“You seem so sure about what’s real and what isn’t.”

Click here to pre-order The Duchess of Deception, The Roaring Rose, Ashes dice, and more at the PlaidHatGames.com store! Ashes pre-orders come with a FREE exclusive Phoenixborn; Orrick Gilstream now available with Victoria and Leo orders!



As Victoria’s preview series comes to a close, it’s become clear that the Duchess of Deception has one of the most interesting decks in all of Ashes. Her summon spells pose unique challenges for enemies and players alike, and her new reaction spells challenge some of the most established principles in Ashes to date.

These cards are will shake up the landscape of Ashes for sure, and the final three cards are no exception. Today we’re going to be looking at ANOTHER reaction spell (that’s right, Secret Door fans!), a powerful new ally and what can easily be one of the most dynamic and unique ready spells in the game. Nobody likes endings, but let’s go ahead and jump in to Victoria’s final preview!



If you thought Victoria didn’t have enough reaction spells in her deck, here’s another one to put your opponent on their toes. For 2 and 1 , Figures in the Fog lets you ignore the potential damage from an opponent declaring a counter with their units. This means your enemies will have to think twice about committing to a counterattack and exhausting their units. Figures in the Fog allows you to use the ability of Secret Door as well, since it is a reaction spell. This card can rapidly change the course of a battle, leaving your units undamaged and your enemies’ exhausted! This card can also protect your units with lower life values if you weren’t expecting your opponent to counter.

Let’s take a look at a unit that gets major use out of Figures in the Fog!

Not all of Victoria’s units are cuddly shadow creatures. She also has a few allies that have committed themselves to her cause! The Flash Archer has a whopping attack value of 4, meaning this unit is one of the heaviest hitters in the game. While her life value of 2 isn’t as big, the recover value of 2 means she can bounce back from a pretty big hit if you find a way to boost her life value.

Her “Double Shot 1” ability lets you divide 2 damage as you please amongst units at the cost of exhausting her. This means she can hit two individual units or double up on a single target. This allows Flash Archer to deal out a considerable amount of damage each round without even having to attack! However, if you can clear the way for her, 4 damage is nothing to scoff at! Why don’t we take a look at Victoria’s final card and see how it helps with this?

Okay, I don’t want to come off as biased here, but To Shadows has been my favorite Victoria card from the jump, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting its reveal! To Shadows adds a new level of decision-making when your opponent considers whether to block an incoming attack. For just 1 , you can bestow the “Illusion” ability on a target unit for the remainder of the turn. This means that the blocker your opponent felt so confident about just a moment ago now becomes a bit less tangible. Knowing your unit doesn’t have a chance of surviving if you block with it regardless of its life value is a huge deal.

Someday, someone is going to lose their precious Dread Wraith to this card, and on that day I hope they find the strength to continue playing Ashes, because THAT is going to be a serious morale blow. To Shadows is a very powerful ready spell that can seriously disrupt your enemy’s plans.

Well, it’s been a long and interesting journey, but there you have it. The Phoenixborn of Smogborough excels at disrupting the strategy of her enemies. This deck is all about turning your enemy and their cards on their head. (And sometimes your own too!) Victoria is certainly going to change how players approach the game from here on out! I wish I had more cards to spoil, but that’s all for now. Be sure to check back soon for the final Leo preview! His collection has certainly “blossomed” beautifully! Also, if you haven’t already, preorder these decks! There’s just too much fun to be had with them! Thanks for reading.

‘Til Next Time,

Callin Flores

Click here to pre-order The Duchess of Deception, The Roaring Rose, Ashes dice, and more at the PlaidHatGames.com store! Ashes pre-orders come with a FREE exclusive Phoenixborn; Orrick Gilstream now available with Victoria and Leo orders!

Previous Victoria and Leo Previews:

Victoria Glassfire and Illusionary Cycle, Shadow Spirit, Shadow Hound and Body Inversion, Vanish, Particle Shield, and Secret Door

Leo Sunshadow, Glow Finch, and Anguish, Memory Theft, Mind Probe, and Dispel, Change Psyche, Amplify, and Beast Tamer