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[czzzz]

This week's challenge is to Create an improved fan mechanic. And a card or two to show it in action, of course.

If you're going to use someone else's idea as a starting point, feel free to look at my mechanics, "really bad card ideas", or other sources that won't be offended by you saying their mechanic is bad, and then link/quote the original so we know what we're comparing to.
You could also tell us about your own mechanic and how you're reworking it.

But the idea is taking something that has problems, and making it usable and awesome!

Submission Guidelines
Valid submissions contain three parts:

• Old Mechanic

Explain what it is, and what's wrong with it

• New Mechanic

Explain what it is now, and how it's better

• Card(s) Using Mechanic

Show off how cool it is. Max two cards/card-shaped things.

Remember, this is week is more about the new mechanic than the card itself.
I'm judging based on how big of an improvement it is on the old version, how unique and creative it is, and how fun I think the mechanic is. Fun mechanics usually aren't overcomplicated or unbalanced.

Have fun!

[Will(ow|iam)]

Old Mechanic: Duration Cards stay in play.

This mechanic has led to tons of frustrated and weird wordings and interactions related to command cards and thrones sometimes staying in play, and trashers and other stuff saying "non-duration". To hell with all that! Duration cards should have been tokens and states from the beginning.

New Mechanic: States and mats for every mechanic duration cards used to use

* "Delayed card"
* "Delayed action"
* "Delayed buy"
* "Delayed coin"
* "Delayed may trash"

Cards using new mechanic:

Here's every duration card in seaside reworded to use tokens and states:

* "Resistance": When another player plays an attack, you may spend a resistance to be unaffected by it.
The following mat for cards:
* Cruise: "At the start of your turn, put cards on your Cruise mat into your hand"
And the following states
* "Monkey See Monkey Do": When another player gains a card, +1 Card per token on this. Return this at start of turn.
* "Swept in the Tide": At the start of your next turn, return this and discard 2 cards per token on it.
* "Canonfire": The first time you play a silver or gold this turn, trash it and return this. If you end your turn with this, return it.

The Cards (non-durations unchanged from seaside):
* Haven: +1 Card, +1 Action; Put a card from your hand onto your Cruise mat.
* Lighthouse: +1 Action, +$1, +1 Delayed $, +1 Resistance
* Astrolabe: +$1, +1 Delayed $, +1 buy, +1 Delayed buy
* Fishing Village: +2 Actions, +1 delayed action, +$1, +1 delayed $
* Monkey: +1 next turn card. If you don't have "Monkey See Monkey Do", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Blockade: gain a card costing up to 4 on your cruise mat. While it's there, when another player gains a copy of it on their turn, they gain a curse.
* Caravan: +1 Card, +1 Delayed card, +1 Action
* Sailor: +1 Action, +2 delayed coins, +1 Delayed may trash
* Tide Pools: +3 Cards, +1 Action. If you don't have "Swept in the tide", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Corsair: +$2, +1 delayed card, each other player takes "Canonfire"
* Merchant Ship: +$2, +2 Delayed $
* Outpost has the same text but doesn't need to be duration
* Pirate: Gain a treasure costing up to $6 to your cruise mat/ (the same reaction)
* Sea Witch: +2 Delayed Cards. If you don't have "Swept in the tide", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Tactician, Wharf: You get it by now

And here are some other edgy duration cards
* Grotto, Royal Galley, Prince Taskmaster, all of the "next time" durations: These cards set-aside, island style, rather than being in play.
* Amulet, Enchantress, Importer, Siren: A state

[BryGuy]

Old Mechanic:

Mighty type - You can't play a Mighty card if you have one in play. You can still play more through alternate means, like cards that put other cards into play, or Command cards (Although you could put under-the-line text that restricts that too, somehow). But yeah it lets you restrict a card, enabling some things we might normally avoid, like non-terminal Attacks.

Issue with Old mechanic:
This mechanic as noted would likely mean that most piles would almost never become empty for fear that they may collide and become duds-in-hand. This is escecially true for those who's strategy is to draw most of thier deck each turn.

New Mechanic:
More type - A More of lower cost can not be played after a More of a higher cost unless a card specifically allows that. This card type will always be in spilt piles.

Royal • Randomizer
This pile starts with as many copies of each card as players, but minimum three and maximum five. These are set-up from lowest cost to highest cost.

Jill • $3 • Treasure - Royal - More
Trash a Hand card. If it is ... a Victory, +$2; a Treasure, +$1.
Each other player may trash a copy of the card you trashed from their Hand.
You may rotate the Royals.

Jack • $4 • Action - Royal - More
...

Jacqueline • $5 • Action - Royal - More
+2 Cards
+1 Buy
Choose one: +1 Action; or discard a card for +$1.
Each other player may reveal a Victory costing up to $6; otherwise +$2.

Julian • $6 • Action - Royal - More
...

[czzzz]

Contest Closes in 48 Hours

[czzzz]

"Delayed" + States by Will(ow|iam)

Old Mechanic: Duration Cards stay in play.

This mechanic has led to tons of frustrated and weird wordings and interactions related to command cards and thrones sometimes staying in play, and trashers and other stuff saying "non-duration". To hell with all that! Duration cards should have been tokens and states from the beginning.

I like this. We love the effect of Duration cards of course, but there are known problems. I also really appreciate the boldness of choosing an official mechanic over a fan one, hahaha.

New Mechanic: States and mats for every mechanic duration cards used to use

* "Delayed card"
* "Delayed action"
* "Delayed buy"
* "Delayed coin"
* "Delayed may trash"

This is where your new mechanic shines the most. Vanilla and common effects being separated from using the card itself to track it really does improve things. Now our "Duration" cards aren't stuck out missing shuffles

Cards using new mechanic:

Here's every duration card in seaside reworded to use tokens and states:

* "Resistance": When another player plays an attack, you may spend a resistance to be unaffected by it.
The following mat for cards:
* Cruise: "At the start of your turn, put cards on your Cruise mat into your hand"
And the following states
* "Monkey See Monkey Do": When another player gains a card, +1 Card per token on this. Return this at start of turn.
* "Swept in the Tide": At the start of your next turn, return this and discard 2 cards per token on it.
* "Canonfire": The first time you play a silver or gold this turn, trash it and return this. If you end your turn with this, return it.

The Cards (non-durations unchanged from seaside):
* Haven: +1 Card, +1 Action; Put a card from your hand onto your Cruise mat.
* Lighthouse: +1 Action, +$1, +1 Delayed $, +1 Resistance
* Astrolabe: +$1, +1 Delayed $, +1 buy, +1 Delayed buy
* Fishing Village: +2 Actions, +1 delayed action, +$1, +1 delayed $
* Monkey: +1 next turn card. If you don't have "Monkey See Monkey Do", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Blockade: gain a card costing up to 4 on your cruise mat. While it's there, when another player gains a copy of it on their turn, they gain a curse.
* Caravan: +1 Card, +1 Delayed card, +1 Action
* Sailor: +1 Action, +2 delayed coins, +1 Delayed may trash
* Tide Pools: +3 Cards, +1 Action. If you don't have "Swept in the tide", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Corsair: +$2, +1 delayed card, each other player takes "Canonfire"
* Merchant Ship: +$2, +2 Delayed $
* Outpost has the same text but doesn't need to be duration
* Pirate: Gain a treasure costing up to $6 to your cruise mat/ (the same reaction)
* Sea Witch: +2 Delayed Cards. If you don't have "Swept in the tide", take it. Regardless, put a token on it.
* Tactician, Wharf: You get it by now

And here are some other edgy duration cards
* Grotto, Royal Galley, Prince Taskmaster, all of the "next time" durations: These cards set-aside, island style, rather than being in play.
* Amulet, Enchantress, Importer, Siren: A state

As I mentioned before, the more vanilla-y ones really stand out here. The states do accomplish the same thing, of separating the card from how its effect is tracked. I think it's a tradeoff on these; sacrificing speed/play simplicity for rule simplicity.  But maybe in practice it really is an improvement all around, I could totally be wrong. Regardless, I think this is cool (and I like the State names, haha)

More type by BryGuy

Old Mechanic:

Mighty type - You can't play a Mighty card if you have one in play. You can still play more through alternate means, like cards that put other cards into play, or Command cards (Although you could put under-the-line text that restricts that too, somehow). But yeah it lets you restrict a card, enabling some things we might normally avoid, like non-terminal Attacks.

This mechanic as noted would likely mean that most piles would almost never become empty for fear that they may collide and become duds-in-hand. This is especially true for those who's strategy is to draw most of their deck each turn.

Absolutely, undeniable.

New Mechanic:
More type - A More of lower cost can not be played after a More of a higher cost unless a card specifically allows that. This card type will always be in split piles.

Achieves the same thing, limiting the play of a card. More would be equivalent in effect to Mighty if there was just one More card in a kingdom. BUT by guaranteeing it will always be bringing other More cards (of different costs), it solves a lot of Mighty's problems and takes its own direction while keeping the same intention.

Royal • Randomizer
This pile starts with as many copies of each card as players, but minimum three and maximum five. These are set-up from lowest cost to highest cost.[/font][/size][/color]

Jill • $3 • Treasure - Royal - More
Trash a Hand card. If it is ... a Victory, +$2; a Treasure, +$1.
Each other player may trash a copy of the card you trashed from their Hand.
You may rotate the Royals.

Jack • $4 • Action - Royal - More
...

Jacqueline • $5 • Action - Royal - More
+2 Cards
+1 Buy
Choose one: +1 Action; or discard a card for +$1.
Each other player may reveal a Victory costing up to $6; otherwise +$2.

Julian • $6 • Action - Royal - More
...

These examples probably don't have huge reason to be More type, like they're not so overpowered that they need that nerf. But it shows the structure of it, to get you thinking

SO many lovely submissions to choose from

Winner: BryGuy
Runner-Up: Will(ow|iam)
Honorable Mentions: Will(ow|iam), Will(ow|iam), and Will(ow|iam)

[Tiago]

Sorry I didn't submit. I didn't feel capable of doing it well since I didn't have much time.