Ascension Deckbuilding Game

Product Information

Be ye brave or be ye foolish, the race to reach the cursed treasure of the Golden Isles is a perilous one. The waters are home to ancient horrors. On the islands, monsters stalk the caves and marshes. But, the true terror of the Golden Isles haunts the mists and the storms – the cursed crew of the Crimson Askara! The Void - Half-monstrous guardians watch over the seething mass of the Void - the depthless ocean of death and rebirth. These powerful warriors walk side by side with death as they protect Vigil from the monstrosities that crawl from the Void on a daily basis.

Ascension was my introduction to the wider world of modern gaming – what if it was terrible? There’s a new Ascension module released every year, pretty much – what if this one kills the goose that lays the tired idioms?

Sign In

Further colour is added to the world in the form of four factions, which also serve the mechanical function of broadening the game's strategic depth. The factions are as follows:

The Void – Half-monstrous guardians watch over the seething mass of the Void – the depthless ocean of death and rebirth. These powerful warriors walk side by side with death as they protect Vigil from the monstrosities that crawl from the Void on a daily basis.The games do an excellent job of conveying the plot through the cards’ art (which is consistently gorgeous across every expansion) and flavour text. Unlike many board games, Ascension actually succeeds in bringing recurring characters to life across multiple expansions: the great heroes of Vigil and their recurring foes.

The Lifebound - The denizens of Ogo are wild and powerful, controlling natural magic that gives them unmatched prowess in runecraft. The people and beasts of Ogo can also fight hard, teasing out power in all its natural forms.It is up to the Champions of Vigil, alongside a few rebellious monsters, to bring peace to the twisted lands, and set Deofol on a path to redemption in Ascension Tactics: Inferno! I did indeed, because as well as a rule book, you get a scenario book, the board doesn’t just come with one map set up, it has a blank side too. With plenty of terrain tiles to create one of the many maps and scenarios in the scenario book. Or you can make up your own. Or if you have a regular set of players, you can go for a co-operative campaign. The recurring characters of the game tend to be powerful heroes from each faction: Kor, the great Ferromancer of the Mechana; Master Dhartha, the Enlightened One; Emri - unmatched in battle; Cetra, the star-spirit guardian of Ogo; and more characters that emerge as time passes in Vigil's endless wars. These characters build the lore of the game and tie expansions together, but they're also represented on powerful, expensive cards that feel fantastic to acquire and wield. The Lifebound – The denizens of Ogo are wild and powerful, controlling natural magic that gives them unmatched prowess in runecraft. The people and beasts of Ogo can also fight hard, teasing out power in all its natural forms.

A new faction: The Fallen. For the first time in the history of Ascension, a new, fifth faction is being introduced to the game! Enlightened - The ascetics and warrior monks of Arha are bent on acquiring hidden knowledge. Their spiritual powers manipulate the heroes and monsters of Vigil in unique ways. Yes, the Cultists aren’t just there for beating up anymore – you can actually recruit them to fight for you! I mean, they’re pretty weak sauce but don’t overlook the chip-chip-chip effect of the little guys… But these are minor quibbles in the face of what is a really, really satisfying game. It feels like a better analog-based version of Overwatch (I’m horrible at Overwatch) – it has flow, it has action, it has strategy and, thanks to the now equal importance of the fighting resource, it has balance.Quests! Each player will be given a Quest to complete during the game. Once completed, it transforms into a powerful Construct that can be equipped to your Champions! The games do an excellent job of conveying the plot through the cards' art (which is consistently gorgeous across every expansion) and flavour text. Unlike many board games, Ascension actually succeeds in bringing recurring characters to life across multiple expansions: the great heroes of Vigil and their recurring foes. Mechana - Engineers hailing from the realm of Hedron with vast stores of mechanical knowledge. The Mechana create powerful machines that work together to achieve even greater feats. Enlightened – The ascetics and warrior monks of Arha are bent on acquiring hidden knowledge. Their spiritual powers manipulate the heroes and monsters of Vigil in unique ways.