Court Magician

[Dave]

Hi again

I collected this expansion

The Court Magician, is a meeple from "the Discovery" or has a pointy hat or whatever.

You get one each at the start of the game but you can't just play it as a regular meeple you first have to cast a spell. This involves drawing a tile as normal but blind to any other player and instead of playing it you place it face down under your Mage. that was your go.

later in the game on your turn, you have a go as normal but after your go, like and instead of a builder go, you're Court Magician can cast his spell, i.e. legaly play the mage's tile with the mage on it (the mage is worth the same as a regular follower).

when the mage comes back into your supply you can get it to cast another spell, etc.

[jcardwell3rd]

I like this.

[MrBlu]

I really like this!!!!!!

[Cappy]

This sounds worth a try! Just to make sure I read it right: the player who drew the tile *does* get to look it at, yes? He knows what spell his mage is holding?

[Dave]

Yes he does know the spell he is casting.

if playing with the river as a start set he can't cast until after the river is played out.

[Dave]

I was playing this the other day and now im not sure about the size of the sacrifice for casting the spell

as it stands you lose 2 tile turns and 2 move the wood actions to cast one spell

I'm thinking that when you first put the tile under the mage you should then be allowed an independent move the wood action.
I know that a lot of the time this will amount to the same thing but sometimes you have towers or the wheel of fortune.

how does this sound to people and can anyone think of other things to do with a spare move the wood? Something that could be incorporated with the mage's turn even?

thanks.

[Dave]

Or you do lose the move the wood as standard.

but

The mage can have a cannon of spells (up to three) at his disposal, and cast any one (as just laying the tile or cast on another meeple) as the "mage turn" after the regular one, or so long as the mage has no other spell "in hand" cast it on himself and act as a regular meeple for a while.

[Carcking]

as it stands you lose 2 tile turns and 2 move the wood actions to cast one spell

Hi Dave,
Not sure I follow...how are you losing 2 tile turns and 2 wood? I can see the first because you have to hold your action to "store" the spell. But your're getting that tun back when you cast the spell in addition to another turn. Is that right or am I not reading it correctly?

[Dave]

No your right, as you say you do get them back, they are only delayed for a time.

as turns go you delay one to have it attached to another, I was blinkered thinking, that (in isolation) the Mage takes the turn and the wood and then when he comes to cast he takes a turn and a wood. and I suppose I could streach things as when playing with the builder (or another 2nd turn facility, the Mage takes that position.

when playing with him I feel like i'm losing out due to the lack of instant gratification. Thats all;)

All of which kinda makes me think my enhancing him was based on flawed thinking.

however that said im now still leaning towards the possibility of a cannon of spells.

too much?

[Carcking]

I don't know if it's too much but you'll have to figure out how to resolve the cannon tiles at the end of the game.

Some other random thoughts:
I would think the spell casting would be in addition to the builder extended turn, or you wouldn't be getting your turn back per say (or only on turns where the builder is not involved).

Is moving wood a requirement of casting a spell?

Can you deploy a builder, pig or barn on a cast spell?

Can you make your play, deploy a follower on a feature, cast a spell with a tile on the same feature and deploy the builder - all in one turn?

Also, if the spell is cast on a feature that has the builder does it generate an extended builder play?

Can you cast a spell and play a tower piece? or deploy a follower to the Wheel?

I think these are all questions that would have to be resolved if you have a cannon of spells. It has to more indepth than just casting a spell and moving the mage. eh?

[Dave]

Good questions

I'm in favor of limiting the number of tiles laid in a single turn to 2. I'm tempted by more but I think that is just greed, in my more rational mind I think that would be excessive.

That said

my last turn is my last opportunity to finish casting any single spell I have in my "hand" any surplus are lost.

(as an aside thought, in the basic game if a tile wont fit then it is discarded, we just pop it back in the draw bag. If the magician has the power to never finish casting a tile he doesn't want in play for some reason, maybe too much power, just a thought)


Is moving wood a requirement of casting a spell?

no moving the wood is independant to casting the spell.


Can you deploy a builder, pig or barn on a cast spell?

yes any of these can be deployed on the tile just cast


Can you make your play, deploy a follower on a feature, cast a spell with a tile on the same feature and deploy the builder - all in one turn?


yes


Also, if the spell is cast on a feature that has the builder does it generate an extended builder play?

no


Can you cast a spell and play a tower piece? or deploy a follower to the Wheel?

the first instance where you place the tile under the mage, no there is no further move the wood action. the second instance where the mage turn follows the regular turn yes you can cast the tile and then play a tower piece or a follower to the wheel or any other move the wood option.


I hope that is consistant.