A pandemic in the World of Warcraft universe

 Since its inception, the World of Warcraft universe has steadily expanded, introducing new characters, lands, and enemies. But to this day, one of the most popular plots remains the fall of the hero Arthas and his subsequent ascension to the throne of the Lich King. This board game is for those who would like to return to Northrend and storm the Icecrown Citadel once again.

 World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - A Pandemic System Board Game is based on the application of the same name to the computer game. It's a co-op tabletop for 1-5 players that brings many features from the popular MMO to the table. There are well-known heroes, special abilities, battles with the Scourge, completing quests - and all this is based on the mechanics of the popular "Pandemic" series. But Wrath of the Lich King is more than just a reskin, as the mechanics have been significantly reworked to fit the feel of Blizzard's popular universe.

COMPONENTS

 From the moment you open the box, it's clear that the deck's creators have put a lot of thought into WoW lore. The playing field, measuring approximately 50 x 75 cm, features dozens of familiar locations from Azeroth - Naxramas, Dalaran, Ulduar and many others.

 Also in the box are seven famous characters from Azeroth: Thrall, Jaina Proudmoore, Sylvanas Windwing, Varian Wrynn, Tyrion Fordring, Muradin Bronzebeard and Lady Liadrin. Each of them is represented by a detailed miniature. There is also a specially designed miniature of the Lich King himself, as well as minions of his horde of henchmen: three abominations and dozens of small werewolves. These figures have a lot of very sharp points that are easy to puncture, so be careful with them.

 Each character has its own letter with unique special abilities, a health indicator and its short description on the back. Like other cards, they are illustrated with luxurious pictures. Yes, the deck of 63 cards of heroic actions is also illustrated. Moreover, almost all the drawings are original, and not taken from Hearthstone, thanks to which there is a feeling of a completely new adventure, and not just a reskin.

 Also included in the box are 10 quest sheets, 30 Scourge cards, reference cards, assorted tokens, buildable cardboard fortresses, and a hefty cardboard ice crown citadel. Components are stored in bags between batches. It's just surprising (as with many other games in the Pandemic series) how tightly packed the box is.

GAME PROCESS

 The goal in Wrath of the Lich King is simple - complete three quests, receive unique rewards for each quest, and then storm Icecrown Citadel, ending the reign of the Lich King. However, in the meantime, his Scourge is spreading across Northrend, so you'll have to act fast.

 Each player chooses one of the characters. All have their own abilities and health parameter that are useful for the team. Heroes will travel the map and fight with the dead.

 The moves are quite similar to the usual "Pandemic": each hero has 4 actions, which can be spent on moving around the field, attacking enemies, completing quests and healing. But here players don't just cure diseases by removing cubes from the field; Wrath of the Lich King is more atmospheric and diverse. Also, during the game, heroes receive battle cards (help in attack or defense), treatment cards (restore health) and travel cards (quick movement around the field). During the course of the game, several citadel cards can be added to the deck, which allow you to place a citadel on the field, which is needed for accelerated movement of you and your comrades.

 As the Lich King's undead army spreads across the map, the heroes can spend an action on their turn to attack Scourge minions. They roll 2 dice and depending on the results can deal damage, block counter attacks, and can play battle cards for more effectiveness. characters standing on the same cage can help each other in combat, which is atmospheric: it feels like you're hacking your way through enemy hordes together.

 In addition to battles, heroes can also go on quests. Since the completion of quests is mandatory for victory, you should not forget to pay attention to them. The field is divided into three regions, which differ in the color of the locations. In each region there is a quest sheet (one of three possible - there are nine of them in the game), which the team must complete with joint efforts. They take several hero turns, require successful dice rolls, card draws, and help from friends. Cooperation is indispensable here.

 Also, each quest sheet has a unique boss enemy that damages the character performing the quest and also damages with some special rule; For example, it reduces the number of dice you roll, prohibits healing, etc. As soon as the heroes complete the quest, they receive a unique reward - powerful one-time cards that can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

 Although the mechanics of the quests work quite well, I would like to see them worked out more deeply. Essentially, it all boils down to moving the token along the scale; much less interesting than the fights. It's a pity that the well-known raid bosses depicted in the quests practically do not interact with the heroes. The same goes for the final battle with the Lich King: it's essentially a particularly long quest. There is no tension, there is no feeling that the stakes are high.

 On the other hand, discussing strategy with comrades every turn, fending off spawning Scourges, and completing quests create the tense atmosphere typical of the Pandemic series. You have to think about every action, because the situation can quickly get out of control and a few mistakes will lead you to defeat.

 In my opinion, Wrath of the Lich King is slightly harder than the original Pandemic even on the easiest difficulty - and that's with five of us playing. There's a little more thought to your moves, as you're not only trying to control the situation on the playing field, but also keep an eye on your hero's dwindling health. It will probably get easier with experience. And for those who want hardcore, there are three increased difficulty levels that make the whip more dangerous and reduce the number of available citadels. There is even a solo mode — quite interesting, in my opinion. But still, the main fan here is discussion and joint decision-making.

 Thanks to 7 heroes, very different from each other, and 9 quests, replayability is quite high; you can play a few dozen games before the game gets boring. With co-op, dice battles, and quests, it feels like a very simplified WoW that can be played in just an hour.

CONCLUSIONS

 World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King stands out from the "Pandemic" series with its novelty: there are famous heroes of Azeroth with unique special abilities, battles, quests and the final boss - the Lich King himself. Due to the four levels of difficulty, replayability is very high. I recommend checking out this tabletop corner of Azeroth.