RNG-balance

Because of the dice-battle system, "RNG" (random number generator) or "Luck" is a big part of Edge. Or so it seems. The amount of RNG used in Edge is calculated to match other card-games like Magic: The Gathering, Yu-gi-oh and many others.

#### TL;DR

Edge has visible RNG because of dice, but compared to mechanics like 'decks' from Magic: the Gathering, in the end, it is actually not more randomized.

#### RNG in games

In general, RNG is a bad thing in game design. This is because it takes away the ability to make desicions from the players. Creating a genius tactic and losing because of something you cannot control feels bad. That is why the combat system of Edge can sometimes be frustrating.

In my opinion, a game should have around 10-15% of luck in its design. The good thing about RNG is that it blurs the outcome of the game, making it hard to calculate your way to victory. It builds suspense and makes for exciting moments. This is why gambling is fun, and I believe it is an important element to card-games especially.

#### Dice vs Decks

While Edge does have dice as a source of RNG, it does not have a deck. Decks are what is usually used in trading card-games.

In Edge, dice are used to determine combat. You attack with a pawn, and select a die. Depending on the die, your result can vary from rolling 1 to rolling 20. This is a gamble you will have to take 10-15 times during an entire game. This is a big source of RNG, and you have to decide which gambles you want to take. If we assume that each player uses the same die for every battle, it would make the game 50% randomized, far more than the desired 10-15%. But taking into consideration that the players can use smaller or larger dice compared to the opponent, it becomes a matter of decision making. By estimating your chances with each battles, you only take the gambles that matter, which amounts to 3-4 battles out of 10-15 each game. This takes the total RNG of Edge down to about 20%.

In Magic: the Gathering you need a deck of 60 cards to play. Each player draws 5 cards out of 60 at the start of the game. The 60-card deck is a huge source of RNG. The chances of drawing the cards you need for a good start, compared to the cards your opponents have drawn are extremely fickle, and vary immensely between games. Later on in the game, you also need to draw the right cards to deal with what your opponents have played. This is relative to which deck your opponents play compared to which deck you play. Also, you need to draw the right types and amounts of 'lands', realtive to the other cards you drew. All of these variables makes a popular game like magic easily round the 15% of RNG.

#### Visible and Invisible RNG

There are two types of RNG;Visible and invisible.

Visible RNG is when the players can clearly see when something is randomized. This is the case for games like Roulette, Lotteries, Poker and indeed Edge.

Invisible RNG is when the randomization is better shrouded, and it is unclear for the player that something has been decided by fate. For example when drawing a hand in Magic: the Gathering or playing a card which is then immediately destroyed by an opponent trap card in yu-gi-oh at an unfortunate time.

In game design, visible RNG is worse than invisible RNG, because it is frustrating to witness something you cannot prevent, while if something bad happens to you without cause, it is easier to cope with. None the less, the numbers are the same, and invisible RNG is just as damming to a game as visible RNG.

#### Conclusion

Edge has a lot of visible RNG due to its core design of dice, but in conclusion, it is not more random than any other trading card game.