OP updated December 18th, 2017Hey, everyone. For the last
two months year I've been working hard on a fanbrew expansion, Antiquity!
I've come here to get balance feedback on the cards.
Just as a background, I'm a successful modder (co-founder of the critically acclaimed Colonialist Legacies series of Civilization V mods) and aspiring game designer. As a challenge for myself, I decided to build a custom homebrew set, playtest it, buy art for it (from Jan Boruta, and artist that is huge in the Civ V mod scene,) and print it off.
The theme of the set is archaeology. Both 'old things' (artifacts, ancient ruins, old rites) as well as the modern people (archaeologists, collectors, etc) involved in archaeology.
Mechanically, the set focus is "Discarding" with an emphasis on Reactions as well as gains, Victory tokens, and upgraders.
There's a bit of randomized flavor, but basically I tried to create interesting cards that feel 'official' but also can have interesting interactions with official cards.
At this point, the cards are mostly close to finished... I've been playtesting constantly all year. But some are still in flux -- Pharaohs and Mendicants in particular.
Enough of that, on to the cards!
Petroglyph ($3)
Action - Reaction
+1 Action
Discard any number of cards, then draw until you have 4 cards in hand.
-
When you discard this card during an Action phase, you can reveal it and set it aside.
If you do, discard it at the end of turn for +1 Card.
Agora ($5)
Action - Reaction
+2 Actions
+$2
-
When you discard this card other than during your Clean-up phase, you may reveal it to gain a Silver to your hand.
Discovery ($2)
Treasure
$2
While this is in play, when you buy a card from a Supply pile, shuffle this into that pile.
-
When you gain a card from the top of a non-Discovery Supply pile, if this is the next card in the pile, gain it and a Gold.
Aquifer ($5)
Action - Reaction
+1 Card
+$1
You may play an Aquifer from your hand.
-
When you discard this card during your Action phase, you may reveal it to gain an Aquifer.
Tomb Raider ($3)
Action - Attack
+1 Action
Each other player discards an Attack card (or reveals they can't.)
You may gain a copy of a Treasure revealed this way.
Artifact ($4)
Treasure
$1
-
While this is in play, directly after you buy a Treasure, you may discard this to play that Treasure and +1 Buy.
This wording is technically correct but a bit weird... how do I play +1 Buy?
Avatar of Greed ($4)
Treasure
$3
While this is in play, when you buy a card, put it on your Avatar mat.
If it was a Curse, take an extra turn after this one, and you draw all of the cards on your Avatar Mat instead of drawing from your deck at the end of this turn.
Dig Site ($8)
Victory - Action
Reveal the top 5 cards of your deck and discard them.
You may trash this. If you do,
+1% for each Action or Copper revealed.
+2% for each non-Copper Treasure revealed.
Moundbuilder Village ($3)
Action
+2 Actions
When you discard this from play during Clean-Up, look through your discard pile and set aside a card from your discard pile with the highest $ cost (if it's a tie, you choose.) Put it in your hand at the end of your turn.
Encroach ($6)
Action
+2 Cards.
+1 Action.
You may discard a Treasure card from your hand to gain a Victory card costing up to 2 more onto your deck.
Stoneworks ($4)
Action
+1 Buy.
Trash a card from your hand to gain a Silver onto your deck.
If you trashed a Victory card, get a VP token per $ it cost more than $2.
-
When you gain this, +1VP when you gain another card this turn.
Graveyard ($1)
Action
+2 Actions
-
When you trash this, gain a card from the trash.
Inspector ($3)
Action - Attack
+2 Cards
Reveal then discard 2 cards from your hand.
Each other player with 4 or more cards in hand discards a card that is a copy of one of the discarded cards (or reveals a hand with no copies.)
Archaeologist ($7)
Action
Reveal the top 6 cards of your deck.
Put 3 of them into your hand.
Choose one: Discard the remaining cards, or put them onto your deck in any order.
Mission House ($5)
Action
+2 Cards
If you have 5 or less VP tokens, you may discard a Victory card for +1VP.
Otherwise, +2 Actions.
Mendicant ($4)
Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
Gain a Copper to your hand.
-
At the end of your Buy Phase, if Coppers are the only Treasures in play, you may gain an Estate.
Profiteer ($5)
Action - Reaction
+1 Buy
+$1
Trash a non-Victory card from the Supply. Cards with the same name as that one cost $1 less this turn.
-
On your turn, when you gain a card other than during your Buy Phase, you may discard this to exchange that card for one costing $1 or $2 more.
Prospector ($3)
Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
You may discard a Victory card to gain a Treasure costing up to $1 more.
Pyramid ($5)
Action
+$5
You may trash 2 cards from your hand.
Gain 2 Curses.
Riches ($4)
Treasure
$4
At the end of your Buy Phase, if this is in play, trash all other Treasures you have in play.
Sarcophagus ($6)
Action
Gain an Action card costing up to $4. Play that Action twice, then trash it.
-
When you buy this, each other player gains a Curse.
Shipwreck ($2)
Action
+1 Buy
+$1
Look through your discard pile and put a Treasure from it onto the bottom of your deck.
Collector ($4)
Action
Each player (including you) looks at the top card of their deck and either discards it or puts it back.
Trash the top card of your deck. Gain a card costing up to $3 more that shares a type with it onto your deck.
Pharaoh ($8)
Action - Attack
Trash your hand. For each Treasure trashed this way, gain a Gold. For each Curse trashed this way, each other player gains a Curse.
Note: This started as a joke. Then my artist wanted me to put it in anyhow because he wanted to draw crazy art for it. So it's in.Tomb Guardian ($3)
Action - Attack
+ $2
You may gain a Curse, for +1 Action and + $1.
You may discard a Curse. If you did, each other player reveals their hand, discards a Treasure of your choice, and gains a Copper to their hand.
Stronghold ($4)
Action - Reaction
Look through your discard pile.
Choose one: Trash up to two cards from it or your hand; or,
Play a card from it.
-
Directly after a player plays an Attack, you may reveal this from you hand to trash a card that you gained this turn, or one from your hand.
Boulder Trap ($3)
Trap
-1 VP
-
When you trash this, each other player gains a Curse.
Note: The trap is a new card type with the rules:
Setup: Shuffle a Boulder into each Kingdom Supply pile (for split piles, shuffle it into the bottom split.) Turn these Supply piles face down, except for the top card. If you gain/trash the top card of the pile, reveal the next card by flipping it face up.
If you reveal this (flip it up) from the top of a Kingdom Supply pile, gain it.
If I'm ever foolish enough to make another Dominion fanspansion (Invention?,) it will also have traps.At this point, I'm waiting for the last of the art to arrive and finishing up the rulebook.