The results for the Curser contest are in! As a reminder, these were the submission criteria:
Design a card that may cause other players to gain Curses. It need not always dispense Curses, so long as it does so at least some of the time it is used. The card text must specifically mention Curses (thus disqualifying Ambassador, which would otherwise qualify).
As I'm running the contest, I didn't submit. But this would have been my entry. It's been playtested many times, including since I posted it in this forum before. It's undergone a few tweaks, but I'm happy with this version now:
Sorceress
$5 - Action
Each other player gains a Curse.
If there is at least 1 empty supply pile, +1 Card, +1 Action.
If there are at least 2 empty supply piles, +1 Card.It uses the City mechanic but plays very differently since by draining Curses it speeds your way to that first pile. Then you can rush these to drain the second, and suddenly what started out as a cursing attack becomes a Laboratory. Gameplay is very different depending on whether it's the Curses that empty first, because in the middle stage you might have a bunch of harmless cantrips, or you might have a pack of Familiars.
But now let's get to the moment you've all been waiting for. The winner of the Cursing contest is...(drum roll)....
#1 - Soothsayer by
LastFootnote with 21 points
(Proteus)$4 - Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Each other player puts a Curse from the Supply on his Soothsayer mat.
--
In games using this, at the start of your Buy phase you may discard a Treasure from your hand. If you don't, gain all the cards on your Soothsayer mat.
Unlike the Peddler contest, this contest's winner is a bit exotic. It's nice for me to see that simple and exotic cards each have a shot at winning with this voting system. Here, LastFootnote creates an attack that puts the victim in a situation where he must choose between Cutpursing himself (or worse, when lacking Coppers) and clogging up his deck. As we know from Torturer, the choice makes the attack weaker despite seeming stronger psychologically, and that justifies the cheaper-than-Witch price. Great job, LastFootnote!
And now, the remaining scores:
#2 - Sorry Witch by
Titandrake with 20 points
(Io)$4 - Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Each other player gains a Curse and draws a card.
#3 - Diplomat by
gman314 (with inspiration from Archetype) with 18 points
(Dione)$4 - Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Choose a card from your hand and put it on the bottom of the Diplomat deck. Reveal the top card of the Diplomat deck and return it to the supply. Each other player gains a copy of the revealed card.
--
Setup: Shuffle a Diplomat deck containing 1 Copper, 1 Estate, 1 Silver and 1 Curse. (From the supply).
#4 - Tool of the Devil by
Michaelf7777777 with 14 points
(Janus)$5 - Action-Attack
+1 Card
Choose 1 - All other players gain a Curse OR you may play Curse cards as if they were silvers for the rest of this turn.
#5 (tie) - Warlock by
CaptainNevada with 13 points
(Titania)$5 - Action
+$3
Put two cards from your hand on top of your deck.
Each other player gains a Curse.
#5 (tie) - Small Mercy by
Ozle with 13 points
(Titan)$5 - Action
+$2
Each other player may gain a Curse, if they do not they gain two Coppers.
#5 (tie) - Witchucopia by
chester with 13 points
(Puck)$5 - Action
+$2
+3 Cards
Discard 3 cards. If you discarded 3 differently named cards, every other player gains a Curse.
#8 - Taboo by
iangoth with 11 points
(Charon)$4 - Action
+$2
Trash this card. Place a Taboo token on the supply pile of an action card. When a player plays a copy of that card, each other player gains a Curse.
#9 - Hedge Witch by
Jorbles with 10 points
(Miranda)$3 - Action-Attack
+$1
Each other player gains a Curse.
--
When you gain this card, gain a Curse.
#10 (tie) - Wave of Sorrow by
ChocophileBenj with 9 points
(Epimetheus)$5 - Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Put one card from your hand on top of your deck.
Each opponent chooses one: they gain a Curse card and put it in their hand, or put a Curse from their hand on top on their deck.
If one choice is impossible, they must take the other one. If both choices are impossible, they reveal their hand.
#10 (tie) - Knight by
Qvist with 9 points
(Elara)$5 - Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Reveal a card from your hand.
Each other player chooses one:
he discards a copy of that card;
or he reveals a hand with no copy of that card and discards one card;
or he gains a Curse card, putting it in his hand.
#10 (tie) - Witch Hunt by
Robz888 with 9 points
(Dysnomia)$3 - Action-Attack
+$1
Name a card other than Copper or Estate. Each other player reveals his hand. If he reveals the card you named, he gains a Curse. If no other player gains a Curse this way, you do.
#13 (tie) - Gargoyle by
Dsell with 8 points
(Portia)$6 - Action-Duration
+$3
While this is in play, any time you would buy costing $4 or more, you may instead force every other player to gain a Curse.
If, at the start of any of your turns, there are no Curses in the supply, you may return any number of Curses from your hand to the supply.
--
This card remains in play.
--
(Rules clarifications: This is an action-duration, but it is not cleaned up at the end of any turn. The +$3 bonus takes place only on the turn the card is played, not every turn. If the player chooses to give a Curse instead, the card is not gained but is returned to the supply and the player forfeits that buy and any treasure or virtual money that would have been used to purchase it. If multiple Gargoyles are in play, the player may choose to forfeit a single buy in order to give Curses to other players equal to the number of Gargoyles in play. I.e. they stack.)#13 (tie) - Tribunal by
Archetype with 8 points
(Larissa)$4 - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
Name a type of card. Each other player reveals the top card of their deck. If it's the named type, they gain a Curse, and discard the revealed card. If it isn't the named type, they put it back on top.
#15 (tie) - Berserker by
WanderingWinder with 7 points
(Triton)$5 - Action-Attack
+1 Card
+1 Buy
+$1
Every player (including you) gains a Curse.
Reveal your hand. Until the end of your turn, cards cost $1 less for every Curse you revealed.
#15 (tie) - Rat Catcher by
One Armed Man with 7 points
(Rhea)$4 - Action-Attack
Choose 1: trash any number of cards from your hand and gain a Curse, putting it in your hand; or trash up to one Curse from your hand, and each other player gains a Curse card, putting it in his hand.
#15 (tie) - Poltergeist by
greatexpectations with 7 points
(Oberon)$5 - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
+$1
Discard a card. Each other player draws a card and then gains a Curse.
#15 (tie) - Blight by
Dubdubdubdub with 7 points
(Enceladus)$2 - Action-Attack
Each other player gains a Curse card.
--
When you gain this card: gain a Curse card.
#15 (tie) - Poisoned Chalice by
Thisisnotasmile with 7 points
(Amalthea)$5 - Treasure-Reaction
Worth $1
+1 Buy
--
When you buy a card costing up to $2, you may discard this from your hand. If you do, each other player gains a Curse card.
#20 (tie) - Ordeal by
zahlman with 6 points
(Hyperion)$3 - Action/Attack
+$2
You may trash a card from your hand costing at least $3. If you don't, trash this. Each other player gains a Curse.
#20 (tie) - King by
Powerman with 6 points
(Himalia)$3 Action-Attack
+2 Cards
Each other player may reveal an Estate or Curse from their hand. If he doesn't, he gains a Curse and an Estate.
#22 (tie) - Remorseful Witch by
Nicrosil with 5 points
(Umbriel)$4 - Action-Attack
+$2
You may choose to have each other player gain a Curse. If you do, gain a Remorseful Witch token. If you have 2 or more Remorseful Witch tokens, lose 2 Remorseful Witch tokens and trash this card.
#22 (tie) - Maegi by
jonts26 with 5 points
(Phoebe)$4 - Action-Duration-Attack
+$2
Each other player gains a Curse.
--
At the start of your next turn, choose one: Gain a Curse, or discard 2 cards
#22 (tie) - Catacombs by
chwhite with 5 points
(Nix)$3 - Action-Attack
+1 Action
Reveal and discard up to four cards from your hand.
+1 Card for each Victory and Treasure card you discard.
+$2 for each Curse you discard.
If you discard at least one Action, each other player gains a Curse.
#22 (tie) - Snake Charmer by
Schneau with 5 points
(Galatea)$4 - Action-Attack
+$2
You may trash 1 Treasure card from your hand. Gain a Snake Charmer token. If you now have an even number of Snake Charmer tokens, every other player gains a Curse.
#26 (tie) - Witch's Guild by
zxcvbn2 with 4 points
(Tethys)$4 - Attack
+2 Actions
Each other player gains a Curse.
If another player reveals a Curse from hand: +2 Actions, discard down to three cards in hand.
#26 (tie) - Offertory by
Polk5440 with 4 points
(Mimas)$4 - Action-Attack
Each other player reveals a treasure card from his hand or reveals a hand without treasures. For each player who revealed a treasure card, you choose one: he gains a Curse, or he trashes the revealed treasure card and you gain it.
#26 (tie) - Luddites by
A Drowned Kernel with 4 points
(Iapetus)$4 - Action-Reaction
Gain a card costing up to $4.
--
When another player would gain a non-victory card from a pile without a Luddites Token on it, you may reveal this card from your hand. If you do, he gains a Curse instead and a Luddites Token is placed on the pile.
#26 (tie) - Old Hag by
thirtyseven with 4 points
(Ganymede)$4 - Action-Duration
+2 Cards
If another player reshuffles his deck before the start of your next turn, he gains a Curse on top of his deck.
--
(Rules clarification: This is a typical duration card in that it gets cleaned up at the end of the player's next turn.)#26 (tie) - Conqueror by
andwilk with 4 points
(Ariel)$6 - Action-Attack-Duration
Choose one: +$2 or +1 VP
Each other player may discard two treasure cards. If he doesn't, he gains a Curse.
--
At the start of your next turn, you may discard up to 3 cards from your hand. Each other player must discard the same number of cards.
#31 (tie) - Infernal Altar by
DoctorO with 3 points
(Namaka)$4 - Action-Attack
Trash up to four cards from your hand. If the combined value of the trashed cards exceeds $5, +$3 and each other player gains a Curse on top of their deck.
#31 (tie) - Imp by
qmech with 3 points
(Juliet)$4 - Action-Attack
+2 Actions
Each other player gains a Curse.
#31 (tie) - Riddling Witch by
popsofctown with 3 points
(Europa)$4 - Action-Attack
The player to your left may choose to have each of your opponents gain a Curse. If no Curses were gained this way, +4 Cards.
Otherwise, +1 Action.
#31 (tie) - Shrunken Head by
Boldot with 3 points
(Despina)$4 - Treasure
Worth $0
Trash a treasure card from your hand. If you do, each other player gains a Curse to their hand.
#31 (tie) - Gossip by
jamuspsi with 3 points
(Callisto)$5 - Action
+1 Action
Reveal the top 5 cards of your deck. Return all revealed Curses to the supply; discard the other revealed cards. If at least one Curse was revealed, each other player gains a Curse card, placing it in their hand. If no Curses were revealed, +1 Card.
#36 - Poisoner by
senseless with 2 points
(Nereid)$5 - Action-Attack
+$2
Discard any number of Curses, +1$ per Curse discarded.
If there's at least 1 Curse left per player in the Curse pile, all other players gain a Curse.
#37 - Stable Witch by
rbruba with 1 point
(Hydra)$7 - Action-Attack-Duration
Now and at the start of your next turn: Each other player takes a Curse or reveals a hand with no Curse cards.
#38 - Plague Rat by
Grujah with 0 points
(Thebe)$3 - Action-Attack
+1 Action
You may gain a Curse card.
If you gained a Curse card this turn, each other player gains a Curse card.