Cactus Game Design Message Boards

The new cards board has been quiet recently, so my mission is to liven it up a bit.  Some of these may be incomplete themes (like this one), so feel free to add your input on what the missing or incomplete cards should be as well. 

The Ruth mini-theme is good Gold and focuses on recursion.  They already have access to Sam's Edict and Deborah's Directive, which are fantastic enhancements.  They can get away with one new themed battle-winner, IMO, as long as the recursion is viable.

Ruth (same verse)
6/4 Gold hero
"If another Ruth hero is in battle, protect from withdrawal, capture, conversion, and removal.  You may set aside Ruth for one turn to search discard for an OT good Gold enhancement.  Cannot be prevented."

(Ruth was dedicated and loyal - hence, she gains very good protection while another Ruth hero is in battle.  Setting her aside to get the CBP recursion is her working in Boaz' fields, so to speak.  But you don't get the enhancement until she returns.)

Boaz (same verse)
11/11 Gold hero
"Look at opponent's hand and underdeck an evil card from it.  May search deck for a good Ruth fortress.  Protect Ruth heroes in territory from opponents.  Cannot be negated."

(Boaz was a wealthy and influential man; I tried to create a powerful yet unique ability to capture this.  He also was about protecting others (he did not let his male workers harass Ruth, and he protected Ruth's reputation later as well), so he protects Ruth heroes that are not in battle.)

Threshing Floor (Ruth 3:2)
Artifact
"Discard this card to set aside two of your OT human heroes of different gender for one turn.  On return, they each gain the ability to band to the other."

(This is where Naomi's plot to get Boaz to marry Ruth was hatched.  This card could create crazy combos, so it should be verified through playtesting that this isn't broken.)

Boaz' Plantation (Ruth 2:3)
Good fortress
Identifier:  Holds any number of Ruth heroes
"Protect contents from evil cards.  You cannot be restricted from playing or using good Ruth cards and abilities.  If Boaz is in play, negate protect abilities on neutral cards."

(This allows recursion to get around Hez Ring, and the playing of Ruth TC enhancements despite DD or CWD.)

Gleaning the Fields (Ruth 2:3)
3/2 good Gold enhancement
"Search discard pile for an OT good Gold enhancement (except a copy of this card).  If used by a Ruth hero, you may add it to battle, and this cannot be negated."

(I had to exclude itself, otherwise you could play GtF x4 and then Highway in a T2 game.)

Restoration of Naomi (Ruth 4:15)
5/2 good Gold enhancement
"If used by a Ruth hero, capture an evil character to opponent's land of bondage.  If used by Naomi and Ruth is in play or set-aside, you may draw 2."

Incomplete cards:

Naomi (was thinking she would be small, maybe 2/2.  Really not sure what her ability would be.  Possibly discard herself if Ruth is not in play.)

Boaz' Workers (generic, to provide more heroes for T2.  Don't want the ability to be strong though.  Maybe banding, but that is bland.)

Kindness of Boaz (enhancement - possibly heal Ruth heroes or return captured Ruth heroes from LoB to territory.  Maybe with a D1.  Not to be a battlewinner)

What if Naomi had Ruth follow her, for instance Naomi bands to Ruth an protects her from return/withdraw abilities?

What if all the boaz workers did different things like panic demons?
They all band to each other but one protects boaz plantation from opponents cards, one say protects Ruth hero's from capture, one could say place Ruth in boaz plantation and last one says release Ruth from boaz plantation.

Then add to Boaz Plantation If Ruth is placed here negate evil characters, shuffle Ruth back into deck if she has not been released by Boaz Workers

Why is Ruth gold? She was not a Judge was she? Hopefully she was a musician, since OT white needs help. 

Quote from: YourMathTeacher on February 01, 2013, 05:05:06 PM

Why is Ruth gold? She was not a Judge was she? Hopefully she was a musician, since OT white needs help. 

I'm guessing it's because she lived during the time when judges ruled.

Ruth 1:1 - "In the days when the judges ruled..."

I see. 

I never checked the verse. I checked the REG under "Judges," and saw that she was not on the list. Oops! 

Still, it would be nice if she were also a musician... 

...or White since it seems to be a "small theme" brigade.)

.... and the fact that Ruth is already printed in white.... 

As is Naomi 

Quote from: YourMathTeacher on February 01, 2013, 05:49:14 PM

Quote from: The Guardian on February 01, 2013, 05:39:00 PM

...or White since it seems to be a "small theme" brigade.)

.... and the fact that Ruth is already printed in white.... 

But Boaz and Naomi are gold...

But Elders of the City is purple.....

Quote from: Gabe on February 01, 2013, 05:52:34 PM

But Boaz and Naomi are gold...

This is a Ruth theme, so those two are supporting actors. 

Quote from: The Guardian on February 01, 2013, 05:52:56 PM

As is Naomi 

Whoa.... deja vu!

Naomi was not in Gabe's original post!

Gabe.  Stop dropping hints,... Gabe. 

There was a hint in there somewhere? 

Shouldn't we focus on developing and balancing the existing themes instead of creating new ones?

Unless creating new themes balance the existing ones. Plus making new ones adds variety.

Ok, so I guess comments on the cards are pointless, since it seems the PTB have already worked up a Ruth mini-theme. 

Oh, and Threshing Floor is totally OP.  Combo it with the placer-heroes like Elishama and banding females like Women of Israel or Abigail...  Threshing Floor makes ridiculous combos to easy to pull off.