Beginning notes:
- As rinkworks pointed out, $2 cards often do things that no other card does, which makes you want to get them when you need them. So, I will unlikely vote for cards that are just downgrades from more expensive cards unless they are really intriguing. On the flip side, I will be more likely to vote for cards that have unique mechanics.
- Lots of no-draw-Villages here. I wasn't a fan of most of them, unfortunately.
- Lots of terminal Silvers. I find this sort of strange, since there are only 2 official cards that cost $2 that are terminal Silver - Duchess and Embargo.
- What's up with fractional numbers? I'm all kinds of against these. What's next, +$sqrt(2*pi)?
Let's get to the cards!
Sail On
$2 - Action-Duration
+$2
--
When you buy this you may pay more than $2. For every additional $1 paid, choose one (you may choose each one more than once).
- Trash a card in hand.
- Next turn: +1 Card.
- Next turn: +1 Action.
- Next turn: +1 Buy.
I actually don't have a big problem with the Duration type here - it's different than other durations, but that's fine, as long as it's explained in the rulebook. What I have a problem with is the rest of the card. You will rarely want to overspend on a terminal Silver just to get one of these weak bonuses. Also, since this is the $2 challenge, it's a bit hokey to have the cost be variable.
Marcella
$2 - Action
+2 Actions
+1 Buy
Discard any number of Curse cards. +1 Card per Curse card discarded.
--
When you gain this, gain a Curse.
This is very weak. I would never want to buy a weak Village that comes with a Curse. Being able to discard Curses just replaces the cards you would have otherwise gotten had you not bought this card. This may even be weaker than Necropolis.
Shut Down
$2 - Action
Reveal your hand. +$1 per Victory card revealed. If this is the first time you have played a [This Card] this turn, +1 Action.
This is probably fine if not a little boring. In reality, it's a lot like Secret Chamber that gives you +1 Action the first time you play it, without the Reaction. Probably pretty weak.
The Trader
$2 - Treasure
+$2
When you gain this, gain a Copper.
When I first read this, I thought it was a terminal Silver Action card, which would have been terribly weak. As a Treasure, it is probably fine (Note: Most people write "Worth $2" instead of "+$2" on Treasure cards). This is going to be pretty strong in most alt-VP rushes, but probably not OP. And otherwise, it's a Silver version of Cache. Most of the time, you would only buy this on 5/2 openings or when you want the Copper. I'm happy enough with it.
Darlin'
$2 - Action-Reaction
Trash two cards from your hand.
--
When you would gain a card, you may discard this. If you do, instead gain a card costing exactly $1 more.
I've designed a Reaction with this idea before. It's pretty weak, though it does block Curses effectively. With the two-card trashing, this would be a good buy in Cursing games. And, $2 is a good level for Reactions. At the same time, this definitely is in the same niche as Chapel, and would definitely be overshadowed by it most of the time. I'm torn, Darlin', I think I'd like you better if your non-reaction portion were different.
California Girls
$2 - Action-Reaction
+$2
You may place your [This Card] token onto any supply pile.
--
When another player plays the card your [This Card] token is on, you may reveal and discard this card. If you do, gain a Silver, putting it into your hand.
I feel like you would almost never put your token on a pile besides Copper. And when you do, you will likely get a Silver in place of this every time it is in your hand. Probably too strong? I'd say yes, since it's a terminal Silver if you ever have to play it. Terminal Silver at $2 has to basically be paired with something that doesn't really benefit or hurt you, such as Duchess.
Together Again
$2 - Action
+2 Cards
+2 Actions
+2 Buys
Return this card to the supply.
Why return this to the supply instead of trashing? WHY? See my comments on Challenge 13.
Warmth of the Sun
$2 - Action
+1 Action
+$1
Trash 2 Curses or Ruins from the supply. If you do, +1 Card.
If you are going to mention Ruins, this should probably be a Looter. It's weird say you can trash them if they aren't in the supply. Basically, this is an early game Peddler that becomes a Copper once the Curses (and Ruins?) are gone. They'll go fast, which makes this card weak. It also interacts poorly with Cursers and Looters (IMHO), since it will basically make them non-factors. (P.S. I think it would be Ruinses.)
Wild Honey
$2 - Action-Reaction
+2 Actions
When you discard this from your deck, you may reveal it. If you do, put it in your hand.
Hmmm, how often do you discard from your deck? In games without this mechanic, this is a $2 Necropolis. It probably is usually much weaker than Fishing Village, except for rare games where you often discard from your deck.
Do It Again
$2 - Action-Looter
Reveal cards from your deck until you reveal a card costing 2 or less. Trash it. You may put one revealed card in your hand; discard the rest.
--
When you trash this, each other player gains a Ruins.
I was thinking that this should be an Attack card, but then I realized it shouldn't, since it's more like IGG than anything else. As worded, since you reveal the card that you trash, it sounds like you could put the card you trash in your hand. It should probably say "You may put one of the other revealed cards in your hand; discard the rest". I sort of like this card otherwise, though it is difficult to tell the power of it. It basically trashes your next cheap card, lets you draw a non-cheap card if you're lucky, and gives an on-trash benefit. I actually really like that the "attack-ish" part of this card won't trigger very often - it's sometimes nice to have a medium-often junker. Anyway, I like it, and it's probably not too strong, though maybe too weak.
Caroline
$2 - Action
If you have no other cards in play you may discard your hand. If you do, gain a card costing up to 6.
So, it's like a Tactician that can get you a Gold or other powerful card? Plus, you can't have any other cards in play? I'm really not a fan of the no-other-cards-in-play clause. This makes playing this card really boring - it ruins your hand when you play it, and you can't do interesting things before playing it. It may also have Fancy Balance Issues (FBI). Let's say you open 2 Carolines - if you hit them turns 3 and 4, you'll have 2 Golds during second reshuffle (granted, without anything helping them). I'm guessing this makes it too strong, since unless you can buy multiple good cards or something costing over $6, it would be best to just play this and get the goods anyway.
Cotton Fields
$2 - Action
Choose one: Gain an Estate; or Gain a Spoils.
Hmmm, interesting. Basically, this will get you Spoils if you think you'll get through your deck another time, otherwise it will get you an Estate. I'm not sure if this is too strong or not (basically, can you have a $2 Spoils getter?). I would guess that this is fine, but it's hard to say. I sort of like its simplicity, though it's rather like a downgraded Marauder.
Pet Sounds
$2 - Action
+$2
Trash this card. Put a [This Card] token on top of a supply pile costing $3 or more.
--
Cards cost $1 more per [This Card] token on that pile.
This card (not my submission) is one that I came up with a long time ago, and that I know others have come up with as well. Basically, Embargo with cost increase instead of Curses. I have a few thoughts on this specific reincarnation: it is interesting that the supply pile must cost at least $3 - this, I assume, is to prevent never-ending games where Coppers and Curses and Estates are too expensive to buy because for some reason you don't have any cards (Masquerade pin maybe?). It seems like a good solution to that problem, as far as I'm concerned. I am concerned about the wording of the second part - if you have a Silver in hand, and Silver has 3 tokens on it, can you Remodel it into a Province? It is very unclear as currently worded, and I'm guessing that the intent (and what I'd recommend) is that you cannot. I would recommend the wording that I use: "Cards in the supply cost $1 more for every Inflation token on that pile."
Besides all this, I have to say that this card is a bit boring, since everyone and their mother has come up with this concept before. I mean, it's probably balanced, but it shouldn't be in this fan expansion.
Barbara Ann
$2 - Action-Attack
+1 Action
Every other player gains a Curse, putting it in their hand, or discards a Curse, gaining a Silver, putting it in their hand.
This is too hit-or-miss. And probably too strong. A non-terminal curser for $2? Even with the option to discard-Curse-gain-Silver, yeah, too strong. I'd much prefer the options be "gain Curse and Silver" and "discard Curse". That way, both options are about equal in strength. I sort of like that version, though it should probably cost $3 or $4.
Mona
$2 - Action
+1 Buy
+$1
The first time you buy a card this turn, +$2.
So, this card gives $1 always, and an extra $2 to spend after your first buy? It's an interesting concept, but may in fact be too strong for a $2 card. Since it gives the +Buy, you could always spend your first buy on a Copper, and then this is basically a terminal Gold that gives you a Copper. Not only that, but it could stack - you play 3 of these, but only have to buy 1 Copper for them all to be terminal Gold. Is that too strong for a $2 card? My guess is yes. It could be really good for BM, where gaining a Copper to boost your buying potential for a Gold or Province isn't a big deal. Compare this to buying Cache, and you get a card that gives 1 Copper and usually will let you buy Gold (of course, you have use an Action on it). Anyway, I think the concept is neat, but it may be too strong.
Wind Chimes
$2 - Action
+1 Action
+1 Buy
--
When you discard this from play, if you bought fewer than two cards this turn, you may put this on top of your deck.
I guess this is sort of like a Walled Village for Buys? Except that it's not cantrip (which it shouldn't be at $2), so it's a bit of a risk to put it on your deck? This is probably fine. It is probably weak in engines, where you want to play your +Buy cards later in your turn and your +Cards and +Actions earlier. It may be interesting in BM, where you could keep it around until you hit a big turn to get Gold+Silver or something like that. Either way, it is probably pretty weak, but interesting idea. BTW, this would go well with our cost-reducer cards from last Challenges.
Wouldn't It Be Nice
$2 - Action
+1 Buy
Choose one: Take a [This Card] token; or return any number of [This Card] tokens, +$2 per [This Card] token returned.
Wouldn't it be nice if this card were better? It averages +1 Buy, +$1 if you take every other option every other time. Of course, you can save up those tokens for a bigger payout. Let's say you play this 5 times for 4 tokens and then a payout of $8 for a Province. That's an average of 8/5 = $1.6 per play. That's probably fine, but it takes a while to build these up. Unique card, probably a bit weak. Though, I just realized you don't have to return all your tokens if you choose that option, so that you can take only the number you need. That makes it a bit more balanced.
Wake the World
$2 - Action-Duration
At the start of your next turn, trash this. If you do, gain an Action card and put it into your hand.
This is ridonkydonk strong. If you think about it, it's basically like a 1-turn-delayed any-Action-you-like in your hand - and that Action only costs $2! 99% of the time this is better than Feast.
Kokomo
$2 - Action
Choose one: +1 Buy, +$1; or discard your hand. If you discarded any cards this way, draw 1 fewer cards than the number you discarded, +1 Action, and return this card to your hand.
Seems like a weird combination of Herbalist, Cellar, and Tactician. Besides edge cases with Potions or Platinums, this will be better than Herbalist since you get the choice of money and Buy or a large Cellar (where one of the cards you get back is this one). This card is the only one I can recall that can be returned to your hand after it has been played (I guess Procession could play then trash a card, followed by Graverobber to get it back and play it again, so I guess it's not totally unheard of). Seems like a balanced to weak $2, but I like that it does something no other card does.
Sunshine
$2 - Action
+1 Card
--
While this is in play, keep the top 2 cards of your deck revealed. You may put them in any order at any time.
--
(Rules clarification: While any number of [This Card] cards are in play, the top 2 cards of your deck are revealed at all times. For all intents and purposes (including its own card draw), you may treat either as the top card of your deck by reordering them at any time. If a card draws more than one card (such as Smithy), you draw one of the two revealed cards and reveal a replacement before drawing any more cards. If a card reveals a series of cards from the top of the deck (such as Scout), you select which of the two is revealed first, but the card is still technically the top card of the deck until the other card resolves, meaning you do not reveal any more cards for [This Card]'s effect until the other card is resolved. When there are no longer any [This Card]s in play, you must return the revealed cards to the top of your deck in any order.)
I don't know how I feel about this. It is unique (yay), possibly broken (boo), and most of the time not worthwhile (meh). I mean, it's ok to have cards be situational, but this card is very situational. Most potential combos require a village to be played first in order to play this and then the combo card. For example, this is very strong played before Wishing Well and Mystic. But, much of the time this will just let you draw your pick of your top two cards, and let you know what's coming next turn. Anyway, I'm not sure the interesting top-deck reveal mechanic is strong enough to ever buy this, so overall meh.
Fun Fun Fun
$2 - Action-Attack
Each player (including you) reveals the top and bottom cards of his deck and either switches their placement or returns them to where they were before, your choice.
This attack is a bit Boring Boring Boring. I mean, man, no offense, but this name should be on a more exciting card. This Attack is almost always basically equivalent to Spy: you get to put a different card on top or not. But, this is even worse than Spy, in that they will hit their good cards eventually anyway. I applaud trying to get a balanced $2 Attack, but I'd say this is just too weak.
409
$2 - Action-Attack-Looter
Reveal a Ruins cards from the Ruins pile each player in the game. Place one Ruins card aside, of your choice, and shuffle the remaining revealed Ruins cards putting on the top of the Ruins pile. Each other player gains a Ruins card. Gain the set aside Ruins card and play it immediately.
I'm sorry if English is not your first language, but this is very poorly worded. If I am deciphering it correctly, this gives each of the N players (including you) a Ruins, but you get your choice of the top N and get to play it immediately. I'm not sure if this is good or horrid. Probably horrid.
Good Vibrations
$2 - Action
+1 Action
Gain an Action or Treasure card costing up to $5.
Each other player may gain an Action or Treasure card costing up to $3.
Put this card on top of the discard pile of the player to your left.
--
(Rules clarification: This card uses a passing mechanism similar to that of Masquerade, but the card passes itself instead of another card. The card is placed in the opponent's discard pile instead of his hand and he doesn't gain it, so he can't react to it.)
I'm getting bad vibrations from this card. The inequity of only the player to your left getting this isn't huge, but is troubling. For each person this is passed to, you have to wait for next reshuffle to play it yourself, which means fewer plays of your $5 card.
I'm also not a fan in general of cheap cards that are "balanced" by strong bonuses to opponents. Gaining an Action or Treasure up to $5 on a $2 card is crazy, and you try to balance it by helping opponents? This type of thing often has FBI, and can quickly become unbalanced in certain combos.
Honda
$2 - Action
+1 Buy
You may trash this and another copy of [This Card] from your hand. If you do, gain a card costing up to $6, putting it on top of your deck.
This card definitely seems to try to combo with the price reducers from last Challenges - if you reduce prices, you get +Buy and maybe a Province! Anyway, this card is Treasure Map's weak weak weak younger brother. I could vary rarely see it be worthwhile to try to hit two of these to get a Gold or other $6 card.
So Good To Me
$2 - Action-Victory
Draw up to 5 cards in hand.
--
Worth 0.5 VP
Pass.
(I almost don't want to even give this card more review than that, but to be fair I will: It is bad. It is usuall +1 Card plus half a VP that will never matter. Almost as bad as Ruined Library. Plus, I'm all kinds of against fractional things in Dominion.)
In My Room
$2 - Action-Treasure
When you play this, +1 Card, +1 Action.
--
(Rules clarifications: You can play this card during your action phase, which requires an action, or during your buy phase, which doesn't. Either way, you get +1 Card and +1 Action. You can't play actions during your buy phase, though.)
Sorry, don't want Action-Treasure cards. Never have, never will. Not to mention that this card is incredibly weak. Whether you play it during your Action or Buy phase, it is a cantrip, and that's it. The only benefit over an Action-only cantrip is that it can be played if drawn dead. But that's not a benefit when you could have not bought it in the first place. (And I guess it can be played with Counterfeit. Yay?)
Deuce Coupe
$2 Action
+2 Actions
+1 Buy
--
When you trash this, +3 Cards and +1 Buy.
I think this is weak just like Marcella. Plus, I'm not a fan of a card that is significantly better in the trash than in your hand. Plus, this can be trashed during an opponent's turn, making the +1 Buy confusing.
Little Bird
$2 - Action
+2 Actions
+$2
Discard a card from your hand.
In no-trashing games, this is pretty powerful, since you'll usually have stuff to discard. I have a hard time saying it is balanced without testing. It could definitely have FBI at $2, even though it's pretty simple. Opening Little Bird / Library is crazysauce strong.
Don't Worry Baby
$2 - Action-Reaction
+1 Action
Reveal the top 5 cards from your deck. Discard any actions or treasures revealed this way. Put the rest in your hand.
--
When you gain a Curse, you may reveal this from your hand. If you do, put it in your hand.
This is very weak. No one likes drawing bad cards and skipping good ones. Sure, it combos with Vault or trashers, but so does Scout, and Scout is better than this. (Wording note: You have a pronoun problem here - it sounds like you put Don't Worry Baby in your hand instead of Curse when you say "put it in your hand".)
Surfin' Safari
$2 - Action
Discard an Estate and a Treasure from your hand; if you do, gain a Treasure card costing less than a Gold to your hand.
--
When you buy this, gain an Estate.
Not a big fan, sorry. This basically requires you to have high density of junk cards to gain a mediocre Treasure. Plus, it clogs yo with Estates.
Hawaii
$2 - Action-Victory
+1 Action
Reveal the top 4 cards of your deck. Put the revealed Victory cards into your hand. Put the other cards on top of your deck in any order.
--
Worth 0 VP
Haha. No.
Heroes
$2 - Action-Looter
Gain a Ruins, putting it into your hand.
Choose one: play a Ruins from your hand three times; or reveal and return any number of Ruinses from your hand to the bottom of the Ruins pile in any order.
Hmmm, interesting! Let's think through the possibilities for choice 1:
- Ruined Market: +3 Buys, gain a Ruins. Ok? Pretty bad for a $2 card.
- Ruined Library: +3 Cards, gain a Ruins. That's like Smithy that gives you a Ruins. Maybe balanced at $2.
- Ruined Village: +3 Actions, gain a Ruins. Weaksauce.
- Abandoned Mine: +$3, gain a Ruins. Pretty similar to Ruined Library, mostly balanced at $2.
- Survivors: Do Survivors 3 times, gain a Ruins. Very weak, since you'll often gain no benefit after the first play.
But, that's not all! You get a second option: returning Ruinses to the supply! But, that's not very useful unless you've either already played this a bunch or there are other Looters giving them out. So, I'd have to say that this card is unfortunately uber-weak in games without other Looters, and weak in games with them. I'll have to pass, sorry, but at least it's unique.
Villains
$2 - Action-Victory
Worth 0 VP
--
Choose one: Discard one card, draw one card. Gain a Silver. Trash this, gain an Estate.
What's up with all the choices besides "Gain a Silver". You'll gain Silver 97% of the time, so remove the other options for AP sake.
Oops, because of the poor wording, I thought "discard one card" and "draw one card" were different options, not part of the same one. Still, a bit boring, pass.
Friends
$2 - Action
+1 Card
+2 Actions
Discard a card.
--
When a player buys a card from a kingdom card pile with the [This Card] token on it, he gains a [This Card] and moves the [This Card] token to a different kingdom card pile.
--
Setup: Add an extra Action card pile to the Supply and put the [This Card] token on it.
I think this is probably too strong. Village with a discard is pretty strong for $2 - you usually have a card to discard. (Of course, it is weaker than Hamlet, but just barely). But, the ability to gain one of these when buying another card definitely ups the strength. Duchess is weaker than this, plus it only allows you to get one when you buy a Duchy, which is probably a weaker buy than the supply pile with the This Card token on it.
Surfer Girl
$2 - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
You may discard a Treasure Card; if you do, +$1, +1 Buy.
Since you'll usually discard Copper, this is basically a cantrip +1 Buy. That's weak to begin with - probably less than $2 - and this requires a Copper in your hand (or a different treasure that you're willing to sacrifice). Weak.
Wonderful
$2 - Action
+1 Action
Gain a Curse in hand.
Reveal your hand.
+2 Cards per Curse revealed.
Not a fan of self-Cursers. Probably FBI here.
Sloop John B
$2 - Action-Duration
+1 Action
Now and at the start of your next turn: +$1.
--
While this is in play, all other players play with their hands revealed.
I don't really like how this will often degenerate into games with all hands revealed most of the time. It is basically a Copper this turn and next. This should likely be an Attack.
Then I Kissed Her
$2 - Action
+1 Card
+1 Action
Gain a card that costs exactly $1 + $1 for each [This Card] in play.
Wasn't a fan of [This Card] in play clauses last Challenge, and I still am not.
Dance Dance Dance
$2 - Action
+$2
You may gain a [This Card], putting it in your hand.
Self-replicating terminal Silver? Seems rarely worthwhile, but maybe too strong with certain cards (Vineyards, Scrying Pool+Village).
Wendy
$2 - Action
+$1
You may reveal and discard a Victory Card costing 5 or more from your hand. If you do, +$2.
You may reveal and discard a Treasure or Action card from your hand. If you do, +$2.
I like it. Discarding Coppers makes this terminal Silver, which is fine for $2. The Victory card clause won't happen very often, but I like the idea there too. I sort of wish the all-the-time bonus was +1 Buy, since this card needs one and this set needs one. But, I can make-do as-is.
When I Grow Up
$2 - Action-Reaction
+1 Card
+1 Action
If you returned any copy of [This Card] to your hand at the start of your turn, +$1.
--
When another player buys a card, you may reveal your hand. If you do and if the bought card costs at least $2 more than any card in your hand, set this card aside and return it to your hand at the start of your next turn.
This seems very weak. A Peddler, but only if someone bought a card costing more than any card in your hand? Very weak besides early-mid game, and even then it is weak.
Break Away
$2 - Action
+2 Actions
You may return a card from your hand to the supply. If you do, gain a card with the same cost, putting it in your hand.
At first I thought this card was basically Necropolis with a Estate -> Necropolis clause. It sort of is, but has other uses as well. Curse to Copper. Done with Sea Hag? Now it's a Conspirator! Anyway, this card may be situationally strong and other times a bit weak, but that's what $2 cards are supposed to be, right? I like it.
I Get Around
$2 - Action
+2 Actions
+1 Buy
Trash the top card of a non-victory supply pile.
I have never liked this mechanic.