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[Davio]

In a solitaire Province game, starting with a custom 5 card deck that you pick, find a way to be sure that you can buy a single Province on both your next turn and the turn after that, but you shouldn't be able to buy one this turn.

To clarify, starting with something like KC-KC-Bridge-Bridge-Bridge doesn't qualify because you could play them this turn and buy a bunch of Provinces. You should not be able to produce more than 7$ this turn or gain a Province in any other way.

Limitations:
- No mats (TR, PS)
- Assume horrible shuffle luck

I wonder what creative solutions you guys can come up with.

I started this challenge, because I had one particular solution in mind and I wonder who will be first to find it. There's also quite an easy solution that someone's sure to find pretty soon...

[kn1tt3r]

Your deck consists of something like 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Copper, and say 2 Estates. You play Tactician this turn, draw the mentioned stuff next turn, buy Province and Mandarin, and put enough money back on your deck to buy a Province the following turn.

[cayvie]

Your deck is Bazaar, Wharf, and 3 Grand Markets.

This turn, you play everything except the Wharf and buy another Grand Market.

Next turn, you play everything and buy a Province.
Next turn, you play everything and buy a Province.

[qmech]

I'll take the easy solution.

1) KC/KC/Bridge/Lab/Lab: KC Bridge, buy Bridge
2) Play out the Labs, then KC/KC/Bridge/Bridge, buy Province
3) Play out Labs, then KC/KC/Bridge/Bridge, buy Province

Any cantrip works just as well as Lab.

EDIT: And the Bridge doesn't need to be a Bridge: any terminal Silver would work.  In fact, this example generalises quite a long way: take any 4 cards 1) that can buy a Province, 2) no 3 of which can buy a Province and 3) some 3 of which can buy the fourth.

[Davio]

kn1tter's solution doesn't qualify because it starts with more than 5 cards and can buy a Province on the first turn with a lucky draw.

Cayvie's solution is correct, though and not one I had thought of initially.

@qmech, that isn't the easy solution I had intended, but it works just as well and is just as easy.

[cayvie]

your deck is Tournament, Province, Black Market, Tactician, Crossroads.

You play Tournament, revealing Province, gaining Trusty Steed and drawing it.
You play Crossroads. You play Trusty Steed, putting 4 silvers in your deck and drawing 2 cards (a Province and a Silver.)
You play Black Market, playing the Silver. You play Tactician.

You buy a Tactician.

Next turn, you play BM/Tactician, buy a Province, and again the next turn.

[zahlman]

Wow, seriously, guys? You're way overcomplicating this. This is, like, a blatant reference to a very well-known deck/strategy.

I hold Bishop, Silver, Silver, Copper, Copper.
This turn, I trash Copper with Bishop, buying Gold.
Next turn, I trash the other Copper and buy a Province.
Next turn, I trash the Province and buy a new one.

[cayvie]

Your deck is Highway, Highway, Highway, Highway, Gold

You play your Highways and Gold, and buy a Highway.

Next Turn, you play 5 Highways and buy a Province.
Next turn, you play 5 Highways and buy a Province.

[Davio]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

[zahlman]

Yep, I can do that.


I hold Forge, Estate, Estate, Copper, Curse.
This turn I forge Estate + Estate + Curse, gaining Salvager. I play $1, buying nothing.
Next turn I salvage the Forge and buy a Province.
Next turn I salvage the Province and buy a Province.

(And if you want me to have to keep both Provinces, just swap the Curse for a second Forge, and don't include it in the forging. It still isn't possible to forge a Province the first turn this way.)

[DStu]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

IW, TR, Wharf, Wharf, $5.

1) Play TR->IW, Gain Silver, Salvager, play Wharf.
2) TR,IW,Wharf,$5,Silver, Salvager. TR->IW into some Cantrip, play Wharf. Salvage $5, buy Province.
3) 6 cards from before: TR, IW, Wharf, Silver, Province, Salvager, plus 2 cantrips. Thus (because of Wharf) you can draw everything (except maybe 1 Cantrip you don't need), Salvage Wharf, buy Province

[Davio]

I must say, you guys just jot down these crazy complex creative solutions and still no one has found the simplest of all yet. 

[eHalcyon]

Possession

Or I guess

TR-Possession

[Thisisnotasmile]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

IW, TR, Wharf, Wharf, $5.

1) Play TR->IW, Gain Silver, Salvager, play Wharf.
2) TR,IW,Wharf,$5,Silver, Salvager. TR->IW into some Cantrip, play Wharf. Salvage $5, buy Province.
3) 6 cards from before: TR, IW, Wharf, Silver, Province, Salvager, plus 2 cantrips. Thus (because of Wharf) you can draw everything (except maybe 1 Cantrip you don't need), Salvage Wharf, buy Province

Am I missing something or does this only produce $7 on turns 2 and 3?

[Davio]

Possession

Or I guess

TR-Possession

Nope, no self Possession involved.

[eHalcyon]

KC-KC-Lab-Lab-Feast
KC-Feast for Mandarinx3
Use Lab to draw deck if necessary; KC-Mandarin, buy Province and topdeck KC-Mandarin
KC-Mandarin, buy Province


I think this also works with
KC-KC-Lab-Feast-Province
Feast for Explorers, maybe 1 Lab
Gain 3 Gold to buy Province
Do it again, or draw through to existing Gold to buy Province

[DStu]

Am I missing something or does this only produce $7 on turns 2 and 3?

7, 8. I can't mess with these details...

Anyway, I think you can replace the $5 with a Adventurer (or something else that cost more than $5), that solves turn 2. In Turn3 we can TR-IW into Treasue and Action to get an additional coin and preserve the action.

[Qvist]

There are so many solutions, I think.

Deck:
Scheme, Governor, Fool's Gold, Curse, Curse
T1: Remodel Curse into Fool's Gold, Draw Fool's Gold with Scheme, Buy Fool's Gold, put Scheme back
Hand: Scheme, Governor, Fool's Gold, Fool's Gold, Curse
Deck: Fool's Gold
T2: Draw Fool's Gold with Scheme, Remodel Curse into Fool's Gold, Buy Province, put Governor back
Hand: Scheme, Governor, Fool's Gold, Curse, Province
Deck: Fool's Gold, Fool's Gold
T3: Draw both Fool's Gold with Governor, buy Province

[cayvie]

Here's my favorite yet:

Your deck is Platinum, Embargo, Embargo, Embargo, Embargo.

You Embargo Curses, buy a Gold.
You Embargo Curses, buy a Province.
You Embargo Curses, buy a Province.

[eHalcyon]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

[Qvist]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

I think my solution fits.

[DStu]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

Oh you are right, my Wharf draws the Silver...

edit: .. but I just don't play it...

[Davio]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

It's optional.

Still no one has found the easiest solution.

[Thisisnotasmile]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

I think my solution fits.

Nope. You could gain a Gold and draw it with Scheme to produce $4.

[eHalcyon]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

I think my solution fits.

Nope. You could gain a Gold and draw it with Scheme to produce $4.

Plus on turn 1 you already produce $5 with your two FG...

[DStu]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

I think my solution fits.

Nope. You could gain a Gold and draw it with Scheme to produce $4.

is this meant this strict? There is no possibility to play your cards in T1 at all to gain more than $1, even if that does not let you gain Provinces in T2,3?

[eHalcyon]

KC-KC-Lab-Lab-Feast
KC-Feast for Mandarinx3
Use Lab to draw deck if necessary; KC-Mandarin, buy Province and topdeck KC-Mandarin
KC-Mandarin, buy Province


I think this also works with
KC-KC-Lab-Feast-Province
Feast for Explorers, maybe 1 Lab
Gain 3 Gold to buy Province
Do it again, or draw through to existing Gold to buy Province

Actually, these don't fit either.

KC-KC-Feast, then Lab to draw the gained cards.

There's probably a way to make it work anyway... but I need to go to bed.

Edit: Probably works with a single KC?

[Davio]

What if I guys told you: This turn you can produce at most $1 and you can't have any Bridge/Highway shenanigans.

These new solutions don't follow this addendum!

I think my solution fits.

Nope. You could gain a Gold and draw it with Scheme to produce $4.

is this meant this strict? There is no possibility to play your cards in T1 at all to gain more than $1, even if that does not let you gain Provinces in T2,3?

As I said, it's optional. Think of it as "hard mode" although it's only hard mode if you are thinking in that direction.

If I want to be strict I am going to say that even the possibility to get more than $1 is enough to disqualify.

But the reason I posted the restriction was to get you guys thinking in another (read: my) direction.
I really don't want to post my easy solution myself and am eagerly waiting for someone to have an a-ha erlebnis.

[Ozle]

You start with Village-Highway-Feast-Feast-Feast
Trash feasts Gain 3 golds
Next turn hand has to be either drawing or gold. Buy province
Next hand, worst hand you can have is Province+Drawing or gold, either way, result.

[eHalcyon]

Crap, out of bed because I think I got the simple solution.

4x scheme, Remodel
T1: Buy Peddler
T2: Remodel Peddler->Province, buy Peddler
T3: Repeat


Back to bed now.

[DStu]

That's not bought...

[Davio]

Indeed, DStu!

Okay, I will post my solution by 12:00 CEST if no one has found it by then. 

[eHalcyon]

Doh!

[bozzball]

Remake + 4 Adventurers?
This turn - remake 2 adventurers into 2 forges
Next turn - remake a forge and an adventurer into a province and a forge
Next turn - remake a forge and an adventurer into a province and a forge
Next turn - remake two forges into two provinces.

[DStu]

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Bank
1) play KC-KC-Scheme-CR. Bank, buy 4 Coppers. Put KC-KC-CR back
2) play KC-KC-CR (that will draw the rest of the deck), KC the Scheme, play CCCCBank, buy Province and Copper, put KCKCCR bacl
3) play KCKCCR, play CCCCCBank, buy Colony...

[Qvist]

I think eHalcyon was on the right track.

Deck: 4x Scheme, Ironworks
T1: Play the Schemes, gain a Salvager with Ironworks, buy a Peddler
T2: Play the Schemes, salvage the Peddler, buy Peddler and Province
T3: Repeat

[eHalcyon]

4xScheme+Salvager
Turn 1: Buy Peddler
Turn 2: Salvage Peddler, buy Province and Peddler
Turn 3: Repeat


Also,

KC-Workshop, Labx3
Turn 1: KC-Workshop for 3x FG
Turn 2: KC+Labs to draw FG, buy Province
Turn 3: Repeat

Edit: NINJA'D

[eHalcyon]

I think eHalcyon was on the right track.

Deck: 4x Scheme, Ironworks
T1: Play the Schemes, gain a Salvager with Ironworks, buy a Peddler
T2: Play the Schemes, salvage the Peddler, buy Peddler and Province
T3: Repeat

I guess this is necessary because you could salvage a scheme to get $3.  Good call.

[Ozle]

KC-Workshop, Labx3
Turn 1: KC-Workshop for 3x FG
Turn 2: KC+Labs to drag FG, buy Province
Turn 3: Repeat

Edit: NINJA'D

This one doesnt work

What if you draw FG, FG KC, Workshop Province on your 3rd hand?

[eHalcyon]

KC-Workshop, Labx3
Turn 1: KC-Workshop for 3x FG
Turn 2: KC+Labs to drag FG, buy Province
Turn 3: Repeat

Edit: NINJA'D

This one doesnt work

What if you draw FG, FG KC, Workshop Province on your 3rd hand?

Maybe I should just stay in bed.

[bozzball]

Kings Court, Forge, Duchy and Two Curses.

1) Forge the Duchy and Two Curses into a Mandarin
2) KC a Mandarin, putting the Forge back on your deck - buy a province
3) KC a Mandarin, putting the Forge and province back on your deck - buy a province.

[DStu]

With $0 in first turn, and Colonies.

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Coppersmith
1) KC-KC-Scheme-CR. Buy 4 Copper, put KCKCCR back
2) KC-KC-CR (draw deck), Scheme-CS, play 4 Copper worth $4, buy Colony, put KCKCCR back
3) repeat.


or

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Coppersmith
1) KC-KC-Scheme-CR. Buy 4 Copper, put KCKCCR back
2) KC-KC-CR (draw deck), Scheme-CS, play 4 Copper worth $4, buy Colony and 3 Copper, put KCKCCR back
3) KC-KC-CR (draw deck), Scheme-CS, play 7 Copper worth $4, buy 2 Colonies.

[DG]

Four treasure maps?

[Davio]

Ok, here is my super easy solution:

KC-KC-Bureaucrat-Bureaucrat-Bureaucrat, you get 9 Silvers, putting them on deck.
Your next hand you get 5 * $2 = $10 and the hand after that, irrespective of how you shuffle, you get a minimum of 4 * $2 = $8.

You have $0 money this turn though.


Another funny one:

Trader, Watchtower, Province
Silvers are Embargo'd (once) and there is at least one Curse remaining.

Trader the Province and get 8 Silvers + a couple of Curses.
Reveal Watchtower to put 4 Silvers and 1 Curse on top for your next turn.
Trash the other Curses with Watchtower.
Use the same trick to put the other 4 Silvers on top behind the Curse+Silvers.
Your next hand will be 4 Silvers + a Curse and the hand after that has 4 Silvers + whatever.

Again, you have $0 this turn.

[iangoth]

Here's one:

treasure map x2, copper, smithy, smithy

T1) play the treasure maps
T2) buy province
T3) play smithy if in your hand, buy province. It's guaranteed.

Edit: Didn't see that DG beat me to it, more or less.
Edit2: Well, maybe not. DG's can fail, depending on the 5th card. province-gold-gold-treasure map x2 on T3 won't buy a province

[DStu]

I thinn DGs works with Village-4xTM. Gives you 8 Golds on deck, which is enough for a Province each the next two turns.

[zahlman]

Still no one has found the easiest solution.

I think everyone has a different idea of "easy" here.

Here's one starting with no treasure and not involving cards costing more than $4 except the Provinces:


TR-Trader-Island-Island-Watchtower
Turn 1: TR->Trader, trash both Islands, topdecking 8 Silvers via the Watchtower. Buy a Curse, topdecking it as well.
Turn 2: Since the Curse was topdecked last, you draw Curse-Silver-Silver-Silver-Silver and buy a Province.
Turn 3: Silver-Silver-Silver-Silver-X, buy a Province.


Actually, here's one starting with no treasure, no +$ to start, not involving cards costing more than $4, and not trashing anything:


TR-TR-Workshop-Great Hall-Great Hall
Turn 1: TR->Workshop, gain two Monuments (or Woodcutters, or Chancellors, or any other cheap terminal Silver I'm not thinking of).
Turn 2: If the missing card isn't a GH, draw it with GH. TR-TR-Monument-Monument generates $8 for a province (and 4 VP tokens).
Turn 3: Repeat (except possibly needing to play both GHs).

[bozzball]

I think I can come up with a 5 card hand and a kingdom which can raise no capital at all this turn, but can guarantee buying 2 provinces on the next 2 turns.

[Grujah]

Four treasure maps?

And a village. That was my idea too. Surprise nobody mentioned it.

[Grujah]

Also, easily with Stashes:
Stash, Stash, Talisman, Talisman, Highway.
This turn: buy Stash. Gain 2 more. Reshuffle.
Reshuffle:Put 3 Stashes on top. than the rest 3 random. Than 2 Stashes.
Next turn: You have 2 Stashes + 2 Talismans and maybe also Highway. Buy province.
Reshuffle: all 3 stashes on top.
Next-Next-turn: 5 stashes, province.

[bozzball]

I think I can come up with a 5 card hand and a kingdom which can raise no capital at all this turn, but can guarantee buying 2 provinces on the next 2 turns.

2 provinces each on the next 2 turns.

It is guaranteed to get >=$16 and >=2 buys on turns 2 and 3.

[Davio]

Feel free to add it, man.

I don't really care if the solutions fit my original post completely, I'm just curious what kind of things you guys come up with.

[bozzball]

OK: The hand is 2 Kings Court's and 3 Feasts

Turn 1:
 KC+KC+F+F+F
 - Trash 3 feasts, gaining 8 markets and a mandarin

Turn 2:
 Play markets until your hand consists of 4 cards. These will be both KC's and a market and mandarin
 - Kings Court the mandarin, topdecking the Kings Court and the Market.
 You have $16 and 8 buys. Buy two provinces.

Turn 3:
 You have a Kings Court and a Market, and 3 cards from (7 Markets, 1 Kings Court, 1 Mandarin and 2 provinces).
 Kings Court the Market. You now have 6 cards from (7 Markets, 1 Kings Court, 1 Mandarin and 2 provinces). Play 7 markets. Kings court the mandarin, topdecking the two provinces.
 You have $19 and 11 buys. Buy two provinces.

[DStu]

I think my KC-KC-CR-Scheme-CS-4Copper gets 1 Province each turn guaranteed until the Provinces are empty...

[bozzball]

Base game only: Throne Room + Baron + cantrip + cantrip + cantrip.

[zahlman]

I think I can come up with a 5 card hand and a kingdom which can raise no capital at all this turn, but can guarantee buying 2 provinces on the next 2 turns.

How about 2 Colonies (and not trashing them, either)?


KC-KC-Scheme-Feast-Lab.
Turn 1: Play KC-KC-Scheme-Feast, gaining two Mandarins and a Contraband. Buy a Copper. Topdeck KC-KC-Scheme. (8 cards total)
Turn 2: Play KC-KC-Scheme (drawing the rest of the deck) -Mandarin-Mandarin. Play Contraband and Copper. Buy 2 Colonies. Topdeck KC-KC-Lab. (10 cards total)
Turn 3: Play KC-KC-Lab (drawing the rest of the deck) -Mandarin-Mandarin. Play Contraband and Copper. Buy 2 Colonies.


Never mind that, I forgot Mandarin puts cards back too But I'm sure you can adapt this...

[Schneau]

Base game only: Throne Room + Baron + cantrip + cantrip + cantrip.

Baron is in Intrigue, not Base.

[bozzball]

5 card deck = KC+KC+Feast+Feast+Tac
Turn 1): trash 2 feasts for 5 festival's and 1 tactician, play tactician
Turn 2): kings court 5 festival's for $30, play tactician, buy 2 colonies
Turn 3): kings court 5 festival's for $30, play tactician, buy 2 colonies

[bozzball]

Disregard. Tacticians wouldn't activate.

[Davio]

Disregard. Tacticians wouldn't activate.

That's a mistake I still make all too often.

"Let me just play these Festivals, Vault, discard everything, yes, and finally Tact...whoops"

[DStu]

Disregard. Tacticians wouldn't activate.

Mayabe use KCd Wharf?

edit: does also not work, it takes out one KC...

[sjelkjd]

Village, Merchant Shipx4
$4 this turn, $8 next turn
4 cards in deck ensure you can draw it all
$8 the turn after that

[zahlman]

Disregard. Tacticians wouldn't activate.

I also don't see how you're KCing more than 3 festivals with only 2 KCs, regardless of the Tactician...

It also occurred to me that setups with KC, Feast and e.g. Lab won't work since you could gain a Province on the first turn with them, by using the Lab to draw the gained cards and then play them. So anything starting with Tactician pretty much will also have to start with a junk card for it to discard.

[DStu]

Disregard. Tacticians wouldn't activate.

I also don't see how you're KCing more than 3 festivals with only 2 KCs, regardless of the Tactician...

right, but I think you don't need. KC-KC-Festival-Festival-Festival+Festival-Festival is 3x3x2+2x2=$22 which is enough for 2 Colonies.

[jomini]

Here are several I see quickly:


Can buy 4 assured provinces -

Starting deck: Venture x4, gold
Buy: Venture
For the next 4 turns, you are able to buy exactly one povince (worst shuffle luck means that GPPPV still hits 8 coin)

You can make this into a colony variation with


Starting deck: Venture x3, Plat, Silver
Buy: Venture
For the next 3 turns, you are able to buy exactly one colony (worst shuffle luck means that SPCoCoV still hits 8 coin)

Starting hand Gold x2, Border Village x 3.
Buy: Border Village/Salvager
Worst shuffle luck means that your salvager is on bottom deck. So you have GGBvBvBv, you play two Bv, and salvage a third.
Next turn:
You have GGPBvBv. You play one Bv to draw Bv and play that to draw Sal, trash the other Bv and buy a province.

[DrFlux]

right, but I think you don't need. KC-KC-Festival-Festival-Festival+Festival-Festival is 3x3x2+2x2=$22 which is enough for 2 Colonies.

It almost works. You need to buy a copper during your first turn, in order to have something to discard during your second turn. As stated, you'll have $22 your second turn, to buy two colonies. However, the extra copper causes this to fail the "perfectly-bad-shuffle-luck" test: the third turn you have 11 cards to draw other than the tactician in play for the last turn, and you need the card you don't draw to be a colony, the copper or the other tactician.

[bozzball]

I got another one:
 Kings Court, Mint and 3 Stashes.

Turn 1: You mint a stash 3 times. Then you shuffle, and you put the stashes so there will be 4 in the first 5 cards, and 2 in the remaining 3.

Turn 2: You draw 4 stashes and a mint or kings court. Buy a province.
You have to shuffle before playing turn 3. Put two stashes at the top.

Turn 3: You draw 4 stashes and a kings court or mint. Buy a province.

[eHalcyon]

Ultimate Mode?  First hand of 5 produces $0.  Buys 2 Colonies and a Duchy each on turns 2 and 3.

(I really hope I don't have any dumb mistakes in here.  Whenever I get involved in puzzle threads I usually end up forgetting something important, like Princess bonus doesn't stack with KC.)

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Salvager

Play it out, use 6 buys on Peddler.  Put back KC-Kc-Scheme.

PLay KC-KC-Scheme; now your hand will have 5 of (CR-Salvager, 6xPeddler)
- if CR in hand, can use it to draw deck, then Salvage and play 3 Peddlers for $27 total, 6 buys
- if not, KC Peddler to draw deck, then Salvage 3 Peddler and play 2 Peddlers and CR for $29 total, 4 buys

Either way, you have at least $27 over 4 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies, a Duchy and a Peddler, and topdeck KC-KC-CR with Scheme.

Deck consists of KC-KC-CR-Scheme-Salvager-4xPeddler and 3 VP cards.
KC-KC-CR will draw the deck, then Salvage 3-Peddlers for $24, KC-Peddler for $27 total, 6 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies and a Duchy.

[Captain_Frisk]

2x Treasure Map + 3 Great Halls

[cayvie]

Ultimate Mode?  First hand of 5 produces $0.  Buys 2 Colonies and a Duchy each on turns 2 and 3.

(I really hope I don't have any dumb mistakes in here.  Whenever I get involved in puzzle threads I usually end up forgetting something important, like Princess bonus doesn't stack with KC.)

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Salvager

Play it out, use 6 buys on Peddler.  Put back KC-Kc-Scheme.

PLay KC-KC-Scheme; now your hand will have 5 of (CR-Salvager, 6xPeddler)
- if CR in hand, can use it to draw deck, then Salvage and play 3 Peddlers for $27 total, 6 buys
- if not, KC Peddler to draw deck, then Salvage 3 Peddler and play 2 Peddlers and CR for $29 total, 4 buys

Either way, you have at least $27 over 4 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies, a Duchy and a Peddler, and topdeck KC-KC-CR with Scheme.

Deck consists of KC-KC-CR-Scheme-Salvager-4xPeddler and 3 VP cards.
KC-KC-CR will draw the deck, then Salvage 3-Peddlers for $24, KC-Peddler for $27 total, 6 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies and a Duchy.

The problem with this one is that the opening deck is capable of buying a Province (KC-Salvager, have $15)

[eHalcyon]

Ultimate Mode?  First hand of 5 produces $0.  Buys 2 Colonies and a Duchy each on turns 2 and 3.

(I really hope I don't have any dumb mistakes in here.  Whenever I get involved in puzzle threads I usually end up forgetting something important, like Princess bonus doesn't stack with KC.)

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Salvager

Play it out, use 6 buys on Peddler.  Put back KC-Kc-Scheme.

PLay KC-KC-Scheme; now your hand will have 5 of (CR-Salvager, 6xPeddler)
- if CR in hand, can use it to draw deck, then Salvage and play 3 Peddlers for $27 total, 6 buys
- if not, KC Peddler to draw deck, then Salvage 3 Peddler and play 2 Peddlers and CR for $29 total, 4 buys

Either way, you have at least $27 over 4 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies, a Duchy and a Peddler, and topdeck KC-KC-CR with Scheme.

Deck consists of KC-KC-CR-Scheme-Salvager-4xPeddler and 3 VP cards.
KC-KC-CR will draw the deck, then Salvage 3-Peddlers for $24, KC-Peddler for $27 total, 6 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies and a Duchy.

The problem with this one is that the opening deck is capable of buying a Province (KC-Salvager, have $15)

Crap, that's the same problem I had earlier!  Maybe this solution could still be tweaked to work though.

[Qvist]

Ultimate Mode?  First hand of 5 produces $0.  Buys 2 Colonies and a Duchy each on turns 2 and 3.

(I really hope I don't have any dumb mistakes in here.  Whenever I get involved in puzzle threads I usually end up forgetting something important, like Princess bonus doesn't stack with KC.)

KC-KC-Scheme-CR-Salvager

Play it out, use 6 buys on Peddler.  Put back KC-Kc-Scheme.

PLay KC-KC-Scheme; now your hand will have 5 of (CR-Salvager, 6xPeddler)
- if CR in hand, can use it to draw deck, then Salvage and play 3 Peddlers for $27 total, 6 buys
- if not, KC Peddler to draw deck, then Salvage 3 Peddler and play 2 Peddlers and CR for $29 total, 4 buys

Either way, you have at least $27 over 4 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies, a Duchy and a Peddler, and topdeck KC-KC-CR with Scheme.

Deck consists of KC-KC-CR-Scheme-Salvager-4xPeddler and 3 VP cards.
KC-KC-CR will draw the deck, then Salvage 3-Peddlers for $24, KC-Peddler for $27 total, 6 buys.  Buy 2 Colonies and a Duchy.

The problem with this one is that the opening deck is capable of buying a Province (KC-Salvager, have $15)

Crap, that's the same problem I had earlier!  Maybe this solution could still be tweaked to work though.

I haven't tried it out in detail, but maybe it works again if you replace Salvager for Ironworks and then gain Salvager and let's say 2 Schemes.

[eHalcyon]

I haven't tried it out in detail, but maybe it works again if you replace Salvager for Ironworks and then gain Salvager and let's say 2 Schemes.

I no longer think there is a way to salvage it:

KC-Ironworks means you an produce $3 if you Ironworks Silver.
Even other gainers (Feast, Workshop) would fail because you could KC-KC-Workshop, Scheme to draw them immediately.

[T-hawk]

Heck, I'll do the original puzzle with Curses and a single $2 kingdom card.  As a bonus, that kingdom card could get the deck to this 5-card state in the first place.

Turn N: Gold - Gold - Curse - Curse - Chapel.  Chapel the Curses.  $6 can't buy a Province but can buy Gold.
Turn N+1: Gold - Gold - Gold - Chapel.  Buy Province.
Turn N+2: Gold - Gold - Gold - Province - Chapel.  Buy Province.

Or getting VP chips at the same time:

Turn N: Gold - Gold - Colony - Colony - Bishop.  Trash Colony for 6 VP.  Buy Gold.
Turn N+1: Gold - Gold - Gold - Colony - Bishop.  Trash Colony for 6 VP.  Buy Province.
Turn N+2: Gold - Gold - Gold - Province - Bishop.  Buy Province.

More generally, anything with 2 Gold, a trasher, and any other two cards that can't produce money.

[gman314]

Another funny one:

Trader, Watchtower, Province
Silvers are Embargo'd (once) and there is at least one Curse remaining.

Trader the Province and get 8 Silvers + a couple of Curses.
Reveal Watchtower to put 4 Silvers and 1 Curse on top for your next turn.
Trash the other Curses with Watchtower.
Use the same trick to put the other 4 Silvers on top behind the Curse+Silvers.
Your next hand will be 4 Silvers + a Curse and the hand after that has 4 Silvers + whatever.

Again, you have $0 this turn.

I don't think anyone pointed this out, but Embargo doesn't give you curses for gaining cards, only buying them. However, you can get the same result by Tradering the province, putting all 8 Silver on top and then buying a curse (or a copper) putting it on top too.

[Davio]

Uhm, yeah, I don't know what I was thinking at the time.