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76

GokoDom / Re: The Uncertain Future of IsoDom

« on: September 18, 2012, 09:14:30 am »

Yeah I'm still debating this decision as well.  The three wonders of Iso are:

1. The speed I can get through actions/games, the animations aren't doing anything for me.  It's just cute
2. The fact that it is free
3. The level of competition that is constantly there. 

As much as I'm down on Goko:

1.  The "Very Fast" animation speed is already basically "Off."  It's fast enough that it's silly to even have it; they need to just create an "Off" setting.
2.  Well, yeah.
3.  That's due to the lack of players and the fact that it's so hard to get a match because there are usually fewer than 4 people on.  When everyone migrates (or doesn't), that problem should go away.

Yeah even very fast doesn't do it for me.  The speed at which you can play turns (Ie. play cards) is really slow.  Maybe I just need to get used to it with the discarding and trashing... but I am not the biggest fan at the moment. 

But back to the general discussion.  Since any tournament lasting a month might not finish, I would be very interested in having day or weekend long tournaments.  They don't have to be large either, like 16 just to make sure it finishes. 

77

GokoDom / Re: The Uncertain Future of IsoDom

« on: September 17, 2012, 06:09:45 pm »

Well, I think there are quite few level 40+ players on Isotropic, who will not be buying all the sets at Goko (none of the good players in Norway are planning to as far as I know), so if hardcore players are defined as being among the top players in the world, then definitely not all hardcore players will have all sets.

Yeah I'm still debating this decision as well.  The three wonders of Iso are:

1. The speed I can get through actions/games, the animations aren't doing anything for me.  It's just cute
2. The fact that it is free
3. The level of competition that is constantly there. 

I haven't seen much of this (obviously not the second) at Goko yet.

For what it is worth, I would be down to enter weekend 1-day tournaments though.  Missing out on both Isodom 5 and BGG Store tournament has made me worse at the game and I am craving for games that matter again. 

78

Help! / Re: Wharf + Fishing Village

« on: September 17, 2012, 03:47:11 pm »

Maybe evolving as a player may cause some unnatural fear of missing reshuffles.

I mean, you've waited an entire shuffle for your cards already and if you don't play them now you might have to wade through you're deck once more if they're at the end again. So worst case you'll get to play that Wharf only once in 6 turns and at the end of those 6 turns, counting from the start of that reshuffle it was at the end of.

If you play it now, you'll at least get some bonus out of it instead of a couple of turns later. And like eHalcyon mentioned, playing a Wharf will bring the next reshuffle closer.

I mean, if your deck is small enough, you'll get to your next shuffle quickly enough. If your deck is big, it doesn't matter much, because you won't play it often anyway. So not playing something because of a reshuffle only matters with medium sized decks, barring the regular exceptions.

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and hey, if you're having bad luck there's nothing you can do anyway.
You always have to make the best long term decisions, as with poker, but in any single game luck will play a pretty big factor.

This is good advice, but I would agree not to play that card because his deck was not slim whatsoever.  I'm guessing there was still another 15 cards left in his deck? It just isn't worth it to lose 3 of your 4 terminals... over possibly buying a FV, and increasing next turn's hand. 

Honestly, you did have poor luck, but if you did just go FV/Wharf only, there's a lot less variance in that play. 

79

Help! / Re: Wharf + Fishing Village

« on: September 17, 2012, 09:37:39 am »

Why you lost is probably due to shuffle luck.  You point out most of the big reasons why. 

To be entirely fair, you have a pretty favourable draw up until T6... which that buy should have been a wharf, and T7 should have been wharf/FV (or wharf/wharf if you could afford it).  I generally think that FV/Wharf engines should aim to just get FV/Wharf moreless.  If your deck is going to consistently draw out the 7 copper + whatever FV you have played, it'll probably amass the same $/turn as if you buy a gold and don't have the resources to draw out all your cards.  Once you're at the point of constantly drawing out your deck, then you can move on to Wharf/Gold buys (or Wharf/Terminal silver buys). 

I think lookout was a poor buy, but if your decks are aiming to have 2-3 wharves instead of 5-6... then it isn't horrible. 

80

Dominion Isotropic / Re: There's no excuse for...

« on: September 14, 2012, 02:32:33 pm »

In that person's defence, I highly doubt someone is trying to punish you for winning.  Out of frustration, people close their browsers, or they disconnect, actually have to be away from the keyboard and so forth.  I know 3 minutes can be a long time, but I doubt it is personal.  We aren't being flooded with trolls of these sorts on Iso. 

Do what I do, I multi-task.  Those 3 minutes will fly on by!

81

Dominion General Discussion / Re: Dark Ages benchmarks

« on: September 13, 2012, 08:57:24 pm »

How do you feel about Cultist vs. Witch/other Cursers?

With BM, witch does take it to cultist, the curses are damages and brokoli mentioned.  I think the best part about cultist is that ability to transition to an engine much better than a witch would.  It has that chaining ability which has the potential to be more draws and can be used as very good TFB. 

In general, the pile of 10 runs out so quickly, that building a whole stack of cultist (say 3-5) doesn't really provide as much utility as one would think.  With that said, I may be underselling its non-clashing ability a bit compared to a witch (so witch would have more variance). 

82

Game Reports / Re: Bishop against Herbalist/Philosopher's stone/Gardens

« on: September 13, 2012, 12:20:43 pm »

For the game:
 - Doesn't Masq and even Oracle BM clearly win against both strategies?
 - Warehouse > Silver in this game? I would suspect you want to just see those Pstones/herbalists over and over again. 
 - Surprised Embargo was never bought... I would've reacted to your T1 herbalist with a $3 embargo. 

For the question:
Probably depends how soon bishop person wants to contest gardens, either at the start (and trash them with bishops), or near the end, which he does late.

83

Dominion General Discussion / Re: A super random question

« on: September 13, 2012, 10:05:49 am »

Instead of putting a cost to each type of player, it might be easier to do it in terms of turns.

Buying a lv 10 - skip Turn 1
Buying a lv 20 - skip Turn 1/2
Buying a lv 45 - skip Turn 1-4?

There is too much importance in the beginning, especially in terms of trashing, that the player can have more of an impact at the start. 

Another way to look at it is if the player is playing poorly and buys a lv 45 after, the lv 45 won't be able to recover with what is in the deck.  OR the deck is actually pretty decent, in which buying a lv 45 would probably be not as useful as the $8 purchase. 

84

Game Reports / Re: Nice Ghost Ship vs. Philosopher's Stone game

« on: September 13, 2012, 09:06:45 am »

I think it is really odd that he buys a cartographer, then decides to stack back on top... EVERY time.  I'm not really sure what the deal with that is, since he could've just played it, looked ahead and such.  Although I do like the idea of grabbing a cartographer, Grand market not so much, the extra $2 and + buy seems frivolous with 10 herbalists in the deck.

I don't think buying that many herbalists was a bad idea.  It seems much safer to do something like buying 10 herbalists in a bloated deck vs. a ghost shipping engine, then trying to sneak in a few estates at turn 13 before a single province was bought. 

85

Help! / Re: What would you have done here?

« on: September 12, 2012, 05:30:49 pm »

Even setting aside that ambassador is a factor at some point (I would think at the start, but I can see why some would think later on), you approach this game very similarly to Hunting Party + X... except you have no X.  That's a trouble considering you do not easily hit $8... You hit $7 quite often. 

Unfortunately, the best "X" is festival, so I doubt festival + multiple HPs would win the game, even unless the opponent is loading up on nobles. 

To answer your question, I would have purchased a festival at Turn 10, 12, 13 and maaaaybe 14.  Then just gain all the pieces you need over and over with the economy/+buy.

86

Dominion General Discussion / Re: Opening Village

« on: August 24, 2012, 11:06:43 pm »

Yeah very slim cases.  Other then the peddler cases, vineyard cases (there needs to be methods to gain because one silver isn't horrible). 

The other case I would include is for conspirators (probably would have no trashers to make this reasonable as silvers would slow conspirators down). 

87

BGG Store Tournament / Re: BGG Store Tournament Sign Ups - Non-Americans can win the prize!

« on: August 23, 2012, 03:24:30 pm »

I am going on vacation from next monday to monday, so I guess I am out.  Probably easier to just have someone else take my place. So I'm out. 

88

BGG Store Tournament / Re: BGG Store Tournament Sign Ups - Non-Americans can win the prize!

« on: August 23, 2012, 11:07:37 am »

I want to be in.  May have to duck out schedule doesn't work, are there more details on schedule than just starting on saturday? (Like length, when games need to be played).

89

Game Reports / Re: How to play Noble Brigand Mirrors?

« on: August 23, 2012, 10:29:30 am »

you had quarry potion black market golem. what was in the black market? you wouldn't be gaining copper with either of those, and golem nb or golem pirate ship sounds like it had possibilities.

Both O and I agreed there was nothing there in the BM.  Essentially, it is nearly impossible to build a throne room deck with no trashers and no cantrips.  It's a dead end.

90

Help! / Re: Noble Brigand + Shanty Town beats Hunting Party?

« on: August 23, 2012, 10:27:45 am »

Just as a thought exercise, lets suppose we've built the hunting party deck with a secret chamber and few treasures. The opponent plays the noble brigand when we've got {secret chamber, copper, copper, copper, estate} in hand. We reveal the secret chamber and draw {hunting party, silver} from the top of the deck. What two cards do we put back?

{Copper, Estate} why is that even a question?

For Hunting Party purposes, I would think that copper copper would be just as good to skip all estates on the hunting parties search.  I believe that is what DG is contemplating and I would think Copper/Copper would be the correct decision

91

Dominion World Masters / Re: Coverage

« on: August 23, 2012, 02:21:58 am »

I'm not sure solitaire game logs based on a BMesque approach are very useful for drawing conclusions of what would happen against two engine opponents who have access to Noble Brigand.

Who would also be able to upgrade silvers to conspirators, just incase you think that silvers might hurt them. 

92

Game Reports / How to play Noble Brigand Mirrors?

« on: August 23, 2012, 02:20:05 am »

Game: http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201208/22/game-20120822-225220-50a6717e.html

Does anybody understand how to play NB mirrors?  There is nothing else interesting on this board that could compete... possibly embargo to Pirate ships? but that's stretching it. 

Anywho, how do we play NB mirrors? 
-  Are players supposed to commit fully to NB at all costs first and risk terminal collisions? Even at the cost of golds even (this didn't happen but am curious).  Should we stop at a particular number of NB, say 3, 4, 5?
-  At what point do you green? Should players even buy gold at the risk they get stolen or load up on them because they can get stolen?  Normally duchies are bought at say... the Provinces < 4 mark with this much coin around.  Does the clock tick earlier as coins get be stolen? 
-  Minor point, gaining duchess... bad idea here right?  I mean there's already a ton of terminal collision.
-  Are there any cards that would supplement it well?  (I'm thinking Noble brigands/scheme would be a silly stalemate)

Thanks to those in advance that use simulators!

93

Game Reports / Re: Gain ALL the Scouts!

« on: August 22, 2012, 10:40:10 pm »

I'm a little confused on the Baron addition to the deck.  Well not entirely as estates coming into your hand are a little more likely if you choose to ambassador all copper (which I agree) and have lots of scouts (which I agree again).  It also makes it easier to connect with warehouses to link things together. 

What I don't get is, what would you do with gaining the +$4 and/or running down the estate pile.  I would have chose to gain more ironworks (Say 4-5?) and they would be used to gain more actions instead of barons creating the $ to buy those same actions.  Although as I write this, I see that baron does make more use with the scout-made estate-grabbing-machine. 

94

Help! / Re: Noble Brigand + Shanty Town beats Hunting Party?

« on: August 22, 2012, 10:22:33 pm »

While Hunting Party is among the top cards, the strategy is usually Hunting Party + X.  In your deck, your X isn't even a terminal.  The power of Hunting party comes from being able to spam a particular terminal turn after turn.  While hoard is a decent card, you can tell your deck has a bit too much buying power that is being wasted. 

Other then that, just the fact he steals your early silver is pretty strong in itself.  That's a big difference, that leads him to the early hoard. 

I think the best strategy would essentially be silvers on 3, NB on 4, Hunting parties on $5, and $6 are tricky.  I assume first $6 is a hoard and that's it but maybe straight to gold is better here, I'm not sure. 

Hunting Party + secret chamber on 5/2 split would have been an interesting fight though. 

95

Dominion World Masters / Re: Coverage

« on: August 22, 2012, 11:16:10 am »

That's the same Manzi who came second in the Dominion Strategy Tournament right?

Yeah I guess he's alright

96

Dominion: Dark Ages Previews / Re: The Bold Predictions Thread

« on: August 20, 2012, 05:57:28 pm »

Wait, why? Hermit self-trashes.

Has nothing to do with Hermit trashing, has to do with buy forfeit. It's basically like a cheaper Tac that provides the big hand on some turn in the future (perhaps the next, perhaps later).

When I read your comment I thought I made a huge error, but yes the set has a lot of trash to gain cards (Graverobber, Altar, any more?), which is a lot compared to the hundred of cards before and only having Remodel and expand that I can really think off that top of my head.  That's a pretty big let down if hermit plays outside of DA.

Maybe trash for gain isn't the only method and general gainers will help too.  Off the top of my head, sounds like only horn of plenty would be a viable method to gaining provinces outside the trash for gains. 

97

Dominion: Dark Ages Previews / Re: The Bold Predictions Thread

« on: August 20, 2012, 04:13:13 pm »

Any kingdom with an engine that can draw out your hand and include Pillage will be a race nobody will want to play.  Sure there will be instances with maybe fishing villages (Can only target the +cards) or chapel-like trashing (engine cards will be more dense in the starting 5) that the attack won't hurt so much, but Pillage looks like it will crush hearts.  Luckily, there will be cards that it will nombo with (margrave, minions, etc.)

Poor house's best friend will be worker's village.  There probably will need to be some sort of trashing or maybe sifters like warehouse to help, but this looks like it'll be dominant in more games than people expect.  Of course it will be rather useless in a lot of other games, but the potential is here when there is any sort of trashing, which seems to be everywhere now. 

Hermit as a card will disappoint in games without trash for benefits, more specifically, trash and gainers.  That probably won't be a problem with DA, but if playing totally random, this will struggle to get madmen. 

Scavenger is the card chancellor wanted to be.  I think this will become a very strong card to speed up the deck and set up next turn.  At $4, it allows you to open it with a silver for a BM route. 

Overall, these cards will really struggle outside of DA (or in a 'random' set with less than 3 DA cards).  I feel almost similar to how alchemy gets a boost when playing with an alchemy-based deck, the boost will  be similar for DA.  There just aren't enough cards that can/want to trash, and do all these neat little tricks with. 

PS. Watchtower sounds silly good now. 

98

Dominion General Discussion / Re: The Best Dominion Cards List 2012 Ed.2: Potion cost cards

« on: August 15, 2012, 11:05:21 pm »

Erm.. Possession is still a must buy on like 25% of boards, and a possible buy on another 15%. It's no great shakes but clearly outclasses Alchemist/Golem.

It's mostly just mechanic-hatred that has people voting it so low.

Nah, it's the outrageously high cost.  Possession is worth buying no more than half as often as Alchemist, and the ratio is not much better with Golem.

I might have bought alchemist maybe once in the past 15 games it appeared in.

Wow.  I'd say that Alchemist is worth it almost exactly half the time.

I don't agree that Alchemist is worth it half the time at all. I can't remember the last time I bought Alchemist, although I'm sure I under buy it.

What factors do y'all consider when deciding whether to go for Alchemist?

Generally speaking, a similar checklist you have for building an engine. 

The main differences between this and a normal engine is that an alchemist engine has more of a need for +buy.  Something as simple as woodcutter can do because you're looking to one, gain alchemist and an engine piece. Two, generate a mega turn, which +buys usually facilitate (maybe HoP but you get the point). 

A little more fragile to hand reducing attacks for obvious reasons, although if the alternative to alchemist is a simple BM strategy, it isn't as big a downfall as it will not be played as often. 

A lot of other engine checklists are slightly altered, but the last big one is how will this same engine do without alchemist.  If there is a reliable method to draw your deck out without alchemist or draw decent portions of your deck out, then alchemist isn't worth getting the potion and such. 

Just remember, Alchemist BM-loses to a lot of things.  So just simply create a list of advantages of building an alchemist chain (like coppersmith gets a benefit as an obvious example).  I suggest trying this out a couple times and you can gauge by how much you win/lose to your opponent. 

99

Dominion: Dark Ages Previews / Re: Since the cat is out of the bag...Dominion Leaked Cards

« on: August 15, 2012, 05:31:30 pm »

Just making sure I have two things right.

Fortress can't really ever end up in the trash, because once you trash it, it would just end up back in your hand... Correct?

Count, the two options, the first set of actions (the discard 2...) needs to be done before the second set of actions (+$3....)

100

Game Reports / Re: What did he do right?

« on: August 15, 2012, 01:10:54 pm »

He also finds alternate uses for scout as it lowers the price of peddlers and activation of conspirator. 

The problem with this set is it looks like everything works together but it doesn't.  You can't buy grand markets quickly without assistance (vault, trading post) so early turn buys aren't going to be great.  Without multiple plays of actions available (no grand markets and repeated conspirator plays), peddlers are going to be really hard to acquire.  Now you have no cantrips to purchase to activate your conspirator, you now have $2 terminals for awhile.  The solution to this is scout and not silver with $4. 

Well he never really attempts to go the conspirator route (probably should have at some point, although 3 piles was on the brain), and you can see the scout helping two fold on T6.  It grabs an estate AND allows him to purchase a peddler. 

It isn't a game changer, but it definitely is much more useful than ANOTHER silver in a deck with trading post and trying to reach peddlers/GM. 

Re: Bank buy, that should have been a peddler.