New Redemption Grab Bag now includes an assortment of 500 cards from five (5) different expansion sets. Available at Cactus website.
It has been said twice now that Sites would be bad because of being locked out but I do not see how having 1 site in each deck would hurt anything or cause a lock out. If you make the Site the color of the opposing deck's offense, I really don't see how this would be an issue. Sites are very basic to me, just play it and put a Lost Soul in it and if there is a special ability that's a plus. A starter deck is a perfect place for a meek Site in my opinion. Especially one like Babylon or Jerusalem.
Quote from: Sean on November 06, 2021, 03:15:23 PMIt has been said twice now that Sites would be bad because of being locked out but I do not see how having 1 site in each deck would hurt anything or cause a lock out. If you make the Site the color of the opposing deck's offense, I really don't see how this would be an issue. Sites are very basic to me, just play it and put a Lost Soul in it and if there is a special ability that's a plus. A starter deck is a perfect place for a meek Site in my opinion. Especially one like Babylon or Jerusalem.The problem with sites in starter decks and for new players is it’s more than a site lock issue as there are more complex rules involving their use: you can put a soul in it but if the site is discarded the soul isn’t; you can put a site in battle to give Site access during a rescue but it has to come from territory and not hand, and it can’t go into battle if a soul is in it already; it has neutral brigades and not good brigades. This is too much to explain in a rulebook and when teaching the game for one card that really doesn’t do much for learning the game; it only adds unnecessary complexity for new players. Additionally, you can’t use sites in sealed deck play (in regards to putting souls into them) so it would be a dead card if it was a meek site. If it was a site with an ability there’s a 50% chance it’ll make the deck cut.
Here are my suggestions:- One brigade for offense and defense; or, if there are two, use more multi-brigade enhancements that work for both brigades. - Include one simple fortress for each deck- Consider adding Upkeep phase, but keep the abilities that interact with it simple (no counters; only cards like, Each upkeep, you may do X)- Use a few dual-alignment cards, more specifically enhancements. These are easy enough to understand how they work, and adds value and versatility to starter decks (and are common card types in competitive play)- Artifacts are tricky sometimes, but I feel a simple one would be warranted, such as an ability like how Four Drachma Coin works- Stay away from sites, covenants and curses, as these are a little more complex and, like Joe said, there's a site lock issue- Keep warrior class and weapon class, as well as territory class (enhancements). I would stay away from territory class characters as these tend to be a bit more complex, particularly when they enter battle and come back the ability re-activates- I think star abilities are good and easy enough to understand, just limit them, and don't use cards that say "you may activate the star ability..."- A Reserve is needed; just keep it at 5 cards- Stay away from modifiers. - Add abilities like "Negate an evil card" to deal with cards like Ishbibenob b/c there are currently no ways to negate Ish when he uses his discard ability on a Hero strength 10 or greater.- Stay away from interrupts and stick with negates. Interrupts are more confusing.- Introduce neutral cards as an alignment and have abilities that target them, particularly if artifacts are going to be incorporated and if there will be more soul abilities- Use more souls with abilities but keep those abilities simple enough so that the new player doesn't need to keep up with them. For example, maybe have most of them be they gain an immediate benefit when they're drawn, while only having a couple with a pending trigger when they're rescued, etc. - Introduce the meek key word- Have meek souls on one starter deck with abilities that benefit from having them so as to off-set the abilities one gains with having souls with abilities.Having used E/F starter decks when I was first introduced to Redemption years ago, and having used I/J decks and taught lots of people with the I/J decks, I feel the I/J decks are just right for teaching the game, so continue this theme with K/L but add a few more cool features/card types to keep players interested. DO NOT go back to how E/F was with its complex rulebook, modifiers, etc. That was quite overwhelming and I simply didn't understand how to play the game as it was too complex for new players.
