New $30k Stretch Goal Promo Cards

The Serious Set

The Comedic Set

Kickstarter Link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/478379924/battle-for-souls

Packing Up Gnomes!

More Cowbell!

Player Mat Sketch

This is only a sketch.

Pledge for your copy of Battle For Souls today!

Battle For Souls Gameplay Overview

Battle For Souls Rules - Final Draft

Below is a link to the Battle For Souls final draft ruleset.
It is currently in good hands with our editors Todd & Corrie Walden.

The rules will most likely go through three iterations of editing, then they will be be joined with layout and graphic design for what we will know will be an excellent rulebook!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f4liprdodnja3hf/Battle_For_Souls_Rules.pdf

Gnomes is now available for purchase

Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan is now available for purchase here.

We have received our first batch of books from the printer and the gnomes are busy shipping them out to all of our Kickstarter backers.

Thanks to all who made this gnome experience possible for families everywhere!

Battle For Souls Approved by Kickstarter

Well, Battle For Souls was officially approved by Kickstarter today.

Two things left to do:

1. Create the gameplay video, which is dependent on the prototypes arriving (any day)
2. Get the revised rules finished (about 60% done) and upload them so they are available

I will most likely click that green launch button sometime in December. I will send an email to the 60+ people who requested a heads up that includes the exact date and time so we can hopefully get off to a good start.

Is this card offensive?

I was shocked that BGG rejected this card image that I uploaded to the Battle For Souls page today.

The only explanation was that it is "10% offensive". My only thought is that it must have been a mistake. I submitted it again.

Personalized Soul Card

During the Battle For Souls Kickstarter campaign, we will be offering a personalized soul card reward at certain levels. You'll be able to send us your photo and we'll put it on a card. This way, you'll be able to fight for your own soul!

We will also have 7 slots available for those who which to include their card in every copy of the game manufactured!

You pick the title of the card, (i.e.: The Graphic Designer, The Coder, The Doctor, The Student, The Joker, The Genius, The Slacker, The Gamer, The Dunce), anything you like!
Or use your real name.

You may also tell us what heavenly virtue and mortal weakness we should apply to your card!

This will certainly be fun to see!

What would your heavenly virtue and mortal weakness be?

Gnomes are in production!

Updated Battle For Souls Box Design

Updated the box a bit to include the new Battle For Souls font that we licensed.

Battle For Souls Card Backs

Christian Reuter is getting close to finishing up the BFS card design! Prototypes will be printed soon!
And Luis Francisco is re-working the card backs. As usual, his work is absolutely stunning!

To say that I'm excited would be an understatement.

Here's a glimpse of the back design direction:

Battle For Souls Kickstarter Video

This is the main Kickstarter video we will be using for Battle For Souls. Some of the cards seen in this video will be updated as we complete them, but we wanted to share what we have so far!

We will also be producing a full-blown gameplay video that will be included on the Kickstarter page when it goes live.

Final Cartoona Proof - Unboxing

New Saint George card

Win 3 of our Games plus a $50 Gamesalute Gift Certificate!

You can now enter our new contest to win:

1 copy of Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan
1 copy of Cartoona
1 Copy of Battle For Souls
1 $50 Gameslaute Gift Certificate

Enter Now!

It's only running for 1 week, so don't delay!

Cartoona Kickstarter Paintings Ready To Ship!

Thumb Drive!

If you have a BGG account will you go here and give a thumbs up to this image?

http://boardgamegeek.com/image/1441763/gnomes-the-great-sweeping-of-ammowan

Gnomes on Kickstarter

Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan is no live on Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/478379924/gnomes-the-great-sweeping-of-ammowan

Final Cartoona Tray Insert

The Contact Letter

Dear Giant-folk,

I hope this letter finds you safe and happy. My name is Mika Mumpus, protector of the kingdom of Ammowan.

Although Ammowan is a very large area for the gnomes of our kingdom, it’s only a small area for giant-folk like you.

The final vote by the Ammowan high council was 5 to 4 in favor of contacting you, and that’s why you are holding this letter now. As you probably know, communicating with giant-folk is prohibited by gnome law. But our situation is dire, and it was your love of nature and kind disposition that led us to contact you.

We need your help.

You see, every 365 days, the great sweeping hits our fair kingdom. This is a time when trolls sweep through Ammowan looking to capture us. But don’t be afraid. Trolls are terrified of giant-folk like you. Just one scent, or sign of you, and they will run in the other direction as fast as their unkempt feet will take them. We gnomes however, are very susceptible to being captured by trolls.

Ammowan is usually very well prepared for the great sweeping. But this time, some absent-minded youglings left evidence of our existence out in the open. And if the trolls find signs of us they’ll have no trouble sniffing us out. Alas, it is now too late for us to retrieve the items and cover our tracks.

Will you help us by finding the items we left out and remove any signs of gnomes that you find?

As long as you can find the items and help us cover our tracks we will stay safe for another 365 days! We will send you another letter once the sweeping is over
and we are safe.

You are our only hope!

Sincerely,

Mika Mumpus
Lord Chancellor of Ammowan 

Gnomes are coming...

Ammowan Award Certificates

Adventurers who successfully complete the Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan quest will receive an award from the gnomes as shown below.

Designed by Luis Francisco.

Gnomes book render

Battle For Souls - Wild Card

Updated Virtue Card Design

Larger text, symbol pops more. This is the one.

Gnome hunt!

Holy Relic Card Progress

I'm liking the work by Christian Reuter!

How To Make A Branch-Driven, Gnomish Saw

New Kickstarter Going Live in a Couple Weeks

Preview here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/478379924/53582201?token=fd88cc6b

Branch-Driven Gnome Saw

Working with artist Steve Ebdon is a blast! Here's his drawing of a branch-driven gnome saw.

Gnomes Cover

Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan

I have shared made-up stories of gnomes with my children for a long time. This has evolved into a family tradition where I go into the woods behind our house and leave "evidence" of gnome civilization for them to find.

I love to see their eyes light up with the spark of imagination when we go on our "gnome hunts". It's brought so much fun into our family that I want to share it. So I'm putting the story, and step by step instructions into a new storytelling game called Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan. 

I won't be sharing too much of the game before its release, but suffice to say, I hope it can bring the same amount of joy into your family that it's brought into ours.

If you love gnomes, or are interested in sparking the imagination of your children with a new gnome-based storytelling game, stay tuned.

Updated Soul Cards and New Custom Dice

The Merchant

The Merchant: Diligence and Greed

Temptation Card Work

Two graphical ideas for the temptation cards. The first one is a minimalist idea, and the other includes medieval art that fits the theme.

I am leaning to the one with the medieval art, although I we will likely make the border much larger, increase the text size, and move the text further to the corners.

Help Shape the Expansion

Please join in the conversation and get a credit in the expansion.

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/841626/input-wanted-on-us-presidents-for-the-upcoming-gam

Souls Cards Almost Complete!

Only a few more tweaks and the 21 Soul Cards will be complete!

Updated soul card with victory point shield added...

New Soul Cards!

The talented Christian Reuter has completed the template for the new soul cards. The squares on the left are where holiness or unholiness will be tracked with dice.

See, I told you they were going to be MUCH better than what I can do!

I would like to announce that Battle For Souls has a new graphic designer! Christian Reuter will be handling the graphics work and I was able to see his rework of a Soul card last night.

It's beautiful! I hope to show you soon after a few tweaks.

We are going to remove the track on the Soul cards and replace them with dice. Fiddling with the markers on the soul cards has been problematic for some, so I think tracking holy/unholy points with 6-sided dice will work much better. Plus it will let me add some relics that utilize dice rolls!

The design will give the varied styles of art a cohesive look and improve visual clues. I'm very excited about it! I will have the new Soul cards printed and do a video to show you how it will work.

Stayed tuned!

Battle For Souls at Dice Tower Con went well.

I am going to try a new rule to add a bit more "push and pull" in the game per a suggestion from Steve Avery.

3 of a kind or better has a choice to add points, or subtract them from your opponent on the same color.

I want to get at least 25 play tests in with this change before I commit, but my feeling is it will be a good addition.

Battle For Souls - Rules Take 1

Here is the first draft of the Battle For Souls rules!

Welcome to Battle For Souls, a card game pitting the 7 archangels of heaven vs. the 7 princes of hell in a fight for the eternal souls of humankind!

Components

7 Angel Cards

7 Devil Cards

21 Soul Cards

10 Reap Cards

45 Temptation Cards

45 Virtue Cards

20 Victory Point Cards

10 Sin Cards

10 Intercession Cards

10 Holy Relic Cards

10 Unholy Relic Cards

25 Marker Cubes

4 Player Mats

4 Reference Cards

1 Rulebook

Set Up

Each player should decide whether they will play the side of light, or the side of darkness and place a corresponding player mat in front of them. The player(s) on the side of light should shuffle the archangel cards and randomly select one, the player(s) on the side of darkness should do the same with the prince of hell cards. Players should then place the card they have drawn on the designated area of their player mat. In a four player game, players should alternate light/darkness/light/darkness. Three player games are not recommended. 

Each side should then create a deck of 50 cards containing all 45 virtue (light) or temptation (darkness) cards (do not include victory point cards) and 5 reap cards. This deck should be shuffled and placed on the designated area of their player board. In four player games only the player going first on each side will place the deck on their player board.

Create the following areas on the table by placing the cards listed:

Earth

1. Soul cards (face down in a stack)

2. Three soul cards (face up in a row) 

3. Place a marker on the middle gray box on the soul card’s scoring track

The Side of Darkness

1. Princes of hell cards (face down in a stack) 

2. Victory point temptation cards (face up in a stack) 

3. Sin cards (face down in a stack)

4. Unholy relic cards (face down in a stack)

The Side of Light

1. Archangel cards (face down in a stack)

2. Victory point virtue cards (face up in a stack)

3. Intercession cards (face down in a stack)

4. Holy relic cards (face down in a stack)

Heaven

All cards used or gained by the side of light that are removed from play and have a victory point value are placed here. Note: A card has a victory point value if it contains a number in a gold shield in the top right corner of the card

Hell
All cards used or gained by the side of darkness that are removed from play and have a victory point value are placed here.

Purgatory
This is where reaped souls go that have not earned the minimum amount of holy or unholy points to make it to heaven or hell.

The Void
This is where cards go that are taken permanently out of the game for any reason.

Victory Points

Soul cards are worth 3 victory points each

Archangel and prince of hell cards are worth 3 victory points each

Holy/unholy relic cards are worth 2 victory points each

Victory point cards are worth 1 victory point each

Some sin and intercession cards are worth 1 victory point each

Costs

The currency used in Battle For Souls are holy and unholy points

Holy and unholy points are tracked on soul cards in play using the heavenly virtue/mortal weakness track on the left side of the cards

To use holy currency a soul must have 1 or more holy points

To use unholy currency a soul must have 1 or more unholy points

Holy and unholy points can be used to buy victory point, sin/intercession and holy/unholy relic cards

Intercession/sin cards cost 2 holy or unholy points (or free with card combo)

Holy/unholy relic cards cost 3 holy or unholy points (or free with card combo)

Victory point cards cost 1 holy or unholy point each (or free with card combo) - when purchased a victory point card must be placed in the buyer’s discard pile

New archangel and prince of hell cards are gained by maxing out a soul’s holy or unholy points

Turn Order

In Battle For Souls all steps of the turn order are optional except for step 8, and the turn order must be followed. 
See the Backtracking section of this rulebook for rules on missed steps.

1. Use  one archangel or prince of hell card that you have in play
2. Purchase card(s) by subtracting holy or unholy points from souls in play to pay their cost
3. Play a set of virtue/temptation cards, [include sin/intercession cards if applicable, color only] See “Hand Rewards”
   
   Or
   
   Discard any number of cards in your hand
   
4. Use one intercession or sin card ability
5. Use one holy or unholy relic ability
6. Play a reap card 
7. Draw back up until you have five virtue/temptation cards in your hand for the next turn
8. End your turn
   

See the Play! section of this rulebook for details on each of the turn order steps.

Backtracking

If you miss step in the turn order you are not allowed to backtrack without the formal permission of your opponent(s).

If you wish to backtrack to a missed step, you must do the following:

1. Make your opponent(s) aware that you have missed a step and that you wish to backtrack to complete the step
2. Make a plea on why you should be allowed to backtrack 
3. When your plea is complete your opponents shall approve or deny your request with a thumbs up or a thumbs down. In a four player game you must receive two thumbs up to backtrack, or your request is denied.
   
   The approval or denial by your opponent is final. Your only recourse is how you decide to treat your opponent(s) when a backtrack request comes your way.
   
4. If permission is granted you must undo all steps you have taken back to the missed step one at a time, and your opponent must approve each step along the way.
5. If at any point during the backtracking there is any debate, permission can be revoked. In this case, redo any steps backtracked and continue with the turn order as normal.
   
   

Hand Rewards

Pair: Allows a player to take a victory point card, the victory point card purchased must be placed in the player’s discard pile

Two Pair: Allows a player to take a sin/intercession card, draw up to a full hand and play another hand (Limit of once per turn)

Set of 3 different colors:  Allows the player to add 1 holy/unholy point to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color as any one of the cards played

Set of 4 different colors: Allows the player to add 2 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color as any one of the cards played

Set of 5 different colors: Allows the player to add 3 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color as any one of the cards played

3 of a kind: Allows the player to add 3 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color

Full house (3 of a kind and 1 pair): Allows the player to add 3 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of either color AND gain a free holy/unholy relic

4 of a kind:  Allows the player to add 4 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color AND gain a free holy/unholy relic

5 of a kind: Allows the player to add 5 holy/unholy points to a single soul with a spiritual strength/mortal weakness of the same color, AND/OR gain a free holy/unholy relic card

If you have a sin/intercession card with a victory point shield in the top right corner you can use it as if it were a card in your hand. Sin/intercession cards with a victory point shield must be used on your current turn. When your turn ends they should be placed in heaven or hell for end of game scoring.

If you are playing a team game you can use any two cards your partner has discarded on his/her last turn as if you held them yourself.

Play!

In Battle For Souls players choose the side of light or darkness and work to win the game by scoring the most victory points.  This is done by playing hands of cards to gain holy or unholy points on the soul cards in play.

For a two player game one player will choose the side of light and one player will choose the side of darkness. For a four player game two players will play as a team on the side of light and two on the side of darkness. For solo play, please see the Solo Play section of this rulebook.

1. Set up the game according to the Set Up section of this rulebook
2. Decide the starting side by using Rock, Paper, Scissors or some other random method. Play passes clockwise.
3. On your turn follow the Turn Order, below are details of each step in the turn order.

1. Use an archangel or prince of hell card

Each archangel and prince of hell card has a color in the top left hand corner, this color represents a heavenly virtue or a mortal weakness. If there is a soul in play that has a heavenly virtue which matches that of an archangel card you have in play AND the soul does not have any unholy points, you may add one holy point to that soul. Conversely, if there is a soul in play that has a mortal weakness which matches that of a prince of hell card you have in play AND the soul does not have any holy points, you may add one unholy point to that soul.

Although you can acquire multiple archangel or prince of hell cards during a game, you are only allowed to use one of them during step 1 of the turn order. If more than one soul applies, you must choose one.

2. Purchase card(s) by subtracting holy or unholy points from souls in play to pay their cost
Once you or your team has one or more holy or unholy points on a soul in play you may spend these points to gain a victory point card, a sin/intercession card or a holy/unholy relic card. For each holy or unholy point spent you must move the marker on the soul card toward the middle one tick. You can only move a marker until it reaches the grey neutral space on the soul card.

You may only do this once on your turn and may only spend points from a single soul in play. Combining points from different souls is not allowed.

So for example, if you want to buy a holy relic card there must be a soul in play that has at least three holy points to spend.

See the Costs section of this rulebook for more information

3. Play a set of Virtue/Temptation cards or discard any number of cards in your hand
During this step you can either choose to play a hand for some benefit, or discard any number of cards in your hand.

In team games, if you choose to discard instead of playing a hand during this step, fan your discards on the table in front of you. Your partner can then choose to use up to two of your discards on his or her turn (this includes reap cards). Move any remaining discards to your discard pile when your partner finishes their turn.

See the Hand Rewards section of this rulebook for details on the hands you can play and the benefits each provides

In the four player team game, if you choose to discard during this step, place  your discards face up in front of you. Your partner will then have an opportunity to use your discards when he/she plays their hand, but only on their next turn.

If you play a hand you cannot discard, and vice versa.

4. Use one intercession or sin card ability 

If you have purchased or won a sin/intercession card you can use its special ability during this step. These cards all have text that will explain what the special ability is. If the sin/intercession card has a victory point shield you must play the ability on the same turn in which you gained the card. If you cannot play it you receive no benefit except for counting the victory point at the end of the game. If you have a grey sin/intercession card without a victory point shield you can play it in front of you and use the special ability at anytime during the remainder of the game. 

You can gain a sin/intercession card by paying for one in step 2 of the turn order, or earn one in step 3 if you play two pair.

5. Use one holy or unholy relic ability
If you have purchased or won a relic card you can use its special ability during this step.  Each relic card includes text that explains what the special ability is.

6. Play a reap card

During this step you may play a reap card if one of the following conditions is true:

a.) At least one soul in play has at least four holy or unholy points

b.) All three souls in play have at least one holy point

c.) All three souls in play have at least one unholy point

If none of these conditions are true a reap card cannot be played.

When a reap card is played all souls must be resolved in the following manner.

a.) If the soul has 4 or more holy points the soul goes to heaven and will be scored for the side of light.

b.) If the soul has 4 or more unholy points the soul goes to hell and will be scored for the side of darkness.

c.) If the soul does not have at least 4 holy or 4 unholy points it goes to purgatory where it will score no points for either side.

After a reap card is played and the souls in play are resolved, deal three new soul cards face up and place a marker on the middle gray box on the soul card’s scoring track.

7. Draw
Draw back up until you have five virtue (light) or five temptation (darkness) cards in your hand for the next turn. You should do this whether you played cards or discarded. You cannot draw past 5 cards unless you use a sin/intercession or relic that specifically allows you to do so. If there are not enough cards remaining in your deck, shuffle your discard pile, create a new draw pile, and continue drawing from this new pile until you have five cards.

8. End your turn
When you finish your turn play passes clockwise (pass the remaining virtue/temptation deck to your partner in four player games)

The game ends when all souls have been reaped. The player/team that has earned the most victory points wins.

Team Game Mechanic Addition

After more play testing I have decided to make some changes and add a new mechanic to the 4 player version of Battle For Souls.

These changes and the addition were driven by the desire to differentiate the multiplayer game from the head-to-head version, and to create cooperation between teammates. These changes make the multiplayer version more fun as it adds new analytical challenges. Instead of just working to foil your opponent you must now think of how you can help your teammate in order to earn victory.

The changes to the multiplayer game are straight forward:

When you play a relic, or a sin/intercession card, your teammate also has the ability to use it and vice versa.

When a colored sin/intercession card is played, it remains in play for your teammate if you do not use it. Your teammate must use it, or it is discarded as normal. Grey sin/intercession cards and relics can be used by either player on a team until they are spent, or removed from play.

The new mechanic is this:

If you choose to discard on your turn instead of playing cards, you can fan your discards out in front of you. Your opponent can then use up to two of these cards on their next turn! After your teammate completes his/her turn these cards should be discarded as normal.

This mechanic really strengthens team play, and players can even plan strategies ahead of time.

Of course, table talk is not permitted.

I have been working on the rules for Battle For Souls. I should have a first draft to post in the next few weeks. I have also decided to include 4 player boards with the game.

Here is the current component list.

Components

7 Angel Cards

7 Devil Cards

21 Soul Cards

10 Reap Cards

45 Temptation Cards

45 Virtue Cards

20 Victory Point Cards

10 Sin Cards

10 Intercession Cards

10 Holy Relic Cards

10 Unholy Relic Cards

25 Marker Cubes

4 Player Boards

4 Reference Cards

1 Rulebook

Box Design Version 1

Here is the first version of the box design with art by Stefan Lochner circa 1435.

I will be adding the tagline "A card game pitting the 7 archangels vs. the 7 princes of hell in a fight for the eternal souls of humankind." and changing the logo for "Robert Burke Games" as it stands out too much.

Thoughts?

Odds

Here are the odds of being dealt a particular hand in Battle For Souls:

Pair 77.65%
3 different colors 94.31%
4 different colors 61.81%
5 different colors 15.24%
2 pair 21.17%
3 of a kind 20.32%
Full House 2.57%
4 of a kind 1.71%
5 of a kind 0.04%

Of course, odds are different if you choose to build your hand by discarding some subset each turn.

There are many wonderful decision points in the game, it's really turning out to be something special.

Phase II

Playesting is far enough along that I am beginning talks with my graphic designer, Luis Francisco, who did Cartoona as well as Flash Point Fire Rescue and The Resistance.

Once the card templates and rules are done, I will go ahead and do a small run to send to reviewers and interested playtesters.

Moving along nicely...

Playtesting

Playtested Battle For Souls again last night with a new face in our game group.

He picked up the game extremely quickly, which is a good sign, but he's an experienced gamer.

Again, a very close game was played with the victor winning by just 1 point! More angel and devil cards were earned since I lowered the max holy/unholy points required by 1 in both directions. This change is a keeper!

The balance is really good at this point, so I think I will continue to play test with the current ruleset for a while before considering any more changes. The game is very close to a point where I can start graphic design and start printing a bunch of prototypes to send out.

Those who follow this blog and offer comments and feedback will be the first to receive free playtest copies.

Worker Placement

After thinking about what mechanic would work best with the Battle For Souls theme in a board game format I have come to the conclusion that worker placement would be best.

While the mechanic has been used quite extensively, there are some changes I can make to keep it interesting while providing the tension required for a "battle".

I would commission a grand piece of art for the game board that shows humankind struggling with various choices. Players would place guardian angels or demons (workers) to collect virtuous deeds or sins. There would be seven different colors to represent the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues just like in the card game.

For example, a soldier capturing a prisoner of war could be where a player places an angel/demon to collect a red virtue/sin cube that represents the choice of the soldier.

Soul cards would be laid on the board in groups of three like in the card game, but they would have 3 to 4  places to place cubes collected by the players. A player would need to claim a soul by placing a meeple on it, place the correct color cubes on the card and then place another meeple to reap the soul.
So to claim a soul you need to give up a meeple until the soul is reaped. The souls will have spots for cubes on the side of light and the side of darkness. An opposing player can still place cubes on the soul once you claim it. If the other side can fill up all of their cube spots on a soul it goes to purgatory when reaped. This will provide a mechanic for direct conflict over the souls, which I feel is important to support the them.

Players will also be able to instigate major and minor earth event. Major events once played become another space for all player to play on, awarding the player and the owner of the card.

The idea behind the events is that they provide great opportunity to bring out the best or the worst in mankind. Here are some examples of major events:

As you can see each card has a place for a player to place their meeple to claim the benefit, two red cubes for war, and trade one cube of any color for any cube of a different color for Exodus. These also have a place for a player to place their color marker if they bring the event into the world. They will then get the secondary benefit every time another player uses the card.