Huuuze

Z-Man Games has posted a fan-made “quick start” guide on their website. This helps tremendously when teaching the game to new (and even old) players.

This fan-made set of Wonders adds variety while we wait for the next 7 Wonders expansion. The following Wonders are included in the set:

– Atlantis
– Sparta
– Helvetia
– Angkor Wat
– Venezia
– Persepolis
– Caylus

Source

There are four new unique tile sets for use with Tsuro of the Seas. You need to own the Tsuro of the Seas boxed game in order to use these tiles. All the following rules are optional and all players should agree on using them before you begin play.”

Uzushio! (1 Tile)
– The uzushio is a whirlpool tile that is shuffled into the daikaiju deck during game set-up.
– The uzushio tile can be drawn at anytime during the game including during set-up. When drawn, place it on the game board using the standard daikaiju placement rules.
Note: The uzushio does not count toward the minimum number of three daikaiju tiles that must be on the board during play, as indicated in the Tsuro of the Seas main rules under Placing The Daikaiju and Daikaiju Rules.
– The uzushio tile moves when the daikaiju do not move. So, if rolling the dice to move the daikaiju fails to record a 6, 7, or 8 (per the Daikaiju Movement rules in Tsuro of the Seas), the uzushio moves. Roll one die to see what direction the uzushio tile moves by comparing the number to the arrows printed on the tile. Move the tile one square in that direction. If, on the movement roll, the result is a 5 or 6, the uzushio tile does not move.
– If a wake tile is in the square where the uzushio moves, the wake tile and any ships on that tile are removed from the game. If a daikaiju is in the square, it is also removed from the board. If a daikaiju moves into the whirlpool square on its movement, it is also removed from the board.
– If the uzushio tile moves off the board it is removed from the game (do not place it back in the
daikaiju tile pile).

Tsunami (2 Tiles)
– There are two tsunami tiles. The one with the gold arrows is shuffled into the daikaiju deck during game set-up. The one with the blue arrows is set aside for later use.
– The gold tsunami tile can be drawn at anytime during the game, including during set-up. When drawn, place on the game board using the standard daikaiju placement rules.
Note: The tsunami does not count as a daikaiju toward the minimum number of three daikaiju tiles that must be on the board during play as indicated in the Tsuro of the Seas main rules under Placing The Daikaiju and Daikaiju Rules .Spin the gold tsunami tile in place and then flip face-up. Locate the number “2” arrow. The tsunami will move that direction.
– The tsunami’s row is considered to be all the squares to the left and right of the tile based on its facing. Thus at placement, the tsunami’s “row” is all the squares to the left of the “gold 4” and right of the first “gold 3″in addition to the square the tsunami tile resides on.
– The blue tsunami tile is placed along the edge of the board that the “gold 2” is facing. It serves as a marker and will identify the direction and strength of the tidal wave. Point the “blue 2” arrow directly at the “gold 2” arrow of the placed tsunami tile.
– Any time an active player’s ship resides in the same row as the tidal wave tile, either due to the player moving their ship or the tidal wave moving on its turn (see below), the player must roll a die and match or beat the number located on the active directional arrow; if he fails, his ship has capsized and is removed from the game. When it is placed the tsunami is always set at 2, so the player in that row must roll 2 or better.
– The tsunami moves on a different pace than other items in the game. It is moved before the player who placed it begins their NEXT turn as the active player. This is called one game round (when all players have gone once). Move the yellow tsunami one square toward the blue tsunami marker. Also, rotate the gold tsunami so that the tile now reads “gold 3” pointing at the blue tsunami tile, then rotate the blue tsunami tile marker tile so that both directional arrows are matched. Players in or entering the new tsunami row must now match or beat a die roll of 3 to survive the tidal wave. During the second and third game rounds in which the tsunami is on the board both arrows will be 3s. The tsunami will reach its maximum strength of 4 on the fourth round in which it is played and stays at 4 until it leaves the board.
– The gold arrow tsunami tile moves over existing tiles and does not remove them from the game. Only the player’s ships are affected by the tsunami; wake tiles, daikaiju tiles and other optional game tiles remain in play. Players can sail though the square or even end their turn on the square with a tsunami tile. Just move the tsunami tile over in the same row so that it doesn’t physically affect any ships on the board.
– If a player’s ship is put into motion by another player’s tile and is directed into or through the tsunami row, that player must immediately roll the die and meet or exceed the current strength number of the tsunami otherwise the ship is removed from the game.
– Once the gold tsunami tile moves off the edge of the board both tsunami tiles are removed from the game (do not place it back in the daikaiju tile pile).

Taihou “Cannons” (5 Tiles)
– Taihou are cannon tiles and they are shuffled into the wake deck during game set-up.
– When a taihou tile is drawn a player has two options: 1) hold onto the tile as normal in their hand or 2) show all the players and immediately discard it. If the tile is discarded at this time, it is removed from the game and the active player may draw another tile from the wake deck.
– A player’s hand is limited to a maximum of 2 taihou tiles.
– Any time during the game when a player’s ship is about to be eliminated by a daikaiju he may play his cannon tile to destroy the daikaiju. It doesn’t matter if this occurs during daikaiju movement or even on another player’s turn. If played on another player’s turn, the player will
have only two tiles in his hand at the start of his turn, because you do not refill your hand until the end of your turn.
– Instead of a wake tile, the active player may also play a taihou tile in order to remove a daikaiju adjacent to his wake.
– Once a taihou tile is played, it is removed from the game (do not place it back in the wake deck) and the daikaiju is placed at the bottom of the daikaiju deck.

Mystic Portal (1 Tile)
– The portal tile is shuffled into the wake deck during game set-up.
– The player that draws the portal tile may play it in lieu of a wake tile or at any time when he is faced with elimination, even on another player’s turn. If played on another player’s turn, the player will have only two tiles in his hand at the start of his turn, because you do not refill your hand until the end of your turn.
– When played instead of a wake tile, place the portal tile according to the wake tile rules. The portal does not replace any existing wake tiles.
– Move all affected ships onto the portal tile. The portal will transport any ship and daikaiju that lands in it to a new location. Each ship is transported separately through the portal in play order, with the active player’s ship being transported last, then the daikaiju.
– Each affected player rolls 2 dice to transport his own ship. Transported ships are placed in the square as identified by the coordinates of the dice per the Placing the Daikaiju rules in the main Tsuro of the Seas game.
– If no wake tile exists in that location, the player places a wake tile from his hand and chooses which wake and in which direction his ship will travel. Once the ship is placed it must move to the end of the wake. A ship may not travel the same wake in the same direction as an opponent’s ship nor may he enter an endless loop.
– If a wake tile is already in play within the identified square, the player chooses which wake and in which direction his ship will travel. Once the ship is placed it must move to the end of the wake. A ship may not travel the same wake in the same direction as an opponent’s ship but is allowed to travel the same wake in the opposite direction.
– The active player rolls to transport the daikaiju after all affected ships have been transported.
– The portal remains on the board for the remainder of the game and transports ships and daikaiju only.
– The whirlpool, tsunami tile and the portal may occupy the same square. The portal remains in effect at all times even when “covered,” allowing players to escape the dangers of the tsunami and uzushio. Ships will “teleport” out before they encounter either one.

NEW RULE
– Insert as the last bullet point in the Daikaiju Rules
There is a slight chance that a daikaiju movement may prevent a player from taking their first move, either by occupying the first playable square or by exiting the board at the place where a ship still remains in their starting position. If this occurs, the player can move their ship to any other starting point on that same edge of the board as long as there is not a wake tile already there.

This official variant is detailed in the game’s rulebook.

This is a 1v1 game, where each player plays as two Super Heroes at once…as if they were sharing one body! So you get to combine the game text on both of the Super Heroes that you’re playing. At the start of this variant game, shuffle the Super Heroes and deal two to each player.

This official variant is detailed in the game’s rulebook.

This is a standard game, but with a new option. During your turn, when there are one or more empty slots in the Line-Up, you may immediately refill all empty slots in the Line-Up with cards from the top of the main deck. If any of those cards have Attacks, you and only you are immediately attacked. Any attacks that may benefit the active player do not do so, but the effects still resolve as usual.

You may place two meeples onto an occupied cloister and take it over. The player who occupied the cloister, will immediately remove his meeple and return it to his stock.

All tiles are distributed equitably to all players. Each player is allowed to look at the tiles from the own pile at any point of time. Since this adds a different strategic element, I recommend distributing the cloisters/monasteries equally amongst the group.

In the beginning each player is assigned one monastery, which is discarded open. This monastery can be put into play instead of drawing a new card at any point of time.

One common question about the game is knowing which player goes last. Thankfully, the answer is simple: the player going last is marked by a white halo surrounding their in-game avatar.

These rule clarifications were originally posted on Ascension’s official website. Visit this link to view the original source

Ack! Stone Circle just appeared in the Center Row, but I get to draw a card for destroying this Tormented Soul! Do I get to draw the Mystic that I’ll be acquiring to the top of my deck with the Stone Circle’s Fate trigger?

Short answer? No. Long answer? We want to address some of the more common ruling questions that have been popping up on the forums and at Game Day events.

Timing
There has been plenty of questions involving the timing in how effects resolve if they happen at the same time. The most common of these is Monster rewards and Fate triggers happening at the same time.

To answer these questions, we wanted to show you the order in how effects resolve when you acquire or defeat something in the Center Row.

1. The Center Row card is acquired and goes to your discard pile, or is defeated and put in the void.
2. Replace cards in the Center Row until there are 6 cards in the center row from the center deck moving outward.
3. Resolve Monster rewards.
4. Resolve anything that triggered off of defeating or acquiring the card/cards in the Center Row (such as Voidthirster).
5. Resolve any Fate triggers in the order they appeared in the center row.

This should answer a few of the rulings questions that have come up with Ascension: Return of the Fallen. Timing has been something that was not addressed in the rulebook for both Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer and its expansion. This will change in the upcoming set…which will go unnamed. For now!

Just to clarify, we wanted to highlight some of the biggest questions revolving around timing. Using the order of resolving effects from above, we can now answer these questions a little easier. Let’s go through some of those questions so that your specific concerns are addressed!

Examples
Returning to the first example I brought up with Stone Circle’s Fate effect and Tormented Soul, you do not get to draw that Mystic you can acquire. This is because Stone Circle’s Fate effect resolves after the reward for defeating Tormented Soul.

Let’s take a look at some other examples that have been brought up my the Ascension community on the forums.

You acquire a Burrower Mark II, and a Reclamax replaces it from the Center Deck. Can you return the Burrower Mark II to your hand?

Yes. You can return the Burrower Mark II. This is because acquiring a card is the first thing that takes place, meaning it is in the discard pile when the Fate effect for Reclamax resolves.

A Corrosive Widow is defeated, which puts your Snapdragon into the discard pile. However, a Reclamax flips when the Widow is defeated. Can you return your Snapdragon?

Yes. This is because Corrosive Widow resolves first, putting your Snapdragon into the discard pile. Then you can get it back when Reclamax resolves.

You defeat an Earth Tyrant, and it is replaced by a Stone Circle from the Center Deck. Do you get to draw the Mystic that you are able to acquire with Stone Circle’s Fate effect?

No. You resolve Monster rewards first, draw your two cards from Earth Tyrant, and then you have the option of acquiring a Mystic to the top of your deck with Stone Circle’s Fate effect.

You defeat a Sordid Asp while Voidthirster is in play. You have two less Honor than the person with the higher Honor total before doing this. Do you still get to steal Honor from someone?

Yes. You resolve the reward for Sordid Asp first. You gain your one Honor, and then since you still have less Honor than the person with the higher Honor total, you get two from that person as well. Then, you resolve Voidthirster’s effect, and gain an additional Honor for defeating a Monster.

Other Ruling Concerns
In an effort to smooth out any Game Day debates, we also want to address a few other cards that have some confusing situations.

You play a Great Omen Raven and do not have any cards remaining in your deck. What happens?

When it comes to reveal effects such as Great Omen Raven, you need to have a deck to reveal from in order for their effects to work. If you do not have any cards remaining in your deck, then you must shuffle your discard pile and make it your deck as though you were drawing a card before you resolve Great Omen Raven’s effect.

If defeating Sordid Asp would bring your Honor total to a tie with whoever has the most Honor, do you still get to steal Honor from that player?

Yes. You resolve the entire effect for Sordid Asp all at once. If you had less Honor when you defeated Sordid Asp, then you get Honor from whoever had the highest Honor total before you defeated the monster.

What if I defeat a Sordid Asp and Guardian of Sadranis was active?

You still get to steal Honor, even if you would have more Honor than the opponent with the higher Honor Total after Guardian of Sadranais gets you bonus Honor. This is because the effect of Guardian of Sadranis does not happen until you resolve all Monster rewards. (see the Timing section above for the order on how effects resolve)

What if multiple cards with Fate appear in the Center Row at the start of the game? How do they resolve?

Fate effects will resolve in order starting with the one closest to the Center Deck, and then you move outward from the Center Deck to resolve other Fate effects.

Hopefully this will help clarify some of your questions during those Game Day events. If you have any further questions that are not covered by any of the rules clarifications in this article, feel free to post them as a comment here or on the rules section of our forums. Forum-goers here at Gary Games will occasionally go through the rules section to answer any unaddressed questions, and if common questions like the ones in this article keep coming up, then we will make sure that they are more publicly addressed like so.

Thanks again for your support everyone. Best of luck at your Game Day events!

Per Gary Games, this is the official Ascension variant, 2v2 Team Play.

We have been testing a variant of Ascension around the office that we have been having a lot of fun with and I wanted to share it with our fans here on Board Game Geek.

I have always been a fan of team game variants for TCGs (e.g. Two-headed Giant in Magic: The Gathering) and so I am excited to present our official Ascension Team Variant Rules:

Number of Players: 4 (in teams of 2)
Rules:
Teammates should sit across from each other.

Your teammate is not harmed by any monsters you defeat (e.g. if you kill a Corrosive Widow, your teammate does not have to lose a construct)

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 your teammate to determine the winner.

Try it out and let us know what you think! For us it has been a fun experience that offers some new strategic options for a 4 player game. I particularly think that fans of the 2 player experience will like this variant because you have a lot more control over what cards go in your deck and over what strategy you want to implement.

Originally posted here.