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Game Info
Year
2015
Collection
Mechanic profile
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Description
In Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, a two-player expandable card game, players take on the roles of Phoenixborns, demi-gods and protectors of this world. These characters are the great saviors of their civilizations. Before they came into existence, the humans were plagued by monsters like chimeras that took away their lands and forced them to live in walled-off cities. When the Phoenixborns came, they fought off the chimeras and freed the lands for humans to take over once again.
But the time of peace was short-lived. A prophecy arose that if one Phoenixborn was able to absorb enough Ashes of others, they would ascend into full gods and take mastery over this world. This, as well as humans' greed for land, fueled the War of Ashes. The great cities now fight among each other, each one of them with a Phoenixborn at its helm, and you will decide who will rise and who will fall to ashes.
Ashes Reborn: Rise of the Phoenixborn, released in 2021, features the same Phoenixborn as in the original Ashes with the same cards, but some cards have been modified to balance them. (Publisher Plaid Hat Games estimates that about 30% of all cards across all expansions are being modified.) The rules have undergone a few changes as well, mostly to clarify powers. The Ashes Reborn 1.5 Upgrade Kit contains more than 350+ updated Ashes cards, along with an updated rulebook, allowing players to move from the original game to the new 1.5 rules.
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Rules Teach
Ashes Reborn - How To Play
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Ashes - Game Play 3
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 17
This page: 17
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 3 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–17 of 17
Video WQtH1ANb5oc
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68969 · mention_pk 165268
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video izTkRFLx4-Q
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68970 · mention_pk 165269
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7T2RQgctxUs
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68971 · mention_pk 165270
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0IYvFTllBOQ
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68972 · mention_pk 165271
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0OEjRZD2KRs
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68973 · mention_pk 165272
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 92sgTE91YZE
Watch It Played Playthrough
video_pk 68974 · mention_pk 165273
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AIbFDLNy6Wo
Watch It Played Discussion
video_pk 68975 · mention_pk 165274
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vR77Rzzc7vU
Watch It Played Rules Teach at 0:00
video_pk 68133 · mention_pk 164491
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zvXatTr1tAc
Playthrough at 0:03 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 67861 · mention_pk 164133
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Ability to choose starting hand ('What's neat about Ashes Reborn is you do get to choose your starting hand.')
- Variety of dice symbols and effects ('pretty neat.')
- Strategic use of spells ('you can choose to use it um on your turn as a main action.')
- Customizable dice pool setup ('You can set yourself up for a pretty good draw.')
Cons
- Difficulty in learning and playing correctly ('I am not a pro at this game. I will make mistakes.')
- Misinterpreting rules leading to incorrect plays ('I thought I could just do a side action and pass my turn and then continue to do just side actions on future turns, but you do have to do a main action to continue to do a future turn.')
- Losing the game ('I don't think I was very close.')
- Difficulty with specific mechanics like Torrent if not enough units are present ('it really really helps if I had more than one out.')
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — The host differentiates between main actions and side actions, and the choice to use them on a turn.
- Combat — The host describes attacking units, dealing damage, and units being destroyed.
- Deck building — The host mentions choosing starting cards and using a draw pile and discard pile, typical of deck-building games.
- Dice rolling — The host frequently refers to rolling dice, placing them in active and exhausted pools, and using their results for actions and effects.
- hand management — The host discusses drawing cards, choosing cards to play from their hand, and discarding cards for effects.
- set collection — The host mentions gathering specific dice combinations ('two horses and a bunch of music notes') and refers to different dice sides and their uses.
- Threat Escalation — The host notes the opponent's 'ultimate number' ramping up and the placement of 'red rain tokens' which increase the ultimate value, indicating an escalating challenge.
- token management — The host uses and discusses various tokens like damage, exhaustion, and status tokens.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm doing a solo playthrough of Ashes Reborn.
- What's neat about Ashes Reborn is you do get to choose your starting hand.
- I am not a pro at this game. I will make mistakes. So this is not a tutorial.
- I probably could have done a better job at using Squall Stallion and maybe summoning one earlier to get even more because Torrrent is pretty neat.
- Maybe next time I will be able to win this one.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zFNcpZnP1Gk
Playthrough at 0:03 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 67766 · mention_pk 164030
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- The system for playing aspects out is liked.
- There is a lot of interaction for a solo game.
- The dice were not as problematic as in the past.
Cons
- The ultimate ability is difficult and messes with the game.
- The game was not won and the player lost.
- The dice rolls were sometimes problematic, leading to difficulty.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Alteration Spell — Spells that attach to units and alter their abilities or stats.
- Aspect Decks — The host uses the 'ruins aspect deck'.
- Combat/Attack — Units attack each other, dealing damage.
- Conjuration — The host summons units like the 'salamander monk' and 'squall stallion' from their conjuration deck.
- counter attack — Units can counter-attack when attacked.
- Destroyed Ability — When a unit is destroyed, it may summon another unit or effect.
- Dice rolling — Dice are rolled to determine actions and effects.
- Draw and discard — Players look at the top cards of their draw pile and must discard one.
- Encore — Allows searching the discard pile for a card and placing it on top or bottom of the draw pile, then drawing a card.
- exhaustion tokens — Used to track usage of abilities or units.
- Guilt Link — A ready spell that can destroy a unit to destroy an opponent's unit.
- Magic Siphon — A card played onto the spell board.
- Recover — Units with recover values remove wounds.
- Side Action — The Chamira has a side action 'calming melody' that allows drawing a card by exhausting and paying a music note.
- Status tokens — Tokens placed on units, affecting their attack power or other abilities.
- Torrent — Allows placing a card from hand on top or bottom of the draw pile, and placing a status token on associated units.
- Ultimate Trigger — The ultimate triggers when there are three red range tokens on a Chamira.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is with the End of Ara um Chamira. So, we have standard level one. Um this is definitely going to be hard enough as it is.
- The ultimate really messes with the game.
- So, 20 damage here.
- We survived another turn.
- I think literally that's all I can do that's left.
- We will continue. But unfortunately, we will die because at the end of the round, place one wound token on the opposing player's heart of Phoenix. And that's the final damage needed to take out Namine.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tNEj6NFAX80
Unknown Channel Top 10 List at 2:12
video_pk 66201 · mention_pk 160905
Click to watch at 2:12 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Array
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is my Lucy Goosey ranking.
- This video is sponsored by Goblins Hate Christmas, a small indie game that wants to bring a smile to your face this Christmas.
- This is mostly unscripted.
- This is extremely hard to do at a glance of that year.
- Okay. So, that's it for the video. Yep. See you guys soon.
- Oh, I know I'm going to get some comments about what I missed, but that's just how it is.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EfTkGeSlRFc
watch it played Rules Teach at 0:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 66100 · mention_pk 160648
Click to watch at 0:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Sufficient cards for six pre-built decks.
- Billions of unique deck combinations possible.
- Option for players to draft decks.
- Clear player reference cards detailing game phases.
Cons
- Wounds are taken if the draw pile is empty when drawing cards.
Thematic elements
- Phoenixborn wielding powerful magics after a force awoken, driving out a chimera menace, and now coerced to fight each other as the source of power seeks to unify within a single Phoenixborn.
- Humanity facing final hours, a force awoken gifting some with the ability to wield powerful magics.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Combat — Players attack opponents' Phoenixborn and units, with mechanics for blocking and damage resolution.
- Deck building — Players build a deck of cards, with options for pre-built, custom, or drafted decks.
- Dice allocation — Dice are assigned to cards and used as resources to pay for costs.
- hand management — Players draw cards to maintain a hand of five, with rules for discarding and drawing penalties.
- Resource management — Dice symbols are used as resources to pay for card costs.
- Spellcasting — Players cast various types of spells (Action, Reaction, Alteration, Ready) with different effects and costs.
- token management — Status, exhaustion, and wound tokens are used to track game state.
- unit deployment — Players deploy allies and conjurations as units onto the battlefield.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- When in doubt, err toward omission. A null field is always better than a wrong field.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video G8r2YHYbkeI
Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 65981 · mention_pk 160255
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Chimera as the boss design is engaging and the expansion's heart and soul
- Rage dice provide tension with minimal bookkeeping and upgrade paths
- High-quality dice with distinct engraved art on both sides
- New art and good action poses for hero/officer cards
- Two rule books keep new and experienced players in mind; glossary with color coding
- Campaign mode introduces progression and scalable difficulty
- Co-op two-player mode feels solid with meaningful teammate interaction
- Channel Magic adds replayability by enabling deck variation
- Decks are versatile and can work against Chimera, not just the included precons
- Accessible solo mode (~30 minutes) and solid two-player duration (~1 hour)
Cons
- Rulebooks are inconsistent between veteran and beginner versions, causing confusion
- Two-player mode relies on external references for full clarity; not all guidance is in the main book
- New mechanics like the Rage Die and ultimate/behavior cards have small text and visibility issues in two-player setups
- Lurk and other tough threats can create difficult, non-ideal matchups for certain pre-cons
- Randomness from the Chimera's Rage dice can snowball and lead to uneven games
- Milling and some deck-building strategies remain uncertain or underexplored
- Deck-building restrictions and balance may feel limiting against the Chimera, especially with some precons
- Box packaging quality is not up to the standard of other expansions; some presentation gaps
Thematic elements
- Array
- Fantasy
- Analytical review with descriptive examples
Comparison games
- Gloomhaven
- Frosthaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Aspect management — Chimera presents face-down aspects that can flip face-up and attack, contributing to board state and threat levels.
- Blood damage / Blood Brawl / Blood puppets — Blood damage to the Chimera is tracked and certain cards create sub-effects like puppets or board wipes when specific conditions occur.
- Box contents and component quality — The box includes dedicated components and notes about setup, but box quality and packaging receive mixed feedback.
- Campaign mode and difficulty ramp — A campaign progression increases Chimera strength across levels, altering starting conditions and threat density.
- Channel Magic / deck customization — Channel magic cards provide versatile, generic options to customize or breathe new life into base decks without complete rebuilding.
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to defeat a single AI boss, with opportunities for direct aid or interference between players.
- cooperative play — Players work together to defeat a single AI boss, with opportunities for direct aid or interference between players.
- Deck building — Players assemble and customize decks from pre-constructed options and optional card swaps to tailor their strategy.
- Mana management — Mana is spent and managed across rounds, with strategic pacing to avoid giving the opponent an advantage and to respond to threats.
- Rage dice — A dedicated Chimera rage die is rolled to drive the boss's behavior and power, with a managed ramp-up that can trigger ultimate effects.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I really like ashes Ashes Reborn
- this version of Ashes takes about 30 to 60 minutes
- Chimera rage dice is interesting because it requires little bookkeeping
- the included decks borrow each other's cards and seem well equipped to deal with Chimera
- Co-op ashes has about half of those aspects... more accessible for my life
- I would warn against playing the core Noah against the Chimera
- this is Ashes Reborn Red Reigns... the Corpse of Virios expansion
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video B4FPe50WEog
Meeple University Playthrough at 1:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 64480 · mention_pk 157942
Click to watch at 1:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Striking artwork and strong visual design
- Engaging two-player duel format with tactical depth
- Clear production value (dice, cards, components) and presentable setup
Cons
- Some complexity and potential for confusion in rules
- Deck-draw luck can impact smooth play and pacing
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Cape May
- Imperium Classics
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Copy/attack cloning — Certain cards or effects copy or replicate another attacker, effectively creating a copy of an attacker.
- Dice-based action economy — Players spend dice with symbols to pay costs for actions; different symbols enable different actions.
- Draw and discard — Characters draw cards and may discard from hand or top of deck as part of effects.
- Exhaustion system — Units become exhausted after using abilities, which restricts how often they can act per turn.
- Once-Per-Game Abilities — Units become exhausted after using abilities, which restricts how often they can act per turn.
- Starting hand selection — Players choose their starting hand from a pre-determined starter set rather than receiving a random hand.
- Starting player via roll — Starting player is determined by rolling dice.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- so this is a battle type card game
- it's designed as a two player battle card game type of thing
- this game looks really cool can't wait to get a copy the art is awesome
- it's absolutely stunning
- the artwork is stunning
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Oj1lrHnLm9M
DaniCha Playthrough at 0:06 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 60947 · mention_pk 153358
Click to watch at 0:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Love of the card design and gameplay rhythm
- The deck and spell board interactions provide strategic depth
- The boss/chimera encounter offers interesting mechanics (status tokens, red rain tokens)
Cons
- Solo run feels challenging and potentially unwinnable
- Memory/s memory of rules triggers leads to mistakes
- Initial deck might not support the boss well in this pre-con
Thematic elements
- Array
- Fantasy
- Narrative-driven combat with a boss-like Chimera
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Attack/Defend/Guard — Combat uses attacking units, defending/guarding, and exhaustion or guard mechanics; some units have Defender or cannot be targeted.
- Combat: Damage Based — Combat uses attacking units, defending/guarding, and exhaustion or guard mechanics; some units have Defender or cannot be targeted.
- Conjuration / Card Play — Conjuration cards summon allies or create effects on the battlefield.
- Deck building — Players assemble a personal deck before the game and draw from it during play.
- Dice rolling — Dice are rolled to generate power and trigger phase-specific effects; different dice types used.
- Dice Rolling and Dice Power — Dice are rolled to generate power and trigger phase-specific effects; different dice types used.
- Phase structure — Turns progress through Prepare, Play, and Recovery phases.
- resource/health tracking — Phoenixborn health and threat mechanics track safety and risk in the encounter.
- token management — Status, exhaustion, red rain tokens control turn order, damage, and ultimate triggers.
- Token Pairing — Status, exhaustion, red rain tokens control turn order, damage, and ultimate triggers.
- Ultimate Trigger — An ultimate trigger resolves when a token-based or turn-based condition is met, often altering the battlefield state.
- Variable Phase Order — Turns progress through Prepare, Play, and Recovery phases.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I built a 30 card deck with Namine hem tide and this is going to be the pre-con
- I love the cards
- the gameplay itself it's a strategy that really gets me
- not looking great for me
- I really needed some allies in here it's not good
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video N0kdvOgQYUI
Review at 0:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 29237 · mention_pk 161010
Click to watch at 0:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- quick setup and small footprint
- fast play sessions (~30 minutes) with rules once learned
- tight decision-making and dynamic puzzle-like board states
- high-quality precon decks that capture archetypes
- broad variety and depth via boss aspects and expansions
- strong art and graphic design that enhances table presence
Cons
- learning curve due to nuanced mechanics and multiple rulebooks
- three separate rulebooks can be annoying to reference
- exhaust mechanism and combat interactions can be non-intuitive at first
- solo experience depends on expansion for full functionality
Thematic elements
- deck-building duels with dice-based mana and boss-focused solo content
- Fantasy world where Phoenixborn use magical powers and engage in tactical duels
- mythic fantasy with evolving boss encounters and archetypal preconstructed decks
Comparison games
- Magic: The Gathering
- Star Wars Destiny
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action-based turn system — On a turn you select a main action and a side action, creating a dynamic back-and-forth rather than a full-hand dump.
- conjuration pile — A separate pool that provides creatures or attachments even when the player's hand is empty.
- Deck building — Players build a 30-card deck around a chosen hero using precons and a conjuration pile for ongoing access to creatures or attachments.
- deck-building — Players build a 30-card deck around a chosen hero using precons and a conjuration pile for ongoing access to creatures or attachments.
- dice-based mana — Mana is produced via colored dice; players can run a monocolor set of 10 dice or two colors with five dice each, with different symbols and abilities on each color.
- exhaust tokens — Exhausting a card blanks its abilities; this differs from tapping and significantly affects gameplay decisions.
- solo-focused AI — A strong AI opponent with multiple aspects; solo play requires an expansion for full functionality; manageable difficulty on lower levels.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's quick to set up and low footprint this game is.
- I love how quick it plays. I just love how simple it is.
- Once you get the rules down, you're going to be finishing games in about 30 minutes.
- The AI in this game is very good.
- The art and presentation is just amazing and it's a pleasure to look at on the table.
- This game is freaking fantastic and it's one of the best solo board games period.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f4YJdZpHq4Q
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 2:09:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 549 · mention_pk 102274
Click to watch at 2:09:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Tight card interactions
- Streamlined rules from original Ashes
- Strong thematic feel
Cons
- Heavy text on cards
- Steeper learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- fast-paced spell-casting skirmishes with deck-building
- fantasy world where phoenix-borns and magic drive battles
- high-thematic, narrative-driven card play
Comparison games
- Summoner Wars
- Twilight Struggle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card timing and synergy — Timing of cards to maximize combos.
- cooperative actions — Timing of cards to maximize combos.
- Deck building — Deck construction with a board for spell interactions.
- Deck-building with spellboards — Deck construction with a board for spell interactions.
- Mana/ magic management — Spend magic to activate abilities and cast spells.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the action selection... that was the best part of the game
- it's an amazing game; the art looks gorgeous on the table
- the chaos and intrigue make this game memorable
- this is engine building right
- behold the nightmare
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
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