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[czzzz]

The contest this week is:
 Design a card that uses the Shadow mat

When you play a card, you can return copies of that card from your Shadow mat to the Supply in order to replay the card.
It's, uh, kind of a mat of one-shot Royal Carriages that only work for their specific card.

Cards on your Shadow mat are NOT part of your deck, an important distinction from Exile -- Shadowing a card from your hand makes it leave your deck, effectively trashing it (but getting an extra play out of the next copy of it you play).

Here's a few example cards to show some basic ways you could use the mechanic:

Scribe - Shadowing playable cards from the Supply means storing up an opportunity to throne a copy of the Shadowed card.
Illusion - Shadowing from your hand means removing it from your deck but/and storing a throne.
Bid - Shadowing a Victory card doesn't put it into your deck, but if you make a card that discards from the Shadow mat, then it would let you "reserve" the Victory card and get it later through discarding.

Contest rules:

• Please make a card or cards, not card-shaped thing
• 2 cards max in your submission, not a 4-part pile or Traveller line
• Including other fan mechanics is welcome
• Contest ends around a week from tomorrow. I'll give a 48 or 24 hour notice and present my judgment shortly after it ends

I like cards that are fun, creative, clever, and balanced. Simple but thought-out cards are often more enjoyable than a wall of text.
If you have any questions, I'll update the FAQ with answers. Have fun!

FAQ/Notes

• It returns "to its pile" rather than "to the Supply", so it doesn't have an arbitrary distinction of not working on non-Supply cards. Shadow your Wishes all you like
• 4/21 - Why no horizontals? Eh, personal preference. Makes it easier to compare cards, and the contest involves a mat that doesn't have cards around it yet.

[grrgrrgrr]

I am a little confused why horizontals aren't allowed. I certainly resonate with the 2 card limit though.

EDIT: My new submission:

+1 Card
+2 Actions
You may discard an Estate from your Shadow mat for +1 Card, or +$1, or +1 Buy.
-
In games using this, when you trash a card, Shadow it.

My old submission:

[grumpo]

Working on an idea for a second card that I'll probably add to this post later, but here's the first part of my submission:



Witch Trial

$4 - Action

+2 Cards

Receive a Hex. Shadow two Attacks from the Supply.

The idea here was to use the Shadow mat as a way to either take a card out of play or give players one-off uses of specific cards. In this case, Witch Trial could either be used to diminish the number of Witches/Witch-like cards available for play, or to stage a moment where these Witches/Witch-like cards take revenge on the world for being put on trial. Not sure how people feel about Hexes in general since I'm newer to Nocturne, but this felt like a fairer penalty than what I initially put of giving the player who plays this a Curse.

Edit: Added the Setup portion based on Ethan's feedback below to ensure that there's always some interactivity with this card. Open to other suggestions of how to ensure that interactivity more elegantly.

[Ethan]

I think both of the submission right now have the same problem that they would be totally useless in kingdoms without interactions.

[BryGuy]

Black Bank • $5 • Night
Shadow a card in play. If it is a Treasure costing $2 or less, Shadow a copy from the Supply.
-
Gain this to your Hand.

[segura]

[bigpotato]

Spectre - 3$ Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
At the start of Clean-Up, you may Shadow this.

[segura]

This is like Encampment, but with more control, more delay and a higher Coin cost. So it is weaker on average and thus has to cost $2.

[anordinaryman]

Nobleman | Action | $5
Gain and play an Action card other than Nobleman.

Each other player may Shadow a copy of it from the Supply.

[Tiago]

The name is terrible, sorry.

[czzzz]

Contest closing in 48 hours
Submissions are looking great! Get yours in if you haven't yet

[czzzz]

Well you guys made some awesome cards so it's gonna be hard to pick a winner. Here's my feedback on your cards


Ecological Village by grrgrrgrr

$4 - Action
+1 Card
+2 Actions
You may discard an Estate from your Shadow mat for +1 Card, or +$1, or +1 Buy.
-
In games using this, when you trash a card, Shadow it.

A really really well balanced card, with an intriguing game effect under the line. Trashing is not as rare as it used to be, so I'm not worried about the fact that it needs a trasher -- especially because it's a $4 cost vanillage if there's not one, which is just like Fortress. And I would never say Fortress isn't good just because it needs a trasher in the set, haha.

• Very BALANCE
• Optional self-junk for benefit. I love cards that take work or strategy to use well

(Bonus: Graveyard by grrgrrgrr)

(Ah, yup, this wouldn't be usable in a set without trashing. But a fun concept; potentially pushing players to hold onto things instead of throning)

• Victory card! Special
• Another card you'd have to work for 

Witch Trial by grumpo

Witch Trial
$4 - Action
+2 Cards
Receive a Hex. Shadow two Attacks from the Supply.

The setup portion helps a ton, absolutely. Man, this would feel really different depending on the Attacks available. But regardless, getting a little draw and getting TWO things Shadowed unconditionally... seems wild for the price, even with the doom (although I do love the doom, for balancing AND theme). One play lets you King's Court that Attack, and two plays of this would let you play that Attack FIVE TIMES instead of one, sheesh. Maybe I'm overestimating things. Regardless I think it's very cool and thematic

• Set up for the ULTIMATE ATTACK (unless you're a crazy pacifist/hoarder and keep em on your mat)
• Go hex yourself (hey you got the memo too, that I like cards that can hurt to use!)
• Extra pile! Extra ATTACK, no less

Black Bank by BryGuy

Black Bank • $5 • Night
Shadow a card in play. If it is a Treasure costing $2 or less, Shadow a copy from the Supply.
-
Gain this to your Hand.

Interesting, it's rewarding you for using it on Copper (and Ducat and stuff) but still allows you to get rid of other played stuff you're done with. Nice that you still get to play it before Shadowing, too.

• More flexible and fun Moneylender, kinda?
• When I googled "Black Bank" it gave results on black-owned banks. I don't think that's what you meant with your card name, so that gave me a chuckle

Mist by segura

$3 - Night
Shadow an Action or Treasure from the Supply.

Gets extra fun if there's Plats or other high-cost stuff in the mix, but totally usable in any set. Straightforward but effective

• Shortest Card award

Spectre by bigpotato

Spectre - $3 Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
At the start of Clean-Up, you may Shadow this.

Haha, this would be fun. I would totally buy these on turns I didn't spike, and let em stack up.

• Inoffensive addition to your deck, as a cantrip. But can launch a big move!
• Self-shadow award

Nobleman by anordinaryman

Nobleman | Action | $5
Gain and play an Action card other than Nobleman.
Each other player may Shadow a copy of it from the Supply.

Ah, I love the player interaction. Now, in a 4-player game the scaling might end the game pretty fast, since it'd be taking 4 cards out of a pile per play. I still think it's awesome though

• Non-attack interaction!!
• Action Wisher -- "gain and play"

Shady Workshop by Tiago

$4 Action - Reaction
Gain an Action costing up to $4.
Shadow a copy of it from the Supply.
-
When you gain a Treasure, you may play this from your hand.

Man, I think I'd still feel good about buying/playing this even at $5. Satisfying to get a card and know you throne it when you play it next. And you'll only get to do that so many times to a pile before they're out of the Supply...kind of that Stockpile scarcity but clogging your deck instead of being out of reach in Exile. Idk if that makes sense, anyways I like the feel of the card. And the reaction doesn't combo with itself because of the type difference (until we get a pile of cheaper Action - Treasures), which I like the intentionality of.

• Gain and Shadow, nice
• Reacts to Treasure gains

I've honestly gone back and forth on this a lot... I really enjoyed all of your cards and different ideas. Thanks for the time and thought you spent on your submissions.


Winner: Shady Workshop by Tiago
Runner Up: Ecological Village by grrgrrgrr
Honorary Mention: Every Moating submission, thanks again for humoring the Shadow mechanic