The Treatment sits down with the inimitable Nick Conley, lead designer/creator of Ashes Ascendancy, to discuss the end of the Red Rains cycle, the success of the Ascendancy Kickstarter, and the exciting future of Ashes Reborn. Nick's enthusiasm is contagious and we hope you enjoy this interview!

We take a look at the Flood of Moon Cove spoilers, the Red Rains Sympathy set

Chill talk about Illusion and the current (at the time) meta.

Older episode from Aug 26, 2024

We attempt to deckbuild a solution to the fearsome Dimona dragon - part 2

We attempt to deckbuild a solution to the fearsome Dimona dragon - part 1

Casual discussion about the blitz format, some meta, and undervalued cards

After a long hiatus we're back to review the upcoming The Siege of Lordswall divine cards and have fun talking Ashes again

Are you new to our show and have no idea who we are? Are you a loyal jankster...and have no idea who we are? Well, this is it everybody. Our silver anniversary where you finally get to know a little bit about us, The Jankyard crew! What makes us tick, what games do we play, what ice cream do we like? How well does KC know Colby and Isaac? How does Ashes Reborn fit into our lives as dads? 0:00:00 Intro 0:03:15 Getting into Ashes 0:22:14 Other Games 0:35:00 Community and Friendship 1:05:30 Family 1:24:55 Rapid Fire 1:54:03 Close it Out Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard
RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ
Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com
Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Happy New Year Ashes!

After a solstice hiatus the boys are back to discuss more important topics, like whether Realm of the Absurd is broken, or people aren't playing enough Ash Spirit. KC is the Axis of evil, Schmen pushes his kids down a mountain, and Treatment stays grumpy like the Grinch!

0:00:00 Intro

0:12:35 Secret Santa

0:18:20 Swing and a Miss

0:38:43 Jank Your Way to Success (RotA)

0:47:20 Play Ash Spirit or Chain GV?

1:05:02 Rebalancing PB Stats

1:11:05 Neverset Adjustments

1:17:05 Is Fred the Problem or Solution?

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard

RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ

Plaid Hat Games website:  www.plaidhatgames.com

Ashes Discord Server:  https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Hot off the press! The Blight of Neverset player card previews recently finished and the Jankyard boys are here for it. Is it great design? Which cards perplex us? Has Schmen ever been so passionate calling a card trash tier? Find out where the boys rank the new stuff...we certainly talk a lot about some of them.
0:00:00 Intro
0:20:35 Neverset Coverage
0:21:26 Gifted Rose
0:35:01 Venom Strike
0:45:33 Judgment 0:51:25 Willpower 0:53:24 Summon Bastion Badger
0:58:45 Summon Shimmer Wing 1:05:00 Rose Gardner 1:09:45 Chimera Charmer 1:12:17 Farewell 1:16:25 Snake Bite 1:22:31 Dealer's Choice 1:31:01 Embrace 1:35:47 Arrogance 1:42:00 Which Win-Con Gets The Boost?
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard
RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ
Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com
Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Why do we compete? Why do we keep going even when it's stressful? How can we overcome a loss in a healthy way? This week Schmendrix takes the mantle of psychiatrist and makes us reflect on our fears and frustrations, and how to overcome them.
0:00:00 Intro
0:02:32 The Meta Report
0:13:21 Our Relationship With Competition
0:27:42 Mindset
0:36:09 Practice Problems 0:45:50 Developing a Healthy Mindset 1:07:34 Message to The Players Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

A little late on publishing, but the Jankyard boys are here to give their thoughts on the cards of The Frostwild Scourge. How much does killer hate the meta? What's Schmenny's favorite card? Who are the winners and losers? Find out with our bulletproof opinions!

0:00:00 Intro

0:02:01 The RRN Meta

0:23:00 Stud or Dud

0:23:40 Clashing Tempers

0:25:51 Ember Heart

0:28:10 Glaciate

0:33:36 Jungle Forager

0:39:11 Red Flower

0:43:52 Rejuvenate

0:48:00 Shattering Fist

0:48:26 Stamina Burst

0:51:55 Summon Adaptadon

0:56:01 Summon Frost Frog

1:01:03 Wallop

1:03:59 Will To Survive

1:07:07 Wolfpack Leader

1:07:14 Winners and Losers

1:19:13 Is Mill Still Viable?

1:23:30 Top Winners Outside Frostwild

1:30:07 What Are You Running Next?

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard

RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ

Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com

Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

A spicy topic of discussion leads us down a road of much grumbling and some hard realities. Ultimately that negativity generates a lot of brainstorming solutions to various issues in the game. 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:58 Schmen is Moving Up 0:05:30 Is PvE Killing PvP? 0:07:23 GenCon Interjection 0:18:36 Back on Topic 0:37:04 How Do We Increase Player Numbers? 0:56:08 Relating It All Back To The Topic 0:58:43 Solving the New Player Experience 1:12:42 Is The Meta Samey?1:30:14 Can PHG Do More? Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

The second part in an important series on building an inclusive community for Ashes. We're featuring a new guest, Discord community member shadowfire! This time we cover accessibility, what that means in the context of Ashes and games in general, and how shadow is able to play with his visual impairment.

0:00:00 Intro

0:02:50 Who is shadowfire?

0:06:50 How he plays Ashes?

0:11:50 How does Ashes compare to other games? 0:17:58 Ashteki, screen reading, webcam, and limitations

0:21:40 Does PB design/decision space make a difference?

0:27:20 Being a playtester

0:31:16 Representation and accessibility in game design

0:45:43 Challenge to PHG for future design

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyardRSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ

Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com

Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

The first part in an important (and ambitious?) series on building an inclusive community for Ashes. We're featuring a new guest, Discord community member Flora Snow, and returning guest, designer Nick Conley! Together they help us discuss what it means to make an inclusive game and community through representation.

0:00:00 Intro

0:01:42 Making the community inclusive

0:10:25 Representation through design (Hope)

0:19:20 Does Ashes and its community differ (and why)

0:23:32 The complexity of Brennen

0:29:50 World-building

0:36:20 What are the gaps and the potential?

0:45:41 Navigating a conflict as an ally

0:51:09 Aspirations

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard

RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ

Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com

Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

**Super special thanks to my pregnant wife Ali for managing to get this done between everything else!!**

Every game of Ashes has to end, but does your deck have a game plan to end it? This time around the jank boys are covering inevitability. What does it mean, what are some examples, how to build it, and how to counter it. Oh, and we every problematic card with this one simple counter!

0:00:00 Damnit Schmenny!

0:00:19 Intro

0:01:35 What is Inevitability?

0:20:40 How do you build it?

0:26:31 Assessing what you face

0:32:16 How do you deal with it?

0:44:00 Is there a rock, paper, scisssors answer?

0:58:00 Break the seriousness, solve Ashes

1:12:55 The Jank Tank's back baby!

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ

Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Mono decks haven't been this popular since the OG precons and we're covering all of them. What's each color's strength, where do they fit, and what do they need to make them great? Listen and find out why sometimes you only need one color; we solve them all. 0:00:00 Intro 0:03:13 Nature 0:19:48 Illusion 0:31:18 Charm 0:43:39 Ceremonial 0:51:10 Sympathy 1:00:26 Time & Divine

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

The boys are back in town! The three of us sat down together and discussed our top tricks and tips for becoming a better Ashes player. Like with all advice, it's easier said than done, but hopefully this will jog some ideas in your mind to help you along your Ashes journey.

0:01:15 - Current events in the Ashes world

0:05:00 - Blitz Tournament

0:18:09 - AIL Swiss Tournament

0:19:45 - "How to get good, newb"

1:23:50 - The recap - the top 14 tips

1:25:40 - Tip 15 (?)

1:27:50 - BONUS Tip

1:32:28 - Our new sign off

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Killercactus is back! KC and The Treatment catchup on Phoenix League Pod 1, AshCon4 and their joint deck, before assessing and solving the new meta. 0:00:00 Welcome to Episode 13 of The Jankyard! 0:04:20 Phoenix League Pod Tournament 0:17:20 Errata and Meta Shake-Up 0:24:35 AshCon4 and Our Shared Deck 0:48:30 Lark Deck and The Rise of Mono 0:59:40 What is The Current Meta 1:06:38 Let's Solve It 1:22:30 Best Time for Ashes 1:26:48 Cooperative Building

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfS25Bc6e0s3LRJj0X3QFFQ Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/

Ever wondered about how Red Rains, the Ashes Reborn cooperative mode, came to be? Curious about how new cards and expansions are designed and tested? Join Schmendrix and The Treatment as they interview Nick Conley, designer and developer of Ashes Reborn and Red Rains: Corpse of Viros, with questions from the community! It was a great pleasure listening to the thoughts and stories from development. The future of Ashes is exciting! 0:00:00 Welcome to Episode 12 of the Jankyard! 0:01:20 Light Chat on Phoenix League Pod 1 Finals & Mono-Decks 0:09:20 Getting into the Questions 0:53:00 Rapid Fire 1:31:20 Until Next Time Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thejankyard RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/c723da94/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SaNmMMJiAafwUvdMSOBcP Plaid Hat Games website: www.plaidhatgames.com Ashes Discord Server: https://discord.com/channels/356912698451296276/