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[Schneau]

Code: [Select]

Vineyard, Hermit, Masquerade, Familiar, Herald, Talisman, Cartographer, Mystic, Soothsayer, Wharf
http://gokologs.drunkensailor.org/static/logprettifier.html?20140604/log.5070b64ea2e6d027a23183f4.1401908216708.txt

In this game against Geronimoo, he goes for pretty standard Masq/Wharf BM, and I decide to try for an interesting engine relying on Herald as the only "village". Cartographer shines here, since it allows me to line up my Heralds and Mystics to get the most out of them. I choose to start with a Potion, hitting Familiars early with the plan of using them for Vineyards late. I'm not sure if this is the right path, since Masq can send back the Curses, but I think it is since I end up cursing faster than he can trash, giving me time to build up my engine. Even a mid-game Talisman is nice here, allowing me to grab a bunch of Heralds at once to feed the Vineyards and ensure I don't slow too much while greening.

Geronimoo ended up resigning after 13 turns, probably as much because of my slow turns (sorry!) as because of the state of the game. Things were slow duesince I had to figure out how to put back Cartographered cards to make them line up with my Heralds and Mystics properly. It's complicated when you play a Herald which reveals and plays a Mystic and you have to remember which card to name!

I definitely don't think I played this board perfectly, but the engine definitely seems like the way to go here. Lots of fun interactions in this one!

[soulnet]

The engine is by far the right call here, but I do not like opening Potion. Against double Masq, I would have gone for Masq/Talisman, to load up on Heralds faster, add Wharf on first two $5s for the +buy and speed (if they come fast, otherwise, you may even do with just one Wharf), and then Cartographer. If he goes BM, adding Familiar later is better. He will be playing a single terminal, and have a hard time lining up Masq with Curses. Moreover, even if he does send some Curses back, each Masq played is a non-Wharf turn, and you will send the Curses back to him faster anyway with your own Masq.

Notice that Masq/Talisman is good against BM, because you do not want the earlier Cursing as bad, and it is also good for a mirror, because winning the Herald split is important, and later you can use it for a double-Potion turn, or even get double Hermits/Masqs to pump up Vineyards when the deck is consistent enough.

[silverspawn]

The engine is by far the right call here, but I do not like opening Potion. Against double Masq, I would have gone for Masq/Talisman, to load up on Heralds faster, add Wharf on first two $5s for the +buy and speed (if they come fast, otherwise, you may even do with just one Wharf), and then Cartographer. If he goes BM, adding Familiar later is better. He will be playing a single terminal, and have a hard time lining up Masq with Curses. Moreover, even if he does send some Curses back, each Masq played is a non-Wharf turn, and you will send the Curses back to him faster anyway with your own Masq.

that sounds right, except that i doubt familiar will be useful even against BM. there is not just masq but also hermit, who willl always find the curses. you definitely want a herald deck, but i think you want potion only to get vineyards later in the game.

[dondon151]

Familiar in an engine can wreck BM. You can dump all of the Curses into your opponent's deck in just a few turns, and he can't possibly trash them all as they come in.

[soulnet]

that sounds right, except that i doubt familiar will be useful even against BM. there is not just masq but also hermit, who willl always find the curses. you definitely want a herald deck, but i think you want potion only to get vineyards later in the game.

But both are terminal. The opportunity cost for them to get and play a Hermit per Curse is huge. They are left playing BM with a Silver gainer instead of Wharf-BM. I doubt getting Hermit to figth Curses is a good plan for a BM player. Also, each Familiar is a cantrip you can use to pump up your Vineyards and increase Action density for Herald.

[SCSN]

Whether or not to go Familiar depends on what your opponent is doing. I'd skip it in an engine mirror, but if he's playing Wharf-BM it's really good.

In either case you want to open Masq/Silver and set up a Herald/Wharf engine first. Going for Familiar early would be a mistake.