Heretic Operative

Heretic Operative is a strategy game with RPG and board game mechanics, set in a world where the Church brands magic users as heretics and sentences them to death. You control a secret society that uses magic for the good of the world while Templars hunt mages. The Cultus Arcanum, a group of mages on the fringes of civilization, embraces Corruption and performs dark rituals to unleash nightmares. As a Heretic Operative, you work to preserve magic and stop the Cult.

Magic and combat

You can master over 50 spells to face challenges in and out of combat, but using magic brings Corruption. The more powerful you become, the greater the risk of losing control. Combat uses a dice-based system, with enemies including Cultists, Templars and ravenous monsters. You can employ mercenaries, spells and artifacts to fight them.

The Northern Reach

You explore the Northern Reach, where the Empire’s outskirts face constant threats. Locations include museums in the city of Ione, farms in the countryside, ruined temples of ancient gods and camps of raiding Orcs. Each location presents its own challenges. You can contact other Heretic Operatives and recruit townsfolk to expand your influence and oppose the Cultus Arcanum.

Decisions and replayability

More than 270 adventure cards present decisions that change how your story unfolds. You might risk your life and mission to rescue people from a burning building, abandon them, stand against Orcs for honor or flee, or learn the verses of the Elven Song of Greeting instead of challenging Elven ceremony.

The game has more than 7 playable Operatives, 6 story decks and 4 enemy cults. Different combinations call for different strategies and careful use of your resources, so each playthrough can unfold differently.