Intent: To add a new tactical element to the game.
Idea: There are three "rows" of cards already in the game. The idea is to give creatures abilities/penalties based on where they are in the rows, while also allowing you to pick where in the grid you want to put a particular card, when you play it.
Example Bonuses/Penalties: THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES. THERE IS NO POINT IN ARGUING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC DETAILS.
First Row
1. (Normal) Creatures in the first row (closest to your opponent) would get 100% attack, and could use any ability they possess.
2. (Normal) Creatures in the first row can be targeted by any kind of attack.
3. (Bonus/Penalty) Creatures in the first row have a 25% chance to absorb damage (like a passive gravity pull).
Second Row
1. (Bonus) Creatures in the second row have a 50% chance to evade physical creature abilities targeting them (e.g. devour, infection).
2. (Penalty) Creatures in the second row do 50% damage.
3. (Normal) Creatures in the second row can use any ability as per usual.
4. (Normal) Creatures in the second row can be normally targeted by any spell or ranged attack (e.g. Eagle's Eye).
Third Row
1. (Bonus) Creatures in the third row can only be targeted by spell and other ranged attacks (e.g. Eagle's Eye). That is, they can't be affected by creature abilities that are physical in nature (e.g. devour, infection).
2. (Penalty) Creatures in the third row have 0% attack capability.
3. (Penalty) Creatures in the third row can only use certain spell-like abilities. No devour/infection/venom, as these would be "close-combat" type abilities. Lobotomize/freeze/mutation/paradox/steal/destroy can still be used.
4. (Normal) Creatures in the third row still suffer damage if they are afflicted with Gravity Pull.
5. (Bonus) Creatures in the third row have a 25% chance to evade enemy spells and ranged attacks targeting them.
General Additions
1. Creatures with Momentum played in the third row attack with 100%, but don't have the protection of the third row (since they're charging forward through the ranks).
2. If there are no creatures in the first row, the second row is considered the first row. If there are no creatures in the second row, the third row is now the first row.
3. Creatures can be retreat or advance through the ranks during your turn, but they can't use any ability they have in the same turn.
4. Immaterial creatures (phase dragons and immortals) don't count as "tanks" when placed in the first or second rows, since the enemy creatures can pass directly through them. They also do not suffer from the passive gravity-pull-type damage when placed in the first row. However, creatures made immortal by Anubis or Mutation still act as tanks, but do not suffer passive damage.
Obviously, this would significantly affect the dynamics of the game, but I think it would work well with the current cards. People would simply have to readjust their decks to account for the new tactical element. (I think primary-damage cards like dragons would probably have to have their HP increased.)
This is how I see it working:
1. You would play dragons etc. up front, so they could attack and absorb damage.
2. Guardian Angels would become much more useful, because now you need to keep your first-row creatures alive after they suffer passive damage.
3. You would play weak creatures like Chrysaoras and Mindflayers in the rear, since they could still use their abilities. However, you'd have to play "tank" cards in the first and second rows, or the Chrysaoras would take passive damage. Obviously they would be much more difficult to kill if your opponent had the tank cards up, but conversely they would be much easier to kill if your opponent didn't have tank cards up, because your creatures would take care of them during the attack phase.
4. So on and so forth...particular strategies would depend on the exact sorts of bonuses/penalties implemented.
