Cantrip
(→Other Nicknames for Cantrips: Added into the section with nicknames (Donald X approved) and invisible.) |
(Added a section on the controversy over the definition, and fixed up the examples section a little) |
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Some players refer to Cantrips as 'invisible' cards, based on them replacing themselves into your hand with no net negatives. | Some players refer to Cantrips as 'invisible' cards, based on them replacing themselves into your hand with no net negatives. | ||
Donald X has referred to Cantrips as 'free' cards[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=5130.msg129792#msg129792] | Donald X has referred to Cantrips as 'free' cards[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=5130.msg129792#msg129792] | ||
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| + | == Controversy over the definition == | ||
| + | Some players have differing views on exactly what defines a cantrip card. Some people require that a cantrip exactly replaces itself (i.e. always draws 1 card), while others call cards which sometimes or always draw 2 or more cards (such as {{Card|Laboratory}}) a cantrip. Another point of contention is whether cards which can harm you directly still count as cantrips, such as {{Card|Upgrade}}, whose trashing is not optional. | ||
== Examples of Cantrip Cards == | == Examples of Cantrip Cards == | ||
* {{Card|Apothecary}} | * {{Card|Apothecary}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Caravan}} | + | * {{Card|Caravan}}* - May not be considered a cantrip, as it draws an extra card. |
* {{Card|Cartographer}} | * {{Card|Cartographer}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Great Hall}} | + | * {{Card|Great Hall}} |
* {{Card|Hamlet}} | * {{Card|Hamlet}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Ironmonger}} | + | * {{Card|Ironmonger}} |
* {{Card|Market}} | * {{Card|Market}} | ||
* {{Card|Pearl Diver}} | * {{Card|Pearl Diver}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Pawn}}* - Can be a cantrip depending on player choice | + | * {{Card|Pawn}}* - Can be a cantrip depending on player choice. |
* {{Card|Peddler}} | * {{Card|Peddler}} | ||
* {{Card|Spy}} | * {{Card|Spy}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Tournament}}* - Can fail to draw a card if an opponent reveals a {{Card|Province}} | + | * {{Card|Tournament}}* - Can fail to draw a card if an opponent reveals a {{Card|Province}}. |
| − | * {{Card|Urchin}} | + | * {{Card|Urchin}} |
* {{Card|Village}} | * {{Card|Village}} | ||
| − | * {{Card|Wishing Well}}* - | + | * {{Card|Wishing Well}}* - May not be considered a cantrip, as it can possibly draw an extra card. |
Revision as of 17:24, 29 November 2012
Cantrip is the common slang term for any Dominion Kingdom card which offers +1 Action and +1 Card. It is essentially self-replacing (costing no net action to play it) and will usually offer some side benefit, such as the +
Peddler offers or the +1 Action of Village.
The cantrip name is a recycled slang term from the Magic: The Gathering card game, which itself borrowed the term from Dungeons and Dragons.
Contents |
Cantrips harming the deck
In most cases, cantrips are seen as cards that cannot harm the deck. There are a few exceptions.
Discard attacks like Militia or Goons which require the player to make a choice of which cards to discard are more powerful against hands containing a few cantrips. This is because the player discarding does not know which cards are going to be drawn by the cantrips, so the chance of making a sub-optimal choice is greater.
Cantrips also anti-synergize with draw-up-to-X cards like Library, Watchtower, and Jack of all Trades. Although cantrips do not outright harm the deck in these cases, they under-perform other cards which do not draw cards (and which typically offer more benefits in compensation for the lack of draw).
Other Nicknames for Cantrips
Some players refer to Cantrips as 'invisible' cards, based on them replacing themselves into your hand with no net negatives. Donald X has referred to Cantrips as 'free' cards[1]
Controversy over the definition
Some players have differing views on exactly what defines a cantrip card. Some people require that a cantrip exactly replaces itself (i.e. always draws 1 card), while others call cards which sometimes or always draw 2 or more cards (such as Laboratory) a cantrip. Another point of contention is whether cards which can harm you directly still count as cantrips, such as Upgrade, whose trashing is not optional.
Examples of Cantrip Cards
- Apothecary
- Caravan* - May not be considered a cantrip, as it draws an extra card.
- Cartographer
- Great Hall
- Hamlet
- Ironmonger
- Market
- Pearl Diver
- Pawn* - Can be a cantrip depending on player choice.
- Peddler
- Spy
- Tournament* - Can fail to draw a card if an opponent reveals a Province.
- Urchin
- Village
- Wishing Well* - May not be considered a cantrip, as it can possibly draw an extra card.
