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[prom_vrt]

Suppose there's no other curser around, when do you usually spend $5 on IGG instead of engine components.

Buying IGG attacks the opponents with curses on-gain buy also denies an opportunity for another $5(or more) engine components since when on-hand IGG is a very bad card unsuitable for its cost.

Just some discussion here, sometimes I can't balance my purchase and focus on too many IGGs.

[dondon151]

I don't think there are many circumstances where you can afford to go with middle ground between IGG and engine. In any case where you do get both, usually you get the engine up and running first and you have some way to actually use the IGG.

[flies]

I think sometimes you might want an IGG on a 5/2 split while intending to go into an engine.

[soulnet]

It is not uncommon to go engine after an IGG battle is over or almost over, especially with trashing.

IGG can be a pretty good purchase in an engine with good TfB. Most notably Apprentice (the most engine-friendly TfB), but also Salvager and Bishop. You can basically turn Salvager into a non-moatable Curser, for instance, which is nice if there is no other Curser on the board.

Also, Forager can be a good reason to buy an IGG while going engine. Engines that need fodder and lack good +Buy or gainers (Mercenary, Trade Route in a village-less engine, Junk Dealer, Masquerade) can use IGG as a $2 with a Copper gain.

[AdamH]

I've had a lot of success not going for cursing at all under the following conditions:

1. The cursers are Sea Hag and IGG only.
2. There is "good trashing"* available

* "good trashing" means either "strong trashing"** or "weak"*** non-terminal trashing like Upgrade, Junk Dealer, Forager, etc.

** "strong trashing" means that one play of the card has the ability to remove two or more "bad cards"**** from your deck

*** "weak trashing" means not "strong trashing"*

**** "bad cards" are cards you don't want in your deck

I really like playing defense against these kinds of decks because uncontested, you get a decent amount of time to catch up, and if you can keep ahead or the curve (or at least not get totally swamped) then once the curses are gone you usually have a much better deck than your opponent.

I know many people don't agree with this, it's just my personal preference.

[Asper]

Suppose there's no other curser around, when do you usually spend $5 on IGG instead of engine components.

IGG is pretty strong, actually. The synergy with Forager was already mentioned, but it is more important for rush strategies that aim to empty the IGG and, by that, the Curse pile - just to end the game by depleting a third pile (usually Duchy or another middle-priced Victory card like Gardens). For more strategical infos see the IGG entry in the Wiki: http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Ill-Gotten_Gains

[c4master]

That's certainly true, Asper, but still the question was: IGG or Engine component?

Emptying IGG and curses to end the game doesn't seem like a strategy, which can be played as an engine. Yet, I'm not sure, whether this plays more like a slog or more like a rush.
If the Engine is strong enough to defend against this kind of play in the long run, then one should probably not help the opponent play his slog/rush. If the enginge can't defend against that slog/rush, then you'd rather do it yourself than spam your engine with IGGs.
That's just, what I suppose.

Anyways, whenever you do not go for an engine, IGG seems like a nice card (as long as there are curses to deal).

[markusin]

This issue just came up in a game I played with Qvist.

Basically, a strong enough engine can remodel/expand/forge an IGG into another IGG every turn, so you only have 1 IGG in your deck at a time. This is effectively like using Ambassador as a curser by revealing a curse every turn. Actually, Ambassador seems better for this, since curse only costs $0. Still, IGG is a Silver-with-a-penalty when you decide you want to use your remodel card for something else.

You can also trash the IGG with Apprentice and gain another one on the same turn (bonus points if you regain the same IGG with Graverobber/Rogue).

[Asper]

That's certainly true, Asper, but still the question was: IGG or Engine component?

I may have misjudged this, but i got a vibe from the question that it inherently assumed IGG was just something that could be added "on top" of an engine (which doesn't often work that good). My point was to show that the answer to "When would you actually buy IGG instead of an engine component?" on some boards is: "Always".

[flies]

I like turtles.  They're occasionally always best.