Custom Characters

By Pinkzeppelincult, in Citadels

Some of these are slightly edited versions of other people's ideas. Most are my own though. I made two sets of 8, since I never play with enough people to need a 9, and I would like advice on how to match them all up.

1) Spy

Announce a character you wish to impersonate. When that character is called, if nobody has that character, you may use that character's power.

1) Fortune Teller

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. Announce a character you wish to doom. That character may not take an action or build a district this round.

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2) Musician

Any player may pay you one gold to draw a card.

2) Rogue

Whenever a player takes gold, take one of his gold. Whenever a player draws district cards, look at that player's hand and take one card into your hand.

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3) Warlock

Take an extra action at the end of your turn.

3) Sorcerer

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. After you take an action, take an extra gold or draw an extra card and put it into your hand.

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4) Prince

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the prince is called, auction the crown.

4) Advisor

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the Advisor is called, the player with the most gold receives the crown.

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5) Templar Knight

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player may invest one or two gold in you.

5) Inquisitor

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player without a religious district in their city must pay you one gold.

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6) Street Peddler

You receive one gold for each trade (green) district in your city. You may take a card from the discard pile into your hand instead of taking an action.

6) Pirate

You receive two gold for each trade (green) district in your city.

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7) Farmer

You may destroy one of your districts to take its value in gold from the bank.

7) Blacksmith

When the Blacksmith is called, you may build a district for free, then immediately end your turn.

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8) Ambassador

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in each player’s city.

8) Tyrant

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in your city. You may destroy the district of your choice worth four or less in any player’s city who does not pay you one gold.

Edited by Pinkzeppelincult

Some of these are slightly edited versions of other people's ideas. Most are my own though. I made two sets of 8, since I never play with enough people to need a 9, and I would like advice on how to match them all up.

1) Spy

Announce a character you wish to impersonate. When that character is called, if nobody has that character, you may use that character's power.

1) Fortune Teller

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. Announce a character you wish to doom. That character may not take an action or build a district this round.

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2) Musician

Any player may pay you one gold to draw a card.

2) Rogue

Whenever a player takes gold, take one of his gold. Whenever a player draws district cards, look at that player's hand and take one card into your hand.

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3) Warlock

Take an extra action at the end of your turn.

3) Sorcerer

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. After you take an action, take an extra gold or draw an extra card and put it into your hand.

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4) Prince

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the prince is called, auction the crown.

4) Advisor

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the Advisor is called, the player with the most gold receives the crown.

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5) Templar Knight

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player may invest one or two gold in you.

5) Inquisitor

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player without a religious district in their city must pay you one gold.

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6) Street Peddler

You receive one gold for each trade (green) district in your city. You may take a card from the discard pile into your hand instead of taking an action.

6) Pirate

You receive two gold for each trade (green) district in your city.

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7) Farmer

You may destroy one of your districts to take its value in gold from the bank.

7) Blacksmith

When the Blacksmith is called, you may build a district for free, then immediately end your turn.

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8) Ambassador

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in each player’s city.

8) Tyrant

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in your city. You may destroy the district of your choice worth four or less in any player’s city who does not pay you one gold.

Some interesting ideas.

I like the concept of the Rogue, although I'd make two seperate characters out of it, one for gold(2) and one for cards(3).

Sorcerer's effect is nice as well but rather fits (7) or (9)

Concerning the prince: Concept that probably works quite well, often seen at other places.

Advisor-Why not? May need some playtesting but I like the idea.

Templar Knight-Don't get it, sorry.(So, why should they invest their money?)

Both (6) chracters-Nice, but probably too strong...

Farmer-Nice, maybe a bit too weak.

Blacksmith-Nice, but too similar to the alchemist.(Although there are small differences, the basic concept is pretty much the same)

Ambassador-Here I miss the interaction w/ others' buildings-part.

Tyrant- Don't know exactly why, but I don't like that idea so much.

That's just my opinion. All in all you did pretty well, I think :)

PS: If someone has character ideas, may they put the card images online and post the link in their topic?

Would be quite nice to see them w/ their nice picture ;)

First off, thanks for contributing! I always enjoy seeing new ideas for homebrew content in the games I play =)

1) Spy

Announce a character you wish to impersonate. When that character is called, if nobody has that character, you may use that character's power.

1) Fortune Teller

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. Announce a character you wish to doom. That character may not take an action or build a district this round.

Spy: I like this guy. Good all-around "#1" style character. Gives you a second shot at the character you really wanted if he/she isn't in the cards you get passed, at the risk of losing your turn if someone else has them.

Fortune Teller: So, it's an Assassin who can tax purple. I'm less fond of this character, because it's not really different except for the taxing. In our games, the Assissin is sometimes spoken of in angry tones for stealing people's turns. The Fortune Teller would be the same, only worse because she also taxes. Insult to injury.

2) Musician

Any player may pay you one gold to draw a card.

2) Rogue

Whenever a player takes gold, take one of his gold. Whenever a player draws district cards, look at that player's hand and take one card into your hand.

Musician: Interesting idea. Good "#2" character because he takes gold form other players. Nice that it's optional, and you get something for it.

Rogue: Also a good character, though I agree with Bitrus that it should be one or the other. Also, some clarification on the gold side might be in order. Does this only kick in when a player takes his Action, or would it also kick in (separately) when they tax or gain gold from some other effect?

If the King taxes yellow with only one applicable district, is he effectively giving YOU gold instead of himself? What about when the crown changes hands via Emperor? Does the gold paid "in gratitude" to the recipient end up getting redirected to you?

3) Warlock

Take an extra action at the end of your turn.

3) Sorcerer

You receive one gold for each special (purple) district in your city. After you take an action, take an extra gold or draw an extra card and put it into your hand.

Warlock: Simple, useful. Good "#3."

Sorcerer: Fits with other "#3s" thematically and mechanically. I like him. I don't like the idea of two characters with different numbers who tax purple, though. I'd suggest keeping this guy and just nixing the Fortune Teller.

4) Prince

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the prince is called, auction the crown.

4) Advisor

You receive one gold for each noble (yellow) district in your city. When the Advisor is called, the player with the most gold receives the crown.

Price: Interesting new idea for passing the crown. Might be hard for newbies, though, who tend to run close to bankruptcy for most of the game. What happens in the case of a tie for highest bid?

Advisor: I like this guy, too. Also tricky for newbies, but not as much as the Prince. at least he's not asking them to compete in a mini-game they are (probably) ill-prepared for.

5) Templar Knight

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player may invest one or two gold in you.

5) Inquisitor

You receive one gold for each religious (blue) district in your city. Each player without a religious district in their city must pay you one gold.

Templar: What does "investing" do? I'm not just going to give him gold because the option exists.

Can you pay the Templar to gain protection from the Warlord (et al.)? Effectively, a Bishop who sells his power to other players. That would be pretty cool, but way too powerful if everyone can do it. I'd say only one player can buy your protection per turn (players can bid for the favour if they want), and you can't protect your own city unless nobody hires you. I'd also say you can decline to be hired if you really want the protection yourself.

Inquisitor: Harsh. I like it.

6) Street Peddler

You receive one gold for each trade (green) district in your city. You may take a card from the discard pile into your hand instead of taking an action.

6) Pirate

You receive two gold for each trade (green) district in your city.

Peddler: What discard pile? If memory serves, cards are discarded to the bottom of the deck. Although I do like the idea. Maybe he can look at the bottom card of the deck, and take it if he likes it?

Pirate: I'd prefer something with a little more player interaction for a pirate. Perhaps you can tax green (1 per) based on number of districts in ANOTHER PLAYER'S city? Maybe that player can give you a card from hand (which you may look at and accept/refuse) to prevent you from getting the gold.

7) Farmer

You may destroy one of your districts to take its value in gold from the bank.

7) Blacksmith

When the Blacksmith is called, you may build a district for free, then immediately end your turn.

Farmer: I like where this is going, but I agree it's a bit weak. How about this: You may skip your turn in order to destroy one district in your city and claim gold equal to building cost +3. Sort of like Navigator (so, in good company for #7), skipping your turn for a big reward. Cost +3 rather than a flat 4 gold or 4 cards.

Blacksmith: I like this guy, too, although I'm thinking there ought to be an upper limit on how expensive the district he can build for free would be. Maybe 5 gold?

8) Ambassador

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in each player’s city.

8) Tyrant

You receive one gold for each military (red) district in your city. You may destroy the district of your choice worth four or less in any player’s city who does not pay you one gold.

Ambassador: In each player's city seems a bit powerful. In one other player's city sounds about right. He can destroy a district of his choice to stop you from taking the gold. (Ties in nicely with the Alt-Pirate idea above.)

Tyrant: If he can do this to all players each round, I think it's too powerful. If he can only do it to one player of his choice, it's cool. The wording makes it a bit unclear.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Sorry, I forgot to clarify some stuff.

Fortune Teller: The alternate wording was meant to allow the use of character and district powers, but it's probably still too powerful.

Rogue: He was meant to only affect actions.

Prince: In case of a tie, the player with the Prince receives the crown.

Advisor: This didn't come up, but I still forgot to mention it. If the player with the crown has the most gold, the player with the most gold after the player with the crown receives the crown. In case of a tie for most gold, the player with the crown retains it.

Templar Knight: At any time during the Templar Knight's turn, he may offer each player (simultaneously) the opportunity to give him 1 or 2 gold. Each player who does collects twice their investment from the bank.

Peddler: You are correct that there is no discard pile in the official rules. I adjusted the rules so that when you would put a card on the bottom of the deck, it's discarded instead.

Tyrant: He was meant to be able to hit all players who don't pay. Only getting one is probably better.

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I agree that the Fortune Teller is indeed something of a taxing Assassin. TBH I never really liked the Fortune Teller much; I was having trouble coming up with another good 1, so I kind of banged her out really fast and didn't put as much thought in as I should have.

I'll change the Rogue so he only grabs gold. Simpler and probably more balanced.

For the Sorcerer, I know having two characters taxing purple was a bad idea. I wouldn't have put him and the Fortune Teller in the same character set. I don't really like the Fortune Teller anyway, so I'll most likely just not use her.

Your alternate Pirate idea is interesting. I don't normally like taxing opposing districts since it discourages players from building districts of that color, but the district offering seems cool. I'll see how he works in playtesting.

I like your alternate Farmer. Perhaps he should also be able to destroy to draw cards? Not sure if that's overpowered, but in my experience the tempo loss from destroyed districts is pretty major, especially if you have to skip your turn for it.

A limit of 5 gold for the Blacksmith seems legit. As long as he can build the Smithy :P

Your alternate Ambassador also seems quite legit. I wouldn't use him and the Pirate in the same set since they're so similar, but one or the other would be quite interesting.

Finally, for the Tyrant, I think limiting him to one district and upping the cost limit to 5 is probably pretty fair.

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Thanks for all the suggestions! They're much appreciated.

Edited by Pinkzeppelincult

I really like a lot of your characters!

Advisor & Prince - What's in it for the advisor, besides the taxing? Your prince has a much better power, but I can't help but seem to remember reading somewhere that the players are dueling princes so the name doesn't fit for me. I'd keep the prince's auction power, but name him the advisor. If there is a tie then the bidders can bid higher. They can even bid with district cards!

Spy - It's not nasty enough. The assassin and witch are both at least somewhat nasty. I feel like all #1s should be at least somewhat nasty. If anything, it's really dangerous to take the spy the more players in the game because you're likely to get nothing out of him. A better idea for the spy might be that someone can pay you to reveal someone else's cards to you and your employer, or maybe even steal a district card!

Fortune Teller - My guess is you were going for something opposite to the witch with the target getting to use their power, but not take their action or build. That in itself is a fine idea, but I think you need it'd be better if you drop the taxing purple districts, get to take the target's action as your own, but when they're called, and call it something else like robber because you're robbing them of their income, but not their power.

Musician - I love this power! But I'm not a fan of the name. I hate that the architect is called the architect and gets to build 3 districts though. I'd call your musican the architect and call the architect the mason, but only let him build, not draw extra as well (the current architect is too over-powered). Also, your musician (or new architect) gets to draw an extra 2 district cards in addition to selling his services. Or if that's over-powered, then he can do 1 or the other.

Rogue - His districts power is too much like the wizard which is a great card in itself. The gold power is what I think the tax collector should be: if you opt for income, you pay half.

Warlock - Such a cool name, but a boring power. :(

Sorceror - Another cool name and I like the purple taxing, but the rest is boring like Warlock. I'd rather go with something like you can build a district that you have in your hand and someone else has already built, for free. It still having something to do with districts like the magician and wizard.

Templar Knight - I really don't like the "investing". You're giving your opponents twice what you get. That makes no sense. I do very much like Steve-O's protection idea though. I love it in fact! I'd make it a #4 card and taxing the gold though as knights were often wealthy.

Inquisitor - I love this power! It sounds just like the church pressuring you to support them.

Peddler - I've had a similar idea before, but I'd rather call him the Opportunist and allow him to look at the last 3 or 4 discarded cards, take 2, leave 1 or 2.

Pirate - Great name, boring power. I much prefer Steve-O's green raiding pirate.

Farmer - Okay power, but lame name. Who was in charge of re-zoning decisions in the medieval world, an advisor of some kind? Just name it differently. I think it might be under-powered though. Maybe you should +1 gold as there should be good reason for re-zoning. That is, there's more profit to be had by re-zoning.

Blacksmith - Eh, I like my Mason and Sorceror ideas better. How could a "blacksmith" build a district for free? It doesn't fit.

Ambassador - IIRC, people don't often build red districts so it might not be too over-powered, but it could be the more players there are. I'm not really a fan though. I feel like #8 should be dreaded for what he might take from you, like the Warlord.

Tyrant - I like it! If you're limiting it to one target, that is. I'd even do away with the limit as I kind of like the idea of forcing people to keep a gold on hand just in case. Maybe just exclude purples.

My favourites are: Prince (but renamed to Advisor), Musician (but renamed to Architect and see other), Inquisitor, and Tyrant.

KUTGW!

i love your characters and i wish that there is some easy way you can make their cards and so we can buy them if you find a way to do so count me as the first customer :)

here are mine ideas

1. witch hunter: announce a color, each players that build district of that color must pay you one gold ( more if skill allows him to build more districts ) player may not build district if he has no gold to give

1. rogue: announce a character, that players on his turn must switch his card with the one that king eliminates on the start of the turn ( you can choose yourself to )

2. beggar: announce a character, when that character takes turn you may take the card he will build or take 4 gold coins if he doesnt build anything

2. robber: announce a character and take each gold and card that announced character get until the end of his turn

3. necromancer: curse one of the players ( not announce ), that player will for action give you 2 gold coins or 2 card from which you will keep one and must destroy his own district oh his wish to get half gold from the bank of its full cost

3. druid: get one gold coin for each mysterious (purple) district in your city and you can announce the 3 district card you wish, if any of players posses one of it he must give you it and you can build it ( that district does not count as the one you may build )

4. same as you

4. same but the crown goes to players with the least gold

5. time lord: put one or two gold coins on one of your districts to protect it from harmfull effects like destroy exchange or take...

5. priest: get one blue for each religious (blue) district in your city and sacrifice one district in your hand to get amount of gold from cost of the discarded district

6. brewer : pick a card from your deck and put it in the middle, the players can now bid for the card but may not pay less than its full cost if the card isnt sold you take half of its cost in cards

6. illusionist : get one gold for each trade (green) district in your city take a district card from someones city and use all her abilityes, at the end of last players turn return that card to the owner ( this can be used to take card from city with 8 districts )

7.royal heir: the one with crown marker must pay you 2 golds and one card OR give you the crown

7. servant: you may discard 1-6 cards from your hand to get that amount of gold

8. warrior: you get one gold for each military (red) district in your city you may pay 2 gold coins to discard up to 3 cards from other players decks

8. elf: you may take one gold or card for each district in your city

9. light mage: announce a character that will be safe from all harmfull effects in next turn

9. death: choose a player and announce a character, in next round that player must take that character or either skip his whole turn.

1. rogue: announce a character, that players on his turn must switch his card with the one that king eliminates on the start of the turn ( you can choose yourself to )

This is a cool idea. Does the player immediately take his turn as the new role, or does he place it face down and wait for the role's original number to be called?

2. beggar: announce a character, when that character takes turn you may take the card he will build or take 4 gold coins if he doesnt build anything

Does the beggar pay construction cost for the district he "steals" from the named character? What happens if he can't afford it?

3. necromancer: curse one of the players ( not announce ), that player will for action give you 2 gold coins or 2 card from which you will keep one and must destroy his own district oh his wish to get half gold from the bank of its full cost

You curse a player? (Not a character?)

Also, if you don't announce your target then how does the ability resolve? Do you announce when his turn begins? That seems unfair, because then you could just make the decision on the spot when a given player begins his turn, when you were supposed to have decided at the start of your own turn. There's no way to prove if the necromancer is cheating or not.

I would say the necromancer must announce his target at the start of his turn (whether its a player or a character.) It's not like the target can do anything about it anyway, and this maintains game integrity.

4. same as you

4. same but the crown goes to players with the least gold

?

5. time lord: put one or two gold coins on one of your districts to protect it from harmfull effects like destroy exchange or take...

Is this protection permanent for the rest of the game? Or just for this round?

If it's not permanent, this is actually weaker than the regular Blue protection.

If it is permanent, that's fine, although I can foresee games where everyone stagnates on building until they have completely protected their districts. All that accomplishes is to drag out the game - district attacks are not that common IME.

Also, if it's going to be permanent, this role should be the same number as the Artist in order to prevent there being two different effects that place gold on district cards in the same game. Otherwise, things could get confusing. (Is that district beautified so it has a greater point vaule, or is it protected from all attacks?)

6. brewer : pick a card from your deck and put it in the middle, the players can now bid for the card but may not pay less than its full cost if the card isnt sold you take half of its cost in cards

This one is really cool, and very fitting of a #6 role. Does the auction go once around the table, or does it continue until all but one player drop out? Does the winner place this district in his hand, or build it directly into his city? (I would suggest the latter, personally.)

The only real problem I foresee is that, in practice, a certain number of players will be effectively ousted from the auction because they don't have enough money to bid.

7.royal heir: the one with crown marker must pay you 2 golds and one card OR give you the crown

Interesting idea, but it should be a #4 role.

8. warrior: you get one gold for each military (red) district in your city you may pay 2 gold coins to discard up to 3 cards from other players decks

Another interesting variation of Red roles. I would say it should be at least 1 gold per card discarded, though. Pay up to 3 gold to force a player to discard as many cards.

8. elf: you may take one gold or card for each district in your city

Might be more interesting if it were for each district in the target's city. Also prevents a runaway leader from just pulverising everyone else's ability to catch up.

9. light mage: announce a character that will be safe from all harmfull effects in next turn

9. death: choose a player and announce a character, in next round that player must take that character or either skip his whole turn.

These are both very interesting ideas providing something truly new compared to other roles. I like them a lot! Although, I worry about Death because it's very possible that the name character won't be available to choose when that player gets the cards. Not only because the role might be buried, but also because anyone else in front of him in the pecking order could choose that role just to screw him.

Perhaps add something like "if the named player does not choose the named character, he loses his entire turn, but collects 4 gold in inheritance." This, if nothing else, gives other players a reason not to screw him out of the role arbitrarily.

I would also suggest that both of these roles be left out, face up on the table, for the next round. It would act as a reminder for players to resolve the effect during the following turn, and given the strength of their abilities, limiting their use to once every other turn seems appropriate.

Either that, or you could riff of the Queen and make the target character be the one to your immediate right or left in the current turn, so the ability is semi-random.

Edited by Steve-O

Thank you for the reply i really wanted to make some new and special characters especially with death and angel and for the time lord ( 5 ) protection was supposed to be for the end of the game but you must pay 2 golds per district

i also made some designs of cards ( 4 per each number ) and i can send you some files but i dont know will you be able to open them if you dont have the program magic set editor but trust me its worth of try so you can email me at [email protected]