KeyForge: Age Of Ascension – Two-Player Starter Set

This new set further explores the gameplay of KeyForge with new keywords, restricting when certain cards can be played or freeing others from the constraints of standard placement. For example, the Brobnar are well known for their love of battle and their eagerness to land the first strike. Age of Ascension offers a new tactic for the House with cards like First Blood (Call of Ascension, 7) that feature the Alpha keyword, meaning that they can only be played as your first action during a turn. If you can establish a solid battleline, filled with the greatest Brobnar warriors, First Blood lets you open your next turn with a devastating alpha strike.

On the other end of the spectrum, the darkest creatures of the Crucible gain the power of Omega. The varied beings of Untamed can call upon a Duskwitch (Age of Ascension, 320), while the demons of Dis can make use of an Unlocked Gateway (Age of Ascension, 67) to destroy each creature—but the Omega keyword guarantees that this card must be the last card you play on your turn. While this gateway does not force you to take chains likeGateway to Dis (Call of the Archons, 59), this destructive power still comes at the cost of an opportunity, preventing you from playing any creatures unless you are willing to sacrifice them.

Finally, the new Deploy keyword mixes up your ordinary approach to building your battleline. Rather than building outward from the edges, a creature with Deploy can enter play anywhere in your battleline! You will find this keyword on only the quickest, like Lamindra (Age of Ascension, 272), and the most skilled warriors of the Crucible—those who can create order even in the middle of a chaotic clash between rival Archons. “Lion” Bautrem (Age of Ascension, 211) of House Sanctum grants power to his neighbors. With the ability to place him anywhere in your battleline, you have the freedom to select your most valuable creatures and bolster them, perhaps keeping a creature holding captured Æmber alive for a little longer, or granting one of your warriors the strength to destroy a particularly troublesome opponent. With these new keywords adding to the depth of the Crucible and the games that you play, you’ll be able to further develop your personal playstyle and discover brand-new decks that can reach their full potential in your hands.

The previously unseen cards of Age of Ascension are seamlessly mixed with 166 favorite cards from Call of the Archons to create new synergies and allow you to rediscover familiar cards in a fresh light. Cards that appear in both sets, such as the Witch of the Wilds (Age of Ascension, 369), have different card numbers from  their Call of the Archons counterpart  (Call of the Archons, 347), but all other text and abilities remain the same. Additionally, while the new card pool does feature the return of favorite cards, you will never find an Age of Ascension deck with only cards that originally appeared in Call of the Archons. In every deck you open, you are guaranteed to see new faces like House Mars’s monstrous  Xanthyx Harvester (Age of Ascension, 173), and perhaps even meet some new allies who give you a sense of déjà vu, like Archimedes (Age of Ascension, 108), who keen-eyed players may recognize as the loyal companion of Quixo the Adventurer.

Even cards that do not carry over from Call of the Archons to Age of Ascension have the chance to make an appearance as new Legacy cards. Like the player-favorite Mavericks (which continue to appear in Age of Ascension), Legacy cards are plucked from their normal settings and placed in new situations to unlock even stranger synergies. In KeyForge, any card that has existed in any previous set can be pulled forward to become a Legacy card included in a current Archon Deck. For instance, even though Quixo the “Adventurer” (Call of the Archons, 144) is not included in the Age of Ascension cardpool, he still has a chance of appearing in your Age of Ascension decks as a Legacy card. A new age is about to begin and no one on the Crucible is willing to be left behind.

The Power in Your Hands

Beyond the cards themselves, you may notice other subtle differences in Age of Ascension, highlighted in the set’s new starter. The KeyForge: Age of Ascension Two-Player Starter Set features all the tools you need to either begin or expand your adventures on the Crucible, including two unique Age of Ascension Archon Decks, a Quickstart Rulebook, two paper poster playmats for easily organizing your play area, and all the keys, tokens, and chain trackers you and your opponent need to start playing.

Unlike the Call of the Archons Starter Set, this set does not include two standardized learning decks, and you’ll also discover that stun and increased power are now marked by tokens rather than status cards. Both the Call of the Archons Starter Set and the Age of Ascension Two-Player Starter Set provide excellent points of entry for new players, and as the game continues to grow, the power is with you to choose the option that’s right for you. 

Once the Age of Ascension set lands at retailers in the second quarter of 2019, you’ll be able to track your Archon Decks from both Call of the Archons and Age of Ascension in the Master Vault at KeyForgeGame.com. Here, you can track your decks and see how they fit into the meta at large, follow the performance of other Archons across the Crucible, and stay updated on tournaments and events from Fantasy Flight Games Organized Play. As KeyForge continues to evolve, so too will the Master Vault, so keep an eye out for what secrets are emerging!

A Softer Side

Each of the seven Houses first introduced in Call of the Archons gain new allies and tools in the Age of Ascension—and some of the most lively characters and deafening machines are found in the renewed ranks of House Brobnar. Hailing from snow-capped mountains inaccessible to all but the hardiest creatures of the Crucible, this House is known for their love of a good fight and anything that creates noise and destruction. But not all in their ranks share this desire for destruction. For example, Culf the Quiet (Age of Ascension, 20) wishes for nothing more than to be left in peace, borrowing the Elusive keyword from his fellow goblins in the House to avoid confrontation. But as a giant, Culf still possesses six power if you call him to battle, more than any other elusive creature currently in the game!

As the world of the Crucible continues to grow, you will encounter new and wondrous species in every corner of this growing planet. Among the ranks of House Brobnar, we have seen goblins, humans, and giants. But there are beings, old as the mountains themselves (or potentially even older) that dwarf even the grandest giants.Lollop the Titanic (Age of Ascension, 14) is one such creature. As a grand titan, Lollop can withstand the blows of an entire enemy team with his incredible eleven power, even if he doesn’t deal any damage when he is attacked. 

One may not think it when first looking at these intimidating warriors, but the members of House Brobnar are quite fond of pets, and in true Brobnar style, their favorite animals are those who create lots of noise and destruction, such as the Grumpus. These creatures are half wolf, half rhino, half tank, and all grumpy. Only the strong-willed Brobnar would look at these beasts and think they could be tamed. But giants like theGrumpus Tamer (Age of Ascension, 39) have domesticated them… kind of. Now, this House can use their beloved monsters to pull vehicles like the Grump Buggy (Age of Ascension, 24), which can bring your opponent’s progress to a standstill if your team possesses the power needed to control the wild beast. But perhaps they are at their most effective when the Brobnar simply aim a War Grumpus (Age of Ascension, 52) in the direction of their enemies and let it loose. There may be a whole new world to discover about House Brobnar, but they will always be the proud brawlers players fell in love with from their first appearance on the Crucible. They’re just a bit more… grumpy.