Ascension: Dawn of Champions
Ascension: Dawn of Champions Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Getting Started
In Ascension: Dawn of Champions™, players compete to become a leader of New Vigil. Starting with a small group of loyal but untrained followers, you acquire mighty Heroes and powerful Constructs to aid you in your quest to defeat evil Monsters and achieve victory.
Each turn, you will play cards to gain resources. These resources will allow you to acquire new Heroes and Constructs for your deck and defeat Monsters to earn rewards. At the end of the game, the player with the most Honor from cards they have acquired and Monster rewards is the winner.
Contents
- 1 Game board
- 4 Oversized Champion cards
- 40 Reputation Tokens
- 25 Clear 1-Honor tokens
- 25 Red 5-Honor tokens
- 96 Center deck cards
- 4 Champion Hero cards
- 4 Personal 10-card starting decks (8 Apprentice & 2 Militia)
- 53 Always available cards: 1 Cultist, 26 Mystic & 26 Heavy Infantry
Setup
Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ can be played with 2-4 players on its own and can support up to 6 players with additional expansions. Team and single-player variant rules can be found on page 14.
Each player has a white-bordered starting deck consisting of eight Apprentices and two Militias. Everyone shuffles their starting deck and draws five cards (leaving five cards in their deck).
Take the silver-bordered Heavy Infantry, Mystic and Cultist cards and set them to the side in reach of all players. These cards represent characters in your kingdom and are always available to be acquired or defeated on your turn. You will also find silver-bordered Champion Hero cards. These will be used with the corresponding Champion cards. For more information about Champion cards, refer to pages 4 and 8.
Shuffle all of the black-bordered cards face down to form the center deck. From the center deck, flip six cards face up in a row between all players. This forms the center row. Place the center deck on one side of the center row. Reserve space on the opposite end of the center row for the void. When a Monster in the center row is defeated or any other card is banished, it goes to the void. (See "Game Layout" on Page 3).
Place 30 Honor tokens in the Honor pool for each player. Large, red Honor tokens are worth 5 points. Small, clear Honor tokens are worth 1 point.
| Number of Players | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Honor Tokens | 60 | 90 | 120 |
Randomly determine which player goes first and proceed clockwise from there.
Game Layout
The play area consists of: the Honor Pool (red 5-Honor and clear 1-Honor tokens); the Always Available Cards (Mystic, Heavy Infantry & Cultist), set to the side within reach of all players; the Center Deck, face down; the Center Row, six cards flipped face up from the center deck; the Void, reserved space at the far end of the center row where defeated Monsters and banished cards go; each player's Champion Card with its Reputation Powers, its silver-bordered Champion Hero Card tucked beneath it, and a supply of Reputation Tokens; and each player's Personal Deck, split into a five-card Starting Hand and the remaining five cards left in the Starting Deck.
New in Ascension: Dawn of Champions
Champions & Reputation
The biggest new feature in Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ is a new card type called Champions. These oversized cards allow you to play as powerful leaders from New Vigil.
Each player begins the game with a Champion in front of them. Each Champion has Reputation Powers that determine how a player can gain Reputation ( Reputation ), and what rewards they will gain from it. Champions can be assigned randomly by dealing them out face-down, or through any other method your group prefers.
All of the Champions in Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ have silver-bordered Champion Hero cards that should be placed under the Champion card during setup. For more information on Champions, see page 8.
Rally
Rally is a new keyword that triggers when a card in the center row is replaced. When an effect tells you to Rally, it will indicate a characteristic, such as faction, that allows you to acquire or defeat the next card that enters the center row if it has the indicated characteristic. For instance, when a card tells you to Rally: Enlightened, if the next card to enter the center row is an Enlightened card, you may acquire or defeat it without paying its cost.
Example: Undaunted Scout lets you Rally: Void when you acquire it from the center row. If the next card that enters that spot in the center row is a Void card, you may acquire it or defeat it without paying its cost.
Multifaction Heroes & Constructs
Continuing the popular multifaction mechanic from Ascension: Realms Unraveled™, multifaction Heroes make a reappearance in this set, along with the new multifaction Constructs. Multifaction cards function exactly the same as their normal counterparts, but count as every faction listed on their card.
Faction Monsters
Many of the Monsters included in Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ have a faction. These Monsters represent corrupted denizens of New Vigil. They work exactly like standard Monsters, but are affected by Rally effects, Reputation Powers, and other specific card effects.
Hero Cards
Heroes are the allies you acquire to aid you in your quest to protect the realm of New Vigil. You can play any number of Hero cards from your hand each turn. When you play a Hero from your hand, gain the effect listed on the card. It stays in front of you until the end of your turn, and then it goes to your discard pile.
Anatomy of a Hero card (example: Ogo Courier, a Lifebound Hero costing 4 Runes, worth 2 Honor, with the effect "Gain 2 Runes. The next time you acquire a Hero in the center row, Rally: Lifebound." and the flavor text "Make haste. If our new world is to be preserved, we must warn the others of Xeron's plans," Nairi urged.):
- Name — the card's name.
- Cost — Number of Runes you must spend to acquire this card.
- Faction — There are four different factions: Enlightened, Lifebound, Mechana, Void.
- Effect — What the card does when played.
- Flavor Text — Flavor text has no game effect.
- Honor — How much Honor this card is worth.
- Rarity & Set — Each dot represents a copy of the card in the center deck.
Multifaction Heroes
Multifaction Heroes are played just like normal Heroes, but they count as all of the factions listed on the card.
Example: Shepherd of the Lost is a Lifebound Void Hero. You will be able to acquire it with both Rally: Lifebound and Rally: Void effects.
Construct Cards
Constructs are the many weapons, magical items, and fantastical devices you may acquire to use in your battles. Unlike Heroes, when you play a Construct, it stays in play and continues to help you turn after turn. However, they can also be destroyed by card effects (usually on Monster cards). When a Construct is destroyed, it is placed into your discard pile from play.
Anatomy of a Construct card (example: Spark Bug, a Mechana Construct costing 1 Rune, worth 1 Honor, with the effect "Once per turn, if you have played two or more Mechana cards (including this one), gain 2 Runes." and the flavor text "Not all of the bugs in Hedron's machinery are bad."):
- Name — the card's name.
- Cost — Number of Runes you must spend to acquire this card.
- Faction — There are four different factions: Enlightened, Lifebound, Mechana, Void.
- Effect — What the card does when played or in play.
- Flavor Text — Flavor text has no game effect.
- Honor — How much Honor this card is worth.
- Rarity & Set — Each dot represents a copy of the card in the center deck.
Multifaction Constructs
Multifaction Constructs are played just like normal Constructs, but they count as all of the factions listed on the card.
Example: Riftwatch Turret is a Mechana Void Construct. If you play both Riftwatch Turret and Spark Bug, you will be able to use Spark Bug's ability that requires two Mechana cards to have been played.
Monster Cards
Monsters represent the forces of evil that are trying to destroy the world of New Vigil. Whenever you defeat a Monster, banish it to the void and you get its reward immediately.
Defeating Monsters gives you rewards, including Honor, which is the victory condition of Ascension: Dawn of Champions™. When you earn Honor for defeating a Monster, simply collect the appropriate number of Honor tokens from the Honor Pool and place them in front of you.
Anatomy of a Monster card (example: Aranyx, the Glutton, a Monster costing 7 Power to defeat, with the reward "Gain 4 Honor. Gain 7 Power. Rally: Monster." and the flavor text "Are you going to eat that?"):
- Name — the card's name.
- Cost — Amount of Power you must spend to defeat this card.
- Monster Type — Aranyx is a typical Monster, but there are also Monsters with Factions and Trophy Rewards.
- Reward — What this monster does when defeated.
- Flavor Text — Flavor text has no game effect.
- Rarity & Set — Each dot represents a copy of the card in the center deck.
Faction Monsters
Many of the Monsters included in Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ have a faction. These Monsters represent corrupted denizens of New Vigil. They work exactly like standard Monsters, but are affected by Rally effects, Reputation Powers, and other specific card effects.
Champions
One of the major new features of Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ is a new card type called Champions. These special cards allow you to take on the role of major figures from New Vigil, gaining Reputation ( Reputation ) among your faction as you prove your worth as a leader.
Playing with Champions is optional. If you choose to play with Champions, randomly assign one to each player before the game begins, or through another method of your playgroup's choosing.
Anatomy of a Champion card (example: Nairi, a Lifebound Champion, with the flavor text "It was Nairi who raised the Stone Circle, teaching the druids to commune with Cetra and her starchildren. They look to her example as she moves through the forest, bringing peace to the harsh wilds. A calm within the storm."):
- Name & Faction — the Champion's name and faction.
- Reputation Powers — Ways to gain Reputation and rewards for reaching certain thresholds of Reputation.
- Flavor Text — Flavor text has no game effect.
Reputation Powers
All Champions in Ascension: Dawn of Champions™ have four Reputation Powers listed along their left side. These explain the way in which you gain Reputation ( Reputation ) and what rewards you will unlock when you reach certain thresholds of Reputation. You gain 1 Reputation whenever you acquire or defeat a card of the appropriate faction. You also may spend 2 Runes to gain 1 Reputation once per turn.
Some Reputation Powers provide rewards that are unlocked once you achieve a certain threshold.
Example: Nairi's third Reputation Power reads "3 Reputation: Acquire Nairi, Wild Queen." You will acquire the Nairi, Wild Queen as soon as you have 3 Reputation. Her fourth Reputation Power will become active as soon as you have 8 Reputation and will remain active for the entire game.
Nairi's Reputation Powers, for reference:
- +1 — Whenever you acquire or defeat a Lifebound card from the center row, gain 1 Reputation.
- +1 — Once per turn, you may pay 2 Runes to gain 1 Reputation.
- 3 — Acquire Nairi, Wild Queen.
- 8 — Whenever you acquire or defeat a Lifebound card in the center row, Rally: Lifebound.
The Champion Hero Card unlocked at the 3-Reputation threshold, Nairi, Wild Queen (a Lifebound Hero), reads: "Gain 1 Honor. Draw a card. Unite: Gain 1 Honor. Draw a card."
Gameplay
General Rules
At any time, if your personal deck is empty and you need to draw a card or reveal a card from the top of your deck, reshuffle your discard pile to replenish your deck. If the center deck runs out, reshuffle the void to replenish it.
Hero cards played during your turn go into the discard pile at the end of your turn. (In other words, don't reshuffle Hero cards you've played this turn if you need to reshuffle your discard pile in the middle of your turn.)
Cards you acquire during your turn are placed in your discard pile.
Whenever a card leaves the center row, replace it immediately from the center deck. This happens before anything else occurs. Any time a player is making a decision, the center row should be full.
Many cards will have text that contradicts these rules. If card text ever contradicts the rules, follow the card text instead.
Turn Breakdown
- Play cards from your hand to gain Runes, Power and Honor. Acquire Heroes and Constructs, and put them in your discard pile for future turns. Defeat Monsters for rewards and Honor.
- Place played Hero cards and cards in your hand in your discard pile at the end of your turn.
- Draw five cards from your personal deck.
To play a Hero card from your hand, simply place the card face up in front of you, announce its effect, and follow the instructions on the card. Any choices required by the card must be made at that time and any conditionals must be met for additional effects, though any Runes or Power generated can be spent until the end of your turn. You do not have to pay any costs to play Heroes from your hand.
Example: Muse of Rebirth says, "Gain 2 Runes. You may banish a card in your hand or discard pile." When you play Muse of Rebirth, you decide whether to banish a card and gain the 2 Runes immediately, but you can wait until later in the turn to decide how to spend your Runes.
Constructs are played just like Heroes, except Constructs remain in play and can be used every turn. If a Construct has multiple abilities, each one may be used.
Example: Riftwatch Turret says, "Once per turn, gain 1 Rune. Once per turn, when you play a Mechana Construct (including this one), gain 1 Rune." You may choose to gain 1 Rune at the beginning of your turn, and still gain 1 Rune from playing a Mechana Construct later that same turn.
Acquiring Heroes and Constructs
You need Runes to acquire Heroes and Constructs. Runes come from Heroes played from your hand or from Constructs you have in play. You may acquire any number of cards as long as you have enough Runes. To find out how many Runes you get from a card, look in the text box of the card. If a card provides Runes, there will be a Rune icon with a number.
Ogo Courier costs 4 Runes to acquire. You gain 2 Runes by playing it (its Lifebound Hero text box reads "Gain 2 Runes.").
You may acquire any Hero or Construct in the center row as well as Mystics and Heavy Infantry, which are always available. When you acquire a card, place it in your discard pile and replace the card in the center row with the top card of the center deck.
Defeating Monsters
To defeat a Monster, a player must have enough Power (generated by cards with a Power icon in their text box — e.g., Heavy Infantry). The amount of Power a card generates is found in its game text box represented by the Power icon with a number.
The Defeat Cost of a Monster is listed in the upper-right corner of the card. This cost has a Power icon behind it.
When you defeat a Monster, you gain a Reward. Most rewards include Honor, and how much Honor you gain is equal to the number indicated on the Honor symbol. If the Monster has another effect as part of its reward, that effect occurs immediately after the card is replaced in the center row.
After defeating a Monster, place it in the void and replace it in the center row. You may defeat any number of Monsters as long as you have enough Power.
The Cultist is always available to defeat and is never banished to the void. There is no limit to how many times you can defeat the Cultist in one turn.
Thorned Charger requires 4 Power to defeat (its reward reads "Gain 1 Honor. You may put a Hero from your discard pile on top of your deck. Rally: Lifebound."). Heavy Infantry generates 2 Power.
Banishing Cards
Some cards allow you to banish cards in either the center row or your own deck. When a card tells you to banish from the center row, put the card into the void, then place the top card of the center deck into the center row. If a card instructs you to banish multiple cards from the center row, place all of those cards into the void, then put that many cards from the center deck into the center row.
When a card tells you to banish a card in your hand and/or your discard pile, you may put a card from that zone into the void. If a card allows you to banish a card in your hand, you may not banish a card that you've already played that turn, as that card is no longer in your hand. Banishing your weaker cards allows you to draw your more powerful cards more frequently, so make sure to banish your Apprentice and Militia cards whenever you get the opportunity.
Ending Your Turn
After you are done playing cards from your hand, acquiring Heroes and Constructs, and defeating Monsters, place any remaining cards in your hand and any Heroes played during your turn into your discard pile. You lose all unspent Runes and Power.
Draw five cards to replenish your hand. If you run out of cards in your deck and need to draw more, simply reshuffle your discard pile into your deck. When you end your turn, play passes clockwise around the table.
Game End
The game ends when a certain amount of Honor has been earned, based on the number of players.
| Number of Players | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Honor Tokens | 60 | 90 | 120 |
Set this much Honor aside in Honor tokens before starting the game. When the final Honor token is earned, the game ends at the end of the current round (after the last player to start the game takes a turn). Thus, each player will play the same number of turns during the course of the game. Players can still gain Honor even when the set number of Honor tokens is gone. Use additional Honor tokens left over to track any Honor earned by players before the game ends.
Cards in each player's deck are also worth Honor, indicated by the number in the Honor symbol on the bottom left corner of the card. When the game is over, count the Honor from Heroes and Constructs (this includes your hand, deck, discard pile, and played Constructs), along with all Honor tokens acquired during the game. The player with the most total Honor is the winner!
If multiple players have the same number of Honor Points, the last player to start wins (i.e., the starting player loses all ties, the second player loses to third and fourth, etc.).
F.A.Q.
Q: What happens if I play Spark Bug later in my turn after I have already played two Mechana cards? A: You can activate it at any point during a turn in which you have played two Mechana cards, whether it was on the board when you played them or not.
Q: If I have multiple Rally effects at the same time, how do they resolve? A: If you have multiple Rally effects applying to the same reveal from the center deck, you can acquire or defeat that card if it has any faction among the Rally effects. They do not carry over to the next card revealed from the center deck.
Q: When I acquire or defeat a card that would give me my eighth Reputation, do I get to use the Rally effect from my Champion's Reputation Power right away? A: Yes. You gain the ongoing Rally effect from your Champion's Reputation Power as soon as you acquire or defeat the card needed to get the requisite 8 Reputation, activating it immediately.
Q: If I acquire a multifaction card that includes the faction of my avatar, do I gain 1 Reputation? A: Yes. You gain 1 Reputation every time you acquire or defeat a card that shares a faction with your Champion.
Q: If I have Conversion Port in play, will I gain 1 Reputation when I acquire any Construct, no matter what faction it is? Can I acquire any Construct off of a Rally effect for any faction? A: Yes to both. While you have Conversion Port in play, you treat all Constructs as if they have all factions, so you will gain 1 Reputation for any Construct you acquire, and any faction's Rally effect will trigger for any Construct.
Q: Can I use Premonition Bell to copy Daybreak Askara if it is in the center row? A: No. The effect of Daybreak Askara cannot be copied, as stated on the card.
Q: How does Xeron, Lord of Deofol work? How can I defeat Heroes with Power? A: While you control Xeron, Lord of Deofol as an Ongoing Trophy, you may spend power to defeat Heroes in the center row as if they were Monsters. When you defeat a Hero, you gain Honor equal to its Honor value, gain the Hero's effect as if it were played, and then banish the Hero to the void.
Q: What if I control Xeron, Lord of Deofol and I defeat a Hero that has a trigger when it is acquired, like Undaunted Scout? Do I get that effect as well? A: No, you only gain the effect the Hero provides when it is played.
Q: Does gaining the effect of a Hero by defeating it with Xeron, Lord of Deofol count as playing that Hero that turn for effects like Mantra of Renewal? Can it be copied with Daybreak Askara? A: No, the Hero does not count as having been played that turn.
Have questions about Ascension™ strategies and gameplay? Wondering what happens when you combine this set with other cards and expansions? Check out the official Ascension F.A.Q. at www.AscensionGame.com/FAQ.
Glossary
Banish: When a card is banished, it is placed in the void pile. Always Available cards and starting deck cards do not go to the void when banished. Starting deck cards are set aside outside the game and always available cards are put back in their appropriate Always Available zone when banished.
Champions: Champions are leaders within the main factions in Ascension. Champions are randomly assigned at the beginning of the game, and dictate how a player gains Reputation and what rewards it gives him.
Constructs: Constructs are the many weapons, magical items, and fantastical devices you may acquire to use in your battles. After you play a Construct from your hand, you can gain an effect from it every turn it remains in play.
Destroy: Destroy means to put into the discard pile from play and generally refers to Constructs.
Heroes: Heroes are the allies you can acquire to aid you in your quest to save the realm of New Vigil. When you play a Hero from your hand, you gain the effect listed on the card, and then it goes to your discard pile at the end of your turn.
Honor: Honor is the key to victory in Ascension. Whoever earns the most Honor wins the game.
Monsters: Monsters are the minions of Deofol that are trying to conquer New Vigil. Defeating Monsters gives you rewards, including Honor that wins you the game.
Power: Power is one of the two main resources in the world of Ascension. Power is used to defeat Monsters and earn rewards.
Rally: Rally is an effect that only occurs when a card in the center row is replaced. When an effect tells you to Rally, it will indicate a characteristic, such as faction, that allows you to acquire or defeat the next card that enters the center row if it has the indicated characteristic.
Reputation: Reputation is gained through Reputation Powers on Champion cards, and is used to unlock rewards and other card effects.
Runes: Runes are one of the two main resources in the world of Ascension. Runes are used to acquire Heroes and Constructs so you can add them to your deck.
Trophy: Trophy is an additional reward on some Monsters. When you defeat a Monster with a Trophy effect, gain the Honor reward immediately and put it face-up in play in front of you. You may banish it for its effect immediately or save it for a future turn.
Unite: Cards with the Unite keyword have additional effects that occur if you play them in the same turn as other Heroes that share the same faction.
Gameplay Variants
Team Rules (4-6 Players in teams of 2)
- Set aside 30 Honor tokens per player.
- Teammates sit across from one other.
- Your teammate is not harmed by the rewards from any Monsters you defeat (e.g. if you kill a Corrosive Widow, your teammate does not have to destroy a Construct they control).
- You may spend one additional Rune when you acquire a card to add that card to your teammate's deck instead of yours.
- At the end of the game, combine your Honor total with that of your teammate's to determine the winning team!
Solitaire Rules (1 Player)
- Set aside 50 Honor tokens.
- Lay out the Center Row as normal, but whenever a card leaves the Center Row, the replacement card always enters on the left-hand side and the remaining cards slide over to the right.
- You take the first turn of the game. At the end of each of your turns, the Cult is considered to acquire or defeat the two cards furthest to the right in the Center Row.
- All cards acquired by the Cult are set aside and only used to determine its Honor total at the end of the game.
- Any Monsters defeated by the cult go to the Void, and the Cult receives any Honor from their reward. All other effects are ignored.
- Continue playing this way until the last Honor token is gone, then compare your score to the total Honor earned by the Cult. If you have more Honor, you win!
Credits
Lead Game Design: Justin Gary
Design & Development Team: John Fiorillo, Brian Kibler, Gary Arant, Ben Lundquist, Nick Fiorillo, Patrick Sullivan, Jeff Liu, Mark Herberholz
Project Management Lead: Ian Estrin
Graphic Design: Ryan O'Connor
Card Art: Eric Sabee, Anton Kagounkin Magdalina, David Wyatt, Justin Gerard
Creative Team: Ryan O'Connor, Jeremy Cranford, Eric Tice