [[BlackMagic the Void]]. The Void evil, poisons the minds of several other named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]] -- on environment]]. On the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to the Corruptrex and her babies, who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
* TheCorruption: The
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* FrogMen: Many members of the [[AmphibianAssault Frog tribe]] are humanoid. There's a whole civilization of sapient frog-people in Dawnglow Swamp, ruled by the Frog Emperor. His [[TheGoodChancellor second-in-command]], Cedric, becomes a playable Hero after beating the Dawnglow Swamp campaign.
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* GrimyWater: In the [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]] campaign, Groc, Ursurio, and the player are asked to help the Frog Emperor after something's been poisoning the swamp water and harming his citizens.
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* ArcVillain: The first arc's BigBad is none other than [[spoiler:Samael, who plans to use the Heart of Blue Fire to [[FinalSolution wipe out the Chaos]] once and for all.]]
* ArtifactOfDoom: [[spoiler:The Heart of Blue Fire turns out to be the source of TheCorruption plaguing the lands in the game's first arc.]]
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* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. [[spoiler:Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before.]]
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* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. [[spoiler:Obtaining Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before.before. [[spoiler:In the wrong hands, however, the Heart serves as a major source of TheCorruption -- and the bad guys getting their hands on it forms the game's first Story Arc.]]
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release date error
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''Spellstone'' (also known as ''Spellstone: Dungeons Unearthed'') is an [[CardBattleGame online CCG]] released in 2016 and developed by Synapse Games, the makers of ''VideoGame/{{Tyrant}}'' and its successor, ''Tyrant Unleashed''. The company was later bought out by Website/{{Kongregate}}, who continue to update the game to this day. It can be played [[https://www.kongregate.com/games/synapticon/spellstone here]], but it can also be found on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and mobile platforms.
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''Spellstone'' (also known as ''Spellstone: Dungeons Unearthed'') is an [[CardBattleGame online CCG]] released in 2016 late 2015 and developed by Synapse Games, the makers of ''VideoGame/{{Tyrant}}'' and its successor, ''Tyrant Unleashed''. The company was later bought out by Website/{{Kongregate}}, who continue to update the game to this day. It can be played [[https://www.kongregate.com/games/synapticon/spellstone here]], but it can also be found on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and mobile platforms.
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* GreatBigLibraryOfEverything: The Aether faction owns the biggest archives in all of Arcantica, essentially this trope. It's curated by [[MagicLibrarian Yuriel]], the [[TheOwlKnowingOne Owl Mystic]].
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* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle with one another.
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* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle with one another.for dominance.
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* UnstableEquilibrium: Due to the fact that most cards have a delay of one to four turns before they activate, once one player starts to lose cards, it's pretty much over for them unless they can turn things around ''very'' quickly.
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* UnstableEquilibrium: Due to the fact that most cards have a delay of one to four turns before they activate, once one player starts to lose cards, it's pretty much over for them unless they can turn things around ''very'' quickly.quickly.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: The Maniac General is the last enemy fought in [[JungleJapes Elaria]], sitting atop the cache containing the Heart of Blue Fire. Defeat him, and [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas Luminis]] opens up, where the contents of the cache are revealed to be a small, harmless [[ComMons Soul Wisp]].
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: The Maniac General is the last enemy fought in [[JungleJapes Elaria]], sitting atop the cache containing the Heart of Blue Fire. Defeat him, and [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas Luminis]] opens up, where the contents of the cache are revealed to be a small, harmless [[ComMons Soul Wisp]].
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* PsychicBlockDefense: Those touched by the Void are immune to telepathy, as shown when [[{{Necromancer}} Aria]] attempts to take control of some corrupted undead and fails.
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* InfinityPlusOneSword: The final Champion card, Lev the Forgotten Hero, can only be obtained by grinding another Champion all the way up to level 10. Any more Champion Stones for that Champion will be converted into stones for Lev from then on.
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[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the collectibles from ''Franchise/StarFox'' or the similarly-named ''[[VideoGame/HearthstoneHeroesOfWarcraft Hearthstone]]''.
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[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the collectibles from ''Franchise/StarFox'' or ''Franchise/StarFox''. Or the similarly-named ''[[VideoGame/HearthstoneHeroesOfWarcraft Hearthstone]]''.Hearthstone]]'' and ''[=SpellStorm=]''.
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Hello, world!
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spellstone.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Unravel the mystery of the Void.]]
-> ''"An ancient island, cloaked in a veil of ice, has been rediscovered. Adventurers arrive in waves, with hopes of power and rare treasures. The treasures they seek are Spellstones, which contain magical creatures from a time long past. Hopeful adventurers speak of one of the Elder Treasures - a Heart of Blue Fire. You are here to find it."''
-->-- '''Opening'''
''Spellstone'' (also known as ''Spellstone: Dungeons Unearthed'') is an [[CardBattleGame online CCG]] released in 2016 and developed by Synapse Games, the makers of ''VideoGame/{{Tyrant}}'' and its successor, ''Tyrant Unleashed''. The company was later bought out by Website/{{Kongregate}}, who continue to update the game to this day. It can be played [[https://www.kongregate.com/games/synapticon/spellstone here]], but it can also be found on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and mobile platforms.
Set in the mystical land of Arcantica, ''Spellstone'' takes place in an elaborate fantasy setting populated with all manner of collectible creatures. The game is "free-to-start", with the option to purchase Shards and certain bundles using {{microtransactions}}. The gameplay is simple: each player assembles a deck of fifteen cards and a "hero" to represent them. The object of the game is to defeat your opponent by emptying their hero's [[LifeMeter health bar]]. Each card and hero can use up to three skills, allowing for countless strategies -- as of this writing, there are upwards of 1300 cards and 30 different skills.
[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the collectibles from ''Franchise/StarFox'' or the similarly-named ''[[VideoGame/HearthstoneHeroesOfWarcraft Hearthstone]]''.
----
!! Tropes found in the world of ''Spellstone'' include:
* AchievementSystem: By clicking the Raven at the top left corner of the [[HubLevel Airship]], you can view the Quests screen, which lists various objectives such as clearing all the levels on a given map, collecting Bounties, crafting Runes, and reaching certain milestones in [[PlayerVersusPlayer the Arena]]. Depending on the quest, you can earn gold, Arcane Dust, Runeshells, and even Shards.
* AnAdventurerIsYou: To the point where the game averts HelloInsertNameHere and flat-out calls you "Adventurer" all the way to the end.
* TheArtifact: There are a few cards in the Reward and Premium sets that were released very early on and aren't a part of [[StandardFantasyRaces the ten tribes]]. Ever since [[FieldPowerEffect tribe-specific Battleground Events]] started, these have been pretty much left by the wayside as unobtainable {{Junk Rare}}s, seen only in early-game enemy decks or by particularly eagle-eyed players browsing the in-game card list.
* BribingYourWayToVictory: ''[[AllegedlyFreeGame All over the place]]''. Players can use Shards (a form of in-game currency) to buy premium cards from the shop, refill their [[FreemiumTimer energy meter]], get more Bounties, and a whole host of other perks. While it's possible to accumulate many Shards over months by [[PlayEveryDay grabbing the daily bonus]], it's ''much'' faster to simply buy them with real-world money.
* TheCorruption: The expedition in [[JungleJapes Elaria]] is halted by [[StarterVillain Aria]]'s undead invasion, but it turns out she's [[DarkIsNotEvil an otherwise good person]] who's fallen under the influence of [[BlackMagic the Void]]. The Void poisons the minds of several other named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]] -- on the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to the Corruptrex and her babies, who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
* CounterAttack: Four different skills are various forms of counterattack. Vengeance will deal damage to whatever hits the card with a direct attack, and Emberhide and Poisonhide apply [[StatusEffects burn and poison damage]] instead. Then there's [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Backlash]], which deals damage to any card on the enemy's team that targets it with a skill.
* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: The second map, Luminis, has the eponymous City of Luminis. It's a bright golden city home to many higher-ups in the Aether faction, such as [[TheOwlKnowingOne Yuriel]] and [[BitchInSheepsClothing Samael]].
* DamageIncreasingDebuff: Any card hit by the Hex skill will take extra damage from direct attacks ''and'' most other skills, barring {{status effects}} like poison and scorch.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Aria the Necromancer, Yuriel the Owl Mystic, Decim the Firebringer, and [[spoiler:Samael]] all antagonize the player during the first four maps of the game (roughly forming the first StoryArc), but after they're defeated, they return many times throughout the game as allies, and it's possible to [[DefeatMeansPlayable set them as your Hero]] once you reach a high enough bounty rank.
* DefeatMeansPlayable: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]]. Several [[OlympusMons Champion cards]] are also bosses fought throughout the story, but it's possible for the player to obtain their cards before ever fighting them.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Up until early 2017, event maps would [[TemporaryOnlineContent vanish for good]] after the event ended, resulting in many new players losing track of the story by winding up InMediasRes. This was corrected starting with [[PortTown Duskwillow]] and every map thereafter.
* ElementalEmbodiment: Many Elementals fit the trope. They can do it in both the "classical elements" sense (for example, the [[ComMons Moss Golem]] is one of the first Elementals you'll get) and the scientific sense (one Premium card is the Gold Elemental, a sentient mass of [[LivingLava molten gold]]).
* ElementNumberFive: The game's three main elemental factions are the Aether (typically [[AnIcePerson ice]], [[BlowYouAway wind]], or [[LightEmUp light]]), the Chaos ([[PlayingWithFire fire]] or [[CastingAShadow darkness]]), and the Wyld ([[DishingOutDirt earth]], [[GreenThumb grass]], or [[MakingASplash water]]). And then there's [[PowerOfTheVoid the Void]], who take bits and pieces from ''all'' these factions but are generally lumped together with "[[BlackMagic evil magic]]" and "[[DarkIsEvil evil darkness]]".
* FantasyKitchenSink: To give you an idea, there are deities from all sorts of world mythologies, like [[Myth/NorseMythology Nidhogg]] and [[Myth/IncaMythology Viracocha]], mixed together with [[MechanicalInsects gigantic robotic bugs]], {{fallen angel}}s, and totally original beasts like [[FeatheredFiend the Noctrus Flintclaw]].
* FeaturelessProtagonist: The playable "Adventurer" is never seen in the flesh. Instead, the player can choose one of various important characters in the game to be their Hero, who helps the deck out with skills of their own and serves as a ''de facto'' avatar.
* FieldPowerEffect: Every 4 weeks in real time, the developers will release a brand-new "Battleground Event" (BGE for short) favoring one of the game's ten tribes, giving every card in that tribe a substantial boost in power. For example, in May 2022, the BGE "Exalted Warfare" granted every [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angel card]] the Legion and Fervor skills. Starting in Duskwillow, each map has their own ways to strengthen the player, which can be upgraded with collectibles from that map.
* FragileSpeedster: Cards with low (1-2 turns) delay or no delay at all will typically have less than 40 HP and weaker skills to compensate for being so fast.
* {{Freemium}}: An odd ''stratified'' version, where the more real-world money you spend, the higher your "VIP Rank" becomes. The highest VIP ranks have access to all of Drake and Drake's Emporium, more [[FreemiumTimer energy]], more bounties, larger inventories, Dust Packs, and a button that will instantly raise a card to its maximum level (provided the player has the resources).
* FreemiumTimer: ''Spellstone'' uses an energy system that regenerates by one point every ten minutes. [[spoiler:Once you get the Heart of Blue Fire, it regenerates by one point every eight minutes and raises the cap by 30.]]
* FusionDance: A core gameplay mechanic. If you upgrade two copies of the same card to their maximum level, you can combine them and create a "dual-fused" version with a [[TieredByName new name]] and higher stats. The strongest "quad-fused" cards are made by combining two dual-fused cards in much the same way.
* GamingClan: Players can join Guilds for more gold, camaraderie, and a chance to participate in events like Guild Clashes, Raids, and Guild Wars. More selective Guilds screen players by bounty rank, and the top Guilds in the game may require a direct invite from higher-ups in the Guild to enter.
* HeKnowsAboutTimedHits: During the tutorial, the Raven will walk you through the first battles by telling you which cards to play and what each skill does.
* HubLevel: The Airship is where players can find the shop, the bounties, their [[GamingClan guild]], and the crafting table, so they'll be returning to it often when they aren't taking part in special events or clearing levels.
* JungleJapes: The very first map, Elaria, takes place in a lush jungle with a large {{Mayincatec}} pyramid taking up much of the background. There are a few Wyld cards, mostly dragons, that are apparently native to it.
* JustifiedTutorial: Working with Spellstones is a dangerous job that entails fighting against all sorts of fantasy creatures, so the captain of the Elaria expedition wants to make sure you have what it takes to find the Heart of Blue Fire.
* LethalLavaLand: Karthos, the third map, is a volcano known as the "lair of Chaos". It's home to aggressive [[UndergroundMonkey lava crabs]] and the castle of [[TheNecrocracy Tarian, the Lich Lord]].
* LevelLockedLoot: The player is given a treasure chest at the start of the game that will open after reaching a certain level... to reveal [[MatryoshkaObject another treasure chest]] and a few rewards. Fortunately, this disappears around the time the player can start holding their own.
* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. [[spoiler:Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before.]]
* MagikarpPower: Low-level [[OlympusMons Champions]] aren't much more useful than Epics, and serve as good [[CrutchCharacter crutch cards]] to rely on in the early game. High-level Champions, which you get by collecting hundreds of Champion Stones, are among the absolute strongest in the game. There are also three Mythics (Narix, Scylla, and Verus) that follow a similar principle.
* MatryoshkaObject: The [[LevelLockedLoot beginner's treasure chests]] the player receives at the start of the game will open to reveal some goodies... and the next tier of treasure chest. Eventually, this stops when the player reaches a high enough level and doesn't need the rewards anymore.
* MechanicallyUnusualClass:
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} with [[OlympusMons Champion cards]]. These are legendary cards that can't fuse, but can be upgraded to rival the Mythics in sheer strength... if the player collects enough Champion Stones, which are unique to that Champion and are required to raise them to the next level. It requires a total of 4,000 Champion Stones to fully upgrade one, which is ''very'' difficult to do without [[{{Microtransactions}} spending]] or years of persistent grinding.
** In the same vein as the Champions, the Mythic cards Narix, Scylla, and Verus don't start out as Mythics. They need to be upgraded through the various rarities using Embersouls, Brinesouls, and Windsouls respectively.
* MightyGlacier: Cards with higher (3-4 turns) delay will typically have 40 or more HP and stronger skills to compensate for being so slow.
* OlympusMons: The eight Mythic-rarity cards are some of the strongest in the entire game, and they're distinguished from other cards by having {{animation|Bump}} and a [[SignatureMove unique skill]]. Champion cards, special Legendaries that [[MechanicallyUnusualClass rival them in power]], can also count if they're at a high enough level.
* PlayerVersusPlayer: You can face players' decks that are controlled by the AI by playing Bounties, but you can also fight other players in real time with the Arena. If you're in a [[GamingClan Guild]], you can also challenge your fellow guild members to battle using the "Live Battle" function, which won't affect either player's standing in the Arena.
* PlayEveryDay: ''Spellstone'' has many incentives to play every day, from the Daily Bonus (which gives better and better rewards through the month) to many [[TemporaryOnlineContent limited-time events]].
* PromotionalPowerlessPieceOfGarbage: The Arcblaze Dragon, an Epic-tier reward card first released at a very early point in the game's lifespan. Unlike pretty much ''every other card in the game'', Arcblaze cannot [[FusionDance fuse with other cards]] at all, and it has succumbed HARD to six years' worth of PowerCreep. Only diehard collectors will miss it. Interestingly, the game's files contain art for [[WhatCouldHaveBeen a quad-fused Arcblaze Dragon]], so this trope could have been {{Averted}} entirely.
* PowerEqualsRarity: The weakest cards are "Common", and they get progressively stronger as the player progresses from "Rare" and "Epic" to "Legendary" and "Mythic".
* SignatureMove: [[OlympusMons Mythic cards]] distinguish themselves from other cards by having a special skill only they can use. For example, Atlas's "Invigorate" will not only [[HealThyself heal all of your cards]], but permanently increase their maximum HP by a few points.
* StandardFantasyRaces: ''Spellstone'' has ten "tribes" that roughly correspond to them -- [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angel]], [[AvianTropes Avian]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]], [[ElementalEmbodiment Elemental]], [[AmphibianAssault Frog]], [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent Goblin]], [[BigCreepyCrawlies Insect]], [[RobotRollCall Mecha]], [[AquaticAnimalTropes Seafolk]], and [[TheUndead Undead]].
* StraightForTheCommander: It doesn't matter if your cards can still fight -- if your Hero is defeated, [[InstantWinCondition it's game over]].
* TechnicolorFire: The Heart of Blue Fire looks like a dark blue rock wreathed in blue flames. [[spoiler:Once the player finally obtains it, they'll be able to collect Blue Fire Souls as rewards, which look like small pebbles covered in blue fire.]]
* TemporaryOnlineContent: Each challenge and special event in a given BGE lasts only a few days, and after that all the rewards are permanently gone. In the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness early days]] of ''Spellstone'', even the ''maps'' were temporary, and were changed out for different ones depending on the BGE.
* TieredByName: Dual-fused and quad-fused cards have different names from the single-fused cards they were made from.
* TimeLimitBoss: A variation. While most boss levels can be challenged at any time, "Lightning Bosses" are treated as events, and if the player doesn't beat them in three days, [[TemporaryOnlineContent they'll never get the chance to fight them again]].
* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle with one another.
* UnlockableDifficultyLevels: Beat a level for the first time, and you'll only earn one of ''seven'' stars for that level. This permanently ups its difficulty until the player earns the seventh star, which requires a fight against fully upgraded, quad-fused cards.
* UnstableEquilibrium: Due to the fact that most cards have a delay of one to four turns before they activate, once one player starts to lose cards, it's pretty much over for them unless they can turn things around ''very'' quickly.
[[caption-width-right:350:Unravel the mystery of the Void.]]
-> ''"An ancient island, cloaked in a veil of ice, has been rediscovered. Adventurers arrive in waves, with hopes of power and rare treasures. The treasures they seek are Spellstones, which contain magical creatures from a time long past. Hopeful adventurers speak of one of the Elder Treasures - a Heart of Blue Fire. You are here to find it."''
-->-- '''Opening'''
''Spellstone'' (also known as ''Spellstone: Dungeons Unearthed'') is an [[CardBattleGame online CCG]] released in 2016 and developed by Synapse Games, the makers of ''VideoGame/{{Tyrant}}'' and its successor, ''Tyrant Unleashed''. The company was later bought out by Website/{{Kongregate}}, who continue to update the game to this day. It can be played [[https://www.kongregate.com/games/synapticon/spellstone here]], but it can also be found on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and mobile platforms.
Set in the mystical land of Arcantica, ''Spellstone'' takes place in an elaborate fantasy setting populated with all manner of collectible creatures. The game is "free-to-start", with the option to purchase Shards and certain bundles using {{microtransactions}}. The gameplay is simple: each player assembles a deck of fifteen cards and a "hero" to represent them. The object of the game is to defeat your opponent by emptying their hero's [[LifeMeter health bar]]. Each card and hero can use up to three skills, allowing for countless strategies -- as of this writing, there are upwards of 1300 cards and 30 different skills.
[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the collectibles from ''Franchise/StarFox'' or the similarly-named ''[[VideoGame/HearthstoneHeroesOfWarcraft Hearthstone]]''.
----
!! Tropes found in the world of ''Spellstone'' include:
* AchievementSystem: By clicking the Raven at the top left corner of the [[HubLevel Airship]], you can view the Quests screen, which lists various objectives such as clearing all the levels on a given map, collecting Bounties, crafting Runes, and reaching certain milestones in [[PlayerVersusPlayer the Arena]]. Depending on the quest, you can earn gold, Arcane Dust, Runeshells, and even Shards.
* AnAdventurerIsYou: To the point where the game averts HelloInsertNameHere and flat-out calls you "Adventurer" all the way to the end.
* TheArtifact: There are a few cards in the Reward and Premium sets that were released very early on and aren't a part of [[StandardFantasyRaces the ten tribes]]. Ever since [[FieldPowerEffect tribe-specific Battleground Events]] started, these have been pretty much left by the wayside as unobtainable {{Junk Rare}}s, seen only in early-game enemy decks or by particularly eagle-eyed players browsing the in-game card list.
* BribingYourWayToVictory: ''[[AllegedlyFreeGame All over the place]]''. Players can use Shards (a form of in-game currency) to buy premium cards from the shop, refill their [[FreemiumTimer energy meter]], get more Bounties, and a whole host of other perks. While it's possible to accumulate many Shards over months by [[PlayEveryDay grabbing the daily bonus]], it's ''much'' faster to simply buy them with real-world money.
* TheCorruption: The expedition in [[JungleJapes Elaria]] is halted by [[StarterVillain Aria]]'s undead invasion, but it turns out she's [[DarkIsNotEvil an otherwise good person]] who's fallen under the influence of [[BlackMagic the Void]]. The Void poisons the minds of several other named characters and various monsters in the story, and even seems to [[EvilTaintedThePlace affect the environment]] -- on the party's first visit to [[BubblegloopSwamp Dawnglow Swamp]], the whole location has become purple and foul [[spoiler:thanks to the Corruptrex and her babies, who came to Dawnglow from the Void]].
* CounterAttack: Four different skills are various forms of counterattack. Vengeance will deal damage to whatever hits the card with a direct attack, and Emberhide and Poisonhide apply [[StatusEffects burn and poison damage]] instead. Then there's [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Backlash]], which deals damage to any card on the enemy's team that targets it with a skill.
* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: The second map, Luminis, has the eponymous City of Luminis. It's a bright golden city home to many higher-ups in the Aether faction, such as [[TheOwlKnowingOne Yuriel]] and [[BitchInSheepsClothing Samael]].
* DamageIncreasingDebuff: Any card hit by the Hex skill will take extra damage from direct attacks ''and'' most other skills, barring {{status effects}} like poison and scorch.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Aria the Necromancer, Yuriel the Owl Mystic, Decim the Firebringer, and [[spoiler:Samael]] all antagonize the player during the first four maps of the game (roughly forming the first StoryArc), but after they're defeated, they return many times throughout the game as allies, and it's possible to [[DefeatMeansPlayable set them as your Hero]] once you reach a high enough bounty rank.
* DefeatMeansPlayable: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]]. Several [[OlympusMons Champion cards]] are also bosses fought throughout the story, but it's possible for the player to obtain their cards before ever fighting them.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Up until early 2017, event maps would [[TemporaryOnlineContent vanish for good]] after the event ended, resulting in many new players losing track of the story by winding up InMediasRes. This was corrected starting with [[PortTown Duskwillow]] and every map thereafter.
* ElementalEmbodiment: Many Elementals fit the trope. They can do it in both the "classical elements" sense (for example, the [[ComMons Moss Golem]] is one of the first Elementals you'll get) and the scientific sense (one Premium card is the Gold Elemental, a sentient mass of [[LivingLava molten gold]]).
* ElementNumberFive: The game's three main elemental factions are the Aether (typically [[AnIcePerson ice]], [[BlowYouAway wind]], or [[LightEmUp light]]), the Chaos ([[PlayingWithFire fire]] or [[CastingAShadow darkness]]), and the Wyld ([[DishingOutDirt earth]], [[GreenThumb grass]], or [[MakingASplash water]]). And then there's [[PowerOfTheVoid the Void]], who take bits and pieces from ''all'' these factions but are generally lumped together with "[[BlackMagic evil magic]]" and "[[DarkIsEvil evil darkness]]".
* FantasyKitchenSink: To give you an idea, there are deities from all sorts of world mythologies, like [[Myth/NorseMythology Nidhogg]] and [[Myth/IncaMythology Viracocha]], mixed together with [[MechanicalInsects gigantic robotic bugs]], {{fallen angel}}s, and totally original beasts like [[FeatheredFiend the Noctrus Flintclaw]].
* FeaturelessProtagonist: The playable "Adventurer" is never seen in the flesh. Instead, the player can choose one of various important characters in the game to be their Hero, who helps the deck out with skills of their own and serves as a ''de facto'' avatar.
* FieldPowerEffect: Every 4 weeks in real time, the developers will release a brand-new "Battleground Event" (BGE for short) favoring one of the game's ten tribes, giving every card in that tribe a substantial boost in power. For example, in May 2022, the BGE "Exalted Warfare" granted every [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angel card]] the Legion and Fervor skills. Starting in Duskwillow, each map has their own ways to strengthen the player, which can be upgraded with collectibles from that map.
* FragileSpeedster: Cards with low (1-2 turns) delay or no delay at all will typically have less than 40 HP and weaker skills to compensate for being so fast.
* {{Freemium}}: An odd ''stratified'' version, where the more real-world money you spend, the higher your "VIP Rank" becomes. The highest VIP ranks have access to all of Drake and Drake's Emporium, more [[FreemiumTimer energy]], more bounties, larger inventories, Dust Packs, and a button that will instantly raise a card to its maximum level (provided the player has the resources).
* FreemiumTimer: ''Spellstone'' uses an energy system that regenerates by one point every ten minutes. [[spoiler:Once you get the Heart of Blue Fire, it regenerates by one point every eight minutes and raises the cap by 30.]]
* FusionDance: A core gameplay mechanic. If you upgrade two copies of the same card to their maximum level, you can combine them and create a "dual-fused" version with a [[TieredByName new name]] and higher stats. The strongest "quad-fused" cards are made by combining two dual-fused cards in much the same way.
* GamingClan: Players can join Guilds for more gold, camaraderie, and a chance to participate in events like Guild Clashes, Raids, and Guild Wars. More selective Guilds screen players by bounty rank, and the top Guilds in the game may require a direct invite from higher-ups in the Guild to enter.
* HeKnowsAboutTimedHits: During the tutorial, the Raven will walk you through the first battles by telling you which cards to play and what each skill does.
* HubLevel: The Airship is where players can find the shop, the bounties, their [[GamingClan guild]], and the crafting table, so they'll be returning to it often when they aren't taking part in special events or clearing levels.
* JungleJapes: The very first map, Elaria, takes place in a lush jungle with a large {{Mayincatec}} pyramid taking up much of the background. There are a few Wyld cards, mostly dragons, that are apparently native to it.
* JustifiedTutorial: Working with Spellstones is a dangerous job that entails fighting against all sorts of fantasy creatures, so the captain of the Elaria expedition wants to make sure you have what it takes to find the Heart of Blue Fire.
* LethalLavaLand: Karthos, the third map, is a volcano known as the "lair of Chaos". It's home to aggressive [[UndergroundMonkey lava crabs]] and the castle of [[TheNecrocracy Tarian, the Lich Lord]].
* LevelLockedLoot: The player is given a treasure chest at the start of the game that will open after reaching a certain level... to reveal [[MatryoshkaObject another treasure chest]] and a few rewards. Fortunately, this disappears around the time the player can start holding their own.
* MacGuffin: The Heart of Blue Fire is a so-called "Elder Treasure" that the player's after. [[spoiler:Obtaining it makes the FreemiumTimer ''much'' more lenient than before.]]
* MagikarpPower: Low-level [[OlympusMons Champions]] aren't much more useful than Epics, and serve as good [[CrutchCharacter crutch cards]] to rely on in the early game. High-level Champions, which you get by collecting hundreds of Champion Stones, are among the absolute strongest in the game. There are also three Mythics (Narix, Scylla, and Verus) that follow a similar principle.
* MatryoshkaObject: The [[LevelLockedLoot beginner's treasure chests]] the player receives at the start of the game will open to reveal some goodies... and the next tier of treasure chest. Eventually, this stops when the player reaches a high enough level and doesn't need the rewards anymore.
* MechanicallyUnusualClass:
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} with [[OlympusMons Champion cards]]. These are legendary cards that can't fuse, but can be upgraded to rival the Mythics in sheer strength... if the player collects enough Champion Stones, which are unique to that Champion and are required to raise them to the next level. It requires a total of 4,000 Champion Stones to fully upgrade one, which is ''very'' difficult to do without [[{{Microtransactions}} spending]] or years of persistent grinding.
** In the same vein as the Champions, the Mythic cards Narix, Scylla, and Verus don't start out as Mythics. They need to be upgraded through the various rarities using Embersouls, Brinesouls, and Windsouls respectively.
* MightyGlacier: Cards with higher (3-4 turns) delay will typically have 40 or more HP and stronger skills to compensate for being so slow.
* OlympusMons: The eight Mythic-rarity cards are some of the strongest in the entire game, and they're distinguished from other cards by having {{animation|Bump}} and a [[SignatureMove unique skill]]. Champion cards, special Legendaries that [[MechanicallyUnusualClass rival them in power]], can also count if they're at a high enough level.
* PlayerVersusPlayer: You can face players' decks that are controlled by the AI by playing Bounties, but you can also fight other players in real time with the Arena. If you're in a [[GamingClan Guild]], you can also challenge your fellow guild members to battle using the "Live Battle" function, which won't affect either player's standing in the Arena.
* PlayEveryDay: ''Spellstone'' has many incentives to play every day, from the Daily Bonus (which gives better and better rewards through the month) to many [[TemporaryOnlineContent limited-time events]].
* PromotionalPowerlessPieceOfGarbage: The Arcblaze Dragon, an Epic-tier reward card first released at a very early point in the game's lifespan. Unlike pretty much ''every other card in the game'', Arcblaze cannot [[FusionDance fuse with other cards]] at all, and it has succumbed HARD to six years' worth of PowerCreep. Only diehard collectors will miss it. Interestingly, the game's files contain art for [[WhatCouldHaveBeen a quad-fused Arcblaze Dragon]], so this trope could have been {{Averted}} entirely.
* PowerEqualsRarity: The weakest cards are "Common", and they get progressively stronger as the player progresses from "Rare" and "Epic" to "Legendary" and "Mythic".
* SignatureMove: [[OlympusMons Mythic cards]] distinguish themselves from other cards by having a special skill only they can use. For example, Atlas's "Invigorate" will not only [[HealThyself heal all of your cards]], but permanently increase their maximum HP by a few points.
* StandardFantasyRaces: ''Spellstone'' has ten "tribes" that roughly correspond to them -- [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angel]], [[AvianTropes Avian]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]], [[ElementalEmbodiment Elemental]], [[AmphibianAssault Frog]], [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent Goblin]], [[BigCreepyCrawlies Insect]], [[RobotRollCall Mecha]], [[AquaticAnimalTropes Seafolk]], and [[TheUndead Undead]].
* StraightForTheCommander: It doesn't matter if your cards can still fight -- if your Hero is defeated, [[InstantWinCondition it's game over]].
* TechnicolorFire: The Heart of Blue Fire looks like a dark blue rock wreathed in blue flames. [[spoiler:Once the player finally obtains it, they'll be able to collect Blue Fire Souls as rewards, which look like small pebbles covered in blue fire.]]
* TemporaryOnlineContent: Each challenge and special event in a given BGE lasts only a few days, and after that all the rewards are permanently gone. In the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness early days]] of ''Spellstone'', even the ''maps'' were temporary, and were changed out for different ones depending on the BGE.
* TieredByName: Dual-fused and quad-fused cards have different names from the single-fused cards they were made from.
* TimeLimitBoss: A variation. While most boss levels can be challenged at any time, "Lightning Bosses" are treated as events, and if the player doesn't beat them in three days, [[TemporaryOnlineContent they'll never get the chance to fight them again]].
* UnequalRites: Each of the three factions -- Aether, Chaos, and Wyld -- have radically different philosophies and ideologies from one another, so all three are locked in a perpetual struggle with one another.
* UnlockableDifficultyLevels: Beat a level for the first time, and you'll only earn one of ''seven'' stars for that level. This permanently ups its difficulty until the player earns the seventh star, which requires a fight against fully upgraded, quad-fused cards.
* UnstableEquilibrium: Due to the fact that most cards have a delay of one to four turns before they activate, once one player starts to lose cards, it's pretty much over for them unless they can turn things around ''very'' quickly.
