# Rulebook # Components # Phoenixborn Card

Your Phoenixborn is your most important card. Its battlefield and spellboard values dictate how many units and ready spells you can have in play at a time and its life value is how many wound tokens can be placed on it before you are out of the game. A Phoenixborn is not a unit.[1][2]

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References
1. Ashes Reborn Rulebook v1.5, p3
2. Red Rains Rulebook p2

# Unit Cards

Allies and conjurations are the two types of units that you will summon to your battlefield. Units on your battlefield are under your control.[1][2]

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Ally (Unit)

Allies are a type of unit. Iron Worker is an ally [1] which will be played to your battlefield [2]. To play the Iron Worker, pay its costs [3], and then place the Iron Worker in an empty slot on your battlefield. The number of battlefield slots is determined by the battlefield value on your Phoenixborn.

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Conjuration (Unit)

Conjurations are a type of unit. Conjurations start in a conjuration pile, are brought into play by other card effects, and return to that conjuration pile when they leave play. Their attack, life and recover values work exactly the same as an ally’s.

References
1. Ashes Reborn Rulebook v1.5, p3
2. Red Rains Rulebook p2

# Spell Cards

Action and reaction spells are discarded for one-time effects whereas ready and alteration spells have longer lasting effects. The spells in your play area are under your control.[1][2]

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Action Spell

Action spells have a one-time effect. Seal is an action spell [1] which will be played to your discard pile [2]. To play Seal, pay its play cost [3], carry out its effect, and then discard it. 

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Alteration Spell

Alteration spells modify the units they are attached to. Root Armor is an alteration spell [1] which can be played (attached) to any unit in play [2] on either battlefield. To play Root Armor, pay its costs [3], and then target any unit in play and attach the spell by placing it underneath that unit. As long as Root Armor remains attached to the unit, its card text and value bonuses modify the unit. In this case, the unit gains the ability Armored 1 [4] and its life value is increased by 1 [5].

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Conjured Alteration Spell

Conjured alteration spells are considered to be alteration spells, not conjurations, while in play. Conjured alteration spells start in a conjuration pile, are brought into play by other card effects, and return to that conjuration pile when they leave play.

Ready Spell

Ready spells usually do not have an immediate effect, but will remain in play to be activated later. Summon Silver Snake is a ready spell [1] which will be played to your spellboard [2]. To play Summon Silver Snake, pay its play cost [3], and then place Summon Silver Snake in an empty slot on your spellboard. The number of spellboard slots is determined by the spellboard value on your Phoenixborn.

If you already have 1 or more copies of the same ready spell on your spellboard, place the new one on top of the existing one(s)—it does not take up an extra slot.

On a subsequent turn you can activate Summon Silver Snake by paying its activation cost [4], taking a Silver Snake conjuration from your conjuration pile and placing it in an empty slot on your battlefield.

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Focusing a Ready Spell

If you have placed 2 or 3 copies of a ready spell on top of each other, that spell is focused. Each copy of a ready spell is separate, can have its own exhaustion and status tokens, and can be activated separately, paying all activation costs each time.

Some ready spells have effects that say Focus 1 or Focus 2. A spell’s Focus 1 effect becomes active for all copies of that spell when it has been focused at least once (1 additional copy on your spellboard). A spell’s Focus 2 effect becomes active when the spell has been focused at least twice (2 additional copies on your spellboard). 

Reaction Spell

Reaction spells can be played on any player’s turn, when its conditions are met. Reactions can only be played during a player’s turn, and each playercan only play one reaction per turn. Shadow Strike is a reaction spell [1] which will be played to your discard pile [2]. You have Shadow Strike in your hand when your opponent declares attackers. You respond by playing Shadow Strike, paying its play cost [3], carrying out its effects, and then discarding it. 

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Other Reactions

Some cards have reaction abilities or effects on them, indicated by a blue box. These cards may be played from your hand as reactions when their conditions are met. Using a reaction ability or effect counts toward your limit of 1 reaction per turn.

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References
1. Ashes Reborn Rulebook v1.5, p4
2. Red Rains Rulebook p3

# Chimera Cards #### Chimera The Chimera is a shared opponent of the players and can be standard or heroic difficulty. Within that difficulty they range from levels 1 to 3, which are played against consecutively in a campaign. Standard difficulty Chimera are a good place to start, especially if you are new to Ashes. Heroic difficulty Chimera will test the skills of even the most veteran players! The Chimera must receive wound tokens equal to or greater than its life value for you to win the game. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/8fZimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/8fZimage.png) #### Aspect Aspect cards represent different aspects of the Chimera that it will deploy to its battlefield throughout the course of its battle against you. Aspects are a type of unit and are considered to be all other types of unit (like ally or conjuration). [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/a0kimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/a0kimage.png)[![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/ZfLimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/ZfLimage.png) #### Note on Type: While playing the game, aspects are considered to be allies, conjurations, and units, and the Chimera is considered to be a player, opponent, and its own Phoenixborn. #### Behavior Behavior cards, along with the behavior die, dictate the Chimera’s actions. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/bUXimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/bUXimage.png) #### Ultimate Ultimate cards list the effects that will resolve after the Chimera collects Red Rains tokens equal to its Ultimate value. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/SQOimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/SQOimage.png) #### Fatigued This card is placed under the Chimera’s draw pile during setup. When the Chimera empties its draw pile (or when it empties it twice in a 2 player game), it becomes fatigued. Follow the card’s instructions. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/JBgimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/JBgimage.png) # Dice Dice are the magic that let you cast spells and summon units. You will encounter many ypes of dice in your battles; four types come in the master set. Each die has three levels: power > class > basic. Higher level dice can be used to pay for lower level costs. - A power symbol can be used as that die’s power, class or basic symbol. - A class symbol can be used as that die’s class or basic symbol. In addition, each die’s power symbol can be spent to activate a dice power effect.\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/dice/#1)\] [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/Y4vimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/Y4vimage.png) ### Red Rains #### Behavior Die The behavior die, along with the behavior cards, dictate the Chimera’s actions. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/GvRimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/GvRimage.png) #### Rage Dice The Chimera has 5 rage dice that power up over time to generate Red Rains tokens that will eventually trigger its Ultimate effect! Each rage die has 3 power sides and 3 basic sides. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/RFgimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/RFgimage.png)

References [1.](#1) [Ashes Reborn Rulebook](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/pdfs-pvp) v1.5, p4

# Tokens [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/x3zimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/x3zimage.png) ### Red Rains In Ashes: Red Rains there is an additional token type called "Red Rains" which are used to trigger the Chimera's Ultimate effect. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/KE9image.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/KE9image.png)

References [1.](#1) [Ashes Reborn Rulebook](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/pdfs-pvp) v1.5, p4

# Chimera Board [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/cXiimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/cXiimage.png) # Game Setup To set up a game of Ashes, each player should do the following: 1. Choose a deck to play with (see pp. 18-19 for suggested decks). Or build a deck to play with (see p. 18 for deck building rules). Or draft a deck to play with (see pp. 20-21 for drafting rules). 2. Place your Phoenixborn in your play area with the information side face up. 3. Place your conjuration pile face down in your play area. 4. Place the dice power reference cards that correspond to the dice you are using in your play area and take a phases of play reference card, if needed. 5. Place all ten of your dice to the right of your dice power reference cards. This is your exhausted dice pool. 6. Choose your First Five by taking five different cards of your choice from your deck. This is your starting hand. You cannot include more than one copy of a card in your First Five. Shuffle the rest of your deck and form a face down draw pile in your play area. 7. Make sure you have easy access to wound, exhaustion and status tokens. Note: Your play area does not need to be organized like the example, but the different sections must be easily recognizable by your opponent. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/N8eimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/N8eimage.png) ## Red Rains Setup First, choose whether to play a 3 game campaign or a standalone game (see Red Rains Campaign on page 17). The campaign is the recommended experience, but players may also use any deck against the Chimera of their choice in a standalone game.[2](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/game-setup#bkmrk-ref-2) 1. Decide what difficulty level you will play at and place the corresponding Chimera card, single player side up, on its designated space on the Chimera board. 2. Create stacks of the behavior and Ultimate cards, with the phase I cards on top, followed by the phase II and phase III cards beneath them. 3. Place the behavior die near the behavior cards. 4. Set all 5 rage dice to their basic side and place them in the Chimera’s active dice pool. 5. Gather 18 aspects that all share the same subtype. In this set you will have a choice between gathering all 18 Fury aspects or all 18 Shadow aspects. - ***Recommended******:*** Choose all aspects of the same subtype (Fury or Shadow are included in the Corpse of Viros expansion). - ***Custom Chimera:*** Choose any 9 Blood 1 and 9 Blood 2 aspects that you desire. - ***Random Chimera**:* Shuffle a stack of Blood 1 aspects and a stack of Blood 2 aspects, then draw 9 from each stack. 6. Place a row of randomized Blood 1 ( ) and Blood 2 ( ) aspect cards face down on the Chimera’s battlefield in the order shown on the Chimera card’s starting setup. The battlefield facing you is your **opposing battlefield** and aspects on that battlefield consider you their **opposing player**. 7. Shuffle the remaining Blood 1 and Blood 2 aspect cards together into a single deck to create the Chimera’s draw pile. Put the fatigued card (single player side up) on the bottom of the draw pile and place the draw pile on the Chimera board. 8. Choose your deck. 9. Place your Phoenixborn in your play area with the information side face up. 10. Place your conjuration pile face down in your play area. 11. Place the dice power reference cards that correspond to the dice you are using in your play area and take a phases of play reference card, if needed. 12. Place all ten of your dice to the right of your dice power reference cards. This is your exhausted dice pool. 13. Choose your First Five by taking five different cards of your choice from your deck. This is your starting hand. You cannot include more than one copy of a card in your First Five. Shuffle the rest of your deck and form a face down draw pile in your play area. 14. Place the first player token on your side of the play area. 15. Create a supply of each token type near the play area. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/image-1695322475921.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/image-1695322475921.png) [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/image-1695322713510.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/image-1695322713510.png)

References 1. [Ashes Reborn Rulebook](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/pdfs-pvp) v1.5, p5 2. [Red Rains Rulebook](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/d0/f0/d0f0c379-df01-478f-82b4-f202f475a8f6/ph1225-5-chimera_rulebook-web.pdf) p6

# Game Flow # Objective and Winning/Losing ### Object of the Game #### Ashes: Reborn (PvP) In Ashes, you are a Phoenixborn—a powerful magic wielder battling other Phoenixborn in a duel of wits and magical prowess. Cast spells and summon allies in an effort to destroy your opponents’ Phoenixborn and win the game.\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/objective-and-winninglosing/#1 "Source")\] #### Ashes: Red Rains (PvE) In Ashes: Red Rains, you are a Phoenixborn–a powerful magic wielder battling a god-like monstrosity known as a Chimera. Cast spells and summon allies in an effort to destroy the Chimera and win the game.\[[3](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/objective-and-winninglosing/#3)\] ### Winning and Losing the Game #### Ashes: Reborn (PvP) If a player’s Phoenixborn has a number of wound tokens on it equal to or greater than its life value, that Phoenixborn is destroyed. Their opponent has won the game!\[[2](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/objective-and-winninglosing/#2 "Source")\] #### Ashes: Red Rains (PvE) If your Phoenixborn has a number of wound tokens on it equal to or greater than its life value, you lose the game. If the Chimera has a number of wound tokens on it equal to or greater than its life value, you win the game!\[[4](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/objective-and-winninglosing/#4)\]

References [1.](#1) Ashes Reborn Rulebook v1.5, p3 [2.](#2) Ashes Reborn Rulebook v1.5, p13 [3.](#3) Red Rains Rulebook v1.5, p2 [4.](#4) Red Rains Rulebook v1.5, p17

# Round Order Ashes is played over a series of rounds. Each round is divided into three phases that must be resolved in order. Most of the game takes place during the player turns phase. 1\. PREPARE 2. PLAYER TURNS 3. RECOVERY ### Ashes Reborn (PvP)
Prepare Phase During the prepare phase each player simultaneously resolves the following three steps in order: 1. **Roll Dice:** Roll all of the dice in your exhausted pool and place them to the left of your dice power reference cards. This is your active dice pool. On the first round of the game, the player who rolls the most basicsymbols chooses who should go first (the First Player), taking the first player token or giving it to their opponent. If there is a tie for most, all players must re-roll all of their dice until there is no tie. 2. **Discard Cards:** You may discard any number of cards from your hand. 3. **Draw Cards:** Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. - **Fatigue Damage:** Starting with the First Player, players alternate placing 1 wound token on their Phoenixborn until all players have placed wounds equal to the number of cards they should have drawn but could not.
Player Turns Phase The player turns phase typically consists of many very short turns. Starting with the First Player, each player will take just one or two actions per turn. They will continue taking turns, back and forth, until both players consecutively pass on their turn. On a player’s turn, they must take one main action and may choose to take one side action. These may be taken in either order. Once both players have taken Pass as their main action on consecutive turns, the player turns phase is over and the players move on to the recovery phase.
Recovery Phase During the Recovery Phase, each player simultaneously resolves the following three steps in order: 1. **Recover:** Remove a number of wound tokens from each unit you have in play equal to that unit’s recover value. 2. **Remove Exhaustion:** Remove 1 exhaustion token from each card you have in play that has 1 or more exhaustion tokens on it. Rotate your Phoenixborn so that it is upright. 3. **Exhaust Dice:** Move any number of dice from your active pool to your exhausted pool. ##### End of Round Some effects take place after the recovery phase “at the end of the round.” Each player (one at a time, starting with the First Player) resolves all effects they control that occur at the end of the round, in the order of their choice. After all such effects are resolved, the player with the first player token passes it to their opponent andthe next round begins.
### Ashes: Red Rains (PvE)
Prepare Phase During the prepare phase resolve the following three steps in order: 1. **Roll Dice:** Roll all of the dice in your exhausted pool and place them to the left of your dice power reference cards. This is your active dice pool. 2. **Discard Cards:** You may discard any number of cards from your hand. 3. **Draw Cards:** Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. - **Fatigue Damage:** Place 1 wound token on your Phoenixborn for each card you should have drawn but could not.
Player Turns Phase The player turns phase typically consists of many very short turns alternating back and forth between your turn (the ‘player turn’) and the Chimera’s turn. On your turn, you must take one main action and may choose to take one side action. You may take them in any order. During the Chimera’s turn, it will also take a main action and possibly a side action, determined by game state and the behavior die. Play will continue to alternate back and forth between you and the Chimera until you both Pass on consecutive turns. At that time the player turns phase will be over and play will move on to the recovery phase. ##### Battlefield Management When you place units on any battlefield, they must be placed to the **right** of all other units on that battlefield and the **position of units cannot be changed** relative to each other. As units leave the battlefield, slide the remaining units to the left to fill in gaps. The Chimera will attack and resolve effects based on the positions of the units, so positioning and sequencing will be a crucial skill to defeating it! - Players take a shared turn, with a main and side action each, in any order. Players are each allowed to play one reaction on each shared player turn and each Chimera turn. - Card effects may **target** cards on ANY battlefield, spellboard, etc. - **Passing:** The Red Rains halt for no one! If you take a Pass main action while there are 1 or more face down aspect cards on the opposing battlefield, the Chimera raises 1 basic rage die one level.
Recovery Phase During the recovery phase, resolve the following steps in order: 1. **Recover:** Remove a number of wound tokens from each unit in play equal to that unit’s recover value. Aspects do not recover. 2. **Remove Exhaustion:** First, remove 1 Red Rains token from the Chimera for each exhaustion token on the Chimera and Ultimate cards. Then, remove 1 exhaustion token from each card in play that has 1 or more exhaustion tokens on it. Rotate your Phoenixborn so that it is upright. 3. **Exhaust Dice:** Move any number of dice from your active pool to your exhausted pool. 4. **Place Red Rains:** Place 1 Red Rains token on the Chimera for each aspect in play, resolving the Ultimate card if applicable. 5. **Replenish Aspects:** Add face down aspect cards to the Chimera’s battlefield (on the right) until its battlefield has a number of aspect cards equal to its threat value (face up or face down). 6. **Replenish Status Tokens:** For any aspects with status abilities, if they have fewer status tokens on them than there are pips on their status ability, refill their status tokens until they are equal to the number of pips. ##### End of Round The first player (you or the Chimera) resolves all ‘end of round’ effects they control, then the other player does the same. The Chimera resolves from left to right, and you resolve in the order of your choice. Then, the first player token is passed. **2-player:** When the first player token is passed to the Chimera, point it at the player who did not just have it. The Chimera will pass the first player token to that player at the end of the next round.
# Main Action ### Pay a Cost To take this main action, play or activate a card where the symbol appears in the play or activation cost. #### Playing a Card Many turns in Ashes consist of playing a card or activating a card that was played on a previous turn. It is common for your entire turn to consist of playing or activating just one or two cards. To play a card from your hand, first pay its cost \[1\] , then place it as directed by the card’s placement \[2\]. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/uAkimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/uAkimage.png) #### Paying Costs There are 5 different types of costs: **Main Action:** Take your main action for the turn. **Side Action:** Take your side action for the turn. **Exhaust:** Place 1 exhaustion token on this card. **Discard:** Discard a number of cards from your hand equal to the number shown. **Magic:** Exhaust dice of the appropriate type and number by moving them from your active pool to your exhausted pool. That number is known as the magic play cost. Remember that higher level dice can be used to pay for lower level costs.
Example: Paying Costs [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/PQMimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/PQMimage.png)To play Summon Iron Rhino to your spellboard, take your main action for the turn and exhaust 1 or die. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/MmMimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/MmMimage.png)To activate its effect, take your main action, place 1 exhaustion token on the card, and exhaust any six dice (any die can be used as ).
#### Parallel Costs Some cards have two or more connected costs in their play cost or their activation cost. These costs are called parallel costs. To pay a parallel cost, pay one of the options, plus any other costs. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/VcAimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/VcAimage.png) ### Attack When you Attack, 1 or more of your unexhausted units will enter battle. **Unexhausted:** A card with no exhaustiontokens on it. **Battle:** In battle an attacker deals damage equal to its attack value to a defender. Sometimes the defender will counter. After the battle, 1 exhaustion token is placed on the attacker, and 1 on the defender, if it countered, unless it is an aspect. **Counter:** When a defender counters, it deals damage equal to its attack value back to its attacker. Attack and counter damage occur simultaneously. Aspects always counter if unexhausted, and they do not exhaust as a result of countering. **Blood Value:** When an aspect is destroyed or discarded from the battlefield, place a number of wound tokens on the Chimera equal to its blood value. #### Ashes: Reborn (PvP) To take an Attack action, first target an opponent’s PHOENIXBORN or UNIT.
If you target a PHOENIXBORN do the following in order: 1. **Declare Attackers:** Choose ANY NUMBER of unexhausted units you control to be attackers. 2. **Opponent Declares Blockers:** Your opponent may block each attacker with up to one unexhausted unit they control. 3. **Resolve Battles:** One at a time, resolve each battle in an order of your choice. - **If Blocked:** The attacker battles its blocker and the blocker counters. - **If Unblocked:** The attacker battles the target Phoenixborn. *Note:* Resolution order matters! If a blocker is destroyed before it battles, the attacker it was blocking becomes unblocked.
If you target a UNIT do the following in order: 1. **Declare Attackers:** Choose ONE unexhausted unit you control to be the attacker. 2. **Opponent Declares Guard:** Your opponent may guard with their Phoenixborn or with an unexhausted unit they control with the Unit Guard ability. *Note:* A Phoenixborn can only guard once per round, but may guard even if it is exhausted. 3. **Resolve Battle** - **If Guarded:** The attacker battles the guard and, if the guard is a unit, the guard counters. If the guard is a Phoenixborn, it is rotated 90° to indicate it is unable to guard again this round. - **If Unguarded:** The attacker battles the target unit. If it is unexhausted your opponent may counter with it.
Example of an Attack [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/uzlimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/uzlimage.png)
#### Ashes: Red Rains (PvE) To take an Attack action, first target the CHIMERA or one of its UNITS.
If you target a CHIMERA do the following in order: 1. **Declare Attackers:** Choose ANY NUMBER of unexhausted units you control to be attackers. 2. **Declare Blockers:** If the Chimera has an unexhausted aspect with the Defender ability, it will block the leftmost attacker with that aspect. If there are multiple Defender aspects, it will assign one blocker to each attacker from left to right. Excess Defenders and Defenders on another battlefield do not block. 3. **Resolve Battles:** One at a time, resolve each battle in the order of your choice. - **If Blocked:** The attacker battles its blocker and the blocker counters. - **If Unblocked:** The attacker battles the Chimera.
If you target a UNIT do the following in order: 1. **Declare Attackers:** Choose ONE unexhausted unit you control to be the attacker. 2. **Declare Guard:** The Chimera and its Defender aspects only guard aspects. - If there are one or more unexhausted units with the Defender ability on the same battlefield as the targeted aspect, the leftmost one which can guard the attack is declared as a guard. - If no Defender is declared as a guard, roll the behavior die. On a result of 9+, the Chimera guards, if able. Unlike Phoenixborn, the Chimera may guard any number of times per round. - *Note:* The Defender ability states that the Chimera will not guard for Defender units being attacked. Since exhausted units have no ability text, the Chimera may guard for an exhausted aspect with the Defender ability, since it is currently not considered a Defender. 3. **Resolve Battle:** - - **If Guarded:** The attacker battles the guard. If the guard is a unit, it counters. - **If Unguarded:** The attacker battles the target unit. If it is unexhausted, it counters. **Countering** Aspects always counter if unexhausted, and they do not become exhausted as a result of countering. **Blood Value** When an aspect is destroyed or discarded from the battlefield, place a number of wound tokens on the Chimera equal to its blood value.
Example of an Attack [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/9W0image.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/9W0image.png)
### Pass When you Pass, your main action is to do nothing. You may still take a side action. #### Ashes: Reborn (PvP) If your opponent does not Pass on their next turn, then when it is your turn again you may take any main action. If both players Pass on consecutive turns, the player turns phase ends and players move on to the recovery phase of the round. #### Ashes: Red Rains (PvE) If a player/Chimera Passes but their opponent takes a different main action, both player and Chimera may continue taking turns. If you and the Chimera both Pass on consecutive turns, the player turns phase ends and play moves on to the recovery phase. **The Red Rains halt for no one!** If you take a Pass main action while there are 1 or more face down aspect cards on the opposing battlefield, the Chimera raises 1 basic rage die one level. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/fUPimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/fUPimage.png) # Side Action #### Pay a Cost To take this side action, play or activate a card where the symbol appears in the play or activation cost. #### Activate a Dice Power For a side action you may exhaust a die that is on its power side to activate its dice power effect. The effect for each type of power symbol is detailed on the dice power reference card corresponding to that die. (To exhaust a die, move it from your active pool to your exhausted pool.) #### Meditate The Meditate side action allows you to raise the levels of your dice. When you Meditate, discard any number of the following, one at a time: - Cards in your hand - Cards off the top of your deck - Ready spells from your spellboard For each card discarded, you may change a die in your active pool to a side of your choice. # Resolving Effects There are four rules when playing cards or resolving effects: 1. Resolve the card text from top to bottom, one effect at a time. 2. Resolve as much of each effect as possible. 3. Resolve each card completely, even if it is removed from play. 4. Card text always supersedes game rules. A card can have multiple effects, and they will be separated either by periods or by the words “to” or “and.” If an effect on a card triggers another effect, pause resolving the current card until all related triggered effects have been resolved.
Example of Complex Effect Resolution ![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/vxJimage.png)
#### Damage, Wound Tokens, Destruction, and Blood Value When a unit, Phoenixborn or Chimera is dealt damage, place a number of wound tokens on it equal to the amount of unprevented damage it received. After a unit, Phoenixborn or Chimera has a number of wound tokens equal to or greater than its life value, destroy it. - When a unit is destroyed, it is discarded. - When an aspect is destroyed, after it is discarded, place a number of wound tokens on the Chimera equal to that aspect’s blood value. - When a Phoenixborn is destroyed, its controlling player loses the game. - When a Chimera is destroyed, the player(s) win the game! *Note:* A card’s life value is not reduced when wound tokens are placed on it. *Note:* Deal damage -> Place wounds -> Destroy. An effect that “deals damage” places wound tokens and destroys, but an effect that “destroys” does not deal damage or place wound tokens. #### Discarding Cards When a card in play is discarded or otherwise removed from play, set it aside along with any cards underneath it that are attached or face down. After resolving any triggered effects, return any tokens on any of these cards to the supply, discard the cards that are underneath, and place that card in its final destination. Discarded cards go to their owner’s discard pile. *Exception:* Discarded conjurations and conjured alteration spells do not go to a discard pile but return to their owner’s conjuration pile. #### Exhaustion Tokens Some game effects place exhaustion tokens on cards. When a card has 1 or more exhaustion tokens on it, it is considered to be exhausted. An exhausted card has no ability or effect text though it retains everything else including attack, life, and recover values (on units), and value bonuses (on alteration spells). In addition, exhausted units cannot attack, block, guard or counter. Some cards have inexhaustible effects or abilities, indicated by a yellow box. These effects or abilities remain even if the card is exhausted. In this example, an exhausted Butterfly Monk does not have the Unit Guard ability but it retains the Mend 1 ability as well as its attack, life, and recover values. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/i7Aimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/i7Aimage.png) #### Status Tokens Status tokens can have various effects based on the cards that are in play. Those cards will detail how the status tokens are to be used. ### ADVANCED TIMING CONSIDERATIONS The rules in this section deal with the precise timing of certain game effects. Ashes can be enjoyed in a casual setting without reading these rules. In certain settings, however, the precise order of resolution is important. #### Attack Resolution During an Attack action that targets a Phoenixborn, an attacker or blocker may be exhausted or destroyed before their battle begins to resolve. - If an attacker is exhausted or destroyed, it leaves battle and does not attack. - If a blocker is destroyed, the attacking unit is no longer blocked and will deal its damage to the target Phoenixborn. - If a blocker is exhausted, it still blocks but cannot counter (deal damage) and does not receive an exhaustion token. #### Damage Resolution Whenever damage is dealt, wound tokens are placed, or units are destroyed, enter the process below at the appropriate step. If damage of 0 is dealt, do not enter the process and do not trigger any effects. ##### Step 1: Deal Damage. *» Effects that trigger “after damage is dealt” may now be used. Most of these effects will prevent 1 or more damage from being received in step 2.* ##### Step 2: Receive Damage and Place Wounds. Place wound tokens equal to the damage received. - If a unit has wound tokens on it equal to or greater than its life value, it will be destroyed in the next step. - If a Phoenixborn has wound tokens on it equal to or greater than its life value, its controlling player immediately loses the game. *» Effects that trigger “after 1 or more wound tokens are placed” may now be used.* ##### Step 3: Destroy Unit. Remove unit from play. *» Effects that trigger “when this unit is destroyed” may now be used.* *» After all of the above effects have resolved, effects that trigger “after a unit is destroyed/leaves play” may be used.* ##### Step 4: Discard the Destroyed Unit. #### Simultaneous Effects Sometimes game effects will seem to occur simultaneously. Here is how to properly order those effects. ##### Effects with the same trigger timing If players have 1 or more responses to the same triggering game event, each player (starting with the Active Player—the player whose turn it is) has one opportunity to play any cards and activate any effects they wish to in response to that trigger, resolving them one at a time and then passing the opportunity to their opponent. ##### Effects that trigger “when” a game event occurs Some effects occur “when” a game event occurs, e.g. “When this unit comes into play, you may deal 1 damage to another target unit.” In this case, complete the triggering game event (“unit comes into play”) and then resolve the triggered effect (“deal 1 damage”) along with any other effects with the same trigger timing as detailed above. After all “when a unit comes into play” effects are fully resolved, “after a unit comes into play” effects can now trigger. *Example: An Anchornaut with the above example ability comes into play. You may then deal 1 damage to a target unit. After that damage is fully resolved, and no player chooses to activate any other “when” effects, your opponent could play the reaction spell Ice Trap (“after a unit... comes into play”) and destroy the Anchornaut.* ##### Units that deal damage to each other Units that deal damage to each other, most commonly when attacking and countering, deal damage simultaneously. The Active Player then chooses which damage to resolve first, using the damage resolution process. ##### Effects that affect multiple units or other game elements (e.g. spells, cards, etc.) Some effects can affect multiple units at once, e.g., “Deal 1 damage to all units.” In these cases, the player who controls the effect: 1. Selects all units to be affected. 2. Resolves the effect for one unit at a time in the order of their choice. The resolution process may cause a selected unit to no longer fit the selection criteria, or may cause new selectable units to appear. In all cases, the original selection cannot change. *Example: Fernanda plays Mist Typhoon and deals 1 damage to each unit controlled by an opponent. She destroys one of Isaac’s units and he reacts with Summon Sleeping Widows and places 2 Sleeping Widow conjurations into play. These new units will not be dealt damage from Mist Typhoon.* # Chimera Turn To resolve a Chimera turn, first resolve any status (green box) abilities on aspects on its battlefield, from left to right. Then, the Chimera does one of the following, based on the game state: - Roll: *If there are one or more face down aspects,* the Chimera will (1) roll one basic rage die and then (2) roll the behavior die and take the action(s) indicated on the Chimera behavior card. » Note: Side actions on the behavior card are dice power effects. - : Attack. *If there are no face down aspects,* the Chimera attacks with the leftmost unit that can attack. - : Pass. *If there are no face down aspects and no units that can attack,* the Chimera passes. The player turns phase ends when the player(s) and Chimera all choose Pass on consecutive turns. #### Chimera Reveals When the Chimera Reveals, flip over the leftmost face down aspect. If the revealed aspect has a status ability, it comes into play with status tokens on it equal to the pips on the top of the green box. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/5xMimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/5xMimage.png) After revealing, resolve any abilities on that card that trigger when it comes into play (if any), targeting the opposing player. #### Chimera Attacks When the Chimera **Attacks**, it declares one attacker: either the specified unit or the leftmost unit that can attack. Aspects will target the opposing player’s leftmost or rightmost unit (as indicated by the Claw icon on the left or right of the card), or their Phoenixborn (as indicated by the Jaw icon in the center). [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/nAgimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/nAgimage.png) If your PHOENIXBORN is targeted for an attack (jaw icon), you may assign up to one unexhausted unit you control as a blocker for each attacker. - If Blocked: The attacker battles its blocker and the blocker counters. - If Unblocked: The attacker battles your Phoenixborn. If a UNIT you control is targeted for an attack (claw icon), you may guard with your Phoenixborn or an unexhausted unit with the Unit Guard ability. A Phoenixborn can only guard once per round, but may do so even if exhausted. - If Guarded: The attacker battles the guard. If the guard is a unit, it counters. If the guard is a Phoenixborn, rotate it 90º to indicate it is unable to guard again this round. - If Unguarded: The attacker battles the target unit. If it is unexhausted, you may counter with it. After the Chimera attacks with a unit, place 1 exhaustion token on that unit. #### Targeting: Special Circumstances Some card effects may prevent an aspect from targeting/attacking a unit. In such a case, the aspect will target the next left/rightmost unit. If it cannot target any unit for an attack, it will target the Phoenixborn instead. The Chimera may end up in control of a non-aspect unit. When the Chimera attacks with a non-aspect unit, that unit will always target the Phoenixborn. #### Fatigued Chimera When the Chimera empties its draw pile, it becomes fatigued. During setup the fatigued card is placed on the bottom of the Chimera’s draw pile as a reminder of that and instructs what to do when the Chimera becomes fatigued and the ongoing effects of its being fatigued. #### Draw and Hand Effects Because the Chimera has no hand of cards, when the Chimera is forced by an effect to draw cards, it will immediately discard those cards. When the Chimera is fatigued, it cannot draw cards. When an effect would affect the hand of the Chimera, set aside the top 5 cards of the Chimera’s draw pile (or as many as you can) to create a hand. After resolving the effect that affects the Chimera’s hand, return the set aside cards to the top of the Chimera’s draw pile in a random order. #### Red Rains Tokens and the Ultimate Card Red Rains tokens represent the Chimera’s growth in power as it prepares to progress to its next phase. They are placed when there are still aspects during the recovery phase, when raising rage dice, and as otherwise directed. After placing Red Rains tokens, if there are Red Rainstokens equal to or greater than the Ultimate value on the Chimera card, resolve the following steps in order as they are listed on the Chimera’s current Ultimate card: - Remove Red Rains tokens equal to its Ultimate value from the Chimera. - Discard all cards on the Chimera’s battlefield(s) that it does not own. - Resolve the phase-specific effect printed on the Ultimate card. - Remove the topmost Ultimate card and behavior card from the game to reveal the Chimera’s next phase (unless it is already at phase III). The Chimera is now stronger! - *Note:* Increase the Chimera’s Ultimate value by 1 for each exhaustion token on the Chimera or the Ultimate card. ### Laws of the Chimera There are some effects in Ashes Reborn that do not translate directly into the Red Rains game mode. The following rules are adaptations of these effects: - **Choices:** If a player’s effect would require the Chimera to make a choice between multiple options, that player chooses which option the Chimera selects. - **Card Draw:** After the Chimera draws cards from an effect, immediately discard those cards. When the Chimera is fatigued, it cannot draw cards from effects. - e.g. Abundance draws 2 cards for the Chimera, which are immediately discarded. Once the Chimera is fatigued, Abundance instead deals 2 damage to the Chimera since it cannot draw cards. - **Hand:** When an effect would affect the hand of the Chimera, set aside the top 5 cards of the Chimera’s draw pile (or as many as you can) to create a hand. After resolving the effect that affects the Chimera’s hand, return the set aside cards to the top of the Chimera’s draw pile in random order. - **Blocking:** If a card effect forces the Chimera to block an attacking unit and it has no eligible Defender units, it will block with the first eligible non-Defender unit, assigning from left to right. If a unit can choose its blocker, you may choose any eligible unit, including non-Defenders. - **Guarding:** If a player’s attacking unit cannot be guarded against (such as from the Bypass or Stalk ability), the Chimera does not roll to guard. If a Defender unit cannot guard due to effects like Terrifying or Gigantic, select the leftmost Defender that can be declared as a guard, if any. - **Countering:** Aspects always counter if unexhausted, and they do not become exhausted as a result of countering. - **Type:** While playing the game, aspects are considered to be allies, conjurations, and units, and the Chimera is considered to be a player, opponent, and its own Phoenixborn. - **Non-aspect units on the Chimera’s battlefield:** Units like Blood Puppet that can be placed onto any battlefield can always be placed onto the Chimera’s battlefield. During the recovery phase, non-aspect units are not counted when adding Red Rains tokens to the Chimera or aspects to the battlefield. - **Targeting:** When an attack or effect from the Chimera or a card it controls targets a leftmost or rightmost unit the opposing player controls but cannot target the specified unit due to another effect, it targets the next left/rightmost unit. - **Area of Effect (2p):** When resolving an effect that affects all/each/every of something in play (e.g. dealing damage to all units), it only affects your own battlefield and the opposing Chimera battlefield. For example: - Nature’s Wrath will deal 1 damage to all units you control and to all units on the opposing battlefield. - Kneel will place 1 exhaustion token on each unexhausted unit you control and each unexhausted unit opposing you. - When Abundance instructs all players to draw cards, only you and the Chimera are affected. - **Laws:** A ready spell with “Law” in its title only affects (a) its controlling player and any cards they control and (b) the Chimera and any cards it controls when interacting with that player and the cards that player controls. - **Removed From Game:** When adding aspects to the Chimera’s battlefield(s), if you have removed so many aspects from the game that it cannot add the required number, shuffle the aspects that were removed from the game and continue adding from those. # Alternate Formats # 3-4 Player Game Ashes can also be played with three or four players. The rules are identical except that whenever player order matters, start with the Active Player and proceed clockwise. Also, whenever you need to pass something “to your opponent,” pass it clockwise. The Active Player is the player whose turn it is or, if it is not during the player turns phase, the player with the first player token. When a Phoenixborn is destroyed, its controlling player discards all cards on their battlefield or spellboard. That player and their play area are no longer in the game. If any cards they own are in another player’s play area, those cards stay in play. The game ends when only one player has a Phoenixborn in play. They have won the game! # Drafting Instead of playing with a pre-built deck or bringing a custom built deck to a game of Ashes, you and your friends may draft your decks. 2 - 4 players can participate in a draft using this master set. By adding additional Ashes sets more players can join in on a draft. **To participate in a draft, do the following steps in order:** #### Set-Up 1. Gather each Phoenixborn in your collection and place each into a separate pile along with 3 copies of its corresponding Phoenixborn unique card. 2. Gather 10 copies of each die type in your collection and place them in separate piles. If drafting with 5 or more players you will either need to have a number of die types in your collection equal to the number of players drafting, or you will need to have more than 10 copies of each die type so that there are enough dice available so that each player drafting can draft a full 10 dice. 3. Gather 1 copy of each remaining card in your collection and shuffle them into one big draft deck. 4. Gather all of the conjuration and conjured alteration cards in your collection and put them to the side for later use. 5. Randomly determine a first player and give them the first player token. #### Draft 1. Starting with the first player and continuing clockwise around the table, each player chooses 1 Phoenixborn along with its corresponding Phoenixborn unique cards. Then the first player passes the first player token to their left. 2. Deal each player 9 cards from the draft deck. Each player will choose 1 of the cards they were dealt and pass the other 8 cards to the player on their left. Each player will then choose 1 of the cards they were passed and pass the remaining 7 cards to the player on their left. Players will continue choosing and passing in this way until each player has chosen 9 cards. 3. Starting with the first player and continuing clockwise around the table, each player chooses 2 dice at a time, of any type, until all players have chosen 10 dice. Then the first player passes the first player token to their left. 4. Reveal a number of cards from the draft deck equal to the number of players drafting and place them face up. Starting with the first player, each player may take 1 of the face up cards, putting 1 of their cards face up in its place so it is available to be chosen by another player. 5. Each player collects 2 additional copies of each of the 9 cards they drafted. 6. Each player assembles their conjuration pile as follows: Some effects or abilities can bring conjurations and conjured alteration spells into the game. Each conjuration or conjured alteration spell has a conjuration limit placed in the lower left corner of that card. Identify all such cards your deck is capable of producing and collect a number of copies of each card equal to the conjuration limit of that card. 7. Each player should now have 1 Phoenixborn, 10 dice, 30 cards and, if applicable, a conjuration pile—everything they need to play! 8. Players can now use their drafted deck in a game or tournament. # Two Player Cooperative (Red Rains) When playing Ashes: Red Rains cooperatively with two players, add in the following rules and adjustments. #### Winning and Losing The Chimera is a shared opponent of both players, and they win together if the Chimera is defeated. If either player’s Phoenixborn receives wound tokens equal to or greater than its life value, both players lose. #### Setup When choosing the Chimera difficulty, use the 2p side of the Chimera cards. When setting up the Chimera’s starting battlefield, create two full battlefields, one facing each player. When setting up the Chimera’s draw pile, place the fatigued card on the bottom of the Chimera’s draw pile with the 2-player side facing up. In a 2-player game the Chimera must empty its draw pile twice before it becomes fatigued. Either player may start with the first player token. #### Player Turns Players take a shared turn, with a main and side action each, in any order. Players are each allowed to play one reaction on each shared player turn and each Chimera turn. Card effects may target cards on ANY battlefield, spellboard, etc. When attacking a unit, you may target a unit on either opposing battlefield. #### Chimera Turns The Chimera takes two consecutive turns, first taking a turn against the First Player or the player the first player token is pointing to, and then a turn against the other player. Treat each Chimera turn as if it were facing only one player; the Chimera ignores the other player’s battlefield as well as the battlefield that opposes that player. When the Chimera declares attackers, only the opposing player may block or guard the attack with their units/Phoenixborn. #### Recovery Phase When Replenishing Aspects, add face down aspects to **both** of the Chimera’s battlefields until they have a number of aspect cards equal to the Chimera’s threat value (face up or face down). #### Miscellaneous When the first player token is passed to the Chimera, point it at the player who did not just have it. The Chimera will pass the first player token to that player at the end of the next round. When resolving an effect that affects all/each/every of something in play (e.g. dealing damage to all units), it only affects your own battlefield and the opposing Chimera battlefield. ### CALL OF THE PHOENIX 2-PLAYER VARIANT In a two player game, players may choose to add an additional tragic element to their encounter. After defeating the Chimera (in a standalone game or all three games of a campaign), remove all Chimera components from the play area, and roll one rage die. If the result is a [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/0sfimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/0sfimage.png), players will continue playing, as if facing each other in a regular player-vs-player Ashes game. The Phoenix calls, and only one can remain! (If the Chimera had the first player token, give it to the player it is pointing to. Then continue from the current game state. If you are in the player turns phase, end the current turn (does not count as passing) and the First Player takes the next turn.) # Red Rains Campaign Tell the story of Argaia by choosing Phoenixborn to play through a three-encounter campaign against an increasingly difficult Chimera. Each player starts by choosing a preconstructed deck. You may customize it by (a) mixing and matching your Phoenixborn’s unique cards, (b) substituting up to three copies of Channel Magic instead of cards you do not wish to use, and (c) adjusting your dice pool however you wish. When playing a heroic campaign, you may also (d) substitute up to three copies of any one card from your collection. (Your deck can never violate the deck building rules.) [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/scaled-1680-/r1yimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-09/r1yimage.png) Players can choose to run either a standard or heroic difficulty campaign, using the corresponding difficulty cards when setting up the Chimera. For the first encounter, use the level 1 card of the matching difficulty (standard or heroic). If you are victorious, the next encounter will be level 2. If victorious again, level 3. Defeating a level 3 Chimera will result in a campaign victory! After each encounter, you may further customize your deck by choosing one other preconstructed deck you own and selecting up to three copies each of three different cards from that deck to build with. You may not choose a new Phoenixborn. You may adjust your dice pool freely between encounters. Players can check off each Phoenixborn on the back of the Chimera rulebook to chronicle their victories against the Chimera. #### Channel Magic When playing a Red Rains campaign, players may choose to substitute some cards from their preconstructed deck with this spell. Channel Magic may also be used in regular Ashes gameplay. No more than three copies may be used in a player’s deck. # Deck Building There are 5 different types of cards that can be included in a player’s deck (ally, alteration spell, ready spell, action spell, reaction spell), and 2 types that can be included in a player’s conjuration pile (conjuration, conjured alteration spell). **To build a deck, you must do the following:** 1. Choose a Phoenixborn. 2. Choose exactly 30 cards to be included in your deck. You may only include up to 3 copies of any 1 card in your deck. Do not include conjuration and conjured alteration spell cards in your deck. These cards are only brought into play by the effects and abilities of other cards. You can only include Phoenixborn unique cards in your deck if you chose the associated Phoenixborn. The Phoenixborn unique icon is located in the lower right corner of cards unique to that Phoenixborn. 3. Choose 10 dice to be included in your dice pool. You may choose a variety of die types to be in your dice pool. **Example:** x3 x3 x2 x2 **10 total dice** 4. Assemble your conjuration pile as follows: Some effects or abilities can bring conjurations and conjured alteration spells into the game. Each conjuration or conjured alteration spell has a conjuration limit placed in the lower left corner of that card. Identify all such cards your deck is capable of producing and collect a number of copies of each card equal to the conjuration limit of that card. # Glossary **Entries in purple apply to the Red Rains game mode only.** ##### Ability A named effect on a unit or Phoenixborn. A unit ability with a number after its name will stack if the unit receives an additional copy of that ability. See Stacking Abilities. Only bold named text on a unit is considered an ability, such as Unit Guard. Abilities and other effect text still exist on cards that are exhausted; however that text is not active and cannot be used by that card. If a card would copy the printed abilities of a card that is exhausted, it may indeed copy those abilities. ##### Activate Use an activated effect on a card in play or on a die on its power side. To activate an effect, announce it, pay the associated costs, and then resolve it. ##### Activated Ability/Effect A card effect or dice power that only resolves when you pay its activation cost, which will always include a main or side action. ##### Active Dice Pool / Active Pool The place where you keep dice that are available to spend. ##### Active Player The player whose turn it is or, if it is not during the player turns phase, the player with the first player token. ##### Adjacent Units to the immediate left or right of a unit are adjacent to that unit. ##### Affect A card or dice power affects a spell if it does any of the following to that spell: places or removes tokens/dice, adds or removes effects, causes the spell to be attached to a different card, or moves it in or out of play. ##### Aspect A type of unit. Aspects are considered to be all other types of unit (allies, conjurations, and units). Aspects always counter if unexhausted, and they do not exhaust as a result of countering. When an aspect is destroyed or discarded from the battlefield, place a number of wound tokens on the Chimera equal to its blood value. ##### Attach The process of placing an alteration spell underneath a target unit and applying its effects and value bonuses to that unit. Attaching an alteration spell to a unit targets that unit. ##### Attack The rules for attacking are on p.10. Some additional clarifications: Attackers deal attack damage and blockers/guards/targets can deal counter damage. A unit with 0 attack value that attacks or counters does not deal damage, but still receives an exhaustion token. (Dealing 0 damage = not dealing damage.) Precise timing for attack resolution is found on p. 16. ##### Attack Value The damage a unit deals when attacking or countering. Attack value can be negative, but whenever it is used in resolving a game effect or battle, the minimum is 0. ##### Attacker An unexhausted unit that has been declared to be attacking when taking an Attack main action. ##### Attacking Player The player that is taking an Attack main action. ##### Battle An attacker is in battle with the unit or Phoenixborn it is dealing attack damage to. ##### Battlefield The part of your play area where units are placed. The number of units on your battlefield cannot exceed the battlefield value on your Phoenixborn. When playing an ally with placement = Battlefield from your hand, you can only play it to your battlefield. All face up cards on your battlefield are in play under your control. When you place units on any battlefield, they must be placed to the **right** of all other units on that battlefield and the **position of units cannot be changed** relative to each other. As units leave the battlefield, slide the remaining units to the left to fill in gaps. ##### Blocker Unexhausted units you control may be declared as blockers when your Phoenixborn is targeted with an Attack action. Up to one unit may be declared as a blocker per attacking unit. Blocking is not the same as guarding. Blockers must counter. ##### Blood Value When an aspect is destroyed or discarded from the battlefield, place a number of wound tokens on the Chimera equal to its blood value. ##### Cancel When an effect is canceled, immediately stop resolving that effect and all remaining effects that are in the process of being resolved on the canceled effect’s card. If a behavior card lists multiple actions, only the remaining effects in the current action are canceled. ##### Chimera While playing the game the Chimera is considered to be a player, opponent, and its own Phoenixborn. ##### Choose Some effects ask players to choose something, e.g. targets, options, or other game elements. Choosing a card or other game element does not, by itself, affect or target it, but may cause an effect to affect or target it. If a player’s card effect asks the Chimera to make a choice, that player chooses for the Chimera. ##### Conjuration A type of unit that starts the game in a conjuration pile and can be brought into play by a card effect. ##### Conjuration Limit The number of copies of a conjuration or conjured alteration spell that you must put into your conjuration pile before the game begins. It is located in the lower left hand corner of those cards. ##### Conjuration Pile A face down stack of all the conjurations and conjured alteration spells that your deck is capable of producing. The number of cards in any conjuration pile is public information. ##### Conjured Alteration Spell A type of spell that starts the game in a conjuration pile and can be brought into play by a card effect. Conjured alteration spells are considered alteration spells while in play. ##### Control The following are under your control: your Phoenixborn and its abilities, any face up cards on your battlefield or spellboard and their abilities and effects, and any action or reaction spells, dice powers, attacks, or counters that you are resolving. Alteration and conjured alteration spells are under your control while you are attaching them and then are under the control of the player who controls the card they are attached to. ##### Counter Countering is when a defender deals counter damage equal to its attack value back to the attacking unit. Blockers and unit guards must counter. Aspects always counter if unexhausted, and they do not exhaust as a result of countering. ##### Current / Currently The words “current” and “currently” in an effect refer to the game state before the effect resolves. ##### Current Value The attack, life, and recover values of a unit after modifiers have been applied. When an effect references the current values of a unit it refers to the values before the effect resolves. ##### Damage Dealing damage is what starts the damage resolution process. Dealing damage is not the same as placing wounds, but usually leads to placing wound tokens. Dealing 0 damage does not start the damage resolution process and therefore is considered not dealing damage. ##### Damage Resolution Process The process by which damage becomes wounds and then destruction. It is covered in detail on page 16. ##### Defender A unit or Phoenixborn that has been declared as a blocker or guard, or is the target of an attack. There is also an ability named Defender. When capitalized, Defender refers to an aspect with the Defender ability. ##### Defending Player The player whose Phoenixborn or unit has been declared the target of an Attack action. ##### Dice Power An effect that can be activated by spending a side action and a die on its power symbol side. Each die type has a different dice power. Side actions on a behavior card are considered dice power effects. ##### Discard Pile The place in your play area where you place discarded cards. Cards are placed face up, and the contents are public information. ##### Draw Pile The face down pile of cards that you draw from during the game. The number of cards is public information. ##### Effect An effect is any text that is resolved from a spell or ability. Attack and counter damage are not effects. OR\* An effect is any text that is resolved from a spell or ability. Attack and counter damage are not effects. Separated either by periods or by the words “to”\*\* or “and.” *\*The definition applicable to the specific instance of Effect must be inferred. \*\*Sometimes doesn't apply even when using the second definition. "Do this to do that" USUALLY will separate effects, but "do this to that" USUALLY will not.* ##### Exhaust The process of placing exhaustion tokens on a card OR the process of moving dice from an active pool to an exhausted pool. ##### Exhausted A card that has 1 or more exhaustion tokens on it OR a die that is in your exhausted pool. An exhausted card has no ability or effect text (except for inexhaustible ones) though it retains everything else including attack, life, and recover values (on units), and value bonuses (on alteration spells). Exhausted units cannot attack, block, guard or counter. ##### Exhausted Dice Pool / Exhausted Pool The place where you keep dice that have already been exhausted/spent this turn. ##### Face Down A card that is face down underneath a card in play is not considered to be attached to that card and is not considered to be in play. ##### First Five When setting up a game of Ashes, select 5 different cards from your deck to become your starting hand. You cannot include more than one copy of a card in your First Five. In a competitive setting, find a non-player to verify that the cards are unique. ##### First Player The player who currently possesses the first player token. The First Player takes the first turn of each round. ##### Focus When multiple copies of a spell are on your spellboard, it is focused. Some ready spells modify existing effects or grant additional effects when they are focused. Any additional effects must be resolved in order as usual. See Focusing a Ready Spell on p. 9. ##### Game Event Anything that could occur in the game as a result of following the rules or resolving effects. Examples: a unit comes into play, an alteration spell is attached, a player declares attackers, wound tokens are placed on a Phoenixborn, etc. ##### Guard Your Phoenixborn or an unexhausted unit you control with the Unit Guard ability can be declared as a guard when a unit you control is targeted with an Attack action. A Phoenixborn may only guard once per round, indicated by rotating a Phoenixborn 90° after guarding. Guarding is not the same as blocking. A guarding unit must counter. A Chimera may guard multiple times per round. If a player’s attacking unit cannot be guarded against (such as from the Bypass or Stalk ability), the Chimera does not roll to guard. If a Defender unit cannot guard due to effects like Terrifying or Gigantic, select the leftmost Defender that can be declared as a guard. ##### Inexhaustible Effect An effect on a card that remains even if that card is exhausted. A card may grant a unit an ability in an inexhaustible box. In this case, the granted ability is inexhaustible on that unit. However, if the effect that grants it (“This unit now has the following ability”) is not inexhaustible, the ability can be removed by exhausting the granting card. Inexhaustible text that is granted to another card is also considered to be inexhaustible on that card. Status abilities are a special type of inexhaustible effect. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/NBDimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/NBDimage.png) ##### Level Dice have 3 levels: basic, class, and power. When an effect raises a die one level, basic dice turn to class sides, and class dice turn to power sides. When an effect lowers a die one level, power dice turn to class sides, and class dice turn to basic sides. Rage dice have 2 levels, so raising a basic rage die one level turns it to its power side and lowering a rage power die one level turns it to its basic side. ##### Life Value The number of wound tokens that a Phoenixborn or unit can have on it before it is destroyed. A card’s life value is constant unless modified by a game effect. It is not reduced when wound tokens are placed on it. ##### Magic Play Cost The magic play cost of a card is the total number of die symbols that must be spent to play the card from your hand. Action, exhaust, and discard costs are not included and “X” equals “0” for the purpose of calculating magic play costs. The magic play cost of a card with a parallel cost is the maximum number of symbols that could be spent to play that card. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/ktOimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/ktOimage.png) ##### Main Action You must take one main action on each of your turns. The possible main actions are: Pay a cost, Attack, or Pass. See pp. 7-12. ##### Move When a game element (e.g. token) is moved from one location (e.g. card) to another, it is removed from the first location and placed on the second location in a single resolution. If a move effect is canceled, leave the game element in the first location. ##### Opposing Your battlefield and the Chimera’s battlefield that is directly facing yours are opposing one another. The units on your opposing battlefield consider you their opposing player. ##### Owner A card’s owner is the player whose deck or conjuration pile that card started the game in. ##### Parallel Costs Some cards have two or more connected costs in their play cost or their activation cost. These costs are called parallel costs. To pay a parallel cost, pay one of the options, plus any other costs. [![image.png](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/scaled-1680-/OSfimage.png)](https://wiki.ashes.live/uploads/images/gallery/2023-05/OSfimage.png) ##### Passive Effect A card effect that is active just by being in play. It may always be active or it ay only be active while a certain game state exists. Example: “While this unit is attacking” is a passive effect whereas “When this unit is declared as an attacker” is a triggered effect. ##### Phoenixborn Each player controls a Phoenixborn which is not a unit. When your Phoenixborn is destroyed, you lose the game. In a 2-player co-op game, if either player’s Phoenixborn is destroyed, both players lose the game. ##### Placement Direction on where a card goes when it is played. Note that when played from your hand, a card with placement of Battlefield, Spellboard or Discard must go to your own Battlefield, Spellboard or Discard, but a card with placement of Unit may be played to any unit in play. ##### Play / In Play A card is in play if it is any player’s Phoenixborn or if it is face up on any player’s battlefield or spellboard. ##### Printed Value These are the values printed on the card for attack, life, and recover values. Example: You have a Blue Jaguar (printed with Attack 1; Life 2) with Root Armor attached (Life +1) so it is currently Attack 1; Life 3. You play an effect that swaps the printed attack value and the printed life value. The Blue Jaguar is now Attack 2; Life 2. ##### Rage Dice Whenever all rage dice are on their power side, place 1 Red Rains token on the Chimera, set all rage dice to their basic side, and if you were in the middle of raising multiple rage dice, continue doing so. Do not resolve the Chimera’s Ultimate card until you are done raising rage dice. The Chimera has no exhausted dice pool, so rage dice can never be exhausted. ##### Reaction Ability/Effect Some cards have reaction abilities or effects on them, indicated by a blue box. These cards may be played from your hand as reactions when their conditions are met. Using a reaction ability or effect counts toward your limit of 1 reaction per turn. ##### Recover Value The number of wound tokens that are removed from a unit during the recover step of the recovery phase. If the recover value is larger than the number of wound tokens, remove them all. Recover value can be negative, but whenever it is used in resolving a game effect, the minimum is 0. Aspects do not have recover values, and cannot gain recover values. ##### Side Action You may take one side action on each of your turns. You may take it before or after your main action. The possible side actions are: Pay a cost, Meditate, or Activate a dice power. See p. 12. ##### Spell Any card that has the word “spell” as a part of its card type. ##### Spellboard The part of your play area where ready spells are placed. The number of ready spell slots on your spellboard equals the spellboard value on your Phoenixborn, but multiple copies of the same ready spell only take up one slot. When playing a ready spell with placement = Spellboard from your hand, you can only play it to your spellboard. All face up cards on your spellboard are in play under your control. The Chimera’s Ultimate card is a ready spell and is considered to be on a spellboard. ##### Stacking Abilities A unit ability with a numeral after its name will stack if the unit receives an additional copy of that ability. Add the numerals in the ability names together, and change the corresponding numeral(s) in the ability text to that sum. Focus effects and abilities without numerals after their name do not stack. Example: Blood Ritual 1 reads: “When this unit is destroyed as a result of a spell, ability, or dice power you control, you may remove 1 wound token from your Phoenixborn and then raise 1 die in your active pool one level.” If a unit with Blood Ritual 1 receives the ability Blood Ritual 2, it will now have “Blood Ritual 3: When this unit is destroyed as a result of a spell, ability, or dice power you control, you may remove 3 wound token\[s\] from your Phoenixborn and then raise 3 \[dice\] in your active pool one level.” ##### Status Ability A type of inexhaustible ability that comes into play with status tokens that refresh every round. ##### Target An effect targets a game element if it uses the word “target” in relation to that game element or if it is an alteration spell being attached to that game element. Choose the target of a targeted effect immediately before resolving that effect. ##### Triggered Ability/Effect A card effect that can only be used when or after a game event occurs, such as “when this unit comes into play” or “after an opponent declares attackers.” Some triggered effects are mandatory, some are optional (“you may”), and some require an additional cost. - When: Triggered effects that happen “When” a game event occurs are resolved immediately after the game event completes. - After: Triggered effects that happen “After” a game event occurs are resolved after that game event, and after all related “When” effects. If players wish to resolve multiple triggered effects off of the same game event, start with the Active Player. For more details, see Simultaneous Effects on p. 17. ##### Type Each card has a type. Examples: Ally, Conjuration, Alteration Spell, Conjured Alteration Spell, Ready Spell, Action Spell, Reaction Spell. ##### Unexhausted A card that does not have any exhaustion tokens on it. ##### Unit An ally or conjuration. ##### Value Bonus An alteration spell’s modifier for the attack, life, or recover values of the unit it is attached to. ##### Wound Tokens Tokens placed on units and Phoenixborn as a result of receiving damage through the damage resolution process. When the number of wound tokens on a unit or Phoenixborn are equal to or greater than that card’s life value, destroy that card. If an effect “places wound tokens,” begin the damage resolution process at step 2. See Damage Resolution on p. 16. ##### X Cards that use X as a value will also feature a definition of X for that card. X = 0 for the purposes of determining magic play cost. Example: Out of the Mist deals X damage to a target unit and X, for that card, is defined as the number of units you have in play. ### Theoretical/Implied Definitions: These are NOT official definitions, but do define terms referred to at several points throughout the game that do not have an official definition. They are constructed by extending and interpreting existing rules. ##### Card Effect Any effect other than dice powers. *Source(s): Activated Ability/Effect Definition* ##### Activation Cost The cost associated with an activated ability/effect. *Source(s): Activate Definition, Activated Ability/Effect Definition* ##### Effect Text Any text an effect is comprised of. *Source(s): Exhausted Definition, Ashes FAQ.* # FAQ Frequently Asked Questions for Ashes Reborn # Recommended First Fives Here is a list of First Fives for each of the preconstructed Ashes decks. Note that these are just recommendations to start from, and feel free to modify your First Five to suit your preferences and unique matchups against different opponents. These also may differ from those found in the Rulebook, as there are many viable approaches for how to use each deck. ##### Aradel - The Mist Guardian Summon Blue Jaguar, Summon Mist Spirit, Summon Butterfly Monk, Shifting Mist, Steady Gaze ##### Astrea - The Goddess of Ishra Summon Steadfast Guardian, Summon Light Bringer, Summon Weeping Spirit, Imperial Ninja, Sun Sister ##### Brennen - The Children of Blackcloud Summon Dread Wraith, Chant of Worship, Blackcloud Ninja, Fire Archer, Crimson Bomber ##### Coal - The Iron Men Chant of Revenge, Hammer Knight, Iron Worker, Anchornaut, Strengthen ##### Dimona - The Queen of Lightning Summon Cloudburst Gryphon, Rayward Knight, Crystal Archer, Rayward Recruit, Adept Duelist ##### Echo - The Masters of Gravity Chaos Gravity, Sonic Swordsman, Summon Mirror Spirit, Changing Winds, Gravity Training ##### Fiona - The Protector of Argaia Mind Maze, Summon Nightsong Cricket, Summon Mind Fog Owl, Summon Majestic Titan, Confusion Spores ##### Harold - The Demons of Darmas Summon Vampire Bat Swarm, Drain Vitality, Master Vampire, Adrenaline Rush, Beast Warrior ##### Hope - The Artist of Dreams Summon Fox Spirit, Summon Wishing Wing, Realm Walker, Dreamlock Mage, Dream Fracture ##### James - The Grave King Summon Fallen, Grave Knight, Rising Horde, Immortal Commander, Vengeance ##### Jericho - The Breaker of Fate Summon Time Hopper, Summon Turtle Guard, Swift Messenger, Standard Bearer, Accelerate ##### Jessa - The Bloodwoods Queen Summon Blood Puppet, Blood Transfer, Blood Archer, Living Doll, Undying Heart ##### Koji - The Boy Among Wolves Summon Indiglow Creeper, Summon Biter, Join the Hunt, Hunt Master, Jungle Warrior ##### Leo - The Roaring Rose Summon Orchid Dove, Summon Nightshade Swallow, Memory Theft, Beast Tamer, Change Psyche ##### Lulu - The Gorrenrock Survivors Summon Emberoot Lizard, Summon Omen Bringer, Fighting Spirit, Inflame, Phoenix Barrage ##### Maeoni - The Snakes in Silver Summon Silver Snake, Summon Gilder, Open Memories, Empower, Call Upon the Realms ##### Namine - The Song of Soaksend Summon Squall Stallion, Summon Salamander Monk, Guilt Link, Magic Syphon, String Mage ##### Noah - The Shadows of Viros Summon Masked Wolf, Summon False Demon, Small Sacrifice, Resummon, Summon Sleeping Widows ##### Odette - The Law of Lions Summon Emperor Lion, Summon Winged Lioness, Sword of Virtue, Shield Mage, Power Through ##### Orrick - The Messenger of Peace Concentration, Summon Ash Spirit, Summon Ruby Cobra, Sunshield Sentry, Flock Shepherd ##### Rimea - The Ghost Guardian Ancestral Army, Summon Ghostly Mount, Summon Ancestor Spirit, Augury, Hollow ##### Rin - The Frostdale Giants Summon Ice Golem, Summon Frostback Bear, Frost Bite, Frost Fang, Ice Trap ##### Rowan - The Scholar of Ruin Summon Ruin Dweller, Ritualist, Crypt Guardian, Knowledge Seeker, Discovery ##### Saria - The Cloudsea Siren Summon Seaside Raven, Summon Three-Eyed Owl, Abundance, Rose Fire Dancer, Purge ##### Sembali - The Spirits of Memoria Summon Admonisher, Celestial Knight, Shadow Guard, Chained Creations, Angelic Rescue ##### Tristan - The Ocean’s Guard Summon Prism Tetra, Summon Seafoam Snapper, Summon Tidal Crab, Tsunami Shot, Wave Crash ##### Victoria - The Duchess of Deception Summon Shadow Hound, Summon Shadow Spirit, Secret Door, Body Inversion, Flash Archer ##### Xander - The King of Titans Summon Cerasaurus Mount, Sacred Ground, Earthquake, Raptor Herder, Pain Shaman ##### (Jessa/Coal/Noah/Brennen) - The Corpse of Viros Ceremonial Deck Summon Calamity Golem, Summon Bone Crow, Old Salt, Phoenix Attendant, Phoenixborn Unique Card ##### (Rin/Aradel/Lulu/Koji) - The Frostwild Scourge Natural Deck Summon Adaptodon, Summon Frost Frog, Ember Heart, Jungle Forager, Phoenixborn Unique Card ##### (Leo/Maeoni/Saria/Astrea) - The Blight of Neverset Charm Deck Summon Shimmer Wing, Summon Bastion Badger, Chimera Charmer, Snake Bite, Farewell ##### (Odette/Xander/James/Dimona) - The Siege of Lordswall Divine Deck Summon Shining Stag, Glory Aspirant, Hand of Spear, Ptera Herder, Fork Lightning # Banned List

As an experiment to curb the pervasive success of some deck types, an official banned list was created for Ashes on July 24, 2024. Cards on the banned list may not be included in decks used in official organized play events, which is different from the Chained list.

Banned cards

The detailed reasoning can be found at Plaid Hat Games's Ashes Organized Play Update.

Tournament organizers should mention if the banned list is NOT in effect; otherwise, players should assume that it is, as per the Organized Play document. Not using the banned list is potentially relevant for events where the card pool is intentionally limited, ie, "all decks must be built using the Red Rains campaign rules."

For casual games, it is recommended to ask the opponent if banned cards are allowed before playing a deck that uses them; for many games, the default assumption is that any existing banned list is in effect, and Ashes follows that trend. This is similiar to the aforementioned Chained List.

This list does not forbid any player from using the banned cards in Red Rains (PvE).

# Card Errata The following cards have received official errata. While Plaid Hat has decided that print runs will now include the fixed version of the cards instead of the older version, it is possible a product was printed before the errata and may not be up to date. These 4 are available in a print-and-play file at plaidhatgames.com, or included in The Frostwild Scourge expansion set. - [Salamander Monk Spirit](https://ashes.live/cards/salamander-monk-spirit/ "Salamander Monk Spirit on ashes.live") (The Song of Soaksend)\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/faq/page/card-errata/#1 "Source")\] - Conjuration count 2 - 0 attack - Replaced Transparent with \[INEX: Fleeting: Discard this card at the end of this round.\] - [Brennen Blackcloud](https://ashes.live/cards/brennen-blackcloud/ "Brennen Blackcloud card on ashes.live") (Master Set - The Children of Blackcloud, and The Corpse of Viros)\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/faq/page/card-errata/#1 "Source")\] - 18 life down to 16 life - Revised Spirit Burn: Main, Exhaust, 1CC: Destroy an ally you control to deal 2 damage to a target Phoenixborn. - [Three-Eyed Owl](https://ashes.live/cards/three-eyed-owl/ "Three-Eyed Owl card on ashes.live") (Master set)\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/faq/page/card-errata/#1 "Source")\] - Conjuration count 2 - Gained Peer 1: When this unit comes into play, look at 1 random card in a target opponent’s hand. - Revised Memory Drain 1: At the end of the prepare phase, choose a target opponent to discard 1 card of their choice from their hand. - [Indiglow Creeper](https://ashes.live/cards/indiglow-creeper/ "Indiglow Creeper card on ashes.live") (The Boy Among Wolves)\[[1](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/faq/page/card-errata/#1 "Source")\] - Conjuration count 1 The fifth will be available in The Spawn of Shadowreck. - [Rimea Careworn](https://ashes.live/cards/rimea-careworn "Rimea Careworn card on ashes.live") (The Ghost Guardian)\[[2](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/faq/page/card-errata/#2 "Source")\] - 20 life down to 17 life - Battlefield size up from 4 to 5 - Revised Visions: Side, Exhaust: Draw 2 cards. Then, look at 2 random cards in a target opponent's hand. References 1. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2023/04/05/ashes-card-changes-and-organized-play-update/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2023/04/05/ashes-card-changes-and-organized-play-update/ "Card Changes Update") 2. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2024/06/26/introducing-the-spawn-of-shadowreck/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2024/06/26/introducing-the-spawn-of-shadowreck/ "Introducing the Spawn of Shadowreck") # Chained List Ashes Reborn has a set of cards that are not allowed to be included in a player's First Five, and cannot be played in the first round even if they come into a player's hand, for example, by card drawing, deck searching by cards like Open Memories, or a card that gets the chained card from the discard pile. In subsequent rounds, they may be played as normal. This list of cards is the "Chained List." Note that cards in the chained list may still be included in decks for events, unlike the cards in the [Banned List](https://wiki.ashes.live/books/rulebook/page/banned-list "Banned List"). This list is intended for Organized Play events, typically tournaments or leagues. That said, **it is common practice to use the chained list for all play**, even casual games online. Rare exceptions for certain formats, such as pre-constructed only, may exist. Always confirm with your opponent before playing. #### The Chained List As of April 5th, 2023, the list includes: - [Explosive Growth](https://ashes.live/cards/explosive-growth/) - [Golden Veil](https://ashes.live/cards/golden-veil "Golden Veil") (added January 25th, 2024) - [Hypnotize](https://ashes.live/cards/hypnotize "Hypnotize") (added January 25th, 2024) - [Meteor](https://ashes.live/cards/meteor/) - [Psychic Vampire](https://ashes.live/cards/psychic-vampire/) - [River Skald](https://ashes.live/cards/river-skald/) - [Summon Shining Hydra](https://ashes.live/cards/summon-shining-hydra/) #### Reasoning "*There exist certain cards and card combinations that violate one or more of the core gameplay philosophies of Ashes when included in a player’s First Five."* Some of the cards on the list are part of specific combos that are overly oppressive, and some are against the core principle of First Five. PHG has included reasoning with each update of the chained list. You can read here: 1. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2021/06/02/ashes-june-update/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2021/06/02/ashes-june-update/) 2. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2022/05/16/ashcon2/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2022/05/16/ashcon2/) 3. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2022/10/03/new-organized-play-rules/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2022/10/03/new-organized-play-rules/) 4. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2023/04/05/ashes-card-changes-and-organized-play-update/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2023/04/05/ashes-card-changes-and-organized-play-update/) 5. [https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2024/01/25/ashes-organized-play-and-faq-update-v5/](https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2024/01/25/ashes-organized-play-and-faq-update-v5/ "Ashes OP Update 5") #### Previous Cards These cards were chained previously, but are no longer chained. - [Exhortation](https://ashes.live/cards/exhortation/) (removed January 25th, 2024) - [Massive Growth](https://ashes.live/cards/massive-growth/) (removed January 25th, 2024) - [Summon Sleeping Widows](https://ashes.live/cards/summon-sleeping-widows/) (removed January 25th, 2024) - [Three-Eyed Owl](https://ashes.live/cards/three-eyed-owl/) (the conjuration; removed April 5th, 2023) The reasoning to remove each card is included in the update links above. #### Technicalities While it is possible to follow the current Organized Play rules and construct a legal deck that, due to the Chained list, cannot actually have a First Five (example [here](https://ashes.live/decks/38561/ "Unplayable deck")), doing so will result in a disqualification for the event. Source: Nick Conley, upon being asked about the linked deck. # Rule Clarifications ### Abilities and Text - Any text in a card’s text box that has the format of “X = ...” is not considered an ability. Only bold named text on a unit is considered an ability, such as Unit Guard. - Abilities and other effect text still exist on cards that are exhausted; however that text is not active and cannot be used by that card. If a card would copy the printed abilities of a card that is exhausted, it may indeed copy those abilities. - When paying an exhaust cost to activate a spell or ability, fully resolve the activated effects even though the exhausted card no longer has ability or effect text. - Inexhaustible text that is granted to another card is also considered to be inexhaustible on that card. ### Battle - If an attacker leaves battle before resolving its attack (either through becoming exhausted, leaving play, or another effect), any blocker or guard does not counter and a Phoenixborn declared as a guard would not use its guard for the round (do not rotate it 90°). - If a blocker or guard leaves play before its battle is resolved, the attacker will resolve a battle with the original target of its attack. - If an unguarded unit that is the target of an attack leaves play before that battle is resolved, the battle ends without dealing damage, but the attacker is still exhausted. - Attackers are declared in a single step and blockers or guards are declared in a (separate) single step. After all attacker or blocker/guard choices have been made, effects that trigger when units are declared as an attacker/blocker/guard are resolved in the order of Simultaneous Effects (p. 17). ### Card Information - If an effect has a player search their draw (or other) pile for a specified card, that player is not required to select a card, even if there is an eligible card remaining in that pile. If an effect has a player search their discard pile or any other area whose contents are public information, the cards must be revealed when selected. - e.g. searching your discard pile for an ally and placing it into your hand. - Face down cards that were public knowledge before being placed face down underneath another card in play may be examined by any player by request. - e.g. cards placed underneath Mount conjurations or Canyon Shelter. - If a card in play indicates the ability to place a conjuration into play, any player may request to see a copy of the named conjuration from the owner’s conjuration pile for reference. ### Dice - Dice that are placed onto cards, such as with the charm and divine dice powers, are returned to their owner’s exhausted pool when the card they are on is discarded or otherwise removed from play. Dice that are placed onto cards are not considered to be in any player’s active or exhausted pool. - When selecting a number of dice for an effect, choose as many as you can up to the indicated amount. - You may take a Meditate side action with no dice in your active pool. ### Timing Outside of Player Turns - Reaction spells or cards with a blue reaction box cannot be played outside of the player turns phase (e.g. Final Cry). Effects that can only trigger during a turn, or once per turn, also cannot be played outside of a player’s turn (e.g. Jessa Na Ni’s Screams of the Departed ability). Effects without these limits still may be triggered and resolved outside of the player turns phase (e.g. Chant of Revenge gaining a status token.) - Effects that resolve outside of the player turns phase, such as end of round effects, resolve one player at a time, starting with the first player. In a 2p game of Red Rains, the players should resolve these effects one after another. These effects resolve one at a time, in the order of the player’s choice, until no more of these effects are left unresolved. - If a new effect becomes active during the resolution of these effects, it is resolved, only if the player who controls that effect is still in the process of or has yet to resolve their effects. ### Miscellaneous - If a unit would ever come into play onto a full battlefield, it is discarded instead. - If a unit leaves play and then is placed back into play, it comes into play without any tokens on it, alteration spells attached to it, and it is not attacking, blocking or guarding. If it left and returned to play within the same turn without being placed in a discard pile, conjuration pile or hand, it is considered to be the same unit and is still subject to any other effects that had applied to it (see ‘Hope Everthorn’). - You may not take main or side actions during another player’s turn, even if a card effect states you may take additional actions this turn. - A card effect cannot place a conjuration into play that has been destroyed but not yet discarded unless it refers to that specific copy (e.g. via “this unit” or “that card”) # Common Confusion

Plaid Hat Games maintains a FAQ for Ashes Reborn, which can be found here. Other sources of confusion are listed below.

Combat (Master set rules, page 10)

"Blocking" vs "Guarding"

Blocking is when one or more of your units intercept opposing unit(s) attacking your Phoenixborn.

Guarding is when either your Phoenixborn or a unit with the ability Unit Guard is put in front of an opposing unit attacking one of your units. Using your Phoenixborn to guard is usually referred to as "PB Guard" and can only be done once per round. When playing with physical cards, using the Phoenixborn Guard is represented by turning your PB sideways.

A unit that blocks or guards must counter. See the section "When can you choose to not counter with a unit?" below for when you can choose for a unit to not counter.

In PvE, unexhausted aspects with the Defender ability will block for the Chimera, or guard for other aspects that do not have the Defender ability. Like any other unit that blocks or guards, they will counter.

"In battle" and Tame

The definition of "Battle" on page 22 of the Master set rules provides more clarity on what a battle is: "An attacker is in battle with the unit or Phoenixborn it is dealing attack damage to." This means that even if there are 2 attackers and 2 blockers, each attacker and each blocker is only in battle with 1 other unit, and effects that are limited to "units in battle with this unit" only affect the battle the unit with that ability is in.

Example: A Hammer Knight and Iron Worker attack the opposing Phoenixborn. The player of the targeted Phoenixborn blocks the Hammer Knight with a Beast Tamer and the Iron Worker with a Mindfog Owl. The Beast Tamer's Tame 1 ability only affects the Hammer Knight, because neither the Iron Worker nor the Mindfog Owl are in battle with the Beast Tamer.

When do units exhaust as part of combat resolution?

For attackers, exhaustion tokens are placed after resolving their battle, if their wounds do not exceed their life.

For blockers and unit guards, exhaustion tokens are placed as a result of countering an attack. The Alert ability (e.g. Hammer Knight) prevents exhaustion being placed as a result of countering. A guarding Phoenixborn does not get an exhaustion token; they are turned sideways to indicate that they have guarded this round.

It is possible due to the resolution of effects and abilities that a defender does not exhaust if the attacking unit they are blocking is removed from combat before countering occurs. One example is Crystal Archer's Preemptive Shot 1 which can destroy a 1-life attacker when the Archer is declared as a blocker.

When can you choose to not counter with a unit?

If an unexhausted unit you control is directly attacked, and you do not or cannot guard it, you may choose to not have that unit counter (and thus, it won't exhaust). If the unit is already exhausted, it cannot choose to counter.

Targeting

When does a card or ability "target?"

Any card that says "target (something)" targets a card. Examples include "target unit," "target Phoenixborn," and, in the case of Whiplash (from the Corpse of Viros expansion), "target leftmost unit." Cards that have an effect that do not say "target," do not target (e.g. Nature's Wrath). Cards that target may be stopped by the appropriate card that cancels the effect (Golden Veil for units, Vanish for Phoenixborn or players).

Alterations target when they are attached, as per definition in the Master set rules, page 22.

The Concealed ability

The Concealed ability (present on Stormwind Sniper, Shadow Hound, and Lurk) is only active while the unit has no exhaustion tokens on it, and does not prevent abilities and effects that do not target. Cards like Mist Typhoon will still affect these units even when they have no exhaustion tokens. Chaos Gravity is trickier; it cannot place an exhaustion token onto these units as a part of the first effect, but it can move an exhaustion token to these units, because it does not target during that portion of the card ability.

Once the unit with Concealed is exhausted, it may be targeted as any other unit, as the exhaustion token renders their abilities blank.

Area of Effect (AOE) Selection and Resolution (Master set rules, page 17)

Some abilities and spells are card "area of effect" spells, because they do not target (e.g. Mist Typhoon). When these spells and abilities resolve, only the cards currently in play may be affected. In some cases, the affected cards may change during the resolution process, however, their initial selection does not get undone; they are still affected by the ability or spell. These spells and abilities affect units with Concealed (such as Stormwind Sniper or The Corpse of Viros's Lurk aspect), as Concealed only protects from targeted spells and abilities.

Example of resolution: Survival of the Fittest is played, and one player controls a Gilder and a Blood Archer, neither with any tokens. If the player who played Survival selects the Gilder first, and places the status token from the Gilder's Inheritance 1 ability onto the Blood Archer, the Blood Archer is still destroyed as a part of the resolution of Survival of the Fittest, as it did not have a token when it was selected as an affected unit.

Turn Structure

How/when fatigue works (Master set rules, page 6)

Fatigue damage occurs during the Prepare Phase (start of a round) when you have to draw until you have at least 5 cards in hand. For every card below 5 you are unable to draw, you take 1 damage on your Phoenixborn; this is referred to as fatigue damage. For example, if you have 3 cards in hand, and only 1 card left in your draw pile, you will take 1 fatigue damage that round. If you already have, or draw up to, at least 5 cards during the Prepare Phase, you will not take fatigue damage.

There are other cards that can punish having an empty draw pile but these are not fatigue damage, and the damage effect is stated on the card. For an example of this, see Abundance.

"End of the round" (Master set rules, page 13)

Abilities and effects that trigger "at the end of the round," like Cursed 1 on Blood Puppet, happen after the Recovery phase. These effects are outside of the Player Turns phase, which means Reaction cards and abilities cannot be played during this phase. However, abilities that trigger off of effects caused by any end of round abilities will still trigger.

Example: At the end of the round, a player using Jessa Na Ni has a Chant of Revenge and a Blood Archer with Fade Away attached. After the recovery phase, Fade Away triggers, destroying the Blood Archer and removing it from the game. Jessa cannot use Screams of the Departed because the ability states "Once per turn," and it is not during a turn. Chant of Revenge, however, gets a status token.

Reactions

You can only play reactions during the Player Turns phase; this means that the Prepare and Recovery phases do not allow for reactions or reaction abilities (blue text boxes, such as the one on Swift Messenger). As such, you are not allowed to use Summon Sleeping Widows or Final Cry as a reaction to a unit you control being destroyed at the end of the round due to an effect like Fade Away or the Fade ability.

There is a difference between Reaction spells and Reaction abilities, but only for cards that explicitly differentiate between them (Law of Sight). However, there is no difference between them in terms of Reactions per turn limit; if a player plays a Reaction ability in a turn, they are not allowed to play a Reaction spell later that same turn, or vice versa.

It is possible to play a Reaction to a Reaction. If a unit you control is destroyed by damage, and you respond with Summon Sleeping Widows, your opponent may then respond with Ice Trap to destroy one of the Sleeping Widows, provided they have not already played a Reaction this turn.

Specific cards

Void Pulse and Return to Soil

These two cards both have an "if that destroys the unit, after it is destroyed" clause that begins a sentence. Under the rules in the rulebook, this means the effect should trigger after the unit has been placed in the discard or conjuration pile, as appropriate. However, both effects are intended to take place in the same window: after the unit is destroyed, before it is discarded. This causes Void Pulse's draw and dice change ability to happen before your opponent gets a chance to play reactions, such as Final Cry. It also means that you cannot chose the destroyed unit as a card to remove with Return to Soil. These two clarifications are in the FAQ linked above.

Rowan Umberend

Rowan's Exhume ability allows you to replay an ally, which will trigger both "when this unit comes into play" and "when this unit is destroyed" abilities, such as both the abilities on Knowledge Seeker.

Miscellaneous

Printed vs Resolved Card Values and "X"

For "printed" values, X is X and no other value. It is not zero, nor is it the value of X at the time of resolution. Example: Rile The Meek will never get to deal a damage from a Wishing Wing, even if it has zero status tokens on it.

For non-printed values, X is its current numeric value as given by its definition (unless looking at magic play cost, which the rules explicitly calls out as zero). Example: Amplify may be played on a Wishing Wing, if and only if it has zero status tokens on it.

Using a Die Power from the Exhausted Pool
When a card allows you to choose a dice from your exhausted pool and resolve its dice power, that die does not have to be on its power side; you only have to match the die type.
Examples:

Summon Mind Fog Owl is a little different than the above; it specifically calls out the dice used to pay the cost, so while resolving the power does not care about the side the die is on, the focus ability itself does.

# Ashes: Red Rains FAQ #### Rules Clarifications - In a 2 player game of Red Rains, the Chimera takes a turn against each opponent, starting with a turn against the first player (or the player the first player token is pointing to when the Chimera is the first player). - Red Rains tokens are placed one at a time, potentially triggering an ultimate to resolve, followed by continued placement of the remaining Red Rains tokens that would be placed. - While players are allowed to make decisions regarding choices the Chimera must make, this choice should be ignored when the Chimera is resolving simultaneous damage as a result of an aspect attacking. When an attacking aspect deals damage to a defending unit that counters, always resolve the attack damage first. - The Chimera will continue reshuffling its discard pile to create a new draw pile any time it is depleted, even after it reaches Fatigue. - The Chimera does not reshuffle its draw pile when it is required to create a hand of 5 cards for the purposes of effects that affect the Chimera’s hand if the draw pile has less than 5 cards. In this case, use as many cards as there are remaining to create the hand. - Facedown aspects are not considered to be in play until they are revealed. #### Play Variants **Grim Fates:** When making choices for the Chimera, instead of the players choosing any options for the Chimera, they may instead force themselves to choose the worst possible outcome for themselves, evaluated to the best of their ability. Players may apply this rule globally, or may choose to apply it to specific cards to better satisfy their play preferences. Some examples of cards to apply the Grim Fates variant to: - E.g. Abundance allows the players to normally choose how many cards the Chimera will draw. Under the Grim Fates variant, the Chimera would always attempt to draw 2 cards, as to not take direct damage before reaching Fatigue. - E.g. Generosity gives the Chimera a choice between receiving 2 beneficial effects. Under the Grim Fates variant, the Chimera should choose the effect most beneficial to it, or take the effect that the player wanted to resolve the most afterwards. #### FAQs ##### General Q: Does the Chimera have to spend dice from its active pool when it activates a side action behavior? A: No. The side action behaviors are just considered to be dice powers for the purpose of cards that check for the source of an effect. For example, Golden Veil can cancel the effects of a spell, ability or dice power, therefore it can cancel a side action behavior that targets a unit you control. ##### Light Bringer Q: If I use Light Bringer’s Infatuate ability to force the Chimera to take an Attack main action on its next turn, does it still roll the behavior and rage dice if there are facedown aspects? A: No. The Chimera Rulebook (pg. 10) lists the actions the Chimera will take on its turn. Light Bringer’s Infatuate ability makes the Chimera choose to Attack with its leftmost unit that can attack, instead of rolling dice to determine its actions for the turn. ##### Coal Roarkwin Q: In a 2-player game, if my opposing battlefield has no faceup aspects on it, but my partner’s opposing battlefield does, can I use Slash to deal 1 damage to the Chimera? A: Since the Chimera controls units, even though they are opposing your partner, you cannot use Slash to deal 1 damage to the Chimera directly. You still may use Slash to target units on the battlefield opposing your partner though. ##### Whiplash Q: How does Whiplash’s targeting work? A: Whiplash will destroy the leftmost unit among units the opposing player controls with 1 or more wound tokens on it. If there are none, it will deal 1 damage to the opposing player’s leftmost unit. # Individual Card FAQs ##### Accelerate Q: If I use Copycat on Accelerate, can I take side actions on my opponent’s turn? A: No. Per the Rules Clarifications, players can only take main or side actions on their turn. ##### Ash Spirit Q: If I am the only player with no cards in my draw pile at the end of the round, do I have to take 1 damage from my own Ash Spirit’s Smolder 1 ability? A: Yes, Ash Spirits can be a double-edged sword. Be careful around fiery sheep! ##### Blink Q: What happens to the unit I use Blink on if, by the end of the turn, the battlefield it is returning to play onto is full? A: Per the Rules Clarifications, it is discarded. ##### Blood Archer Q: If placing a wound token on my Blood Archer from the Blood Shot 1 ability would cause my Blood Archer to be destroyed, do I still get to deal 1 damage to a target unit? A: Yes, fully resolve the ability, even though the Blood Archer is not in play when that part of the ability resolves. ##### Bone Crow Q: When attacking with Bone Crow, if it triggers its Feast 1 ability, but the target of the attack changes to an unwounded card when my opponent blocks or guards, do I keep the attack bonus from Feast 1? A: Yes. ##### Canyon Shelter Q: If I have multiple copies of Canyon Shelter in play, can I activate one copy of Canyon Shelter to place a unit underneath a different copy of Canyon Shelter since focusing causes some copies to be underneath others? A: No, each copy of Canyon Shelter independently has units underneath them. ##### Chained Creations Q: If I use Chained Creations to destroy a conjuration, can I place an exhaustion token on Resummon? A: No. Resummon does not specifically say what kind of conjuration it puts into play, so Chained Creations cannot exhaust it. ##### Channel Magic Q: Can I use this card in player vs player Ashes games? A: Yes, up to 3 copies of Channel Magic can be included in a player’s deck, like any other card. ##### Chant of Transfusion Q: What happens if my opponent uses Golden Veil to cancel the movement of a wound token onto a target unit they control? A: Both units are targeted before resolving the effect of Chant of Transfusion, so if a Golden Veil is played, the wound token will not be moved at all. ##### Choke Q: If I play Choke, can I still deal 1 damage to a target Phoenixborn even if they were exhausted before I played Choke? A: No. Choke requires you to exhaust a Phoenixborn to deal the damage. ##### Copycat Q: If I use Copycat to resolve a copy of Meteor, how much damage can I do? A: Just the base 1 damage to all units. The copy of Meteor was played without paying its play cost, so no were spent to play it, even if one was spent to play Copycat. Q: When I use Copycat on Odette’s Enter the Fray ability, which Phoenixborn is dealt damage in return? A: Yours. When using Copycat, the default assumption should be that you become the player casting the spell and your Phoenixborn is using any Phoenixborn ability being copied. Q: Can I play Copycat after my opponent uses Copycat to copy the same spell or ability? A: Yes. Copycat may be played immediately after the originally copied spell or ability is resolved. Q: If I use Copycat in response to an effect that can place a conjuration onto my battlefield, like Summon Shining Hydra, do I get to do so? A: You may only place that conjuration if you happen to have a copy of it in your conjuration pile. This can only be done if that conjuration was added to your conjuration pile during deck construction as a result of including the card that can place it in your deck build. So in this example, you may only place a Shining Hydra via Copycat if you included your own copy of Summon Shining Hydra in your deck build, thus having a copy of Shining Hydra to place. If you did not include Summon Shining Hydra in your deck build, you do not have a Shining Hydra available to place vis Copycat. ##### Dark Presence Q: If I use Dark Presence to give Beast Tamer the Terrifying 1 ability in addition to Tame 1, and it attacks, can it be blocked by a Turtle Guard with an attack value of 2? A: Yes. Abilities like Terrifying check the relevant stat value only during the declare blockers/guard step, and then are otherwise irrelevant. If the Turtle Guard has an attack value above that of the Terrifying ability when it can be declared as a blocker, it may be declared. ##### Dimona Odinstar Q: Is this the first ‘Mount’ unit that references exhausted units? A: Yes, Dimona instead Promotes allies that have proved their worth in battle! ##### Disengage Q: Does my attacking unit become exhausted after playing Disengage? A: No (see Battle above). ##### Double Down Q: When a conjuration is destroyed and I play Double Down as a result, can I place that same copy of that conjuration into play? A: No, conjurations must come from the conjuration pile, and at the time of resolving Double Down, the destroyed conjuration is not yet in the conjuration pile. You must place 2 copies (or as many as you can) of that conjuration from your conjuration pile. ##### Emperor Lion Q: If I play Law of Sight while using the Emperor Lion’s Decree ability, will I draw cards that I saw on the top of my draw pile while searching for a Law? A: Due to the possibility of manipulating the order of your draw pile, you should shuffle your draw pile immediately after searching your draw pile for a Law and revealing it, despite the fact that shuffling is listed as the last part of Decree’s effect. This will ensure the cards drawn from Law of Sight are random. ##### Empyrean Mount Q: Does Battlemaster do anything when targeting a unit for an attack? A: No. If you want your Empyrean Mount to battle a specific unit, instead attack the Phoenixborn and use Battlemaster to choose that unit as a blocker. If you attacked the unit directly, your opponent could still declare a guard. ##### Era’s End Q: What effects resolve when playing Era’s End in the case that one of those effects would exhaust a card with an effect pending resolution, like Crypt Guardian? A: All unexhausted cards in play with an end of round effect at the time of playing Era’s End will be recognized as in queue to resolve. However, if one of those cards becomes exhausted, say by Crypt Guardian’s Shackle 1 ability, during the process of resolving Era’s End, the exhausted card will lose its ability text and will not resolve from Era’s End when it’s time comes to resolve. Q: Who chooses how to resolve an opponent’s effect triggered by Era’s End? A: The controller of the card resolving. ##### Fade Away Q: Is the ‘remove from game’ text on Fade Away considered a second effect, or a modifier of the first effect? A: It is a modifier of the first effect, indicating that after the ally is destroyed, instead of discarding it, remove it from the game. ##### Fade Away and Undying Heart Q: If Fade Away destroys an ally I control that has Undying Heart attached, do I return the ally to my hand or remove it from the game? A: Return it to your hand. The effect of Undying Heart returns the ally to your hand before that ally would be discarded. Fade Away attempts to remove the ally from the game instead of discarding it. Since the ally is returned to your hand (and not discarded), Fade Away does not remove the ally from play. ##### Fear and Undying Heart Q: If I use Fear to destroy a unit with Undying Heart attached to it, will the amount of wound tokens I remove from Jessa be modified by Undying Heart’s +1 recover value? A: Yes, Fear uses the recover value the unit had at the time it was destroyed. ##### Fox Spirit Q: If I activate Pounce 2 by attacking an exhausted unit with my Fox Spirit and the target of the attack changes from my opponent’s guarding, what happens? A: Once Pounce 2 activates, the +2 attack persists for the remainder of the turn regardless of how the opponent chooses to respond to the attack. ##### Ghostly Mounts Q: If I summon Spectral Charger Mount and my opponent destroys it with Ice Trap, what happens to the ally that was removed from play to summon my Mount? A: Consider placing the Mount and the ally underneath the Mount to be a single step; thus Dismount would trigger and place the ally into your hand. ##### Golden Veil Q: When canceling one of several effects on a card with Golden Veil, such as the exhaustion token placement on Law of Fear, what happens to the remaining effects on Law of Fear that were not currently resolving? A: Only currently resolving effects are canceled. Passive modifiers like Law of Fear’s -1 attack effect, Bound, and Fleeting, are still in effect after the exhaustion token placement is canceled by Golden Veil. ##### Hope Everthorn Q: Can I use a reaction spell like Summon Sleeping Widows at the end of my turn when a unit I control is destroyed as a result of Duplicate? A: Yes, and this reaction is considered to be used on your turn that is currently ending with regards to the “Limit 1 reaction per turn” rule. Q: I used Duplicate on my Vampire Bat Swarm and that copy was destroyed before the end of this turn. If I put it back into play with the Swarm ability, will it be destroyed as a result of Duplicate at the end of the turn? A: Yes, when using the Swarm ability to place that Vampire Bat Swarm back into play, it is still under the effects of Hope’s Duplicate ability. ##### Hunter’s Mark Q: If I use Enchanted Violinist’s Song of Sorrow ability to destroy a unit with Hunter’s Mark attached to it, do I trigger the discard effect from Song of Sorrow? A: Yes. Hunter’s Mark modifies the amount of wound tokens placed by Song of Sorrow, but the source of the damage is still the Enchanted Violinist, allowing you to discard 1 card from the top of that opponent’s draw pile. ##### Imperial Ninja Q: What happens if I only can discard 1 card from my deck against an Imperial Ninja’s attack? A: If you choose to discard the card from your deck, the Interrogate ability still causes you to discard the looked at card, since you discarded fewer than 2 cards. ##### Iron Worker Q: If I am at or above my maximum hand limit of 5, can I still draw cards with Iron Worker’s Overtime ability? A: Yes. You may draw 0-2 additional cards during the draw step, regardless of how many cards you have in your hand. ##### Meteor Q: If I spent to play this, am I required to deal the damage? A: Yes. You may not spend a and ignore the damage boosting effect of Meteor. ##### Mind Probe Q: When I use Mind Probe, does my opponent get to see the order I return the cards back to their draw pile? A: No. You are allowed to pick up the remaining cards, determine their order secretly, and return them to your opponent’s draw pile. ##### Nightsong Cricket Q: If I play Crescendo to destroy my Nightsong Cricket, can that copy of Crescendo be added into my hand by its Renewed Harmony ability? A: No, Crescendo is not fully resolved at that time, and is not yet in the discard pile. ##### Odette Diamondcrest Q: How much damage does Odette take when using Enter the Fray against a Dread Wraith? A: If you use Enter the Fray against an undamaged Dread Wraith, Odette is dealt 3 damage, because the Dread Wraith’s attack is increased to 3 by the time Odette is dealt damage by her ability. Q: How much damage does Odette take when using Enter the Fray and it destroys the target unit? A: If the targeted unit is no longer in play when Odette is dealt damage from her ability, use the attack value of the unit at the time of its destruction (e.g. a Dread Wraith that has a Frozen Crown and 7 wound tokens on it when destroyed would deal 11 damage to Odette!) ##### Piercing Light Q: Do multiple copies of Piercing Light stack the Overkill ability? A: Yes (Stacking Abilities, Glossary). ##### Radiant Leviathan Q: If my Radiant Leviathan is destroyed during the end of round steps, will the Prism Tetras it summons be discarded by Scatter? A: It depends on when the Leviathan is destroyed. End of round effects are resolved player by player, starting with the First Player. If you are the First Player and resolve all your end of round effects first, then your opponent destroys your Leviathan (say, with Red Raindrop), the Tetras you summon will not be discarded from Scatter, as you have already passed the window in which you resolve your end of round abilities for that round. If your Leviathan is destroyed by Fade Away while resolving your end of round effects, the newly summoned Tetras will have to resolve Scatter during your end of round resolutions. ##### Rayward Recruit and Blessing of Lightning Q: Must I choose a divine die on its power side when resolving Blessing of Lightning or the Armed ability? A: No, any divine die, regardless of what face it is on, and including the die spent to play them, can be used to resolve these effects. Q: Can I use the dice spent to play these cards when resolving their effects? A: Yes, costs are paid before resolving these effects, so you may use the spent divine die. ##### Redirect Q: What happens if I use Redirect to make a unit I control with Armored 1 receive that damage? A: The unit receives full damage. Since the damage was dealt to your Phoenixborn, but received by the unit, Armored 1 does not trigger (Damage Resolution, p. 16). Q: If I use Redirect to make my Blood Shaman receive enough damage for it to be destroyed, can I use Blood Shaman’s Blood Ritual 1 ability? A: It depends on the source of the damage dealt to your Phoenixborn that triggered Redirect. The source of the damage does not change when Redirect is used. If the source of damage was your own spell, ability, or dice power, then yes. Otherwise, Blood Ritual 1 does not trigger. ##### Return to Soil Q: If I use Return to Soil to destroy a Raptor Herder, can I remove it from the game with the rest of Return to Soil’s effect? A: No. The destroyed Raptor Herder is not in the discard pile at the time of resolving that part of Return to Soil. ##### Rile the Meek Q: What happens when I use Golden Veil to stop damage from Rile the Meek? A: That damage, and all subsequent instances of damage from Rile the Meek, are canceled. ##### Rowan Umberend Q: If an ally I control is destroyed by Fade Away, can I still Conscript it with Rowan, or will it be removed from the game? A: You may use Conscript without Fade Away removing the ally from the game (See Fade Away above). Since Conscript prevents the ally from being discarded, Fade Away cannot remove the ally from the game instead of discarding it. ##### Safeguard Q: If I play Safeguard and pass as a main action, ending the round, does Safeguard carry over into the next round? A: Yes. You will be protected by Safeguard until the start of your next turn, regardless of if the round ends between those turns. ##### Seafoam Snapper Q: If my Seafoam Snapper with 1 status token is dealt 2 damage while I have Fate Reflection in hand, how much damage will I do if I play Fate Reflection? A: Fate Reflection will always deal the amount of damage dealt (2 in this case), whether or not another effect would also prevent damage. Additionally, even if Fate Reflection is used to prevent the damage, Tough is not an optional effect, so you will spend the status token for Tough even when using Fate Reflection. ##### Shield Mage Q: What does Shield Mage’s ability do? A: Since your units cannot be targeted by attacks an opponent controls, the Shield Mage’s Defensive Aura ability essentially means your opponent must target your Phoenixborn for an attack instead of your units. This allows you to assign blockers more freely than if they were able to target your units for attacks. ##### Stasis Q: Can Stasis be used as a reaction against Squall Stallion’s Lightning Speed ability? A: No. Per its effect text, Stasis is considered a reaction spell for the purposes of Lightning Speed when played using the blue reaction text box. ##### Strange Copy Q: If I use Strange Copy to turn my unit into a Vampire Bat Swarm, when it is destroyed, how does the Swarm ability work? A: You may spend 1 or 1 to return that unit to play as a Vampire Bat Swarm (without tokens or alteration spells). It is not considered to be the original unit until Strange Copy wears off at the end of the turn. Q: If I use Strange Copy to turn my unit into a Shield Mage while my opponent is attacking a unit I control, what happens? A: The opponent continues attacking that unit. Shield Mage’s Defensive Aura ability will not be active in time to affect the declaration of this attack. Q: If I use Strange Copy to copy an exhausted unit, do I copy its exhaustible abilities even if they aren’t active on that card? A: Yes. Per the Rules Clarifications above, the Strange Copy unit will have all of the source unit’s printed abilities, even if the source unit is exhausted. Q: If I transform my Psychic Vampire into a different unit with Strange Copy and it survives battle damage, but then is destroyed by a reduction in life value when it transforms back into Psychic Vampire, can I trigger Lobotomize? A: No. Psychic Vampire is not dying from an opponent’s effect at that point, but rather from the game state change of Strange Copy’s effect wearing off. Q: Does an ally being copied into a conjuration (or vice versa) change its card type? A: No, the original unit is still considered its own card type for the purposes of cards like Chant of Revenge triggering when an ally you control is destroyed. ##### String Mage Q: How does cancelling work when moving a token with Exchange Link 1? A: Golden Veil can cancel the entirety of the Exchange Link 1 ability since it is played when a unit is targeted by the effect, but before resolving the effect (Target, p. 26). ##### Tidal Shift Q: What happens if Tidal Shift gets canceled, such as by Golden Veil? A: The entire card effect is canceled since the unit is targeted before resolving any of Tidal Shift’s effect. ##### Transmute Magic Q: Am I required to target all players with the last effect? A: Yes. Per the effect text, you target all players at once, then a cancel effect (such as Vanish) can be declared and resolved. Otherwise, you then change dice in the order of your choice. ##### Tristan Darkwater Q: What numerals does Tristan’s Magnify ability affect? A: Abilities with a numeral in their ability title are affected. Increase that numeral by 1, and all instances of that same numeral in that ability’s text. Do not increase numbers written out (e.g. “one”). ##### Tsunami Shot Q: What happens when I use Golden Veil to stop Tsunami Shot? A: That damage, and all subsequent instances of damage from Tsunami Shot are canceled. ##### Undying Heart and Fade Away See Fade Away. ##### Vampire Bat Swarm Q: If a Vampire Bat Swarm is attacking or blocking, is destroyed, and triggers Swarm to re-enter play, is it still attacking or blocking? A: No, the new Vampire Bat Swarm is not considered to be attacking or blocking (see Rules Clarifications above). ##### Victoria Glassfire Q: When I use the Surprise! ability and I have fewer dice in my active pool than the number of dice re-rolled for my opponent, how many of my dice do I roll? A: Roll as many dice as you can up to the amount re-rolled for your opponent. ##### Void Pulse Q: How does the sequencing of effects work with Void Pulse? Can I use the dice spindown effect to prevent my opponent from having the dice to play a reaction spell in response to their unit’s being destroyed, like Final Cry? A: Void Pulse’s secondary effect of drawing cards and changing dice is triggered “after \[the unit\] is destroyed.” As the active player, you must draw cards/change dice before your opponent has the opportunity to trigger any effects off of their unit’s destruction, such as playing Final Cry. # References Direct reference material from Plaid Hat Games # PDFs - PvE [Chimera Rulebook](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/d0/f0/d0f0c379-df01-478f-82b4-f202f475a8f6/ph1225-5-chimera_rulebook-web.pdf) [Red Rains Rulebook](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/a4/69/a46924ae-f0b2-4431-9b4b-5e8a97d3d5ea/ph1225-5-rulebook-web.pdf "Full Rulebook") # PDFs - PvP [Ashes Reborn Rulebook](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/23/15/23151a90-9295-4a82-87d0-970df6dc5f04/ashes_reborn_rulebook_final.pdf "Master Set (Full) Rulebook") [Ashes Reborn FAQ v.4](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/be/5d/be5dadbd-c740-47ad-9df3-e3dc8777be94/ashes_reborn-faq-version4-proof1.pdf "FAQ for Ashes Reborn") [Ashes OP Rules V4](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/18/3b/183b924f-834d-4a38-9763-be914e2c43a9/op_rules-version4-proof4.pdf "Organized Play with Chained List") [Ashes Reborn Primer](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/b9/24/b924e0fb-a97e-4c89-ac51-ba0d6b200370/changed_cards_list.pdf "Primer for Ashes Reborn") [Dice Reference Cards (a.k.a. "Dice Power Reference Cards")](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/1d/da/1ddaf856-ec54-4eb5-9bdb-075f32a1de4d/dice_references.png "Ashes Dice Powers") [Printable Errata Cards](https://media.plaidhatgames.com/filer_public/12/f5/12f53e6e-b970-40d1-8f17-13ae8ba2a0ca/ph1226-5-errata_cards-front_and_back-printable.pdf "Ashes Reborn Card Errata since OP v4") # Extra Rules That Need Placing #### Phoenixborn Uniques This expansion introduces new Phoenixborn unique cards for previously existing Phoenixborn. When constructing a deck, players may mix and match their Phoenixborn’s unique cards, but cannot exceed three total. In addition, no more than one Phoenixborn unique card may be included in a player’s First Five. ### Red Rains Nuances #### DECK FROM THIS SET This set comes with 4 Phoenixborn and 12 Phoenixborn unique cards (3 cards for each Phoenixborn). To build a deck using only cards from this set follow these simple steps: 1\. Choose a Phoenixborn and collect its 3 unique cards. Return all other Phoenixborn and their unique cards to the box. 2\. Locate the 6 Channel Magic cards and return them to the box too. 3\. Take all remaining cards with white backs (including your 3 Phoenixborn unique cards)and shuffle them together to form your draw pile. 4\. Gather all of the cards with black backs together to form your conjuration pile. 5\. Gather 10 ceremonial dice to form your dice pool.