Banners of Ruin Moonstone expands the core strategy RPG experience of the base game with a new playable hero focused on support and team augmentation. This PC title blends deckbuilding mechanics with turn based combat in a roguelike structure where each run involves assembling a party and navigating scenarios filled with enemies.
Gameplay
The central loop revolves around selecting a starter character and building a deck of cards that determine actions in combat. Moonstone enters as a bard equipped with a lute and a set of exclusive talents. Her hero ability generates temporary passives that allies can activate by playing the lute card, with fresh options appearing each time the ability triggers. These effects persist until the lute is drawn again, allowing her to shift team capabilities mid battle.
Combat occurs in turn based encounters across urban streets and other settings. Moonstone requires careful protection because her death ends the run immediately. She pairs with up to two additional party members from the start, creating varied compositions that leverage her augmentation tools alongside standard cards and equipment. New enemies and a named mini boss named Mordis introduce fresh challenges with specialized abilities designed to test experienced players.
Thirteen bard specific talents expand the available options, while specialized equipment further tailors her role as a support character. Runs emphasize survival through successive scenarios, with deck management and passive application forming the key decision points.
Game Modes
The experience centers on roguelike campaign runs that begin with character selection and progress through a series of encounters. Each attempt builds on metaprogression elements from the base game while incorporating the new content from the Moonstone addition. Scenarios vary in layout and enemy composition, with seven new ones added specifically for this character.
Party formation happens at the outset, and the structure rewards experimentation with different combinations around Moonstone. No separate competitive or multiplayer formats exist; the focus remains on single player progression through repeated runs that test deck synergy and tactical use of passives.
The Moonstone Addition
This content introduces Moonstone as a distinct starter option with tailored abilities unavailable to other heroes. Her lute mechanic creates dynamic support opportunities that change based on the passives generated during a run. Six new enemies join the roster, including the hunter Mordis who pursues her with a unique set of disruptive tricks.
The addition integrates directly into existing campaigns without altering the fundamental deckbuilding or combat flow. New scenarios provide additional variety in enemy placements and objectives, encouraging repeated play to explore how her talents interact with different party setups.
Is It Worth Playing?
The base game holds a Mostly Positive rating on Steam from over one thousand English reviews, reflecting steady interest in its deckbuilding roguelike format. The Moonstone DLC layers a support focused hero onto that foundation, appealing to players who enjoy augmenting allies and managing temporary effects rather than pure damage output.
Those who value careful positioning and keeping key characters alive will find the new mechanics rewarding, especially when experimenting with the expanded talent pool and enemy variety. The roguelike structure suits repeated short sessions or longer attempts to optimize runs. Availability on PC makes it accessible for anyone with the base title installed, and the addition maintains the original visual style and music that many reviewers highlighted positively.
Players seeking a fresh angle on team support in turn based combat will likely appreciate the changes, while those preferring aggressive solo carries may find the emphasis on keeping Moonstone alive more restrictive. The content expands options without requiring a full restart of prior progress.
