# Battle For Souls

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2013
- **BGG Rating**: 6.9
- **BGG Rank**: #5195
- **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 2)
- **Duration**: 60 min
- **Weight**: 2.37 / 5
- **Designers**: Robert Burke
- **Artists**: Albert Gustaf Aristides Edelfelt, Albrecht Dürer, Alonso Miguel de Tovar, Anders Leonard Zorn, Andrea Mantegna, Annibale Carracci, Arnold Böcklin, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Caravaggio, Carl Larsson, Christian Reuter, Claudio Coello, Cornelis Galle, the Elder, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ernst Josephson, Esther Baker Steele, Evelyn De Morgan, Ford Madox Brown, Fra Angelico, Francesco del Cossa, Francisco de Zurbarán, François Gérard, François-Guillaume Ménageot, Frans Luycx, George F. Watts, Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, Guido Reni, Gustave Doré, Hans Baldung, Hans Holbein, the Younger, Hans Memling, Henry Fuseli, Hieronymus Bosch, Ilya Repin, James Powell (II), Jean Benner, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Joel Dorman Steele, Johannes Vermeer, John William Godward, Juan Correa, Limbourg Brothers, Luis Francisco, Luis Ricardo Falero, Maria Wiik, Martin Schongauer, Michael Pacher, Michelangelo, Michiel Van Coxie, Miguel Cabrera, Nicolas Poussin, Niklaus Manuel, Peder Severin Krøyer, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Pietro de Cortona, Pietro Perugino, Quentin Matsys, Raphael (I), Rembrandt van Rijn, Richard Bergh, Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Svilen Kostadinov, Taddeo di Bartolo, Titian, Vasily Grigorevich Perov, Viktor Vasnetsov, William Blake, William Bouguereau, William Holman Hunt
- **Publishers**: Robert Burke Games
- **Categories**: Card Game, Religious
- **Mechanics**: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, Push Your Luck, Set Collection, Team-Based Game

## Verdict
If you love epic angel‑vs‑demon duels, this game serves up tension and bold choices.Intense hand managementDynamic deck buildingWell‑crafted risk‑rewardModerate learning curveComponents may need translationRECOMMENDED

## Description
Battle For Souls pits heaven against hell in a card duel where seven archangels clash with seven princes of the abyss over the fate of human souls. The game supports 1‑4 players who pick a side and contest 28 (or 21 in some variants) souls, each worth victory points. On your turn you play temptation, virtue, sin, holy or unholy relic, as well as angel and demon cards to add sacred or profane points to the souls in play. When a soul is "reaped" it goes to heaven if it has enough sacred points, to hell if it has enough profane points, or to purgatory if neither dominates – the latter yields no points. Guiding a soul to complete purity or complete darkness grants you a new archangel or prince, expanding your deck.

Deck, bag and pool building lets you spend accrued points to buy ever‑stronger cards, creating a feedback loop that speeds soul capture. Push‑Your‑Luck appears when you try to tip a soul beyond the safe threshold, risking a purge. Strategies range from flooding the board with heavenly or infernal aid, racing to reap souls with minimal interference, or balancing both forces to secure the majority of points. The game offers deep hand management, set collection, and risk‑reward decisions that keep each match tense and engaging.

## FAQ
### How many players can join?
1 to 4 players, with solo play possible or teams representing heaven and hell.

### What’s the typical play time?
About 60 minutes, though it can vary with player experience.

### How complex is the game?
Weight 2.37/5 – easy to learn rules but deep strategic decisions.

### What components are included?
Cards for angels, demons, temptation, virtue, sin, relics, soul tokens, and a small score tracker.

### Is it suitable for non‑English speakers?
The cards are in English; a translated spreadsheet or fan‑made translation is recommended.