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[eHalcyon]

#2 (tie) - Artificer by eHalcyon with 13 points (Clementine)
$5 - Action
+5 Cards
+1 Action
Reveal your hand.  The player to your left chooses a card to discard from your hand, then the player to your right does the same.



This is the best I've done in the contests (so far at least!) so I'm curious about what others think.

Artificer is a strange amalgamation of Embassy (draw 5 and discard), Stables (big non-terminal draw) and Envoy (big draw, opponents discard).

What stands out about this card is that it is a non-terminal that nets you +2 cards.  The only other card that does that is Governor, and it benefits opponents greatly.  Stables comes close but it requires that you discard treasure and only nets +1.

The drawback, however, is huge.  The penalty is much bigger than with Envoy, not only because two cards are discarded but because they are discarded from your hand, not just the drawn cards.  You have to be far more careful about the order in which you play cards.

I'm also not sure about the card name.  I think something relating to Embassy, Envoy or Stables (or all three) would be best, but I couldn't think of any when I submitted.  So I picked something unrelated to any of them.

(Edited to fix "net" commentary.)

[Lhurgoyf]

It nets you +2 cards:
start hand (5) -> play (4) -> draw 5 (9) -> discard 2 (7)

I think it is balanced. I like the idea.

[yuma]

I like it was well... if rinkworks ends up runner up contest to fill in the last slot of two I think yours would have a fair shot at getting it. Although a lot of the other second place cards have been really good too.

[eHalcyon]

It nets you +2 cards:
start hand (5) -> play (4) -> draw 5 (9) -> discard 2 (7)

I think it is balanced. I like the idea.

Oops.  Yes.  I was failing to account for the played card itself.

[Schneau]

I think this card is interesting, unique, and probably balanced. But, I didn't vote for it, not for its mechanics but because of worries about AP and possibly politics. My main worry is that two different people have to choose a card for you to discard from among quite a few cards. This could result in opponents wanting to discuss which to have you discard, or trying to predict which the other player will discard. This could even lead to politics if different players want you to keep certain attack cards, for example. Envoy sometimes is a bit slow if the player has actions remaining, and this card even gives you an action. So, I would just worry that this card will play very slow.

It may negate some of the problem to have only one opponent choose which cards you discard, though this takes away some of the interestingness of the card.

[eHalcyon]

I think this card is interesting, unique, and probably balanced. But, I didn't vote for it, not for its mechanics but because of worries about AP and possibly politics. My main worry is that two different people have to choose a card for you to discard from among quite a few cards. This could result in opponents wanting to discuss which to have you discard, or trying to predict which the other player will discard. This could even lead to politics if different players want you to keep certain attack cards, for example. Envoy sometimes is a bit slow if the player has actions remaining, and this card even gives you an action. So, I would just worry that this card will play very slow.

It may negate some of the problem to have only one opponent choose which cards you discard, though this takes away some of the interestingness of the card.

Hm, it's easy to simply disallow any such talk.  The player to your left chooses in isolation, then the player to your right chooses in isolation.  Are there any such rules for Envoy?  The amount of discussion, AP and politics shouldn't be much more than with Envoy.  Maybe the built-in action would add AP and make things slower, but sometimes it might speed up the decision.  With Artificer, you always know that strong Actions should be discarded.  With Envoy, players who haven't been paying attention will have to catch up to see if the player has any actions left.

Note that in a 2p game, the player to your left and right are the same.  This just adds a bit of spice to 3p and up.

[Drab Emordnilap]

I'm a fan of this card, but I might consider changing it to the player to your left making both choices, both for the shorter template and to avoid any sort of overthinking from the player to your left about what the player to you right will choose.

"Well, I don't mind much if he keeps Torturer because I have a Library in hand, so I can make him discard his Festival knowing the other guy will make him discard the Torturer, but then what if he has his Trader in hand? Maybe I should take the Torturer after all... Hey, Phil, if you take his Torturer I'll let you keep a good card next time!"

[One Armed Man]

The best name for it is probably Diplomat, Consul, or Consulate. Gives the embassy and envoy feel.