Card idea: Careful Study (research area action)

The card seems underpowered to me. Compare with Mokole Blood.

The main drawback is the hand size reduction which makes it very problematic. I kind of agree with Juggernaut that the cost of the action should be X, where X is the number of cards you can move to your research area. And then delete the "counts against hand size" clause. I don't mind so much the minion card restriction only. This card could also be a Master which costs X pool too.

With these changes, the card essentially becomes, "Pay 1 pool to take an action to search your library for a minion card (you can do this multiple times)" with a few additional light restrictions (initial action or MPA). That seems about right to me compared to other search mechanisms.

Ankha wrote:

Fetching the cards you want must have some cost, otherwise it would be plainly broken to play the cards you need anytime you need them.

Is there a way to get discard phase actions ?

With discard phase actions, the retrieved card go slowly in your hand. So for your hypothetical awe / vote cap / parity shift, you need to wait 3 turn to get it. Also, you are telegraphing the move, meaning people will have the time to get unique card into play if they have them in hand, or rush minions, or keep a DI for them, etc...

In any circumstance, 4 actions to retrieve 3 card is way too expensive, especially with a size 3 hand, and especially since you can get only one of them per turn. Only very specific deck can have that many action to waste, and using the card to get 4 more breed card seem the opposite of the whole research concept.

Note that if you don't use the retrieving ability, "Developpement" plus this card could possibly be playable in some deck - namely those non-trifle heavy.

Also of note is that Sybil tongue, spirit summoning chamber, and Drop Point Network, both of which are a lot cheaper, are not played that much.

Ankha wrote:

No, by doing X actions, you'll get X cards back.

I was under the belief that the action of one card were useable only once per turn. Like Archon for example.

To be completely accurate...

As Ankha had it written:

1 pool
Reduce your handsize to 3
Spend 1 action from 4 different minions (since NRA would kick in).

So this would require:
Discarding 4 cards, 1 pool, 5 actions (1 for the card, 4 for fetching them back and assuming 5 different minions OR more-than-one minion phase), a prey and predator who have no ability to block your 0-stealth action, the favour of the Card Gods (to ensure you get that card you really need from the top of your library actually in your hand and not in the Research Area). Oh and this just gets them into my hand. I haven't USED them yet. Would you spend 5 actions to get 4 cards into your hand?

I suspect this would only really get used by Weenie decks with easy cheap stealth.


The problems for making this card playable are:

1) Limiting the abusable nature.
2) Appropriate cost in actions, blood and pool.
3) Making functional use of the Research Area.

So, Ankha, you are worried about being able to "dial-a-hand"... and you do it by requiring an action to draw the card AND a handsize. The only examples you provided for 'abusable scenarios' were minion cards. Honestly, I don't mind if it draws Masters because it happens during the minion phase so the card is dead weight for the rest of the trip around the table.

I don't think that the cost in actions should be as high. 5 actions + 1 pool to get 4 cards of your choice. In comparison with Mokole Blood (4 cards for this minion for 1 action + 1 pool) this card is far over-costed in actions. Part of the penalty I want to incur is giving away 'secret information'. If you draw "Banishment, Chameleon, Freak Drive and Voter Captivation" it's pretty obvious what you're planning and people can arrange to stop that, or stop you cycling.

... more to follow, I needed to leave to teach class.

After Teaching:
So I can see this becoming a Mokole Blood for a minion (at which point it should probably cost more since it is not FoS-specific, has limited restrictions and is not unique). Or for an even greater cost, I can see it becoming basically a special version of Visit from the Capuchin via the Research Area (and keeping them out of your hand where people can't Revelations you for instance).

Mokole Blood for Everybody
Careful Study
Action
2 Pool
+1 stealth action.
Name 4 cards in your library when announcing this action. Put this card on the acting minion and put one copy of each card named under this card. The minion with this card can play those cards as if they were in your hand. When there are no cards under this card, burn this card. A minion may have only one Careful Study.

Visit from the Cappucino
Careful Study
Action
2 Pool.
+1 stealth action.
Name 4 cards in your library when announcing this action. Put this card in play with 4 counters on it and place one copy of each named card in your Research Area. While this card is in play you may play cards from your Research Area as if they were in your hand. Each time you play a card from your Research Area burn 1 counter from this card. Burn this card when it has 0 counters. A Methuselah may have only one Careful Study.