Yeah, the decks looks alright, but I for once would like to see something different with the number cards. They're the same with every black deck they produce really.
Danny: Agreed about wanting to see something done with the numbers/pips. So few decks actually even touch the numbers when it comes to a re-design. I would have assumed they would continue the rune theme with their numbers and/or the pips on the card, at least somewhat changing them.
The faces and pips on the court cards have changed, the rune theme has been continued through the sashes of the royals. As far as the number cards go, they have been altered slightly, with touches of fading on the pips - like the Shadow Masters - but nowhere near as drastic. I'll admit, the shading did look a bit wrong on the Shadow Masters, but on these, it just works.
The new 'technology' referred rather disdainfully above, is both a new stock, and a new printing method. The new stock is thick - like other E customs, but is more durable, and less like cardboard then Tigers were. The inks are printed in three layers, which gives the cards their 3D appearance - previously not possible as the stock couldn't tolerate that much printing, and would either wick the ink away from the surface, saturating the stock, or would pool on the surface and ruin the detail. It seems that USPCC (and Ellusionist) have now overcome this problem.
With USPCC now knowing how to manufacture quality playing cards with fine detail, the floodgates are open to all those designs previously turned down because of their intricacies. I'm quite certain the custom card market will boom with decks with design of a new calibre from all the major players in the near future.
The gauntlet has been thrown.
JS.