I am in the process of making an expansion that's a sequel to Alchemy .
One of the mechanics is dual cost cards (cards with 2 different costs). Most of them will have one normal cost and one potion cost, and the main goal is so you aren't forced to buy potion to use those cards.
Does the following set of rules work?:
- Both costs are "present". If either of the costs satisfy a condition you must count the card, so if you are required to gain a card with one of the costs (eg upgrade), you must gain it.
- If a task cares about the cost of a card (eg gaining a card based on the cost of the card you trashed with Remodel), the player doing the task in question chooses which of the two costs to work with.
- You may buy the card by paying either of the listed costs
- However you may choose either cost for the card you just bought when referring to any cards that care about the cost of a card you just bought (eg Talisman, Haggler)
- If either of the costs has $P, include Potion in the kingdom.
Specific Interactions (in decreasing order of sureness):
- You can gain a card with a dual cost with Smugglers even if the player to your left paid more than $6 for it (similar to Bridge, Highway)
- If a dual cost card is trashed with Swindler, the player who played the Swindler decides which of the two costs they wish to use for the card's effect (as the card specifies "you choose") but a copy of the card they just trashed is always available as one of the options to replace the trashed card (as long as it's in the supply).
- Saboteur and Sage will stop revealing cards if it reveals a dual cost card with a cost higher than $3. With Saboteur the player can gain a card costing up to $2 less than either cost.
- If the card is revealed with Knights or Rogue and one of the costs is between $3 and $6, it is one of the cards the player is able to trash (falling under the "both costs are present" rule), and they must trash it if the other revealed card does not have a cost between $3 and $6. Similarly Rogue gains it if it's in the trash and you can't choose to attack instead if it's the only card costing between $3 and $6 in the trash.
- Giant and Warrior are asking the player being attacked what the cost of the revealed card is (as it's in the "each other player" portion of the card), so they get to choose what happens
- The player who played Chariot Race chooses the cost of all the revealed cards
Is this all right? Are there any other cards where it's not clear what to do?
2 examples of cards that play with the mechanic:
ArbitrageAction - $1/$4
+1 Action
Return a card to the supply from your hand. Gain a card costing up to $1 more than it.
StockAction - $2/$5
+1 Action
+$2
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When you buy this, gain a card costing less than the cost you paid to buy this card.
Clarification: You can use the when buy effect of a $5 Stock to gain a $2 Stock