How to Play
Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
In the Mind Games August Newsletter, we will teach you how to play Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
Number of Players: 2-4
Recommended Group: ages 14+
Type of Game: Role Playing Game, Strategy, Fantasy
In Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, a 2-4 players game, the gamers take on the roles of Phoenixborns, wizards, gods and protectors of the world, saving the civilizations from plagues and monsters. Meanwhile, there arose between the cities a fight for land, and the cities started battling each other. Now, you will decide which one will rise or fall to ashes.
Each player controls a Phoenixborn and a 30-card deck with units and spell, plus 10 dice that are used as magical resources and power. Each player can be wounded and has a certain number of life points, with the winner of the game being the last Phoenixborn standing.
The game takes place round-by-round, with each player going back and forth, taking just one main action and a possible side action per turn, until both players pass, triggering the end of that round and the start of a new one.
At the beginning of a round, each player can keep or discard unused cards from their hand and dice from the previous round before drawing up to 5 cards and re-rolling dice. In each turn, players get one main action that can be used to play or activate certain cards or to attack an opposing unit or Phoenixborn.
When a player attacks, they choose a single target and push forward a set of unexhausted units already in their battlefield to attack with. If the target is a Phoenixborn, the defender can either take the damage or block with any number of their own unexhausted units. If the target is a unit, the defender may either have the unit take that damage or be destroyed, counter-attack or block with their Phoenixborn, taking the damage to themselves.
The cards can have different effects according to their types:
Ready Spells: These cards have effects that can be activated again and again as long as they remain on your spell board.
Action Spells: These cards have an effect (after you pay the action/dice cost) and then go to the discard pile.
Reaction Spells: These spells do not cost a main or side action but cost a die, and must be played at the time designated on the card to trigger their effect. They then go to the discard pile.
Ally Units: These are cards which go onto your battlefield to attack, or have persistent effects that may last until future turns, as long as they remain on the battlefield.
Alteration Spells: These cards are often attached to other cards already played by you or even by your opponents, having effects for good or ill.
Side actions can be used to play or trigger certain cards as well, to improve your dice, or to spend dice for actions inherent to certain die results.
Once all players pass in a round, usually due to being low on dice, cards, and unexhausted resources, units who can recover do so, exhausted cards have one exhaustion token removed, and the next round begins with a fresh hand of 5 cards and 10 dice to be rolled.
Victory Conditions: Cast spells, summon allies and destroy your opponent.
Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn in one sentence: “Excellent fantasy RPG with beautiful art work for those who don’t want to keep buying cards to build a deck.”
To buy Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, you can go to our online store:
