Saints are the second White Specialization, from the Calbria expansion. They meld faith and strength together to create an unstoppable onslaught of inspired justice.
There are those in Calbria that have ascended beyond the title of knight. They scour the realm for the treacherous and deceitful, intent on ending their terrible reigns. To battle against such hidden and overwhelming darkness requires not simply a hero alone, but Relics of legend to accompany them.
Relics are gained randomly, and only through card effects. There are very few cards in the game that grant Relics, and most have a steep cost. For example, you must forego a normal Second Wind to gain a Relic with the Saint Ultimate, Godsend. It is difficult to justify losing your Second Wind, but gaining a Relic is an effect worthy of being paid to receive aid from thy forefathers.
There are eight Relics in total. Before a game begins, if your deck has the capability to gain Relics, you'll shuffle them together in their own, separate pile. Once you gain a random Relic, you draw one and immediately activate its effects. Each Relic has powerful implications—some simply have a one-time boost, others permanently alter the game state, and some will stay attached to you until they are destroyed.
Most of the Relics cannot be responded to. Once it is drawn, its effects simply occur without an opportunity for your opponent to make their peace.
Once a Relic is gained, that Relic cannot be gained again by that player during that game. It is unlikely to gain each Relic in a single game, but if it does occur, no further Relics are able to be gained.
Blessed Grail is one of the eight Relics in Calbria. Relics are not associated with any Class or Specialization—they are simply gained through whatever cards can grant you them.
This Relic can be particularly powerful if drawn early in the game, as your maximum HP is increased, you're healed, and you can potentially continue healing with effects like Chivalry before your opponent can deal some damage. It can also be a game-changer if drawn via Godsend, healing you beyond what your opponent was ready to deal with in an important turn.
Whereas most Relics are immediately put into play or its text immediately resolved, Prismatic Light is instead put into your hand. It may be responded to like a normal card, but it is Heroic, denoted by our fancy new Heroic banner!
Prismatic Light is an extremely powerful Counter effect. It is rangeless and has a minimal cost. It also has no restriction on what type of card it can Counter or when it can Counter a card. While this Relic has no immediate effect, it will have an impact on the strategy of that game as long as it remains unplayed. It is important to note that Relics are revealed to every player once drawn.
Many Saint and Knight attacks require 2 actions to play. They are swinging heavy weapons, and need a lot of time to land those hits. Because of this, Saints can will themselves ever onward with Purpose. Purpose doesn't require an action to play, and sets up your play style of remaining Chivalrous. However, those that are not intent on following that path will find it difficult to stay true to their heart.
With Purpose, it is possible to begin an unyielding assault that few evildoers can stand against. But what kind of attacks can Saint use to benefit from so many actions?
Fiendslayer. A massive strike to end those that would stand against a Saint. Forcing them to discard all but one card in their hand, there aren't many attacks that provide as large of a swing as this card. It can be absolutely crippling for your opponent to have their hand reduced to nearly nothing.
Fortuitously, it also does not control them, so if you wish to remain Chivalrous and have the resources to continue the assault, the Lady smiles upon you!
Out of all heroes in Ivion, Saints are the most able to call upon divine intervention to save themselves from even the darkest of situations. If you've been substantially controlled, or there is a card you simply can't deal with, Boon can grab exactly what you need from the top of your deck.
It can also be used to set up Purpose, or even grab some cards you may not be expecting with some interesting combinations from your heroes' Classes!
There are many different ways to craft your Saint hero. You can focus purely on gaining as many Relics as possible, benefiting from the sweeping and marvelous effects. You can begin the offensive, utilizing Boon to grab Fiendslayers and ending the game before it can even begin. Alternatively, you can opt for a defensive stance, becoming Chivalrous and waiting out your opponent until the time is right. How you play a Saint is up to you, and the options are worthy of the elite of the king himself!
Play as the wise and faithful Saint in Ivion, the Herocrafting Card Game!
You can find Ivion on Kickstarter, September 1st, 2020. Scroll down to subscribe to more updates!