New idea: Hero Skills

Now that we know Hero levels are coming some people (myself included) are worried that Popcap might be giving upgrades to the heroes (like more health) since that might not work the way they intend them to do.

However, this (and other card games I play) have inspired me to think of more abilities that improve the heroes, make them more unique and are easier to balance and I came up with this idea: hero skills. While we wait to see what Popcap has in store for us, I would like you to read my idea and tell me what do you think about it, there’s always a little change we could see it in the future.

Skills are special abilities that players are able to activate during their turn by tapping a button next to the hero. Each hero can choose between multiple skills to add to their deck. You can only have ONE skill in your deck and you add it the same way you would add a card (but it does not count as 1 of your 40 cards, since you never draw it, it is activated by pressing the button I mentioned earlier). Your opponent will be aware of which skill you chose to use for the match.

Without further ado, here are some skill ideas for every hero:

Plants

Green Shadow

1-Surprise attack: A random plant does a bonus attack. Can’t be used if there are less than 2 plants on the board. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.

2- Need a leaf? Embiggen will always be your starting superpower. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Solar Flare

1-Dawn of Power: Do 1 damage to each zombie and make a sunflower in a random lane. Can only be used once per match.

2- Gold Bloom: Gain 2 extra sun but you cannot play anything next turn. Can only be used once per match.

Wall-Knight

1-Suit up: All plants gain armored 1. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.(Edited: thanks for the suggestion, etpio5).

2- L.E.A.F Badge: Plants on the ground are immune to zombie tricks for this turn. Can only be used once per match.

3- Great Wall of China: For every 4th plant that gets destroyed, add 2 Wall-Nuts (0/6) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Chompzilla

1-Lunch break: End of turn: Chompzilla gets healed for 4 but won’t draw a card next turn. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.Can only be used if Chompzilla has 10 health or less remaining.

2-Happy Meal- All plants get +1 attack and get healed for 1. Can only be used once per match. Can only be used if Chompzilla has 10 health or less remaining.

Spudow

1- Mined field: Make a potato mine in a random lane. Can only be used once per turn. After it has been used twice, you need to wait 2 turns to be able to use it again. (Edited: thanks for the suggestion, etpio5).

2- One step a-head: You always get a berry blast in your starting hand from outside your deck in place of 1 of your 4 starting cards. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Citron

1-EMPeach: Stun 2 random zombies (stuned enemies skip their next attack, so it is basically a freeze that does not trigger plants like snowdrop or winter squash). Can only be used once per match.

2- Citron Ball: Citron takes only takes half damage for this turn. The damage is rounded up. Can only be used once per match.

Grass Knuckles

1- Inspiration: A random plant gains +2 attack. Can’t be used if there are less than 2 plants on the board. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.

2- Preservation: A random plant gains +2 defense and you draw a card. Can’t be use if there are less than 2 plants on the board. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.

Nightcap

1- Fun Army: For every 4th plant that gets destroyed, add 2 button mushrooms (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2: Heavy backup: At turn 5, you always draw a Smoosh- Shroom from outside your deck instead of your normal draw.

Rose

1- Blooming Charm: For every 4th plant that gets destroyed, add 2 bell flowers (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- Heartstruck Spell: Give one of your plants the strikethrough trait. Can only be used once per match.

3- Winter is coming: Big chill will always be your starting superpower. . (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Captain Combustible

1- Ready to battle: Start with a torchwood in a random lane. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- Glass cannon: All plants gain +2 attack for this turn. Can only be used if Captain Combustible has 5 or less health remaining.

3- Green Privates: For every 4th plant that gets destroyed, add 2 peashooters (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Zombies

Super Brainz

1- Double Force: Do 3 bullseye damage to Super Brainz then a zombie does a bonus attack. Can only be used once per turn. (Edited: thanks for the suggestion, etpio5).

2- Blidness: Add 2 smoke bombs from outside your deck to your hand. Can only be used once per match.

The Smash

1- Pesty Pets: For every 4th zombie that gets destroyed, add 2 skunk punks (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- Offensive End: All zombies gain +1 defense, draw a card. Can only be used once per match.

Impfinity

1- Failed clones: For every 4th zombie that gets destroyed, add 2 imps (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- IMProvising: Do 1 damage to each plant. Add a bungee plumber trick from outside your deck to your hand.

Rustbolt

1- RNGetron: All plants with 3 attack value gain or lose +/- 1 attack randomly, draw a card. Can only be done once per match. (Edited: thanks for the suggestion, etpio5).

2- Thinking Hard: 2 lurch for lunch tricks from outside your deck are shuffled within it at the beginning of the match. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Electric Boogaloo

1- The party starts now: For every 4th zombie that gets destroyed, add 2 backup dancers (1/1) from outside your deck to your hand. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- The night is young: For the first 2 turns, zombies and damage /nerfing tricks do 1 more damage. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

3- Mr. Popular: Dance off will always be your starting superpower. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

Brain Freeze

1- Best served cold: Discard a random card from your hand then freeze a plant. Can only be used once per turn.

2- On thin ice: Minions can’t be played on the ground lanes for this turn. Can only be used once per match. (Minions refers to both plants and zombies).

Professor Brainstorm

1- Crazy Thought: End of turn: Decide which card from your deck you will draw next. Can only be used once per match. Can only be used when Professor Brainstorm has 10 health or less remaining.

2- Mind Scan: See your opponent’s hand. Can only be used once per match. Can only be used when Professor Brainstorm has 10 health or less remaining.

3- Game Theory: Draw a random trick that costs 3 brains or less from the entire game. Can only be used twice per match. Can only be done when Professor Brainstorm has 10 health or

less remaining.

Immorticia

1- Weather Magic: Acid Rain will always be your starting superpower. (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

2- Witch’s Curse: Whenever a minion is destroyed, their respective hero takes 2 bullseye damage (Minions refers to both plants and zombies). (This is a passive skill, there’s no need to press the skill button, it is done automatically).

3- Full Moon: All tricks costs -1 Brain for this turn. Can only be used once per match.

Z-Mech

1- It’s an emergency! : Discard a random card from you hand, then destroy a random plant with 4 attack or more. . Can’t be used if there are less than 2 plants on the board. Can only be used once per turn. Can only be used twice per match.

2: Reinforments: Bring a zombie that was destroyed the previous turn back to its position with only 1 health and without any armor. Can only be used twice per match.

Neptuna

1- Queen of the Sea: The next zombie you play can be placed on the water if it has 3 attack or less. Can only be used once per match.

2- Poseidon’s Triton: A random zombie gains +3 health. Can’t be used if there are less than 2 zombies on the board. Can only be used once per match.

Please give me some constructive criticism! I would like to hear what do you think about this and how could I make it better, more fun or more balanced.

Things you might want to take in mind

1-Remember they can only use 1 of these skills, not all of them in a match.

2- Whenever I mention a buff to all plants/zombies I mean the ones on the board, the ones in the heroes' hand stay the same. Also if when I say "a plant" or "a zombie" does something that means you get to choose which one (notice the lack of the word "random" in this particular cases).

3-English is not my first language, so if you notice any grammar/spelling mistakes please tell me so that I can learn to write better.

4-If you’re wondering why some heroes have more skill choices than others, that’s just because I just had more ideas for them. It was tricky to give several skill choices to some heroes because I think skills need to match the hero play style and classes. If you have more skill ideas I would love to hear them.
Sorry if the post was too long, but I really wanted to share a good understanding of my idea.

5-This post has been updated with suggestions from Reddit.

TL;DR: I would like to give all heroes special abilities called hero skills, which they can activate during their turn with certain limitations.