KeyForge Organized Play

KeyForge Organized Play is the program by which both official and casual KeyForge events and tournaments are run at multiple levels of play. KeyForge Organized Play (OP) is managed by Ghost Galaxy, the publisher of KeyForge.

Formats and Variants

Main article: Formats and variants

Ghost Galaxy offers four official formats in their organized play program. This includes events that are run by Ghost Galaxy or a sanctioned third-party. Official tournaments must use one of these four formats, while Casual tournaments can use these or any other format specified by the event organizer.

Casual / Store-Level Organized Play

Ghost Galaxy has not yet announced details for their casual or store-level organized play events, only that they intend to make such programs available and that they will provide more formats for play.

National Championships

Main article: National Championships

National Championships are high-level tournaments that take place only once a year per nation or territory. These events offer prizes, as well as invitations to the World Championships for the Champion and Runner-Up.

National Championships have an Archon tournament and Alliance tournament, alongside a Second Æmber consolation tournament.

World Championships

Main article: World Championships

World Championships are the highest level of organized play, which takes place once a year at KeyForge Celebration in Roseville, MN, USA.

The World Championships have invite-only Archon and Alliance tournaments, although attendees can participate in other open events conducted alongside the World Championships.

The first KeyForge World Championships are expected to take place at KeyForge Celebration 2023.

Vault Tour

Main article: Vault Tour

The Vault Tour is a series of top-level tournaments held throughout Europe and North America. Vault Tours are open to all players and all decks, and any tournament legal set can be used.

Usually held throughout a weekend, Vault Tours attract hundreds of players to play in one or two main events and numerous side events. The main events are always two day tournaments: a Day 1 consisting of multiple qualifying rounds, with the best players progressing to a Day 2 single elimination top cut.

Legacy OP Program (FFG Era)

Chainbound tournaments

Chainbound events are weekly tournaments where players can earn Power levels and chains for their decks. Each Chainbound tournament is run as a three or four round Swiss-style tournament. Each player also receives one Æmbershard for participation and one Æmbershard for each win.

4-8 players (3 rounds)	9+ players (4 rounds)	Power levels
1 or 0 wins = subtract 1 Chain	1 or 0 wins = subtract 1 Chain	1-6 Chains = Power Level 1
2 wins = add 2 Chains	2 wins = no change	7-12 Chains = Power Level 2
3 wins = add 3 Chains	3 wins = add 3 Chains	13-18 Chains = Power Level 3
	4 wins = add 4 Chains	19-24 Chains = Power Level 4

Chains can be gained or lost after each tournament, but Power levels are never lost. Only decks with Power level 3 or lower can enter Chainbound events. This is currently the only type of KeyForge event with a Power level restriction.

Store Leaderboards

Launched in November 2019, monthly Store Leaderboards track Æmbershards earned by players in weekly Chainbound and Sealed events. A store can run one of each of these events every week. At the end of the month, the Top 4 players receive an alternate art card deck. Wins for both Chainbound Events and Weekly Sealed events are tracked in the Master Vault.

Store Championships

Each store can run up to two Store Championships every year, in one of the following formats: Archon Solo, Archon Reversal, Sealed Solo, and Sealed 2 Deck Survival. Apart from physical prizes for participants and top finishers, participation is also rewarded with 5 Æmbershards, each win another Æmbershard, while the winner receives 40 additional Æmbershards.The winner's deck will gain Power level 3, the finalist's Power level 2, while the remaining Top 8 decks will gain Power level 1.

Prime Championships

Main article: Prime Championships

Formerly known as Regional Championships, these events are a tier above Store Championships and offer better prizes. The winner of each Prime Championship receives an invitation to the KeyForge World Championship (in case the winner already has an invitation, the invitation is passed down to the finalist). Available formats and variants for Prime Championships are Archon Solo, Archon Adaptive, Sealed Solo, and Sealed Triad.

Participation is rewarded with 10 Æmbershards, each win with an additional 5, while the winner gets a bonus of 75 Æmbershards. The decks of both finalists are rewarded with Power level 4, while the remaining Top 8 decks get Power level 2. A list of scheduled Prime Championships can be found here.

VaultWarrior series

Main article: VaultWarrior

VaultWarrior is a series of high-level KeyForge tournaments focusing on the current set and offering cash prizes. All VaultWarrior events are held in the Archon format. There are three tiers of VaultWarrior tournaments: Tryouts, Qualifiers, and the VaultWarrior Championship. Tryouts are local events that allow players to win unique physical prizes and to earn a free seat to a future Qualifier event. Players participating in Tryouts must use decks from the most recent KeyForge set. Qualifiers, on the other hand, require players to bring decks from each of the three most recent sets. Qualifiers are three-day events that offer enticing cash prizes and invitations to the upcoming VaultWarrior Championship. The winner of each Qualifier in 2020 will take home $10,000.

The VaultWarrior Championship is an invitation-only event held in the Archon Adaptive variant using decks from the most recent set. Players can earn an invite to the Championship by ranking top 32 or better in a Qualifier or through the Last Chance Qualifier immediately beforehand. The VaultWarrior Championship offers the largest prize pool of all events in the series, with a total of $25,000 awarded to the winner and an additional $75,000 distributed to top performing players.

Power levels

KeyForge decks earn Power levels by successfully competing in Organized Play events. Power level 8, awarded to Vault Tour winners, is currently the highest awarded level. Power levels are permanent, and once earned, decks cannot lose them by performing poorly. Fantasy Flight has hinted that there may be power level requirements to enter certain events in the future.

Æmbershards

Aembershards awarded at each event tier

Æmbershards are digital rewards earned by players registering decks in the Master Vault, as well as by playing in all Organized Play events, from store-level tournaments to Vault Tours. Æmbershards can then be redeemed for physical prizes at events with a Prize Wall (currently, only at Vault Tours).

Further reading

The Future of Organized Play, 30 January 2019

The Hunt for Æmber, 6 March 2019

The Key to the Crucible, 9 July 2019