Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

1

Variants and Fan Cards / Houseruling Caravan Guard

« on: February 25, 2019, 12:28:46 pm »

Less of a question than a comment:
I was a bit confused by Caravan Guard, wondering what it actually DID as a reaction. Does it also block or cancel the attack? Is that assumed in the "Reaction" card type? Turns out it does exactly what it says - nothing (nothing much). And the articles here agree, it's a weak card and rarely chosen, unless you just need a card and it's the only cantrip available.

We've houseruled it to get it back in the game, and it doesn't even require any wording changes - We resolve the "+1 card" AFTER the attack is resolved rather than before, when played as a reaction.

This means that the Caravan Guard provides immunity to attacks based on a 5 card handsize (Pillage), as you get to drop your hand to 4 before resolving the attack but don't draw until after. It also provides complete immunity against Urchin and a consolation prize against "discard down to" attacks like Militia or Legionary. Against Sea Hag you still get the curse but don't get the dead draw, and it reverses the Bureaucrat attack.

What does this mean? It's still not great, as it doesn't cancel the attack like Moat. But it makes up for it with the +1 action, making it a generally better card in your deck. It's still situational and not the best reaction, but it gets you more than nothing. It's not a powerhouse, but it is now a card that I at least find interesting when it's in the kingdom.

For your consideration.

Also for consideration - an interesting duration card would be one that allows you to draw a card after each attack played/resolved against you. That would provide another layer of interaction where players are considering the cost/benefit of playing any attack on their turn.

2

Dominion General Discussion / Advice on my next expansion purchase?

« on: February 18, 2019, 10:07:37 am »

I have Dominion 1E with the 2E cards. I've had this for a long time - before it even got the Spiel des Jahres. But it took me a long time to warm up to it, and that's another story.

I recently picked up Renaissance. Both because I found it for under $30 and because it sounded like a good place to jump back in, it had durations, coffers, projects, etc. that implemented many of the additions that have come up over the years, but at the same time wasn't overly complex or fiddly, for those who weren't deep into Dominion already. Seemed like a good selling point, and I'm digging it. Especially the artifacts, as they add a layer of good, reactive player interaction.

I'd like to get two more expansions to round things out and get the variety that makes the game shine. I've already chosen my third expansion - Adventures. I looked at a ton of personal preference rankings here and other places, and Adventures had both the highest average ranking and the least volatility between people. Moreover, I'd been leaning toward Seaside and had been having a blast with it through Androminion, but reading between the lines of many peoples' opinions it sounds like Adventures is something of a spiritual successor, reimplementing the duration cards but doing it better, with all the other bells and whistles added on and a better overall card set.

Where I'm stymied is what to get fourth? First of all:

• I don't have a particular favorite playstyle. I like to trash down to a svelte deck where I get the same strong hand every time. I like to build an endless chain and draw 20 cards on a turn. I like to try weird things with Tacticians or Gardens just because, and get a thrill when they work and have a laugh when they blow up on me.
• I appreciate what I'd call "reactive player interaction." I like the artifacts because how many flagbearers you need isn't dependent on some engine calculation but based on what your opponents are doing. I don't like the witch because it makes your opponent take curses, but because when my opponent buys one I'm left with an interesting decision - do I get a chapel to reverse the damage? Do I buy two and outrace him through the curse pile? Buy a cellar and just cycle over the garbage? Remodel them into Estates? I like games better when they contain reactive decisions like this.
• I tend to play with many people who will only play a few times, rather than the same people over and over. So accessibility is valuable to me.
• I like boards that offer you a few different ways to play them, rather than boards that scream a specific strategy and all the players are trying to see who can get that extra inch out of the engine.

My candidates:
1. Empires - the obvious choice. If Adventures is the most popular, Empires is on average number 2, though with a little more volatility. And if Adventures is the spiritual successor to Seaside, Empires is the spiritual successor to Prosperity, with overpowered cards and crazy combos. Moreover, this one is complex and I like the thought that I can put some teeth on the game if needed.

2. Prosperity - the old favorite. In some ways Empires may dominate this, but Prosperity still has all the 7 cost cards and it has the platinum and colonies. I know I can get those through the extra base card pack, but if I'm going to spend $13 on those, I might as well spend another $17 to get the old favorites in Prosperity? And if I do that, then Prosperity becomes my number 4. I'm really just wondering if the platinum/colony cards are so important to a collection that they outweigh other considerations. If not, I get the sense that Prosperity is beloved but just can't compete with the younger kids on the block.

3. Hinterlands - the dark horse candidate. This surprised me. As I read through reviews and opinions, I realized that Hinterlands is the salt of Dominion. If you ask people what their favorite food is, no one will shout, "salt!" Yet, if you have a plate full of food, salt will make every single thing on it better. It sounds like Hinterlands lacks the hook or gimmick, and the consistent theme of other sets, yet it is just a solid set of no fuss cards that enhance every other set when they combine. I've tried it out through Androminion and have been impressed. Each board just has a touch of interest, it asks a question like, "psst. You want to try this? You want to get ill-gotten gains and then trader them it into five silver? You'd be a hero. Or an idiot. Give it a try." As of right now, I'm kind of leaning this way.

4. Cornucopia + Guilds - the compromise. Numbers 3 and 6, respectively, according to current internet opinionland (Dark Ages and Prosperity lie between them). This feels like a little bit of Hinterlands, without the pronounced mechanics of platinum or landmarks they're a little more vanilla Dominion, meant to mix into the larger pot. But they do have stronger theme and some distinctive cards, and things like coffers that give more character beyond the core mechanics. Guilds may meld well with Renaissance. This feels like a little of column A and a little of column B, no regrets. ?

I'd appreciate advice, opinions, thoughts to consider. I really do want to cap at four for financial reasons, so I'm vested in optimizing my decision. Thanks!