Doomtown (originally Deadlands: Doomtown, later rereleased as Doomtown: Reloaded) is an expandable card game based on the Deadlands role-playing game. It was originally a collectible card game (Deadlands: Doomtown) that ran from 1998 through 2001, published by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) under license to Pinnacle Entertainment Group until January 2000, when WotC quit production and the license transferred to Alderac Entertainment Group; its last expansion for many years was Do unto Others from 2001. In 2014 the game was revived (as Doomtown: Reloaded) with updated rules and sold in non-randomized expansions.
During the game, each player builds locations in the town and fights for overall control. Doomtown sets itself apart from other card games in that each card doubles as a playing card, which impacts both deck building and gameplay. Players resolve certain in-game situations (such as combat) with a hand of poker, accentuating the Old West atmosphere of the game.
Doomtown is also a heavily story-driven game, with many tie-ins to the events of Deadlands at-large. In both its iterations, players are given opportunities to affect the story line, such as through tournaments where players vote on characters getting to live or die.
Setting and story Deadlands Deadlands is a role-playing system set in the fictional Weird West, an alternative history blending elements of the American wild west, horror, and steampunk. The game is largely set between 1876 and 1879.
In 1863, a vengeful Sioux shaman known as Raven conducted a ritual known as the Reckoning, which weakened the border with the spiritual realm, unleashing terrible creatures, spirits, and undead. In addition, many people became able to harness various forms of magic, both demonic and holy. The Reckoning also caused most of California's coast to sink, leaving plateaus jutting from the ocean (a locale known as the Great Maze).
Around the same time, a new super-fuel known as ghost rock was discovered, which spurred the equivalent of a gold rush to the Great Maze, as well as a leap forward into an era of steampunk technology.
Also differentiating the setting from history, the American Civil War is still ongoing through 1879, with both the Union and Confederacy pushing westward. There are also various other sovereign powers, such as the Sioux Nation, Coyote Confederation, Nation of Deseret, and City of Lost Angels.
Deadlands: Doomtown In its original printing run (1998–2001), Doomtown was set in Gomorra, a boomtown on the edge of the Great Maze. Due to a preponderance of ghost rock in its vicinity, various factions fight for control of the town.
As the town grew and factions arrived, the conflict between the peacekeeping Law Dogs and an outlaw gang called the Blackjacks escalated toward a climactic shootout at high noon. The violence rocked the town, but greater conflict brewed in the background.
The second story arc focuses on the Whateley family and the Flock. Despite attempts by Confederacy and Union agents to stop them, the Flock and Whateleys succeed in using a mother lode of ghost rock in the middle of town to summon a demon from Hell. The demon destroys much of the town but is defeated along with the Flock. Surviving factions race to build rail lines and control Gomorra's ghost rock reserves. The leader of the Flock returns with the backing of Lost Angels, and uses a ritual to cause a catastrophe known as the Storm, razing the town and killing almost all of its residents.
Factions
Blackjacks: A local outlaw gang, constantly robbing the town and populace. Their founder, Blackjack, holds a grudge against the Sweetrock Mining Company. Released in Episode 1&2. Law Dogs: The law of the town, they pursue fugitives and dispense justice. Released in Episode 1&2. Collegium: Mad scientists and researchers who use ghost rock to power their gadgets. Released in Episode 1&2. Sweetrock Mining Company: Corporation headquartered back East, who use extensive capital and aggressive tactics to control the mines. Released in Episode 3. Whateleys: A notorious family of hucksters involved in witchcraft, demonology, and hexes. They are rumored to breed with abominations. Released in Episode 4. Sioux Union: A nation formed by Native American tribes, with a local representation of warriors and shamans working to expel evil from Gomorra. Released in Episode 5. Maze Rats: A band of pirates loyal to Chinese forces out of Shan Fan (i.e. San Francisco) that raid the local mines. Released in Episode 6. Texas Rangers: Agents of the Confederacy, charged with a policy to "shoot or recruit" supernatural forces. Released in Episode 7. The Agency: Agents of the Union, these "men in black" are tasked with eradicating abominations and evil. Released in Episode 8. The Flock: A cult in Gomorra that employs holy magic, and has a different member personifying each of the deadly sins. Released in Episode 9.
Doomtown: Reloaded (AEG era) The Reloaded iteration of Doomtown, published initially by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG), picks up in Gomorra about a year after the events of the Storm. There was enough remaining ghost rock to encourage rebuilding Gomorra, aided by the rail lines.
An escalating conflict builds between the Law Dogs and the Sloane Gang of outlaws, culminating in a high noon shootout and a dead sheriff. A mysterious illness sweeps through town, and the secretive Fourth Ring circus open a sanitarium for relief efforts, while the Morgan Cattle Company use 'mad science' in search for a cure. The Fourth Ring are revealed to be turning the townsfolk into zombies. They unleash this horde on Gomorra, but are thwarted by the combined efforts of the other factions. Under new leadership, the Sloane Gang take over and force the Law Dogs into exile.
Factions
Law Dogs: The law and order of the town, representing the sheriff's office (including mad scientists working to develop an advanced arsenal) and various religious figures with access to holy magic. Sloane Gang: A violent gang of outlaws that threaten the town. They use unholy magic in service of their crimes. Morgan Cattle Company: A ranching powerhouse which has branched out into mining and mad science. The Fourth Ring: A mysterious circus which is actually an association of abominations and unholy spellcasters working on behalf of the Reckoner known as Pestilence. Eagle Wardens: An independent organization spearheaded by people from various Native Americans tribes, who use shamanic magic to thwart evil. 108 Righteous Bandits: A loose gang of outlaws, transients, kung fu disciples, East Asian immigrants, and religious figures. They steal from the rich on behalf of the exploited masses.
Doomtown: Reloaded (PBE era) Picking up in the immediate aftermath of the AEG era of publication, Pine Box Entertainment (PBE) broadened the story's horizons to encompass the wider world of Deadlands. It follows various characters fleeing Gomorra in the aftermath of the town's destruction by the Fourth Ring and the Sloane Gang.
The exiles run into nefarious villains such as the Servitors, representatives of the four Reckoners (known by some as the Four Horsemen), and become involved in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Factions When the game transitioned from AEG to Pine Box, all cards remained legal, so the factions remained the same mechanically. However, the factions were realigned thematically to account for the wider setting the game now covered, and were given the new names seen below. The more specific factions from the AEG era became considered aspects of the broader factions.
Anarchists (formerly the 108 Righteous Bandits) Entrepreneurs (formerly Morgan Cattle Company) Fearmongers (formerly The Fourth Ring) First Peoples (formerly the Eagle Wardens) Law Dogs (now encompassing more than Gomorra's law) Outlaws (formerly the Sloane Gang)
Release history
Deadlands: Doomtown (1998 to 2001) During the game's initial development, Doomtown was advertised as Doomtown: The Legend of Caine County. It was being developed by Five Rings Publishing (FRP), which was acquired by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) as part of the TSR buyout. WotC thus acquired Doomtown and released the game's first set.
The game was an instant success: Doomtown won the 1998 Origins Awards for Best Trading Card Game and Best Graphic Presentation of a Card Game. WotC produced the initial run of 'episodes' (a series of smaller expansions under the FRP's Rolling Thunder distribution model of frequent small expansions), the Pine Box Edition (a more traditional base set as the game transitioned to a more typical collectible card game release model), Shootout at High Noon (a set of two fixed decks to pick up and play), and the next three expansions.
When WotC's contract with Pinnacle Entertainment Group (the owner of the Deadlands property) ended in 1999, they chose not to renew. Alderac Entertainment Group then acquired the rights to publish Doomtown from Pinnacle, and released a new base set, Boot Hill Edition, in 2000. This was followed by three traditional expansions and a final box set of fixed cards as the final expansion upon the game's cancellation. That last expansion was Do unto Others from 2001.
Timeline NameYearSizeExpansion symbolEpisodes 1 & 21998156noneEpisode 3199852noneEpisode 4199852Club suitEpisode 5199852Club suitEpisode 6199852Club suitEpisode 7199853Diamond suitEpisode 8199852Diamond suitEpisode 9199851Diamond suitPine Box Edition1999320Heart suitShootout at High Noon199973Down-pointing triangleMouth of Hell1999181Spade suitA Reaping of Souls1999181Latin CrossRevelations1999182Ω (omega)Boot Hill Edition2000319Outlined Greek CrossAshes to Ashes2000158White starEye for an Eye2000157Four dot punctuationDo unto Others2001199Cross of Jerusalem
Doomtown: Reloaded (AEG era, 2014 to 2016) After the final set of Doomtown classic, fans kept the game alive by holding their own tournaments and making fan content. Eventually, via a flier from the 2014 GAMA Trade Show, it was revealed that Doomtown: Reloaded would be released by AEG in 2014, with updated rules and sold in non-randomized expansions as an expandable card game. The base set was released at GenCon 2014, where the inaugural tournament was held.
After the initial base set of 145 cards, expansions fell into one of three size categories: Pine Boxes (40–42 cards), Saddlebags (21–23 cards), or Faction Pack (42 cards). From 2014 to 2016, AEG released these expansions on a regular schedule of three Saddlebags followed by a Pine Box. In 2015, they inserted an extra release into the schedule, the Faction Pack "Immovable Object, Unstoppable Force", which introduced the 108 Righteous Bandits and Eagle Wardens as factions (the other four factions had all been introduced in the base set).
Throughout its run, AEG also released Organized Play kits which stores could order to offer as prize support in tournaments, containing various knickknacks such as playmats, and alternate art promos of various cards. In 2016, AEG announced that they would no longer be producing new content for the game and halting tournament support.
Timeline NameYearTypeExpansion codeDoomtown: Reloaded2014Base setDTRNew Town, New Rules2014SaddlebagNTNRDouble Dealin'2014SaddlebagDDElection Day Slaughter2015SaddlebagEDSFaith and Fear2015Pine BoxF&FFrontier Justice2015SaddlebagFJNo Turning Back2015SaddlebagNTBNightmare at Noon2015SaddlebagN@NImmovable Object, Unstoppable Force2015Faction PackIOUFThe Light Shineth2015Pine BoxTLSDirty Deeds2015SaddlebagDDeedsFoul Play2015SaddlebagFPBad Medicine2015SaddlebagBadMGhost Town2016Pine BoxGTThe Curtain Rises2016SaddlebagTCRA Grand Entrance2016SaddlebagAGEThe Showstopper2016SaddlebagTSsBlood Moon Rising2016Pine BoxBMR
Doomtown: Reloaded (PBE era, 2017 to present)