Master the art of alchemy and old-school strategy in this dark fantasy world directly inspired by folklore and stories from 17th-century Belgium and the Netherlands.

Lead a band of mercenaries into the cursed city of Grant, a metropolis shrouded in a deadly fog that inflicts madness upon anyone in its path. Use steel, alchemy, and close-quarter tactics to battle a deadly cult of fanatics and devout followers of the great alchemist Mephisto, who have taken control of the city. 

Featuring strategy-focused gameplay, combat in Black Legend requires a tactical focus where unit placement, ability combos, and well-chosen attacks are key to survival. Alchemy adds variety to both ranged and melee attacks with four different ways to injure, poison, and debilitate your foes. Combine these alchemic attacks for devastating effects.

Alongside explosive combat, free-exploration lets you investigate the many alleys and streets in the city of Grant. Different districts host a wide variety of architecture and environments — you never know where you’ll discover a hidden path, a treasure trove of new items, hidden quest, or recruitable character.

Warcave has revealed details on some of the game’s most important features for fans of turn-based strategy, including descriptions for each of the 15 playable classes, and information about the intricate alchemy battle system.

For fans of strategy games, one of the most anticipated features of Black Legend is the ability to change their team members to one of15 different classes that are unlocked as the game progresses. With classes ranging from Alchemist to Sharp Shooter, there are options for all kinds of preferred strategy styles. 

To unlock a class, the player must collect all the equipment required for that class through exploration or battle. Unlocked skills can be used by characters, no matter their class, opening up a wide range of cross-class builds for players to experiment with.

“We want players to be creative with the customizations available. When it comes to class abilities and equipment, it’s important to experiment with different combinations to find the best way to defend your party, or defeat the boss,” said Menno van der Heijden, Black Legend Creative Director. “A varied party is essential for survival in the city of Grant.”

Classes

1. Alchemist: Trained in the noble art of Alchemy, these heavily armored individuals spend day and night perfecting their skills in battle, supporting allies and debilitating opponents with a mixture of powders, explosions and concoctions.
2. Buccaneer: The stigma of jolly sailors means very little to this ocean hardened folk. Armed with both melee and ranged options, they wield a variety of tools and curses to be as versatile as possible as part of their crew.
3. Commander: Beacons of inspiration on the battlefield, these tacticians point out targets, inspire comrades and instill fear in enemies, carrying that momentum alongside their allies through their own offensive abilities.
4. Doppelsoldner: People trained in the art of the greatsword rely on heavy damage in the fray of battle to set up their allies for devastating results. The wide swings can strike multiple enemies, while the strong blade is designed to primarily injure fellow humans.
5. Dragoon: Light on their feet and specialized in Pyrokinetics, the Dragoon leaves a blazing trail in their wake. With zero regard for their own safety, many who face Dragoons are reduced to naught but ash.
6. Duelist: Bearers of slender steel and unshaken honor, these masters of the blade employ any and all tactics to ensure victory in head-on combat. Their strength, speed and skill are only matched by a few, and they would not have it any other way.
7. Executioner: Justice is inescapable when placed in the capable hands of these merciless men and women. Clad in heavy armor, they deliver death swiftly and efficiently, either by axe or bullet.
8. Guard: Stalwart protectors of the weak, their shields deflect even the worst of harm, while their arms inflict proper retribution on the offenders. In battle, one cannot find tougher opponents, requiring a solid offense plan to counter their impressive defense.
9. Inquisitor: Hunters who roam the streets, searching for corruption in any form. Dedicated to protecting mankind from all things unnatural, one wonders how much of their own humanity they left behind in their search for the powers to do so…
10. Landsknecht: Proud bearers of spears, halberds, hardened by years of marching through all landscapes known to man. Their endurance training makes them the quickest on the field when it comes to bearing heavy armor, and excel at reducing enemy mobility when they’re on the offensive.
11. Marauder: Heavy weapons and light armor define the overall tactics employed by these ruffians, relying on brute power and speed to overwhelm opponents.
12. Mercenary: The base, the foundation of all warfare in the world. These men and women fight for no cause, no glory nor creed, but mere coin. How fitting then, to start your journey this way. Their lack of advanced battle techniques is offset by their ability to adapt to any situation by being able to equip all weapons and armor.
13. Plague Doctor: Masters of Humorism, the body holds no secrets for these patrons of pestilence. What can cure can also kill, and their relentless studies have made them both deadly opponents as well as wondrous companions.
14. Rogue: The term ‘scoundrel’ is not an insult but a title for the shady rulers of the streets. Agile and cunning, they can identify weaknesses and exploit them with ease, before retreating back to the safety of the shrouds of Grant.
15. Sharpshooter: Masters of crossbow and rifle, these soldiers rule from the edges of the battlefield, sniping distant targets with deadly accuracy. Keep their enemies at a distance, and in turn, they will keep the enemy at death’s door with ease.

Alchemy

This ancient branch of natural philosophy adds an explosive twist to combat in Black Legend. Based on the real history behind alchemy, this system includes the four stages of the magnum opus, also known as the process to create the philosopher’s stone,—nigredo, albedo, ctrinitas and rubedo.

When combined, these four stages create a variety of brutal battle effects:

• Bronze: A combination of rubedo and ctrinitas, representing Disease
• Red: Rubedo, representing External Bleeding
• Crimson: A combination of rubedo and nigredo, representing Internal Bleeding
• Black: Nigredo, representing black bile caused by Heavy Impact
• Silver: A combination of Albedo and Nigredo, representing Poison
• White: Albedo, representing phlegm caused by metal poisoning from Sharp Weapons
• Gold: A combination of Albedo and Ctrinitas, representing Weakness of the Mind and Soul
• Yellow: Ctrinitas, representing yellow bile caused by Explosives

Black Legend developers Warcave have made the demo for their upcoming strategy RPG available on Steam.

Key Features:

• Strategy-Focused Gameplay: Approach each combat with a tactical focus, where unit placement, ability combos, and well-chosen attacks are key to survival. Black Legend focuses on old school strategy vibes, but without the 95% percent chance misses. 
• Explosive Combos:  Mix up your ranged and melee combat by using alchemy for a wide array of explosive effects. Combine stacks of four different alchemic attacks to injure, poison, and debilitate your foes, but be warned, they will do the same to you.
• Extensive Character Customization: Build your mercenary band with a wide array of classes, each with unique abilities. Improve each of your mercenaries with new weapons, armor, and trinkets, and create your own ability sets by equipping cross-class abilities. 
• Choose Your Difficulty: For those who wish to see the story, the path can be gentle. For those who wish for difficulty, even the slightest mistake will be greatly punished.
• Historic Enemies: Black Legend fills the city of Grant with creatures from Belgian, Dutch, and German folklore like nekkers, Halewijn, Witte Wieven and Old Red Eyes. 
• An Engaging Story: Dive into the narrative through environmental storytelling, colorful NPCs, and rich set pieces.
• An Entire City to Explore: Free-exploration lets you investigate the many alleys and streets in the city of Grant. Different districts host a wide variety of architecture and environments — you never know where you’ll discover a hidden path, a treasure trove of new items, hidden quest, or recruitable character.

Black Legend is coming to PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Switch in Q1 2021.