Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mathdude]

Tasks effectively create minor "minigames" throughout your game of Dominion that should not deter you from the general game but may occasionally help you.

Tasks are a pile of shuffled face-down landscape "cards", with the top card turned face-up (still in the Task draw pile).
There is also a pile of Rewards cards, similarly shuffled, stacked face-down, and starting with one face-up on top.
The top card on both the Task and Reward draw piles is face-up (revealed) at all times - as soon as one is removed, flip the next face-up.
At any point in the game, when either pile is emptied, keep the current face-up card, shuffle the rest to make a new pile, then put that card back on top.

In your Buy Phase, you may buy a Task for $2, then you Take the revealed Task.  Some cards may also let you Take a Task (without buying it).

Take is a new keyword (e.g. Take a Task; Look at the revealed and next 2 Tasks, Take one and discard the rest; etc.).  It triggers a number of things:
- the top, face-up Task is brought into your possession (similar to a set aside card)
- you choose to take the revealed Reward or discard it to take the next one
- the taken Reward gets set with the Task (also face-up)

When you accomplish the Task (i.e. complete the "instructions" on it), you may immediately, or at the start of any phase (as long as it remains accomplished), Receive its paired Reward, to put the Task and Reward into their respective discard piles.
This is optional (uses "may") for 2 reasons - there are times you may accomplish it when you don't want to receive the reward yet (maybe you're in the wrong Phase), and then obviously for accountability (and the fact that you'd have to be constantly checking to see if people have accomplished their Task).

During Clean-up, you may only have 1 Task set aside (unless a card, likely a Duration, allows you to have more).  If you have too many Tasks, you choose which extra(s) to discard (with their Reward).

Tasks generally should not distract (or at least not detract) from the game.  They will usually be things that will already happen within a typical game.  You just might choose to do things in a slightly different order because of a task.  Rewards are usually helpful, but not overpowering - likely between the power level of a Boon and a Way.  There will be times that the Reward you end up with just doesn't work with the timing of the Task you buy/Take, but usually there will be some benefit (like drawing a Chapel or Baron turn 3 without any Estates in hand).

Possible Tasks
(1 mocked up, 9 more listed - if there were 10 unique Tasks like these, I'd have 2 copies of each printed for a game):
(RGB colour code 1.2/0.2/0.6 if anyone wants to mock up more)
have 3 action cards in play
have 3 unique treasures in play
have 3 copies of the same card in play
have 6 treasures in play
have 5 unique cards in play
gain 2 cards in the same turn
buy a victory card
have 3 card types in play
during clean-up, have $2 unspent

Possible Rewards
(1 mocked up, 23 more listed - there would only be 1 copy of each printed for these):
(RGB colour code is 1.0/1.0/0.2)
+$2
+$1, +1 Buy
+1 Action, +$1
+1 Card, +$1
+2 Cards
+1 Card, +1 Action
gain a gold
+3 Cards, discard 2
discard your hand, +3 cards
this turn, treasures cost $1 less
this turn, actions cost $1 less
trash a card from your hand
return a card from your hand to its pile to gain a card costing exactly 1 more than it
set aside a card from your hand, at the start of next turn put it in your hand
this turn when you gain a card you may put it on your deck
gain a card costing up to 6 and a curse, both on your deck
gain a card costing up to 3 onto your deck
Receive the face-up Reward, leaving it there
look through your discard pile, you may put one card from it onto your deck
look at top 4 cards of deck, discard any number and put the rest back in any order
each player (including you) reveals the top card of their deck; discard or put it back, your choice
name a card type, reveal top 3 cards, put any that have that type in your hand, discard the rest
if you buy a card costing $5 or less this turn, gain a differently named card costing the same amount

This week's Design Challenge
Design a Card or WELP that interacts with Tasks.  Other fan mechanics will likely not be allowed, to avoid unnecessary complexity (but if you feel one fits very appropriately, post it as a submission and ask).

Contest closes Thursday, January 27th at noon, EST

I considered having any cards that interact with Tasks have a new Type (e.g. Action-Task) for set-up purposes, similar to Fate cards using Boons or Looter cards using Ruins.  But with Horses in Menagerie, no additional type was added, so I didn't feel it necessary.

You are welcome to discuss the balance, design, and strategy of Tasks and Rewards.  The lists above are not set in stone - if there's something broken in some of them, things can be modified, removed, or new ones added.  I welcome any questions.

(After the contest closes, I will post 14 cards that I have designed to go with Tasks - with the above Tasks and Rewards, it makes a 200-card "add-on" that could be added to any Dominion collection.)

[Augie279]

Worker's Village that can be turned into cantrip Buy if you think you can do the top Task. If you can't or just don't want to, why not gamble on being able to do the next? A bit simple but hey what can you do.



Also this task because why not. Most likely to happen if you have no Victory cards in hand, though there are other ways it can be claimed as well.

[mathdude]

Worker's Village that can be turned into cantrip Buy if you think you can do the top Task. If you can't or just don't want to, why not gamble on being able to do the next? A bit simple but hey what can you do.



Also this task because why not. Most likely to happen if you have no Victory cards in hand, though there are other ways it can be claimed as well.

I like the new State: Clean Slate.  I'm adding it to my list!

I won't comment on the card design in general (until judging at the end).  But I do want to clarify 2 things.
1. Spending an Action for this is basically a Fan Mechanic (at least, it's non-canon), but that's okay here as it doesn't add any complexity or confusion.
2. Once you discard the top Task, the next one would immediately be turned face-up, so it's not a gamble as to which one you might take - they're both revealed at that point.  (I guess that's not explicitly stated in the OP, so I'll edit it in now).

I would recommend you use the wording I showed in one example in the OP if you want to keep this general concept: "Look at the revealed and the next Task.  You may spend an Action to Take one.  Discard the rest."

[Augie279]

Worker's Village that can be turned into cantrip Buy if you think you can do the top Task. If you can't or just don't want to, why not gamble on being able to do the next? A bit simple but hey what can you do.



Also this task because why not. Most likely to happen if you have no Victory cards in hand, though there are other ways it can be claimed as well.

I like the new State: Clean Slate.  I'm adding it to my list!

I won't comment on the card design in general (until judging at the end).  But I do want to clarify 2 things.
1. Spending an Action for this is basically a Fan Mechanic (at least, it's non-canon), but that's okay here as it doesn't add any complexity or confusion.
2. Once you discard the top Task, the next one would immediately be turned face-up, so it's not a gamble as to which one you might take - they're both revealed at that point.  (I guess that's not explicitly stated in the OP, so I'll edit it in now).

I would recommend you use the wording I showed in one example in the OP if you want to keep this general concept: "Look at the revealed and the next Task.  You may spend an Action to Take one.  Discard the rest."

Changed it in a bit of a different way.

[exfret]

Why would I ever take a task? $2 and a buy just to maybe get something at the power level of a $4 card seems pretty weak. I mean, the tempo loss is already big enough that even if I'm sure to complete the task I would just ignore them.

[mathdude]

Why would I ever take a task? $2 and a buy just to maybe get something at the power level of a $4 card seems pretty weak. I mean, the tempo loss is already big enough that even if I'm sure to complete the task I would just ignore them.

Straight-up buying a task may not always be a good idea. Sometimes you may have a spare buy and $2-3 remaining with nothing worth buying, but not often.

But I suspect the cards will be more often what will have you Take a task. The designed cards should be "interesting" enough that they entice people to buy them, but obviously not be an auto-buy.

[exfret]

The other problem I see with this is that tasks just don’t seem to change the game. Yeah, if I have the extra $ and buy I’ll buy a task since there’s no downside. I’ll take them. And if I happen to complete the task it’s cool. Maybe it’ll convince me to play one card over another once, but it won’t really change the game at all. So what’s the point?

[spineflu]

The other problem I see with this is that tasks just don’t seem to change the game. Yeah, if I have the extra $ and buy I’ll buy a task since there’s no downside. I’ll take them. And if I happen to complete the task it’s cool. Maybe it’ll convince me to play one card over another once, but it won’t really change the game at all. So what’s the point?

i like these questions because it gives the start of a good design brief. "i want this card to change the game using tasks", etc

[spineflu]

Benefactor • $4 • Action - Taskmaster
+1 Card
+1 Action
You may take a Task.
When you complete a Task this turn, take its Reward twice.

I did give this a type to say "include the tasks". I think that is necessary - the reason dxv didn't for horses is because it's a single named pile, like how spoils doesn't have one. Mixed piles of non-cards (boons, hexes) get a type to say "include these".

[mathdude]

The other problem I see with this is that tasks just don’t seem to change the game. Yeah, if I have the extra $ and buy I’ll buy a task since there’s no downside. I’ll take them. And if I happen to complete the task it’s cool. Maybe it’ll convince me to play one card over another once, but it won’t really change the game at all. So what’s the point?

i like these questions because it gives the start of a good design brief. "i want this card to change the game using tasks", etc

I don't think all fan mechanics need to change the game in a significant way. Would this get included in a real expansion? Likely not. Could some casual players add this to some games they play? Sure. Is it swingy? Sometimes... but so are Boons, shuffling, and some other parts of the game.

[Erick648]

What is the timing on completing tasks?  That is, which of the following is true:
 
Option 1: You may claim the reward for a completed task as soon as it is completed or at any time thereafter when it is in a completed state, even if you're interrupting something else.

Option 2: You may claim the reward for a completed task whenever it is in a completed state and you are not in the middle of anything else (resolving a card, shuffling, etc.).

Option 3: You may claim the reward for a completed task as soon as it is completed, even if you're interrupting something else, or at any time thereafter when it is in a completed state and you're not in the middle of anything else.

Relatedly, can you claim the reward for a completed task during another player's turn?

For example, let's say you have the "have 3 action cards in play" task and the "discard your hand, +3 cards" reward.  With two action cards already in play, you play Minion, choosing the discard-and-draw option.  Can you discard your hand to Minion, then before drawing claim the reward to discard your (nonexistant) hand and draw 3 cards, then draw the 4 cards for Minion, leaving you with a 7-card hand?  Option 1 would allow this.

To avoid being disruptive or having too many effects waiting for other effects to finish, I would tend to favor Option 2 or Option 3, with the added rule that you can only claim rewards during your turn prior to shuffling in Clean-up.  The reason I'd limit it to your turn is to prevent the situation where multiple players can claim rewards at the same time (e.g., someone plays Mountebank when two other players have the "gain 2 cards in the same turn" task but wait until later in the turn to claim the reward).

[mathdude]

What is the timing on completing tasks?  That is, which of the following is true:
 
Option 1: You may claim the reward for a completed task as soon as it is completed or at any time thereafter when it is in a completed state, even if you're interrupting something else.

Option 2: You may claim the reward for a completed task whenever it is in a completed state and you are not in the middle of anything else (resolving a card, shuffling, etc.).

Option 3: You may claim the reward for a completed task as soon as it is completed, even if you're interrupting something else, or at any time thereafter when it is in a completed state and you're not in the middle of anything else.

Relatedly, can you claim the reward for a completed task during another player's turn?

For example, let's say you have the "have 3 action cards in play" task and the "discard your hand, +3 cards" reward.  With two action cards already in play, you play Minion, choosing the discard-and-draw option.  Can you discard your hand to Minion, then before drawing claim the reward to discard your (nonexistant) hand and draw 3 cards, then draw the 4 cards for Minion, leaving you with a 7-card hand?  Option 1 would allow this.

To avoid being disruptive or having too many effects waiting for other effects to finish, I would tend to favor Option 2 or Option 3, with the added rule that you can only claim rewards during your turn prior to shuffling in Clean-up.  The reason I'd limit it to your turn is to prevent the situation where multiple players can claim rewards at the same time (e.g., someone plays Mountebank when two other players have the "gain 2 cards in the same turn" task but wait until later in the turn to claim the reward).

This is a great question.  I hadn't thought much about it.  I guess I had figured it could be any time that the condition was met (when it happened, or as long as it remained true).  But you raise some valid concerns with that.  I was even thinking it could happen on other players' turns.  You make me second-guess that... but really, if you can complete the task when someone plays a Montebank, good for you!  (And I doubt they would actually choose not to play it for that reason).

So here's what I'm thinking, now that I've ready your post and thought about it for a bit, here's what I'll modify the completion phrase to:

When you accomplish the Task (i.e. complete the "instructions" on it), you may immediately, or at the start of any phase (as long as it remains accomplished), Receive its paired Reward...

Does this help solve most of the problems?  There is likely still the possibility for some shenanigans, if you can time accomplishing it at an exact point in time.  But that would be part of the strategy.  Also, the word "immediately" should indicate that it interrupts anything else that's currently in progress, again to minimize issues with timing and such.  Otherwise, it will still remain eligible for Receiving the Reward at the start of any future phase (likely meaning at the start of Buy phase, Night phase, or Cleanup phase).

I'll update the OP.

[exfret]

The other problem I see with this is that tasks just don’t seem to change the game. Yeah, if I have the extra $ and buy I’ll buy a task since there’s no downside. I’ll take them. And if I happen to complete the task it’s cool. Maybe it’ll convince me to play one card over another once, but it won’t really change the game at all. So what’s the point?

i like these questions because it gives the start of a good design brief. "i want this card to change the game using tasks", etc

I don't think all fan mechanics need to change the game in a significant way. Would this get included in a real expansion? Likely not. Could some casual players add this to some games they play? Sure. Is it swingy? Sometimes... but so are Boons, shuffling, and some other parts of the game.

I mean, design however you want, but I certainly don't want to spend time designing some cards around a mechanic just for the mechanic to do nothing. Note that this is different from being swingy or unfun, which you seem to be confusing with the concept of "doing something"... all the mechanics in the official game (except maybe some dud cards like pstone) *do something*.

In general, I think fan mechanics contests should center around mechanics that actually change the game in some way so that people who want to enter don't have to waste time on a mechanic that has no reason to be in a game. Like, you might as well get rid of the mechanic and nothing would change, but the game will become simpler. I might try to implement this in a way I like better and post a card around that (unless someone already made a better implementation of this idea, which might be the case).

[ahyangyi]

General comment: most of the tasks seem to favor engines over, say, draw+money, which is probably a good thing since there's no point in making a whole new mechanism only to make every game degenerate into money dive.

That said, the engine-y tendency brings the tasks the same problem as with boons and hexes: when you already have an engine, you get to take and complete a dozen of tasks each turn, which means they would average to a bunch of static bonuses, and lose individuality, and 10x more annoying to actually execute with all the moving parts. On the other hand, when you don't have an engine yet, grabbing tasks is often a bad trade because it costs buys and it's hard to finish. (buying "have unused $2" with a $4 hand and a good visible reward seems like the only viable Round 1/2 task possibility, gaining a gold or gaining a silver onto the deck is probably worth it).

The middle ground is to grab the tasks opportunistically, which I think is the real intent of tasks, but also hard to achieve because one bad task (e.g. "3 card types in play" in a kingdom with only treasure and actions as playable types) would hard block the task deck until someone's engine start to reliably mass-produce tasks.

----------------------

Quick idea to give tasks some early game use (but... swingy)

Prophecy, $3, project
Discard your tasks and take a new one at the beginning of each of your Clean-up phase.

[arowdok]

Here is an overly simple Task assigner for the players that don't want to keep spending buys on new Tasks

Focus
$5
Project
At the start of your turn, choose one: If you have no Tasks, you may discard a card to take a Task; or you may abandon your current Task for $1.

I gotta ask the OP why are the Task cards separate from the Reward cards. It feel more random then it needs to be and it can creates situations where the reward card has no effect due to the Task being only completable at narrow times. A Task card could just have a Reward section on it and make the whole mechanic feel more filled out and balanceable. Unless the issue is space but with all the examples given I feel like both Texts can fit easily on single cards.

[mathdude]

I gotta ask the OP why are the Task cards separate from the Reward cards. It feel more random then it needs to be and it can creates situations where the reward card has no effect due to the Task being only completable at narrow times. A Task card could just have a Reward section on it and make the whole mechanic feel more filled out and balanceable. Unless the issue is space but with all the examples given I feel like both Texts can fit easily on single cards.

That's a fair question.  I did consider pairing them up, where rewards could be paired with tasks that made them support the same type of play strategy.  Overall, I felt that would make them too much of an auto-buy (most of the time) and didn't want the Tasks to fully take away from the main game of Dominion, but rather enhance it and sometimes provide an alternate strategy.

I thought of it being like Gardens - there's times when it makes sense to plan your strategy around it, but other times that it makes sense to mostly ignore them.  So with Tasks, sometimes what's revealed (face-up on top) will make sense and you'll either buy one once in a while (or more likely, use a card/project that will get you one), but other times you'll pass over them... sometimes for the whole game, and other times just for part of the game.  Another example is Projects - they aren't always auto-buy... sometimes they are an early target, sometimes it makes sense to buy one later in the game, and sometimes they're skippable.

But if a Task and Reward both partnered well with Big Money, and you were going that route, why "make the rich richer"?  Or for those going for Engines, give a pairing that always easily enhances the Engine development?  There is randomness in Dominion.  And the shuffle luck of Tasks and Rewards could be part of that.,

As mentioned in the OP, that's why some cards that interact with Tasks could filter through a few to pick a good one.

[jakav]

Another problem I have with tasks is that they simply aren't as fun or as useful with just one card that uses them as with multiple cards. When playing with them, it would probably be a good idea to either play with 2 things that interact with them, or just not play with them.

Anyway, I wanted to experiment with what can be done with this mechanic.

How about something like this:

Reviewer
$5
Treasure - Taskmaster

+$2
Choose up to 2: discard the top Task; discard the top Reward; take the top Task.

It is an action, similar to Festival, though it is not a village and provides some task and reward sifting. Is it good?

[mathdude]

Turns out I forgot to give the 24 hour warning.

Guess I'll extend it to tomorrow. This sure seems like it was a flop... oh well, at least there's a few submissions.

23 hour warning. Submissions due at noon EST tomorrow.

[jakav]

It's that soon? I guess I am using that as my submission. Thanks for the warning!

[LibraryAdventurer]

Another problem I have with tasks is that they simply aren't as fun or as useful with just one card that uses them as with multiple cards. When playing with them, it would probably be a good idea to either play with 2 things that interact with them, or just not play with them.

Anyway, I wanted to experiment with what can be done with this mechanic.

How about something like this:

Reviewer
$5
Action - Taskmaster

+1 Action
+$2
Choose up to 2: discard the top Task; discard the top Reward; take the top Task.

It is an action, similar to Festival, though it is not a village and provides some task and reward sifting. Is it good?

Looks good to me, although I would make it a treasure. As is, it looks like it should be a treasure instead of an action.

[jakav]

Looks good to me, although I would make it a treasure. As is, it looks like it should be a treasure instead of an action.

Thanks!

[mathdude]

Contest closed officially. But if you get an entry in I'll still count it. I'll probably get to judging tomorrow.

[mathdude]

Judgement:

Initially, I didn't like that this allowed you to "spend an Action", which is a little outside the standard Dominion gameplay, currently.  Then I realized it could just be reworded as

+1 Card
+1 Action
+1 Buy
Choose one: +1 Action or ... (tasks stuff)

And then I had no issue!  I like the simplicity.  I like that it has a choice between being a village (worker's) and a cantrip Task-taker (still with the +Buy, which is often lacking in a game!) - this means that even when you don't want to Take a Task, it still has a use (albeit now a $4 cost, that you spent $5 on).  It doesn't feel like it's always a "necessary" card, but if it's the only Village on the board, you're likely to still get some.

I'm not sure if the optional "may" is necessary here.  Even if you have one uncompleted already, you take another and if you can't complete either by the end of your turn you just discard the one you don't want (maybe one you won't accomplish, or maybe one paired with a "weaker" Reward).  But I guess it could let you leave a more awkward Task on the top of the pile for your opponent, especially if you have a few of these for filtering the Task pile.  I'm assuming the "take its Reward twice" doesn't stack - that would require something like "take its Reward again".  I do like the ability of this card, as a cantrip, to stack multiple times, gain multiple Tasks, and possibly complete a few of them and gain double Rewards all in the turn.  Without the stacking ability, it would have felt very weak.

Prophecy, $3, project
Discard your tasks and take a new one at the beginning of each of your Clean-up phase.

Like a good Project, this one really has a decision as to when to buy it.  There are some tasks, that when they come up, you may want to grab them (especially if paired with a good reward)... but you may not be able to complete immediately.  So buying this Project would allow you to cycle Tasks, and always have one available (even if you had none previously), but it could discard a good, uncompleted one.  It's not clearly stated here, but based on the intended "discard a Task", I assume the Reward would also be discarded and a new one taken with the new Task.  I like that this gives permanent use to Tasks throughout the game, without "taking up" a card slot in your deck.  I'm not sure if it should cost more or not though... I think the benefit of this Project greatly outweighs the drawback, so it may need to cost more, but playtesting could figure that out.

Focus
$5
Project
At the start of your turn, choose one: If you have no Tasks, you may discard a card to take a Task; or you may abandon your current Task for $1.

The first choice feels a lot like Lost in the Woods, from the Fool from Nocturne.  I feel like this would probably still be okay without the "if you have no tasks" clause, but then may need to cost $1 or $2 more - but I might prefer it there.  Otherwise, it feels very weak - you have to already have finished your Task(s) last turn (or abandoned it with this), and have a card worth discarding.  It also feels very wordy/awkward, with a choice between a conditional thing and an optional thing.  I like the idea of using Projects to get Tasks, but I'm not as keen on this one as it is, even though the concepts look okay.

Reviewer
$5
Treasure - Taskmaster
+$2
Choose up to 2: discard the top Task; discard the top Reward; take the top Task.

You asked if the sifting of Tasks and Rewards is good.  Because of the potential swinginess of the mechanic, once you get into $5+ cards, sifting seems like a great way to reduce the amount of swing - make the Tasks a little more predictable.  I think your "choose up to 2" hits a good balance.  It doesn't let you discard both Task and Reward and still be able to Take them.  But it does let you get rid of either a less achievable Task, or a less desirable Reward before you Take a task.  It looks like a good addition to a $5 "silver".  It was definitely a good switch from being an Action to a Treasure.


Well, out of 5 total entries...

Here are the Runners Up:
Augie279's Tavern
ahyangyi's Prophecy

And the Winner is:
jakav's Reviewer

[jakav]

Thanks, and sorry, I didn't look at this until today, I will try to get the new contest up tomorrow.