Something to consider if you want a differently backed card is that players might be able to "cheat" their shuffles by waiting until the card is on top (or until it's not on top, if that's better). Stash is okay because you just put it wherever you want anyway.
So there might be cool things you could do with the idea, but it's probably too much of a hassle to be worth doing, outside of the Stash mechanic.
Completely agreed, which is why I mentioned the Stash mechanic in the original thing. I also agree that this particular card isn't worth bothering with, I was just looking to stimulate some theory discussion, which worked!
Loving the responses to the Snake Charmer idea, others following through with my half-assed start.
I think it's a slow enough attack that making it stackable wouldn't be totally ridiculous - the discard is probably about right. Curse-gaining would be a bit painful, but then the more curses you have the less often you have to play a Snake! (Valid logic, right? Right?)
Wait, this can totally work. Here's an idea:
Snake charmer - $4 (5?) action
+1 card
+1 coin
Each other player gains a snake
Snake - $0* action
+1 action
+1 coin
Discard a card from your hand
You may not play cards that aren't snake while this is in your hand.
When you shuffle, you may put this anywhere in your deck (green back)
(This is not in the supply)
That's pretty much what I was thinking; though I saw Snake as the slightly more awkward (and actually nastier, as an attack):
"<Something nasty>
***
As soon as this enters your hand for any reason, you must play it (this does not cost an action)"
But yours is better, and avoids not-your-turn plays like Lost City. Plus makes it less stackable, by allowing you to discard other snakes.
One thing I like is that you can't trash these from your hand. Indeed the best trasher of them is Doctor, which is nicely thematic.
. Could even make snake the dreaded action-treasure.
You might have to help me out here. How would that work?
EDIT: Wait I get it. So that you can't say "I'm not playing anything in my Action phase", but play Treasures and then just BM through it. gotcha.