Promotions (was: Meeple Upgrades)

[kjamma4]

This variant is completely untested and basically just off the top of my head so feel free to criticize harshly...

Each player gets one token that represents an upgrade to their Meeple. The token could only be played during the "Move the Wood" portion of the turn and you could not combine it with any other Move the Wood action. When upgrading, you would place the token next to/under any one of your Meeples already deployed.

The effects of the upgrade depends on the Meeple it was attached to:

* Regular Meeple - it would give the Meeple +.5 to its strength when scoring (effectively letting that player win all ties when scoring)

* Large Meeple - same as regular Meeple

* Mayor - the Mayor gains +.5 to its strength when scoring. However, the strength of a Mayor in a completed city with no pennants still  remains zero.

* Builder - when the player is allowed to pull a second tile due to the Builder, the player may look at the second tile and, at the player's option, may return the tile to the draw pile/bag/tower and pull another. If the player choose to do this, he/she must use the replacement tile drawn (even if it is the same as the one replaced). Additionally, the player needs to show the tile being returned to the pool to all the players prior to replacement.

* Wagon - When the feature the wagon is on is scored, the player may move the wagon as normal or may move it to a feature on an adjacent (not diagonal) tile instead. The wagon still cannot be moved to a farm and the feature to which it is moved must still be incomplete and unoccupied.

* Pig - The meat from these pigs is unusually juicy and succulent (or for vegetarian players, the pig's manure is unusually fertile   ). When a farm containing this pig is scored, the player receives one point per every two completed cities (rounded down) that border the farm. This is true even if the player with the pig is not the owner of the farm.

* Barn - same as the pig. This is true even if the farm the barn is on contains multiple barns.

The tokens can only be used once per game.

[Joff]

This idea has a lot of potential. I like the idea of the .5 upgrade strength. The Builder upgrade seems rather powerful, IMO, as is the Pig and Barn upgrades.

The first question that popped into my head (and the major flaw) you have answered at the very end, thankfully. The question was; 'what happens after you have used the token?'. I would definately say that it would be a one time use only token, which you have pointed out anyway

[kjamma4]

This idea has a lot of potential. I like the idea of the .5 upgrade strength. The Builder upgrade seems rather powerful, IMO, as is the Pig and Barn upgrades.

The first question that popped into my head (and the major flaw) you have answered at the very end, thankfully. The question was; 'what happens after you have used the token?'. I would definately say that it would be a one time use only token, which you have pointed out anyway

I had originally thought the Builder could provide a third tile but I thought that would be even more unbalanced. In my version, although you know what tile you are getting rid of, you still don't know what you will get. You could go out of the frying pan and into the fire.

As for the Pig and Barn, I wanted to come up with something a bit different than +1 point per city since the pig and the pig farm tile do that anyway. I didn't want to let the Pig be a factor in determining the strength because I felt that would stray too far from the rules. Additionally, I thought giving +.5 to the strength of the Barn would be too overpowering.

Perhaps the Pig and Barn could be lowered to +1 point per every four cities?

[Lardarse]

Here's a crazy idea: An upgraded pig or barn provides a second tile when the farm they are on is extended.

Might be too powerful for the barn, but seems reasonable for the pig. Maybe have the barn only give an extra tile if you can make it obsolete a farmer?

I have no insight on the builder upgrade, though.

[Joff]

Actually, now I look at it, perhaps the Pig and Barn scoring is not that bad after all

[kjamma4]

I know many folks do not like expansions that are "confrontational" but you could also combine this with a variant to downgrade your opponent's meeples.

* Regular Meeple - it would give the Meeple -.5 to its strength when scoring (effectively letting that player lose all ties when scoring)

* Large Meeple - same as regular Meeple

* Mayor - the Mayor loses .5 to its strength when scoring. However, the strength of a Mayor in a completed city with no pennants still  remains zero.

* Builder - when the Builder's owner is allowed to pull a second tile due to the Builder, the opposing player who played the token to downgrade the Builder may look at the second tile and, at that player's option, may return the tile to the draw pile/bag/tower and force the Builder's owner to pull another. If the player choose to do this, the Builder's owner must use the replacement tile drawn (even if it is the same as the one replaced). Additionally, the player needs to show the tile being returned to the pool to all the players prior to replacement.

* Wagon - When the feature the wagon is on is scored, the Wagon's owner must return the wagon to their pool (the wagon got stuck in a rut or lost it's wheel).

* Pig - The meat from these pigs is unusually nasty and dry (or for vegetarian players, the pig's manure is unusually unfertile). When a farm containing this pig is scored, the player deducts one point per every two completed cities (rounded down) that border the farm. This is true even if the player with the pig is not the owner of the farm.

* Barn - same as the pig. This is true even if the farm the barn is on contains multiple barns.

[Novelty]

Hmm.... is there a new token for this variant?  If there's a new token, this will be termed an expansion in my book (instead of a variant)

I've added it to the List of expansions/variants in Development as an expansion, but I can always change that.

I like this expansion and making it work on an opponent's meeple might be good as well.

[kjamma4]

Hmm.... is there a new token for this variant?  If there's a new token, this will be termed an expansion in my book (instead of a variant)

Yes, there would be a need for a token for this expansion (or two tokens if you are including the "downgrades" to an opponent's tokens). My graphics skills are minimal at best so if I was playing this at home, I would just use mini poker chips to indicate upgrades/downgrades.

[Laserschwert]

Why not simply using wooden tokens in the player-colors like this one:



When placed under a meeple of the same color it's an upgrade, when placed under a meeple of a different color it's a downgrade. You wouldn't want to upgrade another player's meeple, right?

[CKorfmann]

I think this is a good idea and the disc is probably the easiest way to go if not the best.  Another option that might be little more tricky would be to make a small token like a trade good token or one of the Catapult tokens to put under the follower.  Perhaps with a muscular flexing arm.

[Jabberwocky]

What if the builder's power is this:
If two builders are in the same city/road and one of them gets upgraded, the other builder is kicked out of the city/road. No builder may be added to a city/road that already has an upgraded builder on it.

Thoughts?

[CKorfmann]

That seems reasonable to me.

[Gwommy]

* Regular Meeple - it would give the Meeple -.5 to its strength when scoring (effectively letting that player lose all ties when scoring)

What happens if two different players use the downgrade token on the same Follower and it's the only follower in that feature?  Would it still score posts with a stength of 0?

[ReformedCE]

Can you just pick a meeple to upgrade at random, or do you need to expand the feature where the meeple resides to upgrade him?

[Gwommy]

The player may choose any meeple to upgrade (or downgrade).  This actions takes the place of deploying a follower.

And for my question above (which I had forgotten about), I found the answer in the CAR.  Under Abbey and Mayor, if a mayor is in a city with no pennants, then the mayor is worth zero, therefore no one actually owns the city and no points may be awarded.  I'd imagine this would be the case for any follower that is worth zero.