for each of the following comparisons, the metric is "fun to complication ratio".
Nocturne is superior to Hinterlands (more complicated, but a lot more fun)
Nocturne is equivalent to Dark Ages
Nocturne is worse than Adventures/Empires (more complicated, without being more fun)
I'm thrilled to have it, but it has been brain-melty.
Yesterday, we played 7 base cards, and 3 nocturne cards, and after the game was over, neither of us had any idea how to play the board optimally. We discussed it for 10 minutes, and had some ideas, but no conclusions.
Thank goodness it was a casual game, because we let each other take back moves after new information was learned, because misunderstandings were foiling our plans.
After a few trial runs, I've been vetoing all dooms, or all fates, so that we only have to deal with one stack of 12 unfamiliar cards.
That said, cursed gold is probably my least favorite card in the entire game. If I could use it as a copper, I'd be fine with it. Also, the only card I have ever errata'd is "Mountain's Gift".
Imps and Conclave are excellent. More "variety matters" cards please.
Verdict: strong, but not stunning (for players in the 50-200 game range?)Actually, there are fewer cards in the set I would put on a banlist than in some other sets, so by that metric I think it's doing well.
What cards are contenders for that honor?