Realms Unraveled is the first expansion to play around with the four factions of the game: Enlightened, Lifebound, Mechana and Void. If you like building up an engine that can do crazy things, this might be the expansion for you. This expansion does introduce more randomness than many of the others, as the distribution of crystals can be uneven, but it also rewards players for intelligent deck-building and many of the cards have great combo potential. Crafting an energy-centric deck is part skill and part luck, but the benefits of doing it well can be huge.

These additional resources randomly appear under cards in the centre row and can power up various abilities on cards that care about them. Rise of Vigil introduces a new type of card - Treasure - which takes the form of Energy Crystals. It's essentially a slightly more polished, well-rounded version of the base game, and can be paired with the Immortal Heroes minor expansion for an even better experience. These new mechanics all have the ability to create new options and game states, increasing the variance of the game and the number of viable strategies. Notable mechanics include Fate (cards with Fate do something when they enter the centre row), Events (cards that sit in a separate slot with ongoing effects) and Trophy Monsters (Monsters that a player gains when they're defeated, giving additional bonuses). The first major expansion, Storm of Souls retains a lot of the original's theme and features, but adds a few new mechanics to spice things up. Ascension Expansions Storm of Souls (2011) If you decide to dive in with an expansion rather than the base game (as I did, and didn't regret it) then my hope is that this guide will give you the information you need to make a good decision as to which one to buy.

Knowing where to start with a game of this scale might seem pretty overwhelming, but the good news is that you can buy any major expansion and have a great Ascension experience reminiscent of the base game. The success of the original game is such that designer Justin Gary has since created eight major expansions (with a ninth on the way in June), three minor expansions, a team expansion, a stripped back 'Apprentice' version and three collector editions. Like the tactile counterpart, both editions can be played independently, or in conjunction with each other.Ascension is one of the first deck-building games designed, combining polished deck-building mechanics with a unique fantasy theme, distinctive artwork and compelling strategy. Every expansion can be purchased in the game, averaging to ~US$3 per. Gary Games and Playdeck adapted Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer for iOS and Android. The expansions Ascension: Storm of Souls, Ascension: Darkness Unleashed, Ascension: Rise of Vigil, Ascension: Immortal Heroes and Ascension: Return of the Fallen can be added directly to Chronicle of the Godslayer, though they can also be played individually as stand-alone games.

Additionally, all purchase cards are worth a set amount of honor that is tallied at the end of the game, and not removed from the communal pool at the time of purchase. Honor is allocated during the course of the game through the use of certain cards or when defeating creatures. The player with the most honor at the end of the game wins. The game is over when a communal pool of honor (victory points) is completely depleted. Central cards are replenished from a randomly assorted deck of cards. External cards remain the same and are always available. Play moves relatively quickly, with players purchasing cards or defeating creatures from a center collection or an external location. Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer is card game in the deck building genre.

Ascension board game