This is one in a series of posts regarding the board game Aeon’s End: The New Age. You can access all my other “AE: The New Age” posts HERE. This post offers Hints & Tips before the fourth Game, and will contain **spoilers from the first, second & third games**. You have been warned.
Deck 3B
Deck 3B is the last opportunity to add new cards, before the final battle of the campaign. Level 3 Treasure cards are first, and each player gets to choose one before the final battle. Unlike Level 1 Treasures, they are not added to your deck, but are a bonus you get during game play. Some give a one time bonus at the start of the game. Others give an ongoing bonus during each turn, or when you satisfy certain criteria. Like the Level 2 Treasures, you need to be vigilant to make sure you are claiming these when you should.
Envelope 3b
The Envelope contains the 7th Mage, Talix. Deck 3B contains his unique starter cards, and some more Sparks, to make his starting hand and deck.
Talix has no Crystals in his starting cards. Instead his starting hand and deck is each made up of 4 Sparks and his unique card, Furnacium. Furnacium is a Relic that is worth 1 aether, and allows you to discard up to 3 spells, in exchange for 1 aether each. His first turn could be to discard 2 Sparks, to have a total of 3 aether to open his Breach II and prep his remaining 2 Sparks to his first 2 breaches.
I’ll also make note of the last sentence on his card, as it can be missed whilst you are focusing on spending aether and prepping spells. “You may place this on top of your deck.”
Your deck is set up with your 4 Sparks on top, and your other Furnacium at the bottom. Whether you discard your Furnacium, or put it on top of your deck, your second hand is going to be identical to your first. But if you return your Furnacium from your second hand to the top of your deck, you will be in the position to draw them both for your third hand. This will allow you to discard all your Sparks, and give you 5 buying, to buy a big gem or Spell. You can then place both your Furnaciums on top of your deck, to do it again on your fourth hand. Eventually you will want to split them up again, by discarding one, and placing one on top of your deck.
Talix’s ability requires 5 charges, and you can do 1 of 2 things. First, you can destroy 2 Sparks in hand, to shuffle your turn order card back into the turn order deck. This will give you an extra turn this round, at the same time as thinning out your deck. The other ability is to give Gravehold 5 life.
New Market Cards
The remainder of deck 3B is new Market Cards, which are to be placed into the Barracks. When setting up for the Market for the next Battle, you must choose your 9 supply piles from the 12 that are available. Those not chosen will be placed in front of the Banished Supply Divider.
Battle 4
The rest of this post is about the prep required for the last battle. Deck 4 and Envelope 4 contain the mat, cards, etc for the next Nemesis. I will keep those elements under Spoiler Tags, for those that don’t want to know before they have opened those parts in the game. When you are ready, read card 11 of the Expedition Deck to continue with the story.