CraigB wrote:
Since a trade card can be traded for treasure at any time, a player could 'upgrade' trade cards. For example, during the aquire trade card phase, the player collects the initial trade cards for each city. The player then trades in a level 3 or 4 card to buy an 'upgraded' level 6 card with Rhetoric. The same goes with mining and cartography. Is this intended?
I was seeing that - all of the calamities that can be offset by treasury, purchasing gold (or whatever)... etc.
Of course, to purchase with Rhetoric takes 7 tokens, which means 1 four-card, or 2 two-cards, etc.. would need to be turned in. That's not a small thing. Purchasing gold is worse. Turn in a 9 card to buy a 9 card.
I don't know if reducing 1 or more trade stock (i.e. cards that someone else might want to you can trade with them) to get an extra draw is going to be always practical.
1:2 may be too much. 1:1 may be too little. At 1:1 it is less likely to be abusable, yet still *might* be useful.
I'd like to see the mechanic as-is playtested first too
==> An alternative mechanic, would allow you to discard cards at face value to pay instead of treasury (and surplus is lost - i.e. you don't get change back.) I.e. it combines with treasury like purchasing civ cards - you can't overpay to decrease physical treasury chits.