There is an ancient evil lurking in the shadows — one that only you can rid the world of!

After battling an ever-more challenging succession of foes, players will use their deck to battle the ultimate evil and dispel the Ash Curse. Be careful, though, as losing a battle means having to start fresh! 

In Deck of Ashes, players will find themselves scouring a grim fantasy world in search of combat cards, supplies, and other resources - all while battling against some of the vilest beasts the cursed land has to offer. While collecting cards to outfit their deck with a band of ruthless antiheroes, players will choose their champion — each of whom has a unique card deck — and take on the world, one intense encounter after another.

Though the combat system in Deck of Ashes is turn-based, a successful duel begs a deeper level of strategic planning. Battles are divided into rounds, where characters take turns based on their speed, and the speed of each character may waver throughout the battle. Each turn is limited by the amount of Mana points spent on using a particular card in a Battle Deck. There are also cards that cost Health points instead of Mana points. Also, there are opponents who have the ability to increase the cost of cards, ultimately reducing the number of cards you can play per turn.

Though Heroes may occasionally find themselves battling seemingly impossible-to-conquer foes, it must be noted that there are cards that can greatly benefit a player.

These cards are: 

• Strike Cards: A card that deals instant moderate damage to an opponent 
• Periodic Damage Cards: A card that deals a small amount of damage each turn and wears the opponent down over time
• Boon Cards: A card that strengthens a character’s toughness
• Healing Cards: A card that restores a character’s health
• Hex Cards: A card that casts an effect on an opponent to weaken them over time

Initially, a player may encounter 1-3 opponents in any given battle, but some opponents may summon reinforcements. Additionally, some monsters are able to strengthen themselves and their summoned allies and deal instant or periodic damage to weaken a Hero in battle. The negative effects that opponents can cast on a Hero vary between enemy classes. Opponents reveal the cards they will play next turn, granting players the opportunity to strategically plan their next turn. Enemies may burn a player’s cards, decrease their stats, apply negative effects to cards, and increase their cost, so it is vital to study an opponent’s cards carefully to prevail in battle!

Key Features:

• Build Power-Fueled Decks: Test your wit and your strategic mettle with powerful Battle Decks, each crafted with unique combat cards that deal staggering combos and unforgiving effects
• Eerily Wonderful Environments: Explore and navigate a completely hand-drawn cursed landscape with dangers lurking in every shadow
• A Biome (and Monster) for Every Occasion: Discover unique biomes, each harboring different monster types
• Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive: Enjoy an ever-changing, new experience each game with procedurally generated realms waiting to devour the next unwary traveler
• No Mercy for the Weary: Mistakes are unacceptable, death is forever — without the use of dark magic, once you die, you’re gone for good

Deck of Ashes will be coming to Early Access on April 11, 2019, with a full release planned for later in 2019.