Why Now is a Great Time to Start Playing Wixoss

1. Ease of Entry

Starting off, we have to talk about the resources available that allow new players to get started and play the game as fast as possible. There are a number of online, fan-made applications that make finding a decklist and getting started easy and free!

• Dexoss — One of the most useful resources to come out of the Wixoss community, Dexoss is a website that allows users to build, save, and share their deck ideas online. This is a great place to find new decks to play, put together a list of your own, and see what other players are brewing up! Another great tool that it offers is a way to export decklists directly into files that you can use on some of the simulators below.
• Cockatrice Wixoss Plugin — Cockatrice is a simple but well-made tool for playing Magic the Gathering and other card games online. That’s why when Tetrus released his Wixoss Plugin for it, it became a go-to for players who didn’t have a camera setup or wanted to play games quickly! It’s still being updated regularly and is a great option for getting started with little to no physical product.
  

  Screenshot of OpenBatoru!

• OpenBatoru! — Just recently being released into an OpenBeta-ru (like what I did there?), OB is a desktop application that makes playing games a breeze! Once you install the program, you are able to create or import decklists, connect to other users online, and play on a full simulator that automates triggers and makes playing easily accessible to players of all skill levels. It’s probably the best place to play and try out the game if you are newer to the game itself.
• Mayu’s Room — Now, okay, yes, we are adding ourselves to this list, but it’s only because we are working so hard to gear our new Discord server to new players! With the inclusion of features like “New Player Ambassador,” who are experienced players looking out to help newer players, specialized beginner channels, and a wide array of resources, we are hoping to be a welcoming place for players of all skill levels.

2. The Game Itself

Now, we can’t convince anyone to play a game if we aren’t telling them how awesome that game is, can we? At its core, Wixoss has some of the coolest and most unique mechanics amongst the rest of the TCG space.

The first thing that always seems to make an impression amongst new players is the resource system and the way that taking damage is handled. If you have ever played something like Digimon or One Piece, you are probably well aware of the idea of having some cards in your deck act as a resource and, when you take damage, some cards having effects that give you some type of advantage over your opponent. Wixoss adopts that same mechanic with the Lifeburst effects on their cards but also goes another step further in making it so those same cards end up being a resource that you use to pay for other effects and costs! Because of this, it adds another layer to the gameplay where you have to plan ahead in your decision-making and decide whether it makes sense to push for more damage but risk hitting an effect that could mess up your game gameplan or give them too many resources to then play off of. It’s such a unique formula that isn’t seen often in other games!

Another thing that makes Wixoss so much fun is the LRIG deck. If you are unfamiliar with the game, the LRIG deck is a second deck of 12 cards that includes your center LRIG cards, Assist LRIG cards, and your Pieces that remain a mystery to your opponent until you begin using said cards. Assist LRIG and Pieces specifically play a big part in this, as there are cards that are able to change the game on your turn or, more importantly, interact with your opponent’s turn before they go in to deal damage during the Attack Phase! This again gives Wixoss a very strategic and almost knowledge-based check when you are playing against different opponents into what cards they may be playing in that secondary deck. There are always clues in their main deck and the LRIG that you see at the start of the game that can give you an idea, but there’s nothing crazier than when you are sure you know what’s coming and get blindsided by a special tech that you’ve never seen or considered before!

The last thing to add to this is the variety of decks and lists that you are able to put together. Like all card games, you have decks that are really good and have set ratios or cards that have to be played within the main deck, but once you look a little deeper and take into consideration the Assists, Pieces, and Signi types, there really is no limit on what type of deck you could put together! Finding a silly tech or something that you haven’t seen done before is always really rewarding and allows for various types of play styles. And, if you jump in now, you’re joining during one of the most diverse metas in all of Wixoss!

3. Mugen Shoujo & the GP

If you are someone who is interested in playing big tournaments and events, there’s been a lot of excitement recently when it comes to the Wixoss Grand Prix events that occur in different cities throughout the year! Before the Grand Prix in Vegas of 2024, top placements would usually get some sort of trophy, an assortment of GP-exclusive promos, and have their lists published and shared officially by Takara Tomy. But, starting with the Vegas GP of 2024, Takara Tomy has consistently been giving the top 2 placements of the event official invites to Mugen Shoujo in Japan!

Mugen Shoujo 2024’s Promo Art

Mugen Shoujo is an invite-only event that happens once a year in Japan where all the Selectors who have ranked in qualifying events are given the opportunity to battle it out and get their own official promo card that includes themselves with an LRIG of their choice! Before, this was only offered to players who played in Japan, but now, Takara Tomy has officially confirmed it will continue to do so with the next, upcoming GP in Houston. If you were to win the invite, they’ll grant you access to the event and offer to get any cards that you request to use and play in the tournament.

The excitement around last year’s EN players at the event led to a lot more interest in the future state of the game that Japan is currently playing and also led to players deciding to try harder to get that invite. Thus, making the competitive scene even more exciting and fulfilling!

4. Big Updates Coming Soon

Speaking of the future formats, the next set to release in the US will be WX-24, which brings about a whole new era of Wixoss.

With this set, we see the biggest updates to the format yet, with decks only requiring 1 LRIG rather than 3 and the inclusion of Arts, which can be thought of like Pieces and allow for further interaction with your opponent. Because there is so much that changes with the release of the new set, we get an influx of new product that is the perfect entry point for new players and a great place for stores to begin taking inventory.

The biggest highlight of the new set is probably going to be the 5 new Starter Decks, each highlighting a different LRIG and color, that will release with HUGE reprints and Arts that will help welcome players into the new mechanics of the game. This revamp is also great because it means that new players won’t have to worry as much about not being able to find old cards or product that aren’t being printed any longer. While some of those cards may see play, the overhaul should give a lot of leeway into how many of those are actually needed. It also cannot be understated how great it is to see some of the slightly more expensive cards like Remember//Memoria, Code: Heart getting a reprint.

The 5 new starter decks from WX24

5. The Community

Last, but definitely not least, is the community. While the Wixoss community may not be a very big space, I personally have never felt more welcomed into a community like this. When I first found a local group to play with, they all did whatever they could to make sure I had the cards I needed and were super excited to just play the game with me, even though I had no idea what I was doing. And the more I’ve experienced the community, the more I’ve felt the same energy from everyone else that I’ve met. Honestly, my favorite part about going to an event like a GP isn’t even playing the game but seeing all the players that I’ve met over the years and played with.

The community is filled with people who truly love the game, and that’s awesome! It makes Wixoss a very diverse place with people who have different ideas on deck building and how to play, which makes it always fun. There are also multiple places online where you can look for games, talk about the game, or just find like-minded people to do other things with, like play Anime Music Quiz!

In closing, I’d like to invite you, if you are new, experienced, or just interested in learning more about Wixoss, to check out our Discord server, where you can play, learn, and just join in on the conversation: https://discord.gg/ZAxwb5njJD/.