My personal preference for this contest is for Reserve cards and cards that use Adventures tokens. Durations are an Adventures thing too, but I think even more complex ones fit just as well for Seaside's treasure chest slots. I'd like the Adventures card(s) to use mechanisms that are unique to Adventures.
One of these cards is mine. I'm writing this before reading others' comments.
Blueprint
Types: Action - Reserve
Cost: $4
You may move your Trashing token to an Action Supply pile (when you buy a card from that pile, you may trash a card from your hand.)
Put this on your Tavern mat.
When you trash a card, you may call this, to gain a card costing exactly $1 more than it.
The card as a whole gives you an optional mini version of Farmland on-gain for one card. The Reserve effect can also be used to combo with other trashers (be it your own or as a response to trashing attacks). Then there's the utility of the trashing token itself. Very interesting. I think it's too different from anything to judge cost without testing, but $4 seems OK. Plan is $3 and this is slower, but has additional utility. I think I'd prefer a version where moving the Trashing token was non-optional when you play it.
Boathand
Types: Action - Reserve
Cost: $3
+2 Actions
Put this card on your tavern mat.
Directly after resolving an action, if it's still in play, you may call this to draw up to 5 cards in hand.
It has to draw comparisons to Production Village from the old mini-set design contest (+2 actions, draw up to 5 in hand) which seems to be appropriately priced at $4. The "if it's still in play" clause means that it can't be called immediately, nor after another Boathand (or any other Reserve) is played.
I'm not totally sure, but I think that this makes the card much stronger than Production Village when it collides with payload cards (read: non-drawing terminals) since you can maximize the draw, but also much weaker when it doesn't, since it ends up being a wasted Necropolis on play and then the Reserve effect is much less desirable if it's used with no actions remaining. Ah, but then it's also much stronger overall with non-terminal handsize-decreasers like Warehouse and Oasis, whether they match up or not. I think $3 will be too cheap for it.
It's interesting, but I'm not sure if making it a Reserve elevates the idea. I liked Production Village just fine as it was.
Borough
Types: Action
Cost: $2
+1 Card. +1 Action. Look at the top card of your deck; discard it or put it back. You may take your -1 Card token. If you do, +1 Action.
Note: the proper wording is "put your -1 Card token on your deck".
This sounds like a really weak card to me, even for $2. It might have some use when you're absolutely desperate for actions, but I think that the -1 Card token is going to hurt so much more here than on any of the official cards. If you're using it in an engine (as is ideal for a village), you're likely to hit yourself with the -1 Card multiple times every turn.
I think the best use cases would be with draw-to-X and as cheap backup in a deck that has other +actions available. But draw-to-X is rare and just a mitigation of the weakness, and "backup village" is already done way better in Adventures with Coin of the Realm.
Circus
Types: Action
Cost: $6
+1 Card, +1 Action
Turn your Journey token over (it starts face up). If it's face up, swap one of your tokens on the Circus pile.
At the start of the game, each player puts his -$2 and +1 Buy tokens on this pile.
Clarification: swapping means to remove one of your tokens from the pile and replace it with a different one. Valid tokens are those that go on the Action Supply piles, i.e. the vanilla bonus tokens, the trashing token and the -$2 token.
Note: all the bonus token cards and events have clarifying text on them about the token effects. With reference to Teacher, this should probably say something like "(when you play a Circus, you first get those bonuses)" at the end. That said, it may get confusing since the tokens are practically guaranteed to change as the game goes on. Moreover, adding that line may make the text too long to fit. It's only a clarifying parenthetical though, so it may be OK to omit.
Another clarification is needed - can you swap with tokens that are on different piles? I think that would be a neat thing without it being too strong.
I like the general concept. The starting cost with the -$2 token is interesting, making it an affordable (but still overpriced) card that improves itself later. It's sort of like a customizable Traveller line that way too.
I think it may be more interesting if it started with the Trashing token instead of the +1 Buy token, but maybe that would make it too strong. Tracking difficulty is a concern here. The Journey token slows down the rate at which its effects change, but I'm not sure it does enough.
That said, the Journey token is a nice way to stabilize the card overall. It's slower to swap out the starting tokens with stronger ones, but you also get more time with your ideal version before you have to change it to something weaker. There's also combo potential with the official Journey token cards, since those cards almost always prefer having the token face up, whereas this sometimes does not.
Lots to think about with this one. Interesting.
Elven Palace
Type: Action - Duration
Cost: $5
For the rest of the game, at the end of your buy phase, you may trash a card from your hand.
(This card stays in play.)
I think I'd like it better if cost $6 and happened at the start of your turn. As it is, this seems so, so powerful. You will easily trash your starting junk, and you will pretty easily clear out Curses and Ruins too.
I do wonder if I am overrating it. Thinking on it further, it may be like Trading Post in that it's a great buy on the first shuffle but much worse after that. The trashing is slower than Chapel at least, but probably faster than Steward if you are able to buy it early.
Whatever its actual power level, I'm not sure if this will be interesting to play. The main decision is in how many you buy. I can imagine how that may be a tough call with Hireling, but it seems a lot easier here. One early if possible, maybe a second against junkers. Beyond that, it's probably not worth it. There's only so much stuff to trash before you're as trim as can be. I'm not really a fan of this one.
Enchanted Broom
Types: Action - Duration
Cost: $2
At the start of each of your turns for the rest of the game: Trash a card from your hand.
When you gain this, put it on top of your deck.
Hm, OK, this solves some of my supposed problems with Elven Palace. Like Chapel, you can always open with it. It happens at the start of your turn, which weakens it.
But the trashing is mandatory. That is a huge nerf and sounds like a terrible idea, at least at first. If the Kingdom has no way to gain multiple cards in a turn (+1 buy, gainers, junkers) or Fortress, Enchanted Broom prevents your deck from ever getting bigger once it goes in play. That could make greening a nightmare unless you're willing to mill Provinces.
Since it topdecks itself on gain, you have a lot of flexibility in when to activate this effect. Given that it's mandatory trashing, I expect that you actually won't want it on the first turn most of the time. I have no idea when you would.
Overall, I think this is actually
really interesting, mostly because it's mandatory. With that restriction, it may be better to have the trashing at the end of the turn after all. You're (probably) only ever going to buy it once in a game, but I expect it would be really tough to decide if and when. I worry that it may be too niche at best or actually unplayable at worst, but I still find this strangely compelling.
Engineer
Types: Action
Cost: $3
+Buy
Turn your Journey token over (it starts face up); then if it's face up, you may move your Trashing token and your -$2 token to an Action Supply pile.
Clarification: The Trashing token and the -$2 token must be moved to the same Action Supply pile.
Another card where you'll probably only buy one (unless you desperately need +buys). You'll usually want it specifically for the second time you play it, to move the tokens to a given pile. It'll typically be a huge buff to that one chosen pile -- cheaper cost
and free trashing is amazing, and the tokens synergize in that it's easier to leave Copper in hand to trash when the card is cheaper to buy. It's worth noting that the Trashing token is never a drawback because its effect is optional.
Sometimes you may play Engineer again in order to move the tokens elsewhere. And sometimes you may play it solely to manipulate the Journey token and set up one of the official Journey token cards.
I don't think this is bad, but it doesn't really appeal to me.
Foundry
Types: Action - Reserve
Cost: $4
Gain a card costing up to $4. Put this on your Tavern mat.
When you gain a card, you may call this, to put the gained card either into your hand or on top of your deck.
A single one is just an expensive Workshop, which is already underwhelming at $3. But if you play a second one, you can gain the card on top of your deck or straight to your hand. As a Reserve effect, you can also combo it with other gainers.
The gain-to-hand is the most interesting thing here. I have some concern that this may be too powerful, but it's tough to judge.
The interaction with Throne Room (also KC and Procession) is confusing to me. TR-Foundry, gain a card (to discard), put Foundry on Reserve. Play (phantom) Foundry again, gain a card and call the same Foundry... put Foundry back in the Reserve? Or not? I'm leaning towards not, but I'm unsure. Depending on how that shakes out, there might be a simple combo that immediately empties piles.
I think this is a decently intriguing Workshop variant, but still too similar to Armory for my taste.
Harlequin
Types: Action - Attack
Cost: $5
Each other player flips their reserve token face up
Flip your reserve token over (It starts face up)
If it's face up
+5$ and each other player discards down to 3 cards in his hand
I assume that this was meant to use the Journey token.
I think flipping opponents' Journey tokens could be a good basis for a card, but I don't think it works well here.
If only one player goes for Harlequin and there aren't other Journey token cards/events on the board, flipping the opponents' token is pointless.
If multiple players go for Harlequin, it seems likely that the token will just get reset over and over again and nobody will ever get the big bonus. It may work better if you are able to play multiple in one turn though. Still seems too likely to do nothing though.
Innkeeper
Types: Action
Cost: $3
+1 Card, +1 Action.
Turn your Journey token over (it starts face up). If it is face up, +1 Card, +1 Action.
Interesting way of nerfing Lost City. I find it tough to judge power here, but my intuition is that it's still really strong. Other than that, not much to say. You'll want it when you want +actions and you'll want to play it often. Seems straightforward.
Junk Collector
Types: Action - Duration
Cost: $5
Now and at the start of your next turn:
Reveal the top 3 cards of your deck. Put the revealed Curse, Ruins, Shelter and Victory cards into your hand. Put one of the other cards on top of your deck and discard the rest.
For each discarded Action card: +1 Action
For each discarded Treasure card: + $1
Worth 1 VP per 5 cards divided by the number of players in the trash (rounded down).
Clarification: If you reveal 3 Curses, Ruins, Shelters and Victory cards you cannot topdeck or discard any card. If you reveal 2 dead/bad cards you topdeck one card and discard none. If there are e.g. 29 cards in the trash in a 3P game you divide 29 by 5 and 3 and round it down which yields 1.
Note: Since it's worth VP, it should have the Victory type as well. The VP condition is poorly worded, but that can be fixed later. The clarification is enough for now.
The theme is fairly strong - the collector keeps junk in hand and is worth VP for stuff in the trash (usually more junk).
It starts off with Scout-like draw. If the draw fails, you get a mini-Tribute effect. Overall, this seems really weak. The ideal case might be just clearing out a bunch of junk from the top of your deck. If it finds no junk, you either get Necropolis, Copper or terminal Silver depending on what you discard, which is underwhelming. Discarding actions for +actions could actually feel bad unless the deck is just chock full of action cards.
Ah, but it's a Duration. The second turn play is far more powerful since it doesn't reduce handsize or cost an action. That might be enough to account for the $5 cost.
I don't think the conditional VP is doing much for the card. Since Junk Collector doesn't trash, it's sometimes just a useless effect. That's not a deal breaker in itself (see: Moat, Fortress), but it's questionable on a card that already has so much text. What about when trashing
is available? If every player in the game clears out their starting junk, the card is worth 2VP. If they don't, it's only worth 1VP or even none. TfB could increase the value above 2, but I think it would be rare since TfB on its own is unlikely to clear out all starting cards. Junkers could increase it too, but that depends on all the players cleaning up well, which is a tall order. I just don't see the VP mattering all that much. I would drop it entirely.
I think there are some interesting ideas here and good potential. Duration super-Scout? Duration self-Tribute? They both sound like fun ways to fix up old concepts that are too weak. But smooshed together, I think this card is trying to do too much. Streamlining it could result in 2-3 elegant cards that stand on their own.
Paladin
Types: Action – Reaction
Cost: $5
Choose two: +1 Card, +1 Action, +$1. (Choices may be the same)
You may reveal a province from your hand. If you do, place your +card, +action, +coin, or +buy token on the Paladin supply pile.
When you gain a curse or ruins, you may reveal this. If you do, trash the gained card.
Tournament is considered by many to be unfun for being too swingy. I'm not sure how this compares. Tournament offers an extra vanilla bonus but Paladin is more flexible. I think Tournament would be better early on, but the flexibility and unblockability of Paladin makes it better later. Factoring in the Province reward, I think Paladin's token stacking will usually be more powerful than Tournament prizes. Tournament prizes are unique while the tokens are available to all players, so that may remove some of the swinginess. That said, I think Paladin may still end up being a "win more" kind of card.
The reaction seems superfluous. If the reaction isn't doing something new, I'd like it to be related to the main action at least. My guess is that this was added to tie into the Paladin theme, but it's not like the name is tied closely to the action.
Overall I feel rather neutral about it.
Recruit
Types: Action - Reserve
Cost: $5
Put this on your tavern mat.
At the start of your turn, you may call this, to turn your journey token over (it starts face up); and if it's face up, for the rest of the turn, whenever you play an action, you first get +1 card.
I feel like the wording could be cleaned up some. So, this combines the Tavern mat and the Journey token to implement an effect that is extra slow to kick in. That's interesting.
The first time you play it, you're pretty much certain to call it immediately. Because of that, I think it may be cleaner to put the Journey token check with the on play effect (If the token is face up, put this on your Tavern mat). This would make it easier to play though, especially combined with Throne Room. Not sure if that's good or bad.
The effect itself... I'm not sure about it. It's a powerful buff to all action cards, but I'm not sure if it's strong enough to be worth the slowness. It's slow enough that I don't think it would be worth trying to set up and call more than once a game. To that end, my guess is that it'll be strongly geared for mega turn strategies, specifically needing ways to play multiple gainers or +Buys in one turn. You may buy multiples and not call any until you have a viable starting hand to kick into a game-ending win.
Seems niche to me, but could be interesting on the right board.
Research Assistant
Type: Action - Reserve
Cost: $4
+2 Cards
+1 Action
Put this on your Tavern mat.
At the beginning of your Buy phase, you may call this. If you do, discard two cards.
Note: I think the Reserve effect should be phrased to match existing Reserve cards ("you may call this, to discard 2 cards").
I think this is fine, but not particularly interesting. It would be an excellent addition for a full set, but it's too vanilla for a Treasure Chest slot IMO.
Scholar
Types: Action
Cost: $6
+1 Card
+1 Action
+$1
When you gain this, if you have no token of yours on the Scholar pile, move your +1 Card, +1 Action, +1 Buy, or +$1 token to the Scholar pile. (when you play a Scholar you first get that bonus)
The possibilities are Lab with coin, Bazaar, Market, or activated Conspirator. I'd expect Lab+ to be best most of the time, though the others could be tempting sometimes. Sounds alright to me.
That said, I expect that the choice of token will often be obvious for a given board. Despite the use of tokens, I imagine it will be a very vanilla card that doesn't change the game much since all those vanilla possibilities already exist (or close enough).
Sunken City
Types: Action – Duration
Cost: $2
+1 Action
Now and at the start of your next turn: Reveal the top card of your deck. If it is an action card, play it. Otherwise, discard it.
Duration Herald. Sounds strong, but it's weaker than Herald on play (no +1 card) and also slightly weaker than Herald on the second play (limited to start of turn). It discards non-actions though, which is usually a plus over Herald.
Not sure if its cost is appropriate, but it sounds fine. I think it would fit way better in Seaside though.
Tinkerer
Types: Action - Reserve
Cost: $5
Gain a card costing up to $4.
Put this on your Tavern mat.
At the start of your Buy phase, you may call this, to trash a card from your hand and gain a card costing up to $2 more than the trashed card.
I guess I'm just not that interested in Workshop variants (of which there are several in this contest), unless it's really important to the card concept. I'm not really feeling that here. The play and the reserve effects are somewhat related but I don't feel like they are essential to each other.
Some of this was written late last night, so there may be some misinterpretations of cards. Hopefully not though.
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Topic: 2016 Treasure Chest Design Contest - Part 1: Adventures (Results!) (Read 36181 times)