Card Backs Shading Difference

[Michael Lee 722]

I recently purchased Rise of the Runelords expansion pack 2: The Skinsaw Murders. While my kids and I thoroughly enjoy the game, some of the excitement was taken out of the game due to the very noticeable difference in the shading of the backs of the new cards. They a much darker then the older cards from the base set (and slightly bigger, but that does not pose a problem). This results in us knowing when a Skinsaw Murders expansion pack card is on top of the location deck. This kind of spoils the surprise. Sleeving the cards is not an option as it is just too expensive.

I hope this shading issue does not carry through to the other adventures, as I have ordered the 3rd expansion (Hook Mountain Massacre) and will be purchasing the others in due course.

Just thought you should know.

Many thanks and have a good day.

Michael

[Andrew Betts]

It sounds like you are mixing printings of RotRL. There was trouble with the original Chinese printer and caused them to switch to a US based printer. The change in printers is what caused this. I believe the darker backs are the current printer. Which has been the printer for every set since the 2nd printing started.

[Michael Lee 722]

Thanks for the info Andrew.

[Diego Valdez]

Hello Michael,

As Andrew mentioned, this sounds like it is due to the different print runs. It sounds like your Adventure Deck 2 is part of the first, Chinese, printing and you base set is part of the second, USA, printing. The first printing has darker card backs and are slightly larger. The printing has since remained at the same printer as the second printing, so all of the cards printed after Rise of the Runelords should match the second printing.

Our Chief Technical Office, Vic Wertz, made a post about this, which has some suggestions which you can find here.

There are still first printing Adventure Decks in circulation. If your Deck 3 was ordered from us it will be a second printing. If you ordered it somewhere else you may want to make sure what they are getting you will match what you already have.

There are a few ways to tell which printing you have. First is that at the end of the small print on the back of the box will say either, "Printed in China" or "Printed in USA". The second is that the first printing loads from the top of the box, the second printing side loads. Lastly the second printing has a much larger shelf hangar (the cardboard piece with a hole to hang the package in a store) than the first printing does.

[Michael Lee 722]

Hi Diego

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.