The Game of the Month series will highlight one of the many games in our library at Ravenwood Castle.  We will briefly describe the game, how to play it, and why we like it.

Game: Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer

Publisher: Stoneblade Entertainment

It is mid-August, 2012. Jim and Steve are winding their way through a massive Open Game room in the Indiana Convention Center, twelve hours into Ravenwood Castle’s first GenCon. They are on their way to meet a mutual friend who, unbeknownst to them, is carrying the game that will change the course of a castle. His name is Wil (no, not that Wil), and he’s about to introduce Jim and Steve to his newest acquisition – Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer.

For Steve, Ascension is a great new game that quickly gets added to his repertoire. For Jim, who is just getting back into board gaming after a lengthy hiatus, Ascension firmly sets the hook. Most importantly, after GenCon is over it will be Ascension that convinces Pam, who up to now hasn’t been terribly interested in board games, that even non-gamers can enjoy hobby board games. It was a short step from there to our mission to turn Ravenwood Castle into the discriminating gamer’s gaming destination of choice.

Ascension is a fast paced deck building game. Players start with identical ten card decks, and use those cards to defeat monsters or acquire more powerful cards from the central deck. Tuning your deck throughout the game by making strategic purchases and banishing weaker cards is the key to accumulating more victory points than your competitors.

The original Chronicle of the Godslayer set is easy to learn yet fun to play, and stands well on its own. Several expansions over the last two years have added mechanics to the basic set, allowing players to increase the complexity of the game to their liking.

More than two years after that first GenCon, Ascension – and its expansions – still hits the table quite frequently at Ravenwood Castle. Whether we’re introducing hobby games to a new gamer, using it as an interview aid when meeting a potential Assistant Innkeeper, or looking for something light to play with old friends, as often as not we reach for Ascension.

Jim Reed

Jim Reed is a lifelong gamer who started with the original red box Dungeons & Dragons. After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he decided it was high time that work be fun and struck out on his own. Jim now owns and operates Ravenwood Castle, and spends his days ensuring his guests have as much fun as he does.