Gear Up: MetalFabToken's DekTech Runeblade Deckbox

Today, I'm here to give you my thoughts on a deck box that, if you're a Flesh and Blood enthusiast, you've likely come across already - MetalFabToken's Runeblade Deckbox. The burning question: Is this deck box a Gear Up?

Feel

Let's start with the aesthetics. The exterior, including the lid, boasts a faux leather material of commendable quality, giving it a premium touch. What truly sets it apart is the etched front cover featuring an extended runchant pattern.

It's unique and visually stunning, with photos failing to capture the full essence. The original pattern, accentuated with a shiny finish, creates a captivating "glowing runechant" effect.

Inside, the deck trays are lined with felt. Initially, the felt might feel slightly rough compared to Gamegenic's offerings, but it still cement its position in the "premium" deck box category. The real showstopper, of course, is the Runeblade art adorning the inside of the lid. Phu Thieu's Runeblade design is nothing short of astonishing and promises to be a visual delight every time you open and close the box. The art appears to be sewn and printed on faux leather, ensuring its longevity and resistance to scratching.

Function

Designed with Flesh and Blood in mind, this deck box comes with specific instructions on its packaging. It's meant to house your CC deck in the large tray, your sideboard in the small tray, and your tokens in the flip tray. I can confirm that the trays are spacious enough to accommodate Mini Snaps, which I personally use for my valuable equipment cards. However, for my specific needs (double-sleeved cards and Mini Snaps), I found the trays to be slightly roomier than necessary. While they comfortably held my CC deck and sideboard, there was still ample space left.

I experimented with alternative configurations and managed to fit my entire CC deck, including sideboard and equipment, into the large tray. Unfortunately, the small tray couldn't accommodate a Blitz deck with equipment, primarily due to the thickness of my Mini Snaps. However, it's worth noting that if you use standard sleeves for your equipment, you should be able to snugly fit both a CC and a Blitz deck into this box.

In general though, I was actually surprised by the box's size; while not a major issue, a more ergonomic size would have been appreciated. One potential advantage of smaller trays would be a slimmer overall profile for the deck box, which would make it more comfortable to hold. In addition, the smaller size deck box will maintain gaming etiquette of keeping the table clear. At the moment, the box fully opened takes up a lot of table space!

It's possible that the tray size was chosen to maintain the resolution of the Runeblade Art on the lid, but this is just speculation. If MetalFabToken were to release a 2.0 version, a reconsideration of the tray and deck box size might be of interest to me.

Taking this deck box to my local Armoury, I found that the tray layout, once opened, was organized and convenient. The compact arrangement of the trays after opening the lid made it easy to access different compartments. The foldable dice tray opening toward me was a clever touch.

However, there were a couple of drawbacks. The lip of the lid lines up with the deck box edge, meaning that I can't open the box without lifting it off the surface. The dice tray also had a tendency to close on its own, which became a bit cumbersome when I needed to access it repeatedly. Additionally, the deck box's lid extended significantly when fully opened, encroaching onto my opponent's side of the table. I devised a workaround for both of the latter issues in the below image, but I remain slightly concerned about potential wear and tear of the flip tray's lid if kept in this position.

Gear Up?
Is MetalFabToken's Runeblade deckbox going to be in my TCG gear?

In most scenarios, I wouldn't consider it a must-have upgrade. For larger events or those where I anticipate playing multiple formats, it simply doesn't offer the versatility I need. Furthermore, it doesn't outshine my current daily driver, The Academic. On the market, it faces stiff competition, such as the Gamegenic Watchtower, which comes at a more budget-friendly price point (£24 compared to £44).

However, for local Armoury events where I know I'll be playing just one format, this deck box stands out for one reason - its sheer cool factor. Aesthetically, it's hands down the most impressive deck box in my collection. Currently, I reserve it exclusively for my Viserai deck, and whenever a CC Armoury event beckons and I wnat to sling runechants, I can't resist grabbing this box.

Where to Find It:
You can purchase this deckbox from Metalfabtoken's website, with shipping from the USA. If you're in the UK, you can also reach out to Hamish from PushThePoint, who handles limited quantities of this deckbox for UK orders.