Curse
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− | '''Curse''' is a | + | '''Curse''' is a basic card from the {{Set|Base}} set that costs {{Cost|0}} and gives the player {{VP|–1}}. The number of Curses in any game depends on the number of players: the Curse pile contains 10 Curses for each player past the first. Curses are always in the [[Supply]] whether or not the particular [[Kingdom]] has a card that explicitly interacts with Curses. |
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− | The number of Curses in any game depends on the number of players: the Curse pile | + | |
== FAQ == | == FAQ == | ||
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=== Other Rules clarifications === | === Other Rules clarifications === | ||
− | * The number of Curses in the [[Supply]] is 10 for each player beyond the | + | * The number of Curses in the [[Supply]] is 10 for each player beyond the first -- 10 for two players, 20 for three players, 30 for four players, and so on. |
* Curses are always in the supply, even when there is no card which explicitly mentions them. | * Curses are always in the supply, even when there is no card which explicitly mentions them. | ||
* Curse isn't a [[Victory card]], even though (like most Victory cards) it is a [[dead]] card that affects your score. | * Curse isn't a [[Victory card]], even though (like most Victory cards) it is a [[dead]] card that affects your score. | ||
== Strategy == | == Strategy == | ||
− | Curse's most obvious penalty is that it gives you {{VP|–1}} at the end of the game. However, the negative {{VP}} tends to be the lesser of its two drawbacks. Much more significant is that Curse is a junk card, which does nothing for you but takes up space in your deck. Filling your opponents’ decks with Curses will substantially weaken their decks’ quality. For this reason, [[ | + | Curse's most obvious penalty is that it gives you {{VP|–1}} at the end of the game. However, the negative {{VP}} tends to be the lesser of its two drawbacks. Much more significant is that Curse is a [[junk]] card, which does nothing for you but takes up space in your deck. Filling your opponents’ decks with Curses will substantially weaken their decks’ quality. For this reason, Cursing [[attack]]s are usually best acquired very early in the game: a Curse that has been in an opponent's deck since turn 3 will bog down their deck all game, while one that is given out on the final turn will have minimal impact. |
Likewise, Curses will often be worth giving out even if [[trasher|trashing cards]] exist. Your opponents might be able to trash the Curses before the game ends to avoid the {{VP}} loss, but the short term damage of slowing down their draws by filling them with Curses will already be done. As an example, {{Card|Old Witch}} gives out Curses but also gives your opponents an opportunity to [[trash]] them, with your opponents frequently having few Curses left in the deck by scoring time. Old Witch is a strong card that players tend to acquire early into the game, because the immediate effect of putting Curses into your opponents’ early shuffles is so highly valued, even if the harm dissipates later. | Likewise, Curses will often be worth giving out even if [[trasher|trashing cards]] exist. Your opponents might be able to trash the Curses before the game ends to avoid the {{VP}} loss, but the short term damage of slowing down their draws by filling them with Curses will already be done. As an example, {{Card|Old Witch}} gives out Curses but also gives your opponents an opportunity to [[trash]] them, with your opponents frequently having few Curses left in the deck by scoring time. Old Witch is a strong card that players tend to acquire early into the game, because the immediate effect of putting Curses into your opponents’ early shuffles is so highly valued, even if the harm dissipates later. | ||
− | Curse counts as a pile when determining the end of the game. In games with a Cursing attack, the Curse pile often empties or is brought low, bringing the game closer to a [[three-pile ending]]. Sometimes, a player with a large {{VP}} lead and ample [[+Buy]] may buy out the remaining Curses to end the game. Players may also | + | Curse counts as a pile when determining the end of the game. In games with a Cursing attack, the Curse pile often empties or is brought low, bringing the game closer to a [[three-pile ending]]. Sometimes, a player with a large {{VP}} lead and ample [[+Buy]] may buy out the remaining Curses to end the game. Players may also buy Curse in certain situations to add another differently-named card for {{Card|Fairgrounds}} or {{Landmark|Museum}}, or to take the {{VP}} from {{Landmark|Defiled Shrine}}. |
== Versions == | == Versions == |
Revision as of 23:18, 21 March 2021
Curse | |
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Info | |
Cost | |
Type(s) | Curse |
Kingdom card? | No |
Set | Base |
Illustrator(s) | Claus Stephan |
Card text | |
-1 |
Curse is a basic card from the Base set that costs and gives the player –1 . The number of Curses in any game depends on the number of players: the Curse pile contains 10 Curses for each player past the first. Curses are always in the Supply whether or not the particular Kingdom has a card that explicitly interacts with Curses.
Contents |
FAQ
Official FAQ
Other Rules clarifications
- The number of Curses in the Supply is 10 for each player beyond the first -- 10 for two players, 20 for three players, 30 for four players, and so on.
- Curses are always in the supply, even when there is no card which explicitly mentions them.
- Curse isn't a Victory card, even though (like most Victory cards) it is a dead card that affects your score.
Strategy
Curse's most obvious penalty is that it gives you –1 at the end of the game. However, the negative tends to be the lesser of its two drawbacks. Much more significant is that Curse is a junk card, which does nothing for you but takes up space in your deck. Filling your opponents’ decks with Curses will substantially weaken their decks’ quality. For this reason, Cursing attacks are usually best acquired very early in the game: a Curse that has been in an opponent's deck since turn 3 will bog down their deck all game, while one that is given out on the final turn will have minimal impact.
Likewise, Curses will often be worth giving out even if trashing cards exist. Your opponents might be able to trash the Curses before the game ends to avoid the loss, but the short term damage of slowing down their draws by filling them with Curses will already be done. As an example, Old Witch gives out Curses but also gives your opponents an opportunity to trash them, with your opponents frequently having few Curses left in the deck by scoring time. Old Witch is a strong card that players tend to acquire early into the game, because the immediate effect of putting Curses into your opponents’ early shuffles is so highly valued, even if the harm dissipates later.
Curse counts as a pile when determining the end of the game. In games with a Cursing attack, the Curse pile often empties or is brought low, bringing the game closer to a three-pile ending. Sometimes, a player with a large lead and ample +Buy may buy out the remaining Curses to end the game. Players may also buy Curse in certain situations to add another differently-named card for Fairgrounds or Museum, or to take the from Defiled Shrine.
Versions
English versions
Digital | Text | Release | Date | |
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-1 | Dominion 1st Edition | October 2008 | ||
never implemented | -1 | Base Cards | June 2012 | |
-1 | Dominion 2nd Edition | October 2016 |
Other language versions
Trivia
- Curse is the only card in Dominion that gives negative victory points. Until Empires, with the addition of Landmarks, it was also the only effect in the game that gave negative victory points.
- Curse is the only card type with a single representative, the only card with the Curse type, and the only card whose name is also a type.
Secret History
Pre-development, you could get Curses from the trash. Also treasures. I forgot all about that when doing that BGN interview; this is another change Valerie and Dale made. They changed it to, once trashed, gone forever. My original thought was, I would have an infinite pile of Silvers if I could, but it's a physical game so what can you do. Getting them from the trash stretched out the supply just slightly. But it's simpler not to, nice to have those piles count towards the end condition, and man getting hit 10 times with Witch (the maximum if there's no Moat) is plenty.
The total number of Curses also changed. For a while there were 45. You could really get Cursed bad. Also you didn't always vary the pile size with the number of players. That's there of course to stop Witch from getting ridiculous with 2 players (or from being negligible with 4, if you fix it for 2).