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« on: February 24, 2012, 03:16:26 am »
So, each box of Dominion cards is associated with one or more structural gameplay themes. It just occurred to me to wonder how thoroughly each collection is shaped by its theme(s): how many cards actually fit in?
Basic Dominion:
About 13 out of 25 cards are the simplest way to accomplish some basic Dominion task. (Chapel, Gardens, Laboratory, Militia, Moat, Smithy, Spy, Village, Witch, Woodcutter, Workshop, arguably Cellar and Remodel.)
Intrigue:
About 7 out of 25 cards offer a choice of multiple distinct effects. (Ironworks, Minion, Nobles, Pawn, Steward, Torturer, and for Tribute the choice is random.)
4 more have variable effects in other ways. (Baron and Mining Village let the player choose whether to activate their abilities; Conspirator and Shanty Town have different effects depending on the circumstances in which they're played.)
3 out of 25 are playable Victory cards. (Great Hall, Harem, Nobles.)
Seaside:
8 out of 26 are Duration cards. (Caravan, Fishing Village, Haven, Lighthouse, Merchant Ship, Outpost, Tactician, Wharf.)
7 more have effects on the next turn by setting up the top of the deck. (Ghost Ship, Lookout, Navigator, Pearl Diver, Sea Hag, Treasure Map, Treasury.)
Alchemy:
10 out of 12 require Potions to purchase. (Alchemist, Apothecary, Familiar, Golem, Philosopher's Stone, Possession, Scrying Pool, Transmute, University, Vineyard.)
4 out of 12 interact in some special way with Action cards. (Golem, Scrying Pool, University, Vineyard.)
Prosperity:
3 out of 25 give Victory tokens. (Bishop, Goons, Monument.)
8 out of 25 cost $6 or more. (Bank, Expand, Forge, Goons, Grand Market, Hoard, King's Court, Peddler.)
8 out of 25 are special Treasures. (Bank, Contraband, Hoard, Loan, Quarry, Royal Seal, Talisman, Venture.)
5 out of 25 are obviously bigger and badder versions of cards from the basic set. (City, Expand, Goons, Grand Market, King's Court; plus honorable mention to Platinum and Colony.)
Cornucopia:
5 out of 13 interact in a special way with having a variety of cards. (Fairgrounds, Harvest, Horn of Plenty, Hunting Party, Menagerie.)
2 more increase the variety of cards available in the game. (Tournament, Young Witch.)
Hinterlands:
9 out of 26 do something special when you buy or gain them. (Border Village, Cache, Embassy, Farmland, Ill-Gotten Gains, Inn, Mandarin, Noble Brigand, Nomad Camp.)
4 more have effects that are triggered when another card is bought or gained. (Duchess, Fool's Gold, Haggler, Trader.)
So obviously Alchemy has the highest percentage of cards that are on-theme in some way, by virtue of the very large number of Potion cards; but its structural theme of Actions is a fairly small subset of the expansion. Prosperity has multiple quasi-related themes, and 17 out of its 25 Kingdom cards participate in at least one of them. Seaside's "next-turn" theme has the highest percentage for a single identifiable theme other than Potions, with 15 out of 26 cards.
Finally, Intrigue and Hinterlands both have a subtheme of Kingdom cards which are or interact in a special way with Victory cards. (Baron, Duke, Great Hall, Harem, Nobles, Scout; Crossroads, Duchess, Farmland, Fool's Gold, Silk Road, Tunnel.) Since they both fit this theme to the same extent, you can't really count it as a specific expansion theme for either of them; but it is striking.
EDIT: Let's add Dark Ages!
7.1 out of 35 Kingdom cards do something when trashed. (Catacombs, Cultist, Feodum, Fortress, Hunting Grounds, Rats, Sir Vander, Squire; plus Overgrown Estate.)
13 out of 35 trash other cards. (Altar, Count, Counterfeit, Death Cart, Forager, Graverobber, Hermit, Junk Dealer, Knights, Procession, Rats, Rebuild, Rogue; plus Mercenary.)
4 out of 35 trash themselves. (Hermit, Knights, Pillage, Urchin; plus Hovel.)
4 out of 35 interact with the trash or trashing in other ways. (Forager, Graverobber, Market Square, Rogue.)