Cactus Game Design Message Boards

As a quasi-preview of the Keys to the Kingdom set, I'm posting this new mechanic idea to get feedback on balance, workability, etc. Any and all constructive feedback is welcome!

The basic idea is to let you turn miscellaneous cards into characters either temporarily (fortress/artifact) or permanently (soul). I'd especially like feedback on the soul!

Lost Soul
"When you’re attacked, you may reveal an evil card from hand and play it face down to treat it as a 6/6 generic, genderless, human Villain of a selected brigade while it remains in play."
~Genesis 6:5

Demoniac's Tomb
Villain Fortress
"Once per battle, if you control an evil human, you may add the top card of deck to battle face down as a 6/6 generic, male, orange demon. Regardless of battle outcome, reveal and remove from play that card after battle (put Lost Souls in play instead). Cannot be interrupted."
~Mark 5:2

Jars of the Heavens
Artifact | May be activated on Dust and Ashes
"Once per battle, if your Job Hero is in battle, you may add the top card of deck to battle face down as a 7/7 generic, male, silver angel. Regardless of battle outcome, underdeck that card after battle. Cannot be negated."
~Job 38:37


Note: Villain = Evil Character

I was thinking that the Jar is somewhat balanced by the fact that it only works with Job Heroes, so I'm hoping that one can stay relatively as is. I admit the Tomb is very strong (especially in a magician/demon hybrid defense). Is there a cost that would balance it aside from discarding to use? I would rather only use that as a last resort, though I suppose it would fit with the Gates of Hell discard-to-use idea.

Regarding the Soul, I don't think it's bad that you can convert it. A 6/6 generic, genderless Hero is middle of the road, not great for numbers and doesn't have a special ability to make it worth attacking with. I could see it being useful if you're Hero droughted and have Grail or similar available. My favorite aspect of the Soul is that you can take an enhancement and turn it into a Villain for example to get around the ignore on TGT. As much as I love playing TGT offenses in my MP decks I realize how annoying it can be.

so with the soul I would be able to show you balaams disobedience, use it as a 6/6 EC to block Simeon Moses and play scattered? yes please :-)  Do I even need to play EC's anymore?  I could just go with 20 EE's.

Although about the time my opponent enters with dragon raid I wont be blocking anything.

For Demonic Tomb do I get to see what the top card is that is becoming an EC? I assume not unless I pair it with foretelling angel. I love the idea of knowing when I can push a lost soul into battle face down and know even if I lose it gets underdecked :-)

Yes villain means evil character

BUMP!

Looking for further suggestions on these ideas. Mostly I want to know if the power/balance of the 3 cards given the fort/art pull temporary characters from deck and can only be used once per battle versus the soul pulling a permanent character but requires an evil card from hand.

Any other thoughts/ideas?

I've updated the Tomb. It's super wordy now, though.

Further thoughts?

I could take out the identifier, I just figured it was a neat idea.