Aeon’s End

2016

In Aeon's End, a cooperative deckbuilding board game, players unite as breach mages to defend the underground city of Gravehold using unique abilities and strategic planning.

60
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Aeon’s End is a captivating cooperative deck-building game that immerses players in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world where they must defend the last bastion of humanity, Gravehold, from The Nameless – a horde of monstrous entities driven to extinguish life. Players take on the role of breach mages, unique individuals wielding arcane powers, who stand as the last line of defense.

The setting of Aeon’s End is a shattered world, a place where the remnants of humanity have taken refuge in the underground city of Gravehold. In this city, mages harness the power of the breaches, the rifts in reality left behind by the apocalypse, to fight back the encroaching darkness.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game that pits players against a variety of nemeses. Each game involves meticulous strategy and planning to defeat the nemesis while protecting the last stronghold of Gravehold. Here are the components included in the game:

1. Nemesis Mats and Cards

Nemesis mats are cardboard sheets that represent the various nemeses in the game. Each mat has specific stats and abilities that determine the nemesis’s actions throughout the game. Nemesis cards are drawn from the nemesis deck and can represent attacks, powers, or minions that the nemesis uses against the players.

2. Player Mats and Cards

Each player receives a player mat that represents their chosen breach mage. The mat has spaces for life points, charges, spells, and relics. Player cards include a unique starting deck of spells, gems, and relics that players use to fight the nemesis. The cards are used for various actions, such as casting spells or acquiring new cards.

3. Market Cards

The market cards are composed of spells, gems, and relics that players can purchase during their turn. These cards are used to strengthen the players’ decks and provide new abilities or enhancements.

4. Tokens

The game includes various tokens that represent life points, charges, and power. These tokens are used to track the status and progression of the game.

5. Turn Order Cards

The turn order cards determine the sequence of turns between the players and the nemesis. These cards add an element of unpredictability to the game as the turn order can vary each round.

6. Breach Tokens and Cards

Breach tokens are used to track the opening and closing of breaches on the player mat. Breach cards are spells that can be prepared in the breaches and cast on a player’s turn to attack the nemesis or support fellow players.

7. Gravehold Life Tracker

The Gravehold life tracker is a board that keeps track of the health of Gravehold, the last city standing. If Gravehold’s life points reach zero, the players lose the game.

Each component of Aeon’s End presents a unique aspect of the game and interaction with the players. These components work together to create a dynamic and challenging gaming experience.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players defend Gravehold, the last city to stand against The Nameless. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you set it up:

1. Player Setup:

Player Mat: Each player takes a player mat. They place it in front of them with the side matching the number of players face up.
Character: Each player randomly selects a character, placing the character card on the designated space on their player mat.
Starting Hand and Deck: Each player takes the starting hand and deck as indicated on their character card.
Life: Every player sets their life total to the number on their character card.

2. Game Setup:

Turn Order: Shuffle the turn order cards corresponding to the number of players. Create a deck and place it within easy reach of all players.
Nemesis Mat and Card: Place the nemesis mat in the center of the playing area. Randomly select a nemesis, placing the nemesis card on the nemesis mat.
Nemesis Deck: Create the nemesis deck according to the instructions on the nemesis card.
Supply: Create the supply as indicated in the game setup guide. This includes nine piles of gems, relics, and spells, as well as the deck of nemesis tokens.
Gravehold: Set the life of Gravehold to 30.

3. Start of the Game:

First Turn: Draw the top card of the turn order deck to see who goes first.

Once the setup is complete, players can begin defending Gravehold from The Nameless. Remember, in Aeon’s End, you won’t shuffle your deck when it runs out. Strategy revolves around managing your discard pile and making use of your deck’s order to win!

Game flow Round and round we go

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players defend the city of Gravehold from The Nameless and their hordes using unique abilities, powerful spells, and, most importantly, their collective wits. Each game is a battle against a specific nemesis, each with different abilities and tactics that demand a strategic approach.

Here is a dynamic view of the game’s structure:

Turn Order Phase:

At the beginning of each round, the Turn Order deck consisting of player cards and Nemesis cards is shuffled. This deck decides the turn order for that round.

Player Turn:

Start Phase: If there are any start of turn abilities, they are resolved at this stage.
Main Phase: The player has the opportunity to play cards from their hand and gain resources. They can buy new cards for their deck from the supply and place it on their discard pile. They can also cast any prepped spells.
End Phase: In this phase, the player ends their turn by placing any cards left in their hand to their discard pile in any order, and then draws five new cards from their deck.

Nemesis Turn:

Main Phase: The Nemesis performs its main phase, where the top card of the Nemesis deck is drawn and resolved.
End Phase: Any end of turn abilities are resolved at this stage. The Nemesis’s turn ends after this.

Game End:

The game ends in defeat if Gravehold is reduced to 0 life, or if all players are exhausted (i.e., reduced to 0 life).
The game ends in victory if the nemesis is reduced to 0 life.

That’s the overall structure of a game of Aeon’s End. Each game is a new challenge with its unique nemesis and evolving strategy.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players must work together to defend their city from the monstrous Nameless. Each player’s turn involves several steps and potential actions. Understanding these can greatly enhance your strategic choices and overall gameplay experience.

1. Start Phase:

The first phase of a player’s turn is the Start Phase. During this phase, players can perform ‘start of turn’ abilities. These abilities are generally specified on a card and can alter the gameplay in various ways, such as providing additional resources or allowing for specialized actions.

2. Main Phase:

The Main Phase is where the bulk of a player’s actions will occur. During this phase, players have several possible actions they can choose from:

Play a Gem: Gems are your primary resource for buying new cards. Playing a gem will give you Aether, which you can spend immediately or save for later.
Buy a Card: Players can purchase new cards using their collected Aether. These new cards can be spells, relics, or other gems, all of which can enhance a player’s abilities and strategic options.
Focus or Open a Breach: Breaches are the primary way players are able to cast spells. By focusing or opening a breach, players can prepare to cast more powerful spells in the future.
Prepare a Spell: Spells are the primary way players will deal damage to the Nameless. Preparing a spell involves placing it on a breach and waiting until the next turn to cast it.

3. End Phase:

The final phase of a player’s turn is the End Phase. During this phase, players will:

Clean up their play area by discarding any unplayed cards and returning any unspent Aether to the supply.
Draw a new hand of five cards. If their deck is empty, they will shuffle their discard pile to create a new deck.

Remember, in Aeon’s End, players do not shuffle their discard pile when it becomes their deck. This allows for careful planning and strategic ordering of your discard pile to optimize future draws.

The order of turns in Aeon’s End is not fixed but determined by a turn order deck, adding another layer of strategy and unpredictability to the game.

Strategically choosing which actions to take and when can greatly affect the outcome of the game. For example, focusing on buying powerful spells early can allow you to deal more damage in the late game, while investing in gems can provide you with more resources in the future.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players defend their home city, Gravehold, against the unrelenting onslaught of The Nameless. The game ends when either the players or the Nemesis meet their respective victory conditions.

Victory Conditions:

Player Victory: The players win the game if the Nemesis deck runs out of cards and the Nemesis has no cards in play (i.e., it has no minions or powers left). This signifies that the players have successfully defeated The Nameless, ensuring the safety of Gravehold.
Nemesis Victory: The Nemesis wins if Gravehold’s life is reduced to zero or all players are exhausted (i.e., their life totals have been reduced to zero). This signifies that The Nameless have overpowered the players and destroyed Gravehold.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before the final scoring, players must perform the following actions:

Resolve Unfinished Actions: Before declaring the game end, make sure that all pending actions or effects from spells, relics, or abilities have been fully resolved.
Check Gravehold’s Life Total: Confirm Gravehold’s life total. If it has been reduced to zero, the Nemesis wins, and there is no need for further scoring.
Check Player Life Totals: Similarly, check the life totals of all players. If all players are exhausted, the Nemesis wins and the game ends immediately.
Check Nemesis Deck and Cards in Play: If the Nemesis deck has run out of cards and there are no Nemesis cards in play, the players win the game. Announce the victory and proceed to pack up the game.

It’s important to note that in Aeon’s End, there is no ‘final scoring’ as in many other board games. The game is purely cooperative, and players either win together or lose together. The only ‘score’ is the victory itself.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players work together to defend their city from The Nameless. Winning or losing is based on whether the city is defended successfully or not, rather than a point system. However, if you desire to add a competitive edge to the game, you can use a scoring system. Here is a proposed system:

At the end of the game, players can be awarded points based on the following criteria:

Survival Points: Each player gets 10 points for surviving at the end of the game.
City Health Points: Add the remaining city health to the score.
Deck Points: Each player gets points equal to the total cost of cards in their deck.
Unspent Aether Points: Each unspent Aether at the end of the game can be converted to points on a 1:1 ratio.

For a more challenging game, negative points can be given for the following:

Exhaustion Points: If a player’s deck is exhausted, they lose 5 points.
Unleash Points: Each time the Nemesis card ‘Unleash’ is activated, all players lose 1 point.

In the case of a tie, use the following tie-breaker rules:

The player who has the most cards in their deck wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most remaining health wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the least negative points wins.
If there is still a tie after all these rules, the game is declared a joint victory.

Remember that Aeon’s End is primarily a cooperative game, so this scoring system should be used as a fun addition, not a core part of the game.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game where players defend their city from nameless creatures. While the rules are generally straightforward, there are a few special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of for a successful game.

Turn Order: Unlike many similar games, the turn order in Aeon’s End is not fixed. Instead, it’s determined by a Turn Order deck. This feature introduces a significant amount of unpredictability into the game, and requires players to think on their feet.

Player’s Deck: When a player’s deck is empty, the discard pile is not shuffled. Instead, it’s simply turned over to form a new deck. This means that the order in which cards are discarded can have a significant impact on future turns.

Spells: Spells in Aeon’s End are not cast immediately. Instead, they are prepped to one of the player’s breaches on the turn they are played, and can be cast on a later turn. This mechanic requires strategic planning, as it allows players to set up powerful combinations of spells.

Exception: If a player’s breaches are all filled and they have a spell in hand, they must cast a spell to make room for the new one.

Nemesis Turn: During the Nemesis turn, the top card of the Nemesis deck is drawn and resolved. If it’s a minion or a power, it stays in play and could have ongoing effects. Players need to manage these threats while also dealing with the Nemesis’s attack deck.

Clarification: Some Nemesis cards have the ‘Persistent’ keyword. These effects occur every Nemesis turn as long as the card remains in play.
Exception: If the Nemesis deck is empty, the Nemesis does not draw or play a card during its turn. Instead, it only resolves the effects of any minions or powers currently in play.

Game End: The game can end in several ways, either by defeating the Nemesis, by the players’ city being destroyed, or by the players being exhausted. It’s important to manage resources effectively to prevent the latter two outcomes.

Clarification: If a player is exhausted (i.e., their life is reduced to zero), they are not eliminated from the game. Instead, any further damage that would be dealt to them is dealt to the city.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Aeon’s End is a cooperative deck-building game that challenges players to defend the last city of Gravehold from The Nameless, a horde of terrifying monsters. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay in ‘Aeon’s End’.

Advanced Strategies:

Plan Ahead: Always plan your actions several turns in advance. Consider the monster’s pattern of attack and prepare your defenses accordingly.
Coordinate with Other Players: Since Aeon’s End is a cooperative game, it’s essential to work together with the other players. Discuss your actions and strategies openly.
Balance Your Deck: Try to maintain a balance between offense and defense in your deck. Both are crucial to your success in the game.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the Rules: Before starting the game, make sure you have a solid understanding of the rules. This will help you make more strategic decisions during gameplay.
Start with Basic Nemesis: For your first few games, start with a basic Nemesis. This will allow you to get the hang of the game mechanics without being overwhelmed.
Use Your Resources Wisely: Be careful about how you spend your resources. It’s important to invest in high-quality cards early in the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Team Play: A common mistake is to play Aeon’s End as a solo game, ignoring the cooperative aspect. Remember, you’re a team and you can only win by working together.
Overlooking the Turn Order: The turn order in Aeon’s End is random, which can be easy to forget. Always keep the turn order in mind when planning your strategy.
Forgetting to Prepare for Nemesis Attacks: Always keep an eye on the upcoming Nemesis attacks and prepare accordingly. It’s easy to get caught off guard by an unexpected attack.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Control Your Deck: In Aeon’s End, you don’t shuffle your discard pile. This means you can control the order of your deck. Use this to your advantage.
Focus on Breaches: Don’t underestimate the power of breaches. Opening and focusing your breaches can greatly increase your power in the game.
Learn from Your Mistakes: Each game of Aeon’s End is a learning experience. If you lose, try to understand why and use that knowledge in your future games.