Card idea: Hideous Execution

I like the card's concept, sort of like a reverse Anathema, only a fair bit trickier to pull off. I have to say it still feels somewhat overpowered to me, once you factor in how a dedicated vote deck with a combat angle (instead of the other way around) could possibly abuse the whole deal.

Aggravated pokes with a follow-up amaranth/diablerie action are not that easy to accomplish but they do deny your prey a possibly irreplaceable minion... add to that a 4-5 pool loss and you're probably crossing the threshold.

What I'm saying is that combat by itself is not supposed to generate huge pool losses, in this case comparable even to bleed - the pool loss main strategy - since it already generates minion removal and coupling such a powerful effect with more than trivial pool denial is not really desirable from a game balance standpoint.

A possible way to balance the card might be to require that the vampire be empty first, making it easier for the defending player and more likely to require a non-trivial combat package from the part of the attacker.


Drain

Drain wrote:

I have to say it still feels somewhat overpowered to me, once you factor in how a dedicated vote deck with a combat angle (instead of the other way around) could possibly abuse the whole deal.

I think you just don't understand how tricky this vote is.

You must pass it, then kill the damn vampire (most likely needing to win another vote or lose a minion), and at the end you make .... 7 pool damage. At most.

Compare it to Lily Prelude, Parity Shift, or even Banishment and you will see that this card require a MASSIVE amount of additional work for a somewhat minor gain. In fact, an amaranth + this vote will usually do less damage than 2 KRC. And will cause you a lot more problems.

This card is still pretty neat, and the psychological impact may help to make your prey panic or otherwise misplay, but really, it's not a specially efficient way to kill your prey.

Don't be too fearful with card power. It may finish about as useful as finding the path if we pile up restrictions.