View source for Call of the Archons

{{Set
|Prev_Set=
|Name=Call of the Archons
|Abv=cota
|Next_Set=Age of Ascension
|Number=1
|Released=Nov 15, 2018
|Cards=370
|New=370
|1=Brobnar
|2=Dis
|3=Logos
|4=Mars
|5=Sanctum
|6=Shadows
|7=Untamed
|Designer=Richard Garfield
|Development=Brad Andres, Skaff Elias, and Nate French with Daniel Schaefer
|Languages=9 - English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
}}
The first KeyForge [[Sets|set]], '''Call of the Archons''', was announced at Gen Con on August 1st 2018 and released on November 15, 2018. Created by legendary designer Richard Garfield, this is the world's first unique deck game.

Consisting of 370 cards, Call of the Archons introduced the original seven KeyForge [[houses]]: [[Houses#Brobnar|Brobnar]], [[Houses#Dis|Dis]], [[Houses#Logos|Logos]], [[Houses#Mars|Mars]], [[Houses#Sanctum|Sanctum]], [[Houses#Shadows|Shadows]] and [[Houses#Untamed|Untamed]].

CotA also introduced [[Maverick|Mavericks]]: extremely rare instances where a card appears not in its house, but in another house. For example, [[Urchin|Urchin]] is a Shadows creature, but in [https://www.keyforgegame.com/deck-details/618d5062-ff93-4848-a9b7-8f69e17d5799 this deck] it appears as a Maverick in house Brobnar. Mavericks appear in [[Card_Rarity#Legacies,_Mavericks,_and_Anomalies|about 4.1%]] of Call of the Archons decks.
==Gameplay==
Call of the Archons features fast and dynamic gameplay. It features many cards that award an [[Play_(step)#.C3.86mber_bonus|Æmber bonus]] and a large number of [[steal|stealing]] abilities, both of which makes board presence comparatively less important than in other sets. House Shadows, with its heavy focus on stealing, is the most dominant house in the set, especially before the errata of [[Bait and Switch]] (when the card’s effect would repeat unlimited times, as long as the opponent had more Æmber). Many top ranking Call of the Archons decks rely on steal cards such as [[Relentless Whispers]], [[Nerve Blast]], and [[Routine Job]] to control their opponent's Æmber pool.  

The second most dominant house in Call of the Archons is Dis, which is one of the most well-rounded houses in the set. Cards such as [[Restringuntus]] and [[Control the Weak]] are cornerstones of highly competitive Dis control decks. A wide number of Dis creatures in the set are extremely disruptive, such as [[Ember Imp]] and [[Succubus]], and they can sometimes be recurred through cards like [[Arise!]]. Dis has outstanding board control through cards like [[Gateway to Dis]] and [[Key to Dis]], and the house also features several cards that control Æmber, such as [[Shooler]] and [[Charette]].

Another popular deck archetype is Untamed “Rush”, with cards like [[Hunting Witch]], [[Dust Pixie]], [[Nature’s Call]] and [[Chota Hazri]] that allow massive Æmber gain and forging a key in the same turn, especially when combined with [[Speed Sigil]]. The [[Library Access]] + [[Nepenthe Seed]] combo enabled decks that could draw the entire deck and win the game in one turn, prompting an errata for Library Access (which is now purged after playing). The [[Battle Fleet]] + [[Key Abduction]] combo provided Mars competitive success in an otherwise mediocre house. Some of the initially most sought after decks included the four [[:Category:Horseman|Horsemen]] in Sanctum or a double [[Timetraveller]] in Logos.

==Special Rarity Cards==
CotA introduced Special rarity cards. “Fixed” cards like the four [[:Category:Horseman|Horsemen]] always appear together in a deck, and [[Timetraveller|Timetraveller]] always appears together with [[Help from Future Self|Help from Future Self]]. Cards that don’t have the Special rarity symbol, but also always appear together with other cards are [[Faygin|Faygin]], [[Niffle Queen|Niffle Queen]], [[Bear Flute|Bear Flute]] and [[Troop Call|Troop Call]], while [[Routine Job|Routine Job]] always appears at least in a pair.

Another type of Special rarity cards are “variant” cards, where different versions of a card exist, such as: [[Master of 1|Master of 1]], [[Master of 2|Master of 2]] and [[Master of 3|Master of 3]].

==Card Distribution==
This table indicates how many cards are in each house of Call of the Archons and how many are of each [[Rarity|rarity]].
{{SetCards
|house1=Brobnar
|house2=Dis
|house3=Logos
|house4=Mars
|house5=Sanctum
|house6=Shadows
|house7=Untamed
|T1=52
|T2=54
|T3=53
|T4=52
|T5=55
|T6=52
|T7=52
|TT=370
|C1=16
|C2=16
|C3=16
|C4=16
|C5=16
|C6=16
|C7=16
|CT=112
|U1=16
|U2=16
|U3=16
|U4=16
|U5=16
|U6=16
|U7=16
|UT=112
|R1=20
|R2=20
|R3=20
|R4=20
|R5=20
|R6=20
|R7=20
|RT=140
|S1=
|S2=2
|S3=1
|S4=
|S5=3
|S6=
|S7=
|ST=6
}}
|}

==Reception==
[[File:Kf01 anc spread.png|right|middle|thumb|alt=Several products from Call of the Archons]]Call of the Archons was received extremely well upon announcement. More than 30,000 decks were registered in the [[Master Vault|Master Vault]] app on the first day, and more than 500,000 just two months after the release. Sales exceeded FFG’s expectations and caused temporary product shortages. In October 2019, just 11 months after release CotA surpassed '''1 million registered decks'''. <br clear="all">

==Competitive Success==
{| cellpadding="4px" style="float:right; margin-left:10px; border: 1px solid #9e9e9e; border-spacing: 0px; background-color:white; margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:10px;"
|-
|colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold; background-color: #c2ddff; text-align: center;" |Most Popular Cards in CotA Vault Tour<br>Winning Decks, by Rarity
|-
|colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(237, 235, 235); text-align: center;" | Commons
|-
|style="vertical-align:top; font-size:.9em;"|
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Relentless Whispers]] (12)
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Control the Weak]] (11)
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Shooler]] (9)
:{{House|House=Logos|Size=18px}} [[Wild Wormhole]] (9)
|style="vertical-align:top; font-size:.9em; padding-right:20px;"|
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Bait and Switch]] (8)
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Dust Imp]] (8) 
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Nerve Blast]] (8)
:{{House|House=Logos|Size=18px}} [[Twin Bolt Emission]] (8)
|-
|colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(237, 235, 235); text-align: center;"|Uncommons
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;  font-size:.9em;"|
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Poltergeist]] (6)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Special Delivery]] (5)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Carlo Phantom]] (4)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Lights Out]] (4) 
|style="vertical-align:top;  font-size:.9em; padding-right:20px;"|
:{{House|House=Untamed|Size=18px}} [[Nature’s Call]] (4)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Speed Sigil]] (4)
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Three Fates]] (4)
|-
|colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(237, 235, 235); text-align: center; padding-right:10px;"|Rares & Specials
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;  font-size:.9em;"|
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Routine Job]] (4) 
:{{House|House=Logos|Size=18px}} [[Help from Future Self]] (3)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Imperial Traitor]] (3)
:{{House|House=Logos|Size=18px}} [[Timetraveller]] (3)
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Finishing Blow]] (2)
|style="vertical-align:top;  font-size:.9em; padding-right:20px;"|
:{{House|House=Shadows|Size=18px}} [[Masterplan]] (2)
:{{House|House=Dis|Size=18px}} [[Restringuntus]] (2) 
:{{House|House=Logos|Size=18px}} [[Skippy Timehog]] (2)
:{{House|House=Untamed|Size=18px}} [[Teliga]] (2)
|}
Call of the Archons is widely considered a very successful set in the competitive [[Archon]] scene. It dominated Archon [[Vault Tour|Vault Tours]] for a significant period, winning every Archon Vault Tour until the release of [[Worlds Collide]]. The set contains many extremely powerful cards that are useful in both control and rush deck archetypes, allowing the set to remain competitive for a long time.

The most popular cards in Call of the Archons Vault Tour winning decks are in the table below. The data includes all Vault Tour winning Call of the Archons decks from the [[2019 Eindhoven Vault Tour]] to the [[2020 Albany Vault Tour]]. While this list includes the most popular cards among Vault Tour winners, it is important to note that there are many powerful cards that did not make the list. Even though every house in Call of the Archons has won a Vault Tour at least once, the data is biased toward the most competitively successful houses, which have been Shadows, Dis, Logos, and Untamed. 

(''Note'': Decks that won more than one Vault Tour are only counted once.)

{{Set_TopCards_Header|Header=Most Popular Cards in<br>CotA Vault Tour Winning Decks}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Relentless Whispers
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=12
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Control the Weak
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=11
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Shooler
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=9
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Wild Wormhole
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=9
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Bait and Switch
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=8
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Dust Imp
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=8
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Nerve Blast
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=8
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Twin Bolt Emission
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=8
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Charette
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=7
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Ember Imp
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=7
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Phase Shift
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=7
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Urchin
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=7
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Dust Pixie
|House=Untamed
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Labwork
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Pit Demon
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Poison Wave
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Poltergeist
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Quixo the “Adventurer” 
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Titan Mechanic
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=6
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Dodger
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Library Access
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Mother
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Silvertooth
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Special Delivery
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=The Terror
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=5
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Carlo Phantom
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Dextre
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Effervescent Principle
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Foggify
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Ganymede Archivist
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Gateway to Dis
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Ghostly Hand
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Library of Babble
|House=Logos
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Lights Out
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Nature’s Call
|House=Untamed
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Nexus
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Noddy the Thief
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Protectrix
|House=Sanctum
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Routine Job
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Rare
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Speed Sigil
|House=Shadows
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Succubus
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Common
|Count=4
}}
{{Set_TopCards
|Card=Three Fates
|House=Dis
|Rarity=Uncommon
|Count=4
}}
|}
''Last updated on February 7, 2020''

===Most Successful Houses===
The following is a graph containing a house breakdown of all Call of the Archons decks that have reached a Vault Tour top cut. House [[Shadows]] is the most dominant house in Call of the Archons by a considerable margin, as it is extremely popular in both Sealed and Archon events. 

(''Note'': For the sake of simplicity, decks can be counted more than once for this data.)
{{All_Time_Houses|Set=CotA}}
<br clear=all>
''Last updated February 12, 2020''

==Products==
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Model
!Description
|-
|KeyForge: Call of the Archons Starter Set
|KF01
|Contains:

* 2 Call of the Archons Archon Decks
* 2 Starter decks
* 6 Key tokens
* 2 Chain trackers
* 22 Damage tokens
* 26 Æmber tokens
* 10 Power status cards
* 10 Stun status cards
* Quick rules insert
|-
|KeyForge: Call of the Archons Archon Deck
|KF02a
|
|-
|KeyForge: Call of the Archons Display
|KF02d
|Contains 12 Call of the Archons Archon Decks
|}
==See also==
* [[:Category:CotA|All cards in Call of the Archons]]<br  />
* Cards with an errata: [[Library Access]], [[Bait and Switch]], [[Magda the Rat]], [[Biomatrix Backup]], [[Experimental Therapy]]<br  />
* [[Master Vault#Registered decks|Deck registration data]]<br  />
* [[Houses#Competitive success|Competitive success among houses]]
* [[Essay:Set_Primer_-_CotA|Set Primer for Call of the Archons]]


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