In the recent thread on Hunting Grounds (
link=topic=12719.msg471143#msg471143 date=1426434735), Stef casually came up with the idea of summarizing a specific card and/or giving strategic advice for its use in only 10 words. Apart from 3 different articles on HG, this is the best thing that came out of that thread for me. Why not make it a challenge? Try to be as focussed on the main strengths and abilities of the card as possible, you've only got 10 words. No more and no less.
Stef set the bar with his strategic summary on Hunting Grounds:
Play in deck drawing engines. Overbuild when you can trash.
The other day at work I couldn't stop thinking of such 10 word summaries myself. I will collect my own ideas as well as all valid entries of other people below in this post. Hopefully, it will be an interesting read. Oh, and if you disagree with any of the summaries, especially mine, I'm happy to complement or replace it with a better one.
Ambassador: As all suspected. Not only history shows, Ambassadors love war. (hvb)
Rarely ignore. Get two. Return two coppers over one estate. (JW)
Apprentice: Great with gainers or other expensive trashers, but not Copper (iguanaiguana)
Baron: Buy is key. Good in 2nd shuffle. Or bad. (Eevee; 9 words)
Black Market: If there's something you need, they've got it. (Donald X.);
Doesn't matter what's in it. Often good in engine decks. (Eevee)
Border Village: Buy this and get a free Torturer. Step three: profit! (Jack Rudd)
Cache: Gain this when Copper is easily trashed or actually useful. (Co0kieL0rd)
Contraband: Good when you have options. Play it before other treasures. (eHalcyon)
Coppersmith: Not worth it without reliable draw, extra buys, action surplus. (Co0kieL0rd)
Duke: Buy all Duchies first. Usually better than Provinces, especially uncontested. (qmech)
Fairgrounds: With some effort, it's a personal pile of cheap provinces. (liopoil; 11 words)
Familiar: Often overestimated; Potion hurts tempo. Watch out for faster strategies. (eHalcyon)
Fortress: Village. Synergy with trash for benefit. Defence against trashing attacks. (Co0kieL0rd)
Goons: Virtually never skippable. Only question is engine or Goons/money. (jaybeez)
Hermit: Sanity is madness well-directed: early; often; with replacement gained. (SheCantSayNo)
Hunting Grounds: Play in deck drawing engines. Overbuild when you can trash. (Stef)
Ironworks: Premier Workshop variant. Pair with cost reduction for fun times! (jaybeez)
King's Court: Only ignorable if there is no +buy or draw. Awesome! (hvb)
Masterpiece: Best Feodum enabler; mediocre to bad otherwise. (werothegreat; 7 words)
Oracle: Draws quality over quantity. Decent for cycling. Attack is relevant. (markusin)
Outpost: Double turns if you can kick off with three cards. (liopoil)
Pearl Diver: Increases chances of drawing good cards earlier, but sometimes useless. (Co0kieL0rd)
Peddler: Get its price down to zero, then buy it up. (Jack Rudd)
Possession: High opportunity cost; often ignorable. Don't overbuild. Beware Ambassador, Masquerade.
Prince: Buy as engine enabler. Otherwise prefer Province. Good when ahead. (faust)
Rats: Have a plan to trash these, or do not buy. (werothegreat)
Rebuild: Strong fast engines can beat it. Not many other things. (Eevee)
Scout: Don't buy this ever. Oh wait, I need ten words. (werothegreat)
No, no, no, no, no. No. Good God man, no. (Witherweaver)
Scrying Pool: Mandatory with just a sliver of support for action density. (liopoil)
Sea Hag: Prioritise topdecking Curses until empty, then trash this dead card. (Co0kieL0rd)
Stonemason: Overpy, gain many Action cards. Trashes and provides pile control. (Co0kieL0rd)
Tactician: Enough virtual coin means you can play one every turn./Remember to keep something to discard, or you are screwed. (Kirian)
Torturer: Chains hurt. Feels worse than it is. Don't always discard. (eHalcyon)
Village: Basic card to increase terminal action capacity of a deck. (Co0kieL0rd)
Enables playing more cards. Necessary, but only for engines. (Eevee)
Watchtower: Synergizes with every card on the board, except for some. (liopoil)
Squire, Goons or Rats in the plain? Lookout for Watchtower! (hvb)
Wharf: Excellent engine and Big Money enabler. Almost always buy it. (Co0kieL0rd)
Whishing Well: Good if it's the only draw on board available. Practise with it. (hvb; 11 words)
Witch: You always buy Witch, the hard part is choosing when. (Titandrake)