Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer Strategy: The Power of Board Control

by Brian Durkin

In Mike Flores classic article “*Required Reading* Magic: The Intangibles”, he paraphrases Eric Kesselman saying something along the lines of don’t “dismiss ‘the little mistakes.’” (You can find the article here: *Required Reading* Magic: The Intangibles by Mike Flores).

That section of his article goes on to explain how each little mistake in MTG will add up. Think of each mistake as a layer of powder accumulating onto a snowball inching its way down a hill. Eventually this massive ball will catch up to you, crush you, and punish you for ignoring it. Every decision in Ascension affects the options available to the players at the table, creating a “snowball effect” when committing mistakes early on in the game. But how does someone evaluate the right plays in Ascension? Let’s review some basic strategy first before diving into today’s question.

Consistency

Every deck building game (Dominion, Magic: the Gathering, Ascension, etc.) rewards players for consistent decks. Flores admits to evaluating MTG as a game of percentages, and like all card games you strive to build decks that provide outcomes as predictable as possible. Deck building card games such as Dominion and Ascension offer basic ways to achieve consistency. In Ascension, the easiest consistent deck to build acquires only Heavy Infantry.

Looking for something a little more exciting? I hope so. Besides acquiring the identical card over and over again, you can achieve consistency by acquiring similar types of cards. This way you can craft a fighting strategy or an acquiring strategy without adding only Heavy Infantry or Mystics to your deck. This only scratches the surface of some of the aspects of Ascension that help maximize your decks potential.

Cards that replace themselves keep the same number of draws before reshuffling.

Deck Size

Did you ever wonder why games like Magic: the Gathering have a deck size minimum? It sets a benchmark to help prevent degenerate levels of consistency. The ratio of deck size versus the maximum amount of a particular card keeps your deck from not generating a near identical stream of cards (Many players do use cards with similar effects to help create this effect; however, a difference exists between a player wielding 4 Lightning Bolts and 4 Chain Lightnings versus 36 Lightning Bolts.). In a deck building card game such as Ascension, the game provides several options to keep your deck size down. You can acquire cards that replace themselves (draw card effects), cards that banish other cards (continuous deck size reduction), or acquire constructs (these cards remove themselves while still providing an effect).

The best deck minimizing cards manipulate the size of your deck in multiple ways.

Synergy

A small deck with great cards does not guarantee victory. The cards need to work together. Banishing your entire starting deck only benefits you if the remaining deck contains synergy. A poor deck continues to fall short on the necessary amount of Power and or Runes needed to exploit the board position (Note: do not consider bad luck of drawing Power with no monsters present as part of this rule. My example highlights the situation where a deck can never reach more than four Power or Runes with only five cost cards in play).

Constructs keep your deck size down and provide consistent effects.

Board Control

Whoever controls the center row wields a lot of power in Ascension, especially in a two player game (one of the reasons why I prefer to play this way). Ever curse your opponent for banishing a card in the center with Mistake of Creation’s effect right before you could acquire it? Every time you banish a card in the center row, defeat a monster in the center row, or acquire a card from the center row you curb your opponent’s options and manipulate what he or she can do on his or her turn.

Banishing can either effect your deck consistency or
prevent dangerous cards from reaching opponents.

  

Today's Challenge

With that in mind, check out the following set up. Going first with 4 Apprentice and 1 Militia in hand, what would you acquire?

How would you play this set up?

Zoom in on board position for today's question.

In case you cannot view the images, the opening center row contains the following: Snapdragon, Demon Slayer, Reactor Monk, Mechana Initiate, Runic Lycanthrope, and Mephit.

RATS!!! I misused my Power.

Do you start building your deck towards fighting or acquiring? Remember you only have one opponent, so no favoritism to fighting based on chaotic center rows and token-to-player ratios. Does the fact that your opponent could acquire Snapdragon on either of his first two turns affect your decision on turn one? Assuming he or she does draw 5 Apprentice, will it affect your decision on what to acquire on turn two? Don’t forget to include Heavy Militia and Mystics into your evaluations (and the Rat King if you want to include him in the deck). After several comments, feedback, and discussions I’ll post potential cards to flip into the center row after acquiring to see how you would play your next turn or so.

Let us know what you think.

Additional Information:

For more information about Ascension check the product page on BoardGameGeek.com.

Interested in purchasing a copy of Ascension? Try the following links.

Amazon: Ascension Chronicle of the Godslayer.

Cool Stuff Inc. - Ascension

If you live in the tri-state area, consider stopping by AU to pick up a copy and play with the staff. Almost every staff member knows how to play, and most of the MTG community that hangs out in the store enjoys playing pick up games as well.

Alternate Universes - Ascension