KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player Starter Set Preview and Introduction

KeyForge releases its second set, KeyForge Age of Ascension this weekend. As part of Fantasy Flight Games' Unique game brand, the second set opens up some interesting questions. We've already run a couple of articles for KeyForge, starting with the KeyForge Call of the Archons 2-players starter set preview, an Introduction to the KeyForge Houses, and a KeyForge Deck Box breakdown.

In this article, we're going to look at the KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player Starter Set and the 2 decks we got in it, along with answering some questions about the new set.

KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player Starter Set

What do you get in the KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player Starter Set

In the KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player starter set, you get two packaged Unique KeyForge decks, 2 play-mats, and all the counters and tokens 2 players need to play.

What's the difference between the KeyForge Call of the Archons starter set and the Age of Ascension Starter Set?

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There are some differences between the original KeyForge Call of the Archons starter set and the Age of Ascension starter set. The new starter set only contains 2 unique decks, whereas the original contained 2 decks and 2 fixed practice decks.

The new starter set also contains 2 play mats for use in game. Some of the tokens have changed slightly. The Keys, Aember and damage tokens are smaller, and the stun and power cards have been replaced with tokens. The chain trackers are also now a tougher card stock.

The new 2-player starter set only costs a little bit on top of the cost of 2 decks and it is worth it for the play mats and counters you get. It is possible for 2 players to split the cost of the box, taking a deck and play may each and then splitting the tokens.

Our KeyForge Age of Ascension Decks

We were very lucky with our 2 KeyForge Age of Ascension starter set decks. We got Naberius the Regularly Incongruous and Emperor "Juice" Murik. Both have Brobnar and Untamed, with Naberius having Logos and Juice, Dis as their third house.

Emperor "Juice" Murik

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In the gallery above you can see some of the new Age of Ascension cards, along with some from the Call of the Archons set. The new cards have opened up some new and interesting combinations.

Duskwitch and Bumblebird from Untamed have 2 of the new mechanics. Alpha and Omega, which dictate when the card can be played in the round. Alpha cards have to be the first card you play that turn and Omega cards are the last as the play step ends when they are played. This means that you are only able to play 1 Alpha and 1 Omega card a turn.

We also got our favorite new card with Ortannu the Chained. Ortannu comes with a copy or more of Ortannu's Binding in the deck and when you reap with Ortannu, you return the copies of Binding from your discard pile to your hand, dealing 2 damage to a creature and also 2 splash damage. Splash damage is another new mechanic, and it does damage to the creatures either side of the target. Meaning that with 2 copies of Binding, you can do 12 damage across 3 creatures.

The deck plays well with its 2 copies of Regrowth which all you to bring Ortannu back to your hand if he's removed.

Overall the deck has some great Aember generation, but it doesn't have a way to really capitalize on it. It does have a single copy of Might Makes Right, which is an incredibly powerful card which we think will see some play at high levels. Might Makes Right allows you to sacrifice creatures with a total power of 25 or more to forge a key at no cost. Meaning that you only need to Forge 2 keys, then sacrifice creatures with 25 power to take the game. Some Brobnar decks will really be able to capitalize on Might Makes Right. Our other deck has some high power Brobnar creatures that after taking some damage, could be sacrificed early for the headstart on keys. Might Makes Right also gives you an Aember for your effort, so even if you don't sacrifice the creatures, you can still take a cheap Aember.

Naberius the Regularly Incongruous

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Naberius has some great Aember generating cards and Binate Rupture which allows you and your opponent to double the Aember in your pools. Be careful when playing against Dis though, as this could set up a horrendous Bait and Switch.

There are a few powerful Brobnar Giant creatures in the deck, and Drummernaut allows you to return them to your hand to be played again if they take too much damage.

The deck also has three copies of Save the Pack from the original set, which combo incredibly well with the new They're Everywhere which allows you to damage all enemy creatures.

Naberius also contains 2 copies of Lollop the Titanic, who is interesting because he has the Giant and Location keyword.

Into the Fray can be a fantastic card if played correctly. Giving a Brobnar creature, 'Fight: Ready this creature', which means they're free to fight again several times if they stay alive. Played on Lollop, it would allow you to devastate several lower powered creatures before being removed himself. We'll be looking out for this card in other Brobnar decks.

Maverick and Legacy Cards

In our Naberius deck, we also got a Niffle Ape Legacy card. In Call of the Archons Maverick cards could be found in the set. Mavericks are cards from a KeyForge house that now appear under a different house.

Legacy cards are cards from the Call of the Archons, not normally included in Age of Ascension, that appear in decks.

Age of Ascension is a 370 cards set. 166 of those are from Call of the Archons, with the other 204 being brand new cards. Call of the Archons also had 370 cards, and the Legacy cards are from the 204 cards from that set, not included in Age of Ascension.

 

KeyForge Age of Ascension FAQ

Can I play my Age of Ascension decks against Call of the Archons?

You can indeed. Both sets fit seamlessly together and are equally balanced against each other. You don't need to have played or own any Call of the Archons decks, or buy any Age of Ascension decks to play or even remain competitive.

Do I need to buy the Age of Ascension Starter Set?

If you own the Call of the Archons starter set, then the tokens you have will work perfectly well. If you want the new tokens, then buying the Age of Ascension starter is still great value with the 2 decks included.

If you don't own any Starter Sets, then the Age of Ascension starter set is a great way into KeyForge. You can use any tokens to track Aember, Keys, and Damage, but if you want the official tokens, this set is solid value.

What's the Call of the Archons / Age of Ascension breakdown in the new set?

We can only speak for the 2 decks we have, which had a 25/11 and a 29/7 new cards/original card split.

What new rules does Age of Ascension add?

Alpha - which has to be the first card you play in the turn.

Omega - If you play a card with the Omega keyword then the current step ends.

Deploy - Allows you to deploy a creature anywhere in the battleline instead of on a flank, which is the standard deployment placement.

Splash - Which deals its splash damage to creatures either side of the targetted creature.

 

If you have any questions about KeyForge Age of Ascension, our decks, then please let us know in the comments below.

 

This copy of the KeyForge Age of Ascension 2-Player Starter Set was provided by Fantasy Flight Games.