LotR fans hoping for a new game are in luck, as Stone Blade Entertainment has unveiled The Lord of the Rings: Ascension. It’s the latest in a long line of reasons that it’s been a truly exciting time to be a Lord of the Rings fan as of late.
Classic LOTR games have been re-released, new films involving the beloved cast from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed trilogy are in the works, and Amazon’s big-budget Rings of Power series is on track to finish its planned five-season run. And now, there’s a new game on the way that players can enjoy alongside a few friends, though they shouldn’t expect to be chopping heads like Talion and experiencing the Nemesis system. Lord of the Rings: Ascension, after all, is a very different kind of game.
What is Lord of the Rings: Ascension?
Lord of the Rings: Ascension is a spin-off of the Ascension deck-building board game, which is a deliberately fast-paced game. Designed for 1-4 players, Lord of the Rings: Ascension features the mechanics of the titular deckbuilder, but with a Middle-earth coat of paint. Created by Magic Pro Tour champions Justin Gary, Rob Dougherty, and Brian Kibler, Ascension and its upcoming Lord of the Rings variant see each player starting with the same 10 cards. This lineup consists of 8 Apprentice cards that generate Runes, which help with acquiring new cards, and 2 Militia cards used for Power that help with fighting monsters. The central row is composed of 6 constantly changing cards and sees both players pulling from a shared deck. Each turn, players use their cards to eliminate monsters and race to collect victory points from the same pool, with the winner being whoever has the most points once the pool is empty.
With fun mechanics like players discarding their hands after every turn in exchange for a brand-new one, every Ascension match keeps up the pace and forces players to make the best out of new hands. Lord of the Rings: Ascension should be exactly what it needs to be, then: Ascension with a Tolkien-style Middle-earth coat of paint. Players will be able to collect and use three interconnected sets, all of which are designed to capture “the wonder of the The Lord of the Rings.” Players will be free to either rally the Free Peoples or embrace the Shadow of Mordor via the various cards in the three sets. The One Ring tempting players will also seemingly be a mechanic as well, and a range of iconic heroes and villains will be recruitable.
Lord of the Rings Fans Have Crowdfunding to Thank for Ascension
Like so many brilliant board games (and indie video games, for that matter), a Kickstarter for Lord of the Rings: Ascension was needed to secure funding for the game. Fortunately, said funding didn’t take long to get at all, as 1500 backers managed to fund the entire game within only four minutes. Now, the game stands at over $2 million in funding from over 8,000 backers. Each of the three sets is based on one of the Lord of the Rings trilogy’s films—Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—and is targeting a December 2027 release date. They can be purchased in a single bundle for $150 via Gamefound, though they retail at $180. Those who purchase via Gamefound will receive an exclusive Epic Card pack containing extra items.
For those who want to show even more support to the project, they can shell out for the $499 Deluxe edition. Like the base version, it includes all three of the standalone games, except they’re stored within stunning faux leather-bound containers. With stunning gold lettering and classic Lord of the Rings iconography, any Tolkien fan would appreciate the beauty of these special editions. They also come with the following items:
- An oversized “One Ring” card
- 14 Premium acrylic standees
- Premium components
- 4 Metal Runes and power trackers
- A Gold and Silver Honor Coin
- Premium boards for each game
- Gamefound Epic Card Pack (if purchased via Gamefound)
Described as being easy to learn and difficult to master, Lord of the Rings: Ascension seems like an ideal card game for any group of players, as both newcomers and veterans alike can find something to appreciate about the game. Interested card game fans can keep an eye on Stone Blade Entertainment’s socials for more information.
