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[rinkworks]

Much has been said here about different types of curse cards.  The main problem seems to be that a curse-with-benefit (e.g., Action-Curse, +3 cards, -3 VP) is actually a good thing on a board with trashing and brutal on one without.  Furthermore, would the card cost something, in which case it just makes the card all the better in light of Salvager, etc, or is it free, allowing players to buy them on purpose for nothing?  Someone in another thread brought up the point that such cards aren't really curses so much as negative victory cards.

But it occurred to me this would make an interesting Curse card with none of these problems:

Hex
$0 - Action-Curse
+1 Card, +1 Action
-2 VP
Setup: Place half the number of Curse cards in the kingdom as you normally would.  Place an equal number of Hexes in a separate pile.  When a player gains a Curse card, he may gain either Curse or Hex.

To balance the three-pile ending rule, it may be necessary to consider the Curse cards and Hex cards as belonging to a single pile.

I think this card is sufficiently useless as to qualify as a true "curse."  It's admittedly useful in certain unusual situations (e.g., to help start a Conspirator chain), but then so is the regular curse (e.g., with Ambassador).

Yet this Hex card behaves very differently:  At a greater VP cost, it won't consume a spot in your hand.

I suppose in a heavy-trashing game, you'd pretty much always take a Hex over a Curse.  But otherwise it might be interesting to have to make the decision:  Do you take the greater VP hit in exchange for a looser deck?

[Axe Knight]

I suppose in a heavy-trashing game, you'd pretty much always take a Hex over a Curse.  But otherwise it might be interesting to have to make the decision:  Do you take the greater VP hit in exchange for a looser deck?

In addition to what you've mentioned, I would think it would depend on how many of each you've taken so far.  I think taking Hexes (as you've written them) would generally be better in the earlier game, whereas Curses would be better late.  It would give Torturer a whole new meaning.  And who knew that remodeling a card into an Estate could result in a 3VP swing...

You could experiment with making the Hexes prevent you from doing something, keeping in theme with a curse, or a hex, or a spell placed on you.  Perhaps you gain a Hex, and can't play more than a few actions per turn, or can't buy something or more than one thing.  Donald has already done this with the Embargo sort of---you buy this...and you're cursed!

[Kuildeous]

One of my favorite features of a Thunderstone expansion was the introduction of variable Diseases. Basically, like Curses in Dominion, these cards hampered your ability to play. It was -1Attack (which kind of translates in Dominion to -1 Coin). They were effective, but they were boring.

Then one expansion introduced a new Disease deck. This one had multiple Diseases, and they did different things. When I play Thunderstone, I prefer having the wild and unpredictable Disease deck.

Not that I think it's a good idea in Dominion, but it's a thought.

[KMueller]

Sounds a little similar to a card that was experimented with earlier. I think it was called "confusion" or something. It held a place in your hand, but was without a -1VP.

Ok, your Hex idea sounds similar in that it is the exact opposite. I remember reading that Donald X. didn't like how that card worked.

[Blaeu]

What about powerful cards that come with a powerful curse?

For example, a $3 Lab with -5 VP.

Or, a cheap plat. with a curse, say...

Cost: $6
Worth $5 and -5 VP

I'm not thinking these through enough to consider them balanced.  However, I think having -VP as part of the balance of the card would work.  Sure, you would trash them later, but that's life.

[minced]

There is a fan-made expansion named Fairy Tale that thrives on this sort of card (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/68281/fairy-tale-fan-expansion-for-dominion).

I'm also coming up with my own dominion expansion and one card is (sort of) this type - however, the "curse" gained doesn't give -1 VP:

Blackmail, action/attack, $4
+$2. Each opponent gains a Black Mark.

Black Mark: Action - trash this card and another from your hand. -1 coin this turn.

The reason behind the name: you are either dogged with “threats” (crap cards in hand) or you pay a small fee to stop them.

[PetterTB]

What about a new type of cards that cannot be trashed?

[Jack Rudd]

What about a new type of cards that cannot be trashed?

They have the potential to cause all kinds of rules problems (such as when an Upgrade compels you to trash them).

[DsnowMan]

If you introduce curse variants, (like Hex), I would flip the combined curse pile upside down so you are drawing randomly from it.

Fun.

[PetterTB]

What about a new type of cards that cannot be trashed?

They have the potential to cause all kinds of rules problems (such as when an Upgrade compels you to trash them).

What about, blue cards:

When these cards are trashed you gain another card from the supply. If the pile is empty you gain a curse.

Their price must be made to reflect it ofc

[kazztawdal]

What about a new type of cards that cannot be trashed?

They have the potential to cause all kinds of rules problems (such as when an Upgrade compels you to trash them).

"If you attempt to trash this card, you must trash the top card of your deck instead.  If you cannot [i.e. your deck and discard pile are empty because you're playing weird] you may trash this card."

[kazztawdal]

What about a new type of cards that cannot be trashed?

They have the potential to cause all kinds of rules problems (such as when an Upgrade compels you to trash them).

"If you attempt to trash this card, you must trash the top card of your deck instead.  If you cannot [i.e. your deck and discard pile are empty because you're playing weird] you may trash this card."

oh, wait, duh, this can happen if you draw your whole deck

that's actually probably ok though

[play2draw]

What about an alternate curse card like this:

Counterfeit - $0
$1
-1 VP
At the end of your clean-up phase, put this card on top of your deck.
Treasure-Curse

[minced]

What about an alternate curse card like this:

Counterfeit - $0
$1
-1 VP
At the end of your clean-up phase, put this card on top of your deck.
Treasure-Curse

Gain five of these in a game without trashing and you are completely locked out of provinces unless your opponent is kind enough to hit you with a minion discard.

[play2draw]

The intent was that such a situation would only occur if you play all five every time (which might be desirable if you're going duke/duchy). I should have specified "if in play".