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[philosophyguy]

I'm wondering if anyone has done some thinking/analysis about the opening strategy if both Baron and Horse Traders are on the board. Baron gives more money as long as you have an Estate in hand (which is likely the first couple of shuffles) but becomes more chancey later on. Horse Traders works no matter what, but you have to discard two cards, making your effective hand size smaller. Which would you prefer, and in what situations would you change your answer?

[Captain_Frisk]

I'm a horse traders fan, but this isn't based on any scientific study.  It's more because of the rage inducing hand of Baron + 4 coppers, followed by Silver, Copper, Estate x3.

With HT, as long as you don't draw it on turn 5, you're guaranteed to get at least 1 5-cost.  Also, HT remains useful-ish throughout the game, while Baron becomes less and less useful unless you have monster draw engines.  The HT reaction is just an added bonus.

Disclaimer: don't underestimate the power of the baron alternate... simply gaining a single estate can be the deal breaker in a province only game that's going to split 4/4.

If both were available, I would probably go with Baron if I really wanted to hit 6 fast. 

[DG]

If you're wanting differences -

Horse traders plays any 3 cards for 3 coins - baron plays 2 specific cards for 4 coins
Horse traders good at producing 5 value hands - baron good at producing 6 and 7 value hands
Horse traders excellent against most attacks - baron poor against most attacks
Horse traders keeps value as a deck degrades and expands - baron loses value as a deck expands
Horse traders is very hard to improve when the deck improves -  baron can be improved as the deck improves (by reliable drawing)
Horse traders hardly improves by hand management (warehousing) - baron improved greatly by hand management

In fact I played a game tonight where they came head-to-head tonight. I went for a potion and familiars, followed by two horse traders. This was a strategy based on attack and defence. My opponent took a baron looking for an early forge, which he got, and just one familiar afterwards. This was a colony game so both our decks were actually in poor shape. My horse traders were always going to be poor at producing platinum buying hands. My opponent was going to struggle with a curse ridden deck and so forged out the baron, who had done his job, and wisely bought horse traders. All our cards (familiars, barons, horse traders, copper, curses, estates) ideally needed forging into something new.

[shark_bait]

Here's my opinion.  It depends on what other cards you want.  In general, if you want a deck full of quality 5-cost cards, go for the HT.  Otherwise, if you want a fast 6, 7 or Province buy, go for the baron.

[WanderingWinder]

I agree with basically everything else that's been posted here, but I would like to add that most of the time, I'd buy neither.

[jsh357]

I'd usually go for the Baron unless there was an attack in play I knew I could exploit Horse Traders with.  Sort of tough decision, though.  They're both good cards.