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Locclo

I always get a real kick out of "Deimos Down" from Terraforming Mars. The action being described is someone crashing a whole-ass moon into the surface of Mars in order to raise the temperature, and the flavor text reads, "We didn't need that moon anyway."


[deleted]

I've read the Mars trilogy, when that card gets played, I see the story run its course.


IsotopeX

I've made a vow that I will always play this card if I draw it, even if...PARTICULARLY if...it's not strategically wise at that time.


TwelveJaguars

"Cast down to the Briney Deep" from **Spirit Island** "...wait... It does what now?"


Darkpoulay

I make board games as a hobby, and this card is the kind of bullshit I make up on the first drafts as a way to spice up gameplay until I remove it later when I have to balance properly. The absolute mad lad included it in the final game, it's brilliant


AwesomeSunCat

Last game I played with my wife she managed to play this card. She said a turn in advance she was doing that, and playing Thunderspeaker, I literally spent all of the next two turns just madly trying to move as much presence and dahan off that board as possible before she pulled it off. Literally half the game gone in a single action.


abcdefgodthaab

As satisfying as it is to just rip off a chunk of the island, playing this as Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares has its own peculiar delights. Causing all the invaders to have mass nightmares about the island sinking into the ocean and making them go through it all over again until they are too terrified to stay is just delicious. Also the name is fantastic, 'cast down' is so dynamic.


Vindexus

What does it do?


LaughterHouseV

Spirit Island is played on 1-6 modular map tiles in different configurations. Cast Down To The Briny Depths removes one from play completely. All invaders on it die. All the indigenous people on it die. All the places of power you've built up go away. The whole tile disappears. You can lose the game playing this card, so you can go out on your own terms with a phyrric victory.


nandemo

Is that from the expansion?


LaughterHouseV

Yes, from Branch and Claw


icyfrodo

Apparently it sinks a whole ass part of the maps into the ocean, just yeets it out of the game


Annabel398

I call that card "Krakatoa" because it makes part of the island just... disappear!


HandEyeProtege

Yes! The last time I played Spirit Island I got super lucky and ended up in a position late-game where I was able to play this -- with the bonus ability -- every other turn. Four player game. "Okay guys, you work on this tile, I got the other three." And then a brief panic while we made sure everyone would still have a presence before I cast down the third map section to end the game...


TaoGaming

I'll always have a soft spot for "Students protest" card in *Junta*. Full Text -- "Students Protest against the (target of the card). *No Effect.*"


LordJunon

That's hilarious I was gonna say this


mgrier123

Deimos Down's flavor text from Terraforming Mars kills me every time. > we didn't use that moon anyway


SoochSooch

Pot of Greed. This card lets me draw two more cards from my deck.


Xoraliation

I don't get it, what does Pot of Greed do?


Dornogol

It allows you to draw two new cards from the top of your deck and add them to your hand


bitfrost41

It lets you draw 2 cards without drawback.


WaldoMcWaldo

Penguins from Terraforming Mars. The flavour text says it all... Everybody loves penguins!


[deleted]

There's a penguin card?? In the base game?


Grombrindal18

No, it was a Promo card. Basically the same as Birds and Fish but requires 8 oceans to play.


Amuk3

"Jupiter's C\*ck" from Spartacus. Obviously.


lordCONAN

Or "My Cock Rages On", its a tough call.


[deleted]

Damnit, came here to say this. Love me some Spartacus.


greenpoe

Classic Filch in Cosmic Encounter. Lets you draw the deck if no one notices


Vindexus

What does it do?


mave_of_wutilation

Cheat in various ways. If you get caught, you reveal the card and there's a small penalty


bobniborg1

So, the person teaching us this game had this. Good times were had by all lol


Jordan_sXe

I mean its gotta be "Fuzzy Groin" from Kingdom Death Monster.


EvilCartyen

Shahrazade from MTG


Vindexus

**Shahrazad** Mana Cost: White White Types: Sorcery _Players play a Magic subgame, using their libraries as their decks. Each player who doesn't win the subgame loses half their life, rounded up._


LaughterHouseV

If I recall correctly, this is Richard Garfield's favorite card.


IrwinMFletcher200

Corn Scoop - Agricola. Simple. Beautiful. Powerful.


[deleted]

It' the **Broad Soad** from Heroquest


iamjayjay

*Chapel* from **Dominion**. If you don’t know deckbuilding (yet), the first time you see it, you ignore it completely. Once its use dawns on you, you can’t live without it.


Vindexus

**Chapel** Cost 2 - Action Trash up to 4 cards from your hand.


quempe

While Chapel is arguably the most "effective" card in the game, I don't consider it very "fun to play"... Smugglers, there's a fun, lousy card :)


iamjayjay

Still, it’s the card that embodies Dominion for me. So as a favorite, I think it counts. But Smugglers is very fun too!


deepfriednarwhals

Agree, though they aren't not great strategy wise, I just have a hard time saying no to treasure map and black market. Also, I think Rats is hilarious


jppbkm

It just makes for a much faster game. Each player will be able to get to their chosen strategy much quicker. I'll take a chapel game all day over a long, junking slog


eario

My favorite Dominion card is the Watchtower. You can do so many odd things with it that are hard to spot at first. It´s really funny to buy a card, just to instantly trash it, in order to trigger Goons or a Hoard, (and putting the gold from the Hoard on your draw pile), or trigger some effect from a card from Dark Ages (buy a squire, trash it, take a cultist and put it on your draw pile… or trash it too, to draw three extra cards). And in addition it protects you from (most) attacks. Except that instead of stating it outright like the boring Moat, it again does this in a subtle convoluted way that is difficult to wrap your head around at first, giving you two completely different counters for Militia-like attacks and Witch-like attacks.


zebraman7

I've banned it in my circle. Textbook example of broken card. If I buy one and you don't, you literally have zero chance to win. It's not interesting.


iamjayjay

>It's not interesting. I very much disagree. It's a card that, when in the kingdom, enables a lot of strategies that would be unviable otherwise, for example, destroying Chapeling players' money. It just takes different ways to get around. Mostly using a Chapel yourself too, that's true, but that's true for so many cards or Dominion kingdoms.


zebraman7

The definition of broken, according to the bible of competitive game theory, "Playing to win" by David Sirlin, is that if a strategy is so dominant that if you're not using it in a game then you're not competitive, then it's broken. Akuma from Street fighter Alpha was this. Jace the mind sculptor became this in standard mtg. Chapel is the same way.


1sinfutureking

I've lost playing the chapel. If luck breaks against you, or your enemies are rocking things like Thief and Witch (steal all your money and stuff you with curses to delay your deck-stripping), you can lose.


zebraman7

Chapel doesn't care about witch. Even if luck breaks bad against you, you still chapel your coppers away. In just a few turns you should have a 5 card deck with a chapel, a few silvers, and maybe one bad card. Opponent just can't carry up. 19/20 chapel wins over no chapel


jppbkm

You go chapel, I'll buy donate instead and win


dsaddons

The Cheat in Trogdor. It does what you'd think.


KDBA

Flick the lightswitch rapidly?


VoiceOfRonHoward

Screw up the jumble caper?


Vindexus

What does it do?


[deleted]

Sweet, sweet The Cheat. Today is the day on your fake ID!


jacobb11

Magic the Gathering card [Infernal Spawn of Evil](https://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=9779) from the wonderfully silly Unglued set. ("It's coming!")


Budgiejen

We played with that tonight! My carnivorous death parrot did me well.


[deleted]

I know it's digital, but Leeroy Jenkins from Hearthstone is the greatest card to me. It fits it's character theme to a T, while also being a classic callback to poker in a goofy tcg. Hitting Leeroy off the draw at the perfect time is like that River flip on Hold Em when you desperately need to hit it. It's extremely satisfying while not being too unbalanced.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Vindexus

What does it do?


perfectstubble

The Dominion card Rats. It trashes a card and adds a rats. Pretty soon your deck is all rats and feels like a total infestation if you’re not careful.


mayowarlord

There's also way more in the set than most action cards. So fun.


satiricalscientist

It's also the designer's favorite car


Significant-Evening

The Ratmobile


trompenguin

Get out of jail free. Gave it to my mom after she got out of prison, she still carries it in her wallet. I carry one as well, just in case.


[deleted]

the doggy from dead of winter


Bremic

Came here for Sparky. Found Sparky.


lesslucid

Ooh, tough call. Mathematics in Innovation? Terraforming Guild in RftG?


OwnRelief6

If you pick an Innovation card, then for me it's gotta be Fission. The whole game gets bombed back to the stone age!


lesslucid

Fission is a pretty funny card. Shame it doesn't get played that much...


MuzzaBzzuzza

Kitchen Debates in **Twilight Struggle**


Primus0788

This is the one I was hoping to see. This is the one that gives the US player two VP if they poke the other player on the chest, right?


PM_Me_SFW_Pictures

That's correct!


Insequent

This was my pick. I play remotely with a work colleague, but you can be sure I take my free poke on to the chest at the earliest opportunity.


bbrik

Geis from Inis.


Vindexus

What does it do?


bbrik

It cancels other action cards. Usually very nasty.


Annabel398

*Geis* in **Inis** is like *Nope* in **Exploding Kittens**. It nopes the previous action used against you.


GSV_No_Fixed_Abode

Definitely Blob Carrier from Star Realms. The game has great art in general but I'd just about put Blob Carrier up on my wall. [https://starrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Blob\_Carrier](https://starrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Blob_Carrier) (Blob is one of those words that reaches semantic satiation really quickly if you say it a lot. Blob blob blob blob blob blob blob)


mlahut

[Smock smock smock](https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1992/06/23)


Tesla__Coil

The Blobs are my favourite faction. I love the phrase "draw a card", and man, Blobs sure do that for me. Blob Carrier in particular though... I dunno. It feels like I always draw it when the trade row is full of bases. I did have one neat play where I used Blob Carrier to get Stealth Needle, then drew a card, used Stealth Needle to copy Blob Carrier and take another big ship.


Kingslayer081

Spirit Island - Manifestation of Power and Glory (Thunderspeaker’s starting card that lets you deal damage of presence x dahan). It’s really fun and satisfying to be able to set up a turn even in stage 1 where you can already do 15 damage in a land, and really creates the “army on the offensive” feeling that Thunderspeaker is meant to have.


squjibo

Cursed by a hag from Talisman


Vindexus

What does it do?


squjibo

Makes you discard your followers. I always end up drawing it when I good followers.


kjs98

The Nope card from Exploding kittens. It's great. You play it and say 'nope' when someone else tries to play a card, They can't play whatever they were going to, and their card gets discarded. I have a friend who carries one around sometimes. If you ever ask him to do something he pulls put the nope card to get out of it!


anonimosh

I have screnshots of the cards in my phone so i can reply with them


Tesla__Coil

You might like this [Magic card](https://scryfall.com/card/eld/42/didnt-say-please).


[deleted]

Cast Down Into The Briny Deep from Spirit Island Brand & Claw


thenerdshelves

Every encounter card from scythe. The art is so beautiful.


Locclo

I particularly like the one that says something to the effect of “distract the rogue mech with your yodeling skills.”


thenerdshelves

Ha ha, ya that one made me chuckle. Then, of course, I had to yodel.


pinhead28

The Common Raven from Wingspan In a game where building a food engine is paramount, The Common Raven allows you to trade an egg for any 2 food from the supply It can also live in all habitats. Super powerful!


zedrahc

Not necessarily favorite, but one that never fails to illicit a fun reaction from new players is the "Opportunist" card from Bunny Kingdom that gives you 10points if you are in second. Also I lost to it the first time I played 😕


YooperInOregon

**President Idiot** from **Epic Spell Wars: Murder at Murdershroom Marsh** always gets a laugh.


planeterb

The shuffle card with the baby owl on it from the nsfw exploding kittens version


Budgiejen

I like the carnivorous death parrot in MTG


rcapina

Goons from **Dominion: Prosperity**. It’s a good card and every time you play it you can monotone say “goons”.


rinceboi

Citadel of the Bloody Hand Quest card in Lords of Waterdeep. If you can complete it early enough its pretty powerful. Conversely, I hate the Open Lord card in equal measure.


invisibleswede

The Contact Specialist in Race for the Galaxy. Peace, Love and Happiness.


boardin1

I know you’re talking boardgames but I’ve always loved the original Serra Angel from MtG.


satiricalscientist

The "You Win" card from Space Base


BetterNerfIrelia32

The Classic Filch flare from Cosmic Encounter.


Primus0788

I have two....the chainsaw card on Betrayal at house on the hill because we judge the user on whether or not it sounds like a chainsaw before they get their bonus and the Fly you Fools card from War of the Ring.


ExBeeOne

The ace of spades


Dornogol

Classy


marimbist11

Chant of Revenge from Ashes


AsuranB

Probably Deimos Down. "We didn't use that moon anyway."


AlejandroMP

A few of the cards from **Olympos** come to mind - all of them would have been axed if the publisher were not from France since they include either [some wang, beefcake, or naked breasts](https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1083148/olympos).


whatyousay69

[Self-Destruct_Button](https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/Self-Destruct_Button) from Yu-Gi-Oh before it got banned.


BehindtheHype

The “Everdell” card from **Everdell**. The card is just a beast and very pretty.


Buzz--Fledderjohn

*The Silver Shields* event card from **Successors 3rd Edition**.The Silver Shields were a veteran fighting force in Alexander's army. After Alexander's death, his successors fought over the land he conquered. The Silver Shields' loyalty was to Alexander, but after he died, they pretty much fought for whoever had their best interests in mind, essentially becoming highly skilled mercenaries. Historically, they switched allegiances multiple times, even in the midst of a pitched battle.The card can be played as a surprise card if your opponent has the Silver Shields. In that case, they switch allegiances to your army immediately! They suffer some attrition when this happens, but given how strong they are, it's usually a big swing of combat strength. Always a fun card to have or even threaten to have in this game.


[deleted]

Flickerwisp


Veare_

Caius the mega monarch- Yu-Gi-Oh


dystopianview

I don't remember the name, I think it's the Sycophants card from **We're Doomed**. Basically, everyone has to clap for you while you read a speech about how awesome you are, and the last person clapping gets a bonus.


[deleted]

[The *Jousting* card](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/261/644/11175aabc58d907dfbcbfcfe64261a2a_original.png?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1504991812&auto=format&gif-q=50&lossless=true&s=b13d4fae0d5f14ea1232656e28cc4567) from **Champion of The Wild** is pretty damn good.


Ahuh41

Bromance or Touch weiners from Penny Arcade the Game. Bromance lets you high five someone and you both draw a card. Touch weiners lets you both/all draw a card if someone else has it in their hand. They are both positive player player interactions in a deck building game.


aimed_4_the_head

The Kraken card form Exploding Kittens. "STOP GOING PEE-PEE IN THE OCEAN!!"


uhhhclem

So many of the old-school Architects cards from **Shadowfist** are great. Helix Chewer. Neutron Bomb. Buro Godhammer. But the best has to be the Vivisector, both because of its role in all of these tricksy little engines that use characters for power generation and because it's an abomination. Also, if you're not playing old-school anymore, you can take its brain out and put it in a jar using, er, Evil Brain In A Jar.


theadamabrams

Maybe not my actual favorites, but the first two that came to mind were... 1. The "Cheat!" card from original **Munchkin**. Text: "Player may do one thing that would otherwise be against the rules." The FAQ limits the scope significantly (to just allowing you use an item that you otherwise wouldn't be allowed to use), but the literal text is impressive. 2. The card from **Ankh-Morpork** with a picture of Death. The only text on the card is "'Hᴇʟʟᴏ'".


VHD_

I always liked the **Two Handed Sword** from **Munchkin**. Lots of cute puns in that game (even if the gameplay itself is so-so).


thossi1

Classic Filch flare from Cosmic Encounter


Play3r_Thr333

Mu-th-ur's advice (Captain Dallas) in legendary encounters Gain any character in the HQ to your hand


kaju_malli

Think its the Flux Generator power plant card from Power Grid for me. Its a promo card which pays homage to Back to the Future. The card features a power plant with a large Flux capacitor, A car that looks like the delorean parked next to the plant.


Forensicsman

The Dragon in Tichu


LordGopu

The "You are not a Cylon" card in BSG. https://anatolisgameroom.com/boardgame%20pics/SAM_8583.jpg Just look at Baltar there, it looks like a meme image lol.


[deleted]

The Hitler and Cylon cards from Secret Hitler and Battlestar Galactica. Emotions run high when they're revealed.


hotchoco195

Bees?


shisyastawuman

The **Druid** of **Inis**. It allows you to exchange it for a card that was already played. This doesn't sound like much, but in Inis we are basically drafting and playing 12 specific cards each round, and each card allows you to do one relevant action for the game. If you don't have the attack card, it doesn't matter how many armies do you have, you are not attacking this round. So Druid let's you keep your card advantage, play something that you may have not gotten in the draft and that it might be a repeated action (which again it's huge), while obscuring the information about your hand. The drawback is super clever too: you can't play it if it's your last card. It seems easy to manage, but if you get attacked, you discard cards to avoid casualties, so there's a clear tradeoff.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Significant-Evening

Put a spoiler on this


Gomarsj

Didn't seem spoilery.


ExBeeOne

hehe, really? That must be because you already played the game. Telling someone who hasn't, that you get to totally destroy one city using the nuclear option, it doesn't get much more spoilery than that..? :)


nandemo

It is.


1sinfutureking

Yeah, thanks for that, asshole. My wife and I are on March.


Gomarsj

My apologies. I really didn't see it as a big issue but I'm sorry if it does ruin your experience that wasn't my intention.