There are some interesting concepts to think about with this set of cards, and I don't think the answers are as clear-cut as it seems. It seems like people are all over the map on the following questions.
1) How good is gaining money in hand? A Gold in hand is powerful; but not broken. Horse Traders gives you +$3 and a Buy and forces you to discard 2 cards; it seems like Gold in hand with discarding two cards would be only slightly better.
A Copper in hand gives you +$1 right now; it may be trashed later depending on the kingdom. Certainly, getting a Copper in hand is better than getting in your discard pile, but how much better? Consider:
Poppy
$4 - Action
+1 Card
+2 Actions
Choose one: +1 Card, +$1, or trash a card from your hand. If you choose...
+1 Card, each other player draws a card.
+$1, each other player gains a Copper in hand.
Trash a card, +1 VP, and each other player may trash a card from his hand.
This card is fun. I do not agree that this card should be labeled attack. Gaining a Copper in hand is about as soft an attack as you can have. Clearly, if it read, "may gain a Copper in hand" then this card would definitely not be an attack. Maybe that would solidify this card as a $4, weakening the second (and usually, but not always, the "strongest" option)? Regardless, the logic seems clear: Having your opponents gain a Copper in hand is the cleanest way of having them gain $1 on their turn. Yeah, it's a little worse, but that shouldn't be too bad, if we think +$1 is generally better than +1 Card. It beats having to make the card a Duration to give opponents +$1, or having to accumulate a token, or gain then trash a Copper, or remembering the bonus. Gaining the Copper in hand seems much better than gaining it in your discard pile.
I admit, because the large space the options span for this card, I would pay $5 for this card as written.
And what about gaining a Silver in hand?
Cinnamon
$4 - Action-Reaction
+1 Card
+2 Actions
--
When a player gains a Victory card, you may set this aside. If you do, gain a Silver in hand. Return this to your hand at the start of your next turn.
This is intriguing -- a reaction to something that isn't an attack -- but the Silver in hand just seems too much. I would have preferred "may gain a Copper in hand."
2) How good is +2 Cards, +2 Actions, anyway?It seems like under current Dominion pricing, +2 Cards, +2 Actions would be a (too stong?) $5. So how to knock it down to size? Or is really not as good as it first appears?
Marjoram
$4 - Action-Duration
+2 Cards
At the start of your next turn, +2 Actions.
Marjoram doesn't give you the two bonuses together. But, I think this would be fine at $4 if you only got 1 Action next turn (maybe that actually was the intent?). I really like the idea of a Duration Village; but not so sure about a super-Village on the second turn.
Chervil
$5 - Action
If played for the first time this turn: +2 Cards, +2 actions, +$1.
All other plays: +$1, +2 Actions.
Beefs it up, but doesn't let you stack it. But is stacking really the concern with +2 Cards, +2 Actions? Or is even one enough of an engine enabler to be a problem at $5?
Mint
$5 - Action
+2 Cards
+2 Actions
--
When at least one [This Card] is in play and you gain a Province or Colony, every other player gains a gold, putting it into their hand.
This card offsets it by giving a huge conditional bonus to your opponents (and we're back to question 1). Powerman thinks the card is too strong. WW does not. I just think this card seems too swingy.
Patchouli
$5 - Action
Gain a Copper, Silver, or Gold in hand.
If you gain a Copper, +2 Cards, +2 Actions.
If you gain a Silver, +1 Action.
If you gain a Gold, discard two cards.
This card offsets it by You gaining a Copper in hand (but how bad is that really? and we're back to question 1). And there is choice -- which adds power (see Quesiton 3) but those choices also bring up question 1! I really like the concept of this card, but I really don't know how evaluate it in terms of strength. But isn't that one mark of a great card? That it takes some playing to figure out?
3) How valuable is choice?If card with ability X, is correctly priced at $3, and a card with ability Y is correctly priced at $3, it just seems wrong to conclude in general that a card that has ability "Choose one of X or Y" could be priced correctly at anything less than $4. A card that has 2 or 3 (or more) choices seems like it would be more likely to be balanced if no option can stand alone at the price point of the card.
For instance:
Stevia
$3 - Action
Choose one: +2 Actions, or all players draw up to 6 cards in hand. You may set aside any Treasure cards drawn this way, as you draw them; discard the set aside cards after you finish drawing.
--
(Rules clarification: If the draw option is exercised, only the player who played the card may set aside Treasure cards as he draws up to 6 cards in hand; all other players simply draw up to 6 cards in hand.)
This seems right to me: each ability by itself is weak at $3; but they are in different spaces and synergize together with multiple plays of the card. It takes a LOT of help to be able to consistently make the draw option draw two good Treasures regularly (and this is off-set by allowing your opponents to draw and you hitting Actions and Victories) -- so this is definitely not overpowered. It does contribute interestingly to the Library-engine style card set. I like this card a lot.
Thyme
$3 $4- Action-Reaction
Choose one: +2 Cards or +3 Actions.
--
When you discard this from play, you may put it on top of your deck.
--
When you discard this other than during a Clean-Up phase, you may reveal it. If you do, set this aside, then at the start of your next turn, return it to your hand.
In contrast, this just seems way over-powered. +3 Actions alone could be priced at $3. It also has the super-ability that just allows it to defy being discarded. Also, see Powerman and WW above. Edit: Now that the price is fixed, I can't call it clearly "way over-powered," but I still don't like the card's aversion to the discard pile, which I still think is a sneaky-powerful ability, and even at $4 still have some power concerns. I would have to play with the card to know for sure.
Cayenne
$3P - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
Choose one: +1 Card, +1 Action, +$1, +1 Buy.
I really like Cayenne, but really wish it was priced without Potion; say, at $5. I'm sure it thematically goes with whatever it's official name is, but still...
Vanilla
$4 - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
Choose one: +1 Action, or discard your hand and draw 4 cards.
I like this card, too. I agree with WW; the best part of Minion.
Saffron, Turmeric, Mace, Fennel, and Sesame are other cards in this category that just seem under-priced because of the power of choice (and I just don't like them that much).
Other ThoughtsThere are a lot of good thoughts posted in other comments relating to a lot of other individual cards, but I want to add some thoughts of mine:
I vote no on "permanents" unless it's really interesting. Rosemary and Sage don't cut it for me.
I prefer Cardamom over Coriander, but neither seems like a good enough implementation of Victory as Treasure. The Basil and Anise mechanic seems hard to balance properly. However, interesting idea, and I like Anise better.
Clove is too much like Almoner, as others have said.
Oregano seems to work at $4.
Borage looks like an interesting Cartographer variant that isn't too powerful (like a lot of the ones in the last contest). Being able to reorganize is an under-looked power in cards -- but I agree that another top of the deck improver isn't really needed.
Savory is nicely balanced.
Savory
$4 - Action-Attack
+2 Actions
+$1
Each other player may discard a Treasure card. If he doesn't, he gains a Copper.
The attack isn't too strong but keeps people thinking -- right up my alley.
Fennel is too cheap, but I like the mechanic, I think.
Paprika seems like a nice riff on Throne Room. By why does this need to be a village?
I must be a vampire because Garlic makes me recoil in fear.
Cumin seems kind of strong. Also, I would rather have an alt VP enabler rather than more alt VP.
There are a lot of villages that are Village + benefit. Of these cards, I really like Mustard.
Mustard
$4 - Action
+1 Card
+2 Actions
You may put a Victory card from your hand on top of your deck. If you do, +1 Buy, +$2.
Yeah it's too strong (a super-duper Market for $4 and all you have to do is put a green card on your deck? and practically no further penalty if you have two of them in your hand?), but that could easily be fixed by pricing it at $5.
And lastly, unlike rinkworks, I still can't handle the cards that give four or more different bonuses depending on what happens. But I must be breaking down -- just last week I would have said "three or more different bonuses"...
[One of the cards mentioned is mine.]
