World Tour - What's On in August

The Flesh and Blood World Tour is the best TCG organised play circuit on the market! With $1,500,000 USD up for grabs in hundreds of events across the globe, we urge players to travel the world, make new friends, and play great games for huge cash prizes! Scott Mines breaks down what happened in July, and what's coming up in August...

I’ve never been so miserable to be surrounded by snacks and good television.

You see, I’m chowing down on a fresh helping of World Tour: Singapore as I write this article. While I’m forever enthralled by the bright lights, crisp production, and frankly absurd level of gameplay, I can’t help but feel like I’ve just missed the event of the decade. This event kicked ass. What in Rathe am I doing on my couch?!

If Sentosa had you similarly sad, fear not. The World Tour marches forward into August with a fistful of Battle Hardened events, hotly anticipated Callings, and the globally revered Skirmish Season 12. With the lion’s share of $1,500,000 left to be claimed, there’s something for every level of player across each region of the world. I’m excited to tell you all about it.

But first? I’m told it’s Collectors Week here on fabtcg.com. I can’t be missing out on that.

I have more than a handful of cards that mean the world to me. It may sound a little silly, but I like to keep the exact copies of each card that played a pivotal role in my biggest triumphs. It serves as a memory bank of all the people I’ve met, the places I’ve been, and results I have achieved as I dedicate my life to cultivating great games.

I still have the Rainbow Foil Gambler’s Gloves that secured my first Battle Hardened Top 8. I have the Waning Moon that forged my path as an Iyslander player, and a beautifully altered “Smash with Big Tea” I was gifted just for being British. My Gold Foil Metacarpus Node is still zapping down my opponents at every Armory I play.

I could have chosen any of these wonderful cards to show off today, but I wanted to talk about one that nobody else has.

I had to make some sacrifices to get myself to the first World Championship in San Jose. I won’t go into details, but life was a bit harder back then. Ultimately, I didn’t feel like I deserved to be in the room. When that hallowed moment arrived, a much timider HowlingMines sat down in a draft pod with only one goal in mind: do not throw up on your playmat.

As the draft progressed, I was lucky enough to open the perfect souvenir for my trip: a draft-stamped Tiger Stripe Shuko. Back then, Legendary cards still appeared in high level drafts and were eligible to be played in your deck. That’s no longer the case, and so draft-stamped Legendary cards have become a weird holy grail to find. Hilariously, I’d end up going 3-0 in that draft on Iyslander. I couldn’t even use my Shuko in the games.

Even still, I’m truly blessed to be able to look back at this card whenever I’m feeling down. I don’t get to play it as much as I’d like, but it’ll forever be physical proof that I can go undefeated in a World Championship draft. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a stern reminder that nerves simply mean that something matters to me. That isn’t a bad thing.

Have you been living under a Rok? There was a whole Pro Tour down in sunny Singapore! There was a beach party and everything! Where have you been?!

World Tour: Singapore was an incredibly special event. Shirui Wu would overcome the odds on home turf to hoist up the trophy alongside Gravy Bones, Shipwrecked Looter, while Shoma Yamamura and Naib Mobassir carved a new chapter into the story of Ira, Scarlet Revenger. That’s to say nothing of all the Super Slam announcements and “Silver Age” teasers. Don’t worry, they won’t tell me what it is either.

If you’d like to learn more about the weird and wonderful happenings of World Tour: Singapore, be sure to check out the Live Blog for a more detailed recap.

Elsewhere, we saw two Battle Hardened events shaping the narrative on the road to Singapore. Ivaylo Inanov may have vanquished an Assassin in the finals of Battle Hardened: Bucharest, but their victory would spell the end for Azalea, Ace in the Hole. Arcane Rising’s arrow-slinging sweetheart has officially graduated to Living Legend and will no longer play a role in Classic Constructed.

Finally, Calling: Taipei champion Evan Tanguy would continue his impressive affinity for Gravy Bones, Shipwrecked Looter as he sunk Jason Chua’s Cindra, Dracai of Retribution at Battle Hardened: Kuala Lumpur. There’s just no questioning it; the necromantic buccaneer is going nowhere.

There’s always a substantial shakeup across the World Tour leaderboard with each Tier 4 event. We’re over halfway through the journey of crowning our first ever Player of the Year, so it’s hard for these standings not to feel a little more final.

With $100,000 of prize money to be shared between top performing players of each region, and a cool $25,000 to the overall winner, these players are desperate to avoid a disappointing finish. Each region will award $5,000 to their 3rd-place finisher and $10,000 to their silver medalist, but these players didn’t build their legacies on second place.

Which household names are still in contention? Let’s take a sneaky peek.

In Europe, Tommaso Viscido wants the crown. The fiery Italian found himself in a heartbreaking 9th place at the conclusion of Pro Tour: Singapore, but that impressive finish has allowed him to close the gap between himself and Jacob Clements to just 1 point. With the Brit slowing down considerably in the last few months, Viscido is primed to send him into retirement, much like Nuu, Alluring Desire.

Pablo Pintor and Arthur Trehet also round out the top five for the region, with an impressive Top 8 finish for the latter in Singapore too. It cannot be comfortable having two Pro Tour Champions chasing you down. Can Clements or Viscido stand the heat?

In the Asia-Pacific region, Shirui Wu had leapt from obscurity to a legitimate contender. The newly crowned Pro Tour Champion is tied with point leader Pudding Tam, with infamous Australian Nick Butcher just 1 point behind. Shoma Yamamura is also quickly establishing a foothold in this race with a Calling victory in Singapore. It’s almost like these Pro Tour champions are good at Flesh and Blood or something.

Over in the Americas, Brodie Spurlock has become the first player to reach triple digits. The wunderkind put up an impressive showing alongside his teammates in The Armory to open the gap from Michael Hamilton to a hefty 20 points. Meanwhile, Jimmy Niro Demers and Shawn Dhaliwal are neck and neck for both 3rd place and the title of Best Canadian. While Spurlock has certainly created an imposing lead for himself, this race is far from over.

Combined, it feels like we’ve got four major names to watch as Philadelphia draws nearer. Brodie Spurlock, Michael Hamilton, Jacob Clements, and Tommaso Viscido could all feasibly make a charge for glory with a few back-to-back results. Time will tell which player will be immortalised in Flesh and Blood history.

If you’re hunting down World Tour Points, jaw dropping Gold Foils, or an invitation to the World Championship, August is flush with events. Even better, Skirmish Season 12 will be headlining the month from your local game stores if you want something closer to home.

Skirmish Season 12

Stupid Sexy Scurv enacts his dastardly plan as players settle in for a menagerie of formats at the local level. Skirmish Season 12 will feature Blitz, Living Legend, and the fresh Crack, Shuffle, Play! in a relaxed setting fantastic for fresher faces. It’s the perfect first step into competitive play, as you battle it out with chiseled veterans for event-exclusive prizing.

High Seas hero portrait playmats? Cold Foil Cerebellum Processor?! Even if that slippery Scurv, Stowaway Marvel manages to evade your grasp, there’s more than enough goodies for everyone.

Calling: Auckland

New Zealand, why are you so far away from me? This is hardly fair.

If I could swing one event this year, it would be Calling: Auckland. Flesh and Blood returns to its ancestral home between August 8-10 for an event like no other. $10,000, PTIs, and Gold Foils make up quite the prize pool, but I’m more interested in what’s available for everyone in attendance.

If you’re looking for Classic Constructed, go ahead. There’s a second Calling running later in the weekend for you. However, players will have the incredible opportunity to play Welcome to Rathe Sealed Deck in the first Calling. If they manage to make Day 2? They’ll be drafting Welcome to Rathe Alpha packs.

That’s a HUGE deal. After this event, there will be no more Alpha drafts until Flesh and Blood's 10th Anniversary. If you ever wanted a taste of the beginning of Rathe, this is the best chance you’ll get until 2029. It’s a similar story for 1st Edition Arcane Rising, which will feature solely as the format for the Battle Hardened.

It’s already well worth heading to Auckland if you can—but this? This is something else.

Calling: Kansas City

If you’re hurting for the best brisket and burnt ends you’ve ever tasted, look no further that the Barbecue Capital of the World. The Calling arrives in Kansas City from August 15-17.

The City of Fountains will be the backdrop for hundreds of players duking it out for Gold Foils, Pro Tour invitations, and a share of $20,000 in prize money. Classic Constructed will be the name of the game, so it’s well worth studying all that footage from the Pro Tour if you’re aiming for a trophy.

When you’re done, kick back and enjoy the scenery. Grab a Chiefs game if you can. I hear there’s nothing quite like it.

Calling: Copenhagen

The cultural centre of Denmark embraces its Viking heritage throughout its architecture and aesthetic. I can’t think of a better battlefield come August 22-24.

Calling: Copenhagen will see the European community squaring off for $20,000, Gold Foils, and highly coveted PTIs. Much like Kansas City, Copenhagen will be a showcase of an ever-evolving Classic Constructed meta as we see in real time what the player base has learnt from World Tour: Singapore.

Even better, I’ll be there! If you’re further afield, I’ll be bringing you the action from the booth all weekend long. If you’re in the area, come say hello and grab a Smørrebrød.

Battle Hardened: Lucerne

An excuse to stuff myself with high quality chocolate and cheeses? I’d only miss it if I was in Auckland.

A Battle Hardened in Lucerne is a gift. A share of $2,000 and a pair of PTIs await the lucky finalists of this event, with the winner taking a Gold Foil to boot. Switzerland is a naturally beautiful country that I will never stop harping on about. Make a trip of it if you can from August 8-10.

Battle Hardened: Perth

Auckland wasn’t enough? Make the short trip to Australia to try your hand at Classic Constructed from August 15-17.

Perth is flooded with beautiful beaches, abundant sunshine and a thriving arts and culture scene. You’re also a stone’s throw from Rottnest Island and the Pinnacles Desert. All of that culminates in the perfect place to celebrate after you’ve finished winning a Gold Foil and an invite to the next big dance.

Battle Hardened: Phoenix

The fifth largest city in the United States also hosts a Battle Hardened on August 23. Phoenix is all about big: big blue skies, big shopping centres, and big card events. An affinity for good Mexican food certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Year-round sun has nothing on thousands of dollars and Pro Tour invites. I’ve never had the pleasure of heading to Arizona but I’m hopeful you’ll be able to tell me all about.

Battle Hardened: Orlando

Finally, Star City Games will be capping off the month with a Living Legend Battle Hardened from August 29-31. As the eternal format becomes more of a fixture on the way to World Championship: Philidelphia, players should take every chance they can get for a test run, and I’m ecstatic to see one here.

The Sunshine State is a nice place to visit, too. Florida is full of beaches, theme parks, and natural wonders like the Everglades National Park. There’s also Walt Disney World: the most visited recreational resort in the world. If you’re looking for a card game event that perfectly extends into a holiday, there’s few better choices in the wake of Singapore.