Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[ednever]

It's well known that you don't want to play Militia + Possession. And It's well known that Governor + Militia is pretty great. But I've never seen Governor + Possession... Makes for a fast game - especially with a mirror match.

ednever plays a Governor.
... getting +1 action.
... drawing 3 cards.
... jksmooth draws 1 card.
ednever plays a Governor.
... getting +1 action.
... drawing 3 cards.
... jksmooth draws 1 card.
ednever plays a Governor.
... getting +1 action.
... drawing 3 cards.
... jksmooth draws 1 card.
ednever plays a Governor.
... getting +1 action.
... (ednever reshuffles.)
... drawing 3 cards.
... jksmooth draws 1 card.
ednever plays a Possession.

http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201204/16/game-20120416-140718-6c3e4888.html

[paddyodoors]

Yes, Gov + Poss is crazy.

If you know you're going to be Possessing that turn, have no inhibitions about playing all of your Governors for cards, enhancing both the current turn as well as your opponent's upcoming Possessed turn.

Then on his turn, play all of your opponents Governors for whatever you want without fear, as it will still be helping you out.  Tons of extra Governor synergies.

[Axxle]

Yes, Gov + Poss is crazy.

If you know you're going to be Possessing that turn, have no inhibitions about playing all of your Governors for cards, enhancing both the current turn as well as your opponent's upcoming Possessed turn.

Then on his turn, play all of your opponents Governors for whatever you want without fear, as it will still be helping you out.  Tons of extra Governor synergies.

You have to be sure you're not fattening up your own hand for his possession turn though!

[ednever]

Exactly - which is why the games won't last long if you both have a number of Governors and a single Possession (each). If I use his Governors to draw cards - and then he plays those Governors again to draw even more cards - and THEN possesses me, I effectively have +2 cards per Governor.

Second point is: If your Governor density of your deck is high enough, you want to use the G's for +3 cards as soon as you have a Possession. But it's a bit of a gamble. If you use take +6 cards, but miss the Possession your opponent is going to steamroll you.

Point is, it's a huge first player advantage and the game is going to be over quick.

(This game was likely accelerated by the University - which meant we both picked up a Potion early and used it to pick up Governors (I think his biggest mistake was picking up an apprentice instead of another Governor on one of his buys)

Ed

[Axxle]

Exactly - which is why the games won't last long if you both have a number of Governors and a single Possession (each). If I use his Governors to draw cards - and then he plays those Governors again to draw even more cards - and THEN possesses me, I effectively have +2 cards per Governor.

You don't understand me.  It's a bad idea to use his governors to draw cards because it just makes the turn he possesses you stronger.  If you use them to trash cards you can kill your own hand so he can't use it.

[paddyodoors]

You have to be sure you're not fattening up your own hand for his possession turn though!

You don't understand me.  It's a bad idea to use his governors to draw cards because it just makes the turn he possesses you stronger.  If you use them to trash cards you can kill your own hand so he can't use it.

Hmmm... the plot thickens.  Another layer.  Good point, sir.

[ednever]

Axxlle- that's right exactly, IF you think he will be able to possess you.

If he doesn't (or he sees that you just killed the governors in your hand and chooses not to) then your turn will be shot and he can do it to you the next turn- which, given the speed of these games will likely be the last turn.

A bigger issue here is trying to estimate how many provinces to leave/take since it's possible to get 4+ on a turn (or more) depending on how many holds have been created.

Ed

[WanderingWinder]

You have to be sure you're not fattening up your own hand for his possession turn though!

You don't understand me.  It's a bad idea to use his governors to draw cards because it just makes the turn he possesses you stronger.  If you use them to trash cards you can kill your own hand so he can't use it.

Hmmm... the plot thickens.  Another layer.  Good point, sir.

Random aside: When does anyone ever say 'The plot thins'? I mean, anyone but the super-weird guy writing this post?

[kn1tt3r]

The tricky thing about this combo is that Governor alone is crazy fast, so usually it's a tough choice whether to go for Possession or not. I have a tendency to ignore Possessions even when I shouldn't, and games like those are prominent examples for that.

[paddyodoors]

The tricky thing about this combo is that Governor alone is crazy fast, so usually it's a tough choice whether to go for Possession or not. I have a tendency to ignore Possessions even when I shouldn't, and games like those are prominent examples for that.

The problem is that, with Governor on the board, the speed of the game is often distorted to the point that both players MUST have Governors or lose.

And when your opponent has Governors in her deck, she is an even more ripe target for Possession due to the Gov-Possession synergy.  (It's like hot dog buns... if hot dogs become more desirable, than related goods must also become more desirable.  The prices move together.)  So the incentive is toward Possession, not away from it.  Whoever can get it and play it first has a big tempo advantage.

[Kazooie]

People have been missing the key point of the Possession/Governor relationship: trashing golds to get provinces. This makes possession a counter to a governor strategy.

I have had two games in the past few days where I went heavily governor while my opponent bought possession. By late game I had a lot of gold in my deck, as well as many governors. They played possession, drew cards with governor (helping themselves) and then trashed my golds to get provinces for themselves. I was quite annoyed I had missed the trap the second time.

To break this down in detail governor give you a lot of golds. Then when you are possessed they use your governors to draw many extra cards (helping themselves in the process). This allows them to easily pair up governors and golds leading to many provinces without any cost to themselves.

Anyway my current belief is that governor should be shied away from if possession is on the board. Everything about governor makes it extremely easy a possessor to get provinces. Although it may be possible that governor/possession in the same deck will outplay a possession deck (with some support) I remain a bit sceptical.

[Voltgloss]

Kazooie's explanation revolves around two aspects of Possession:

- Possession is more effective if your opponent has cards that benefit ALL players when played.  (e.g., Council Room, Vault)
- Possession is more effective if your opponent has trash-for-benefit cards.

Governor, of course, falls into both of those categories.

[ednever]

I think you might be in trouble ignoring governor and trying to do possession on its own. Governor itself is very fast. Unless there is an equally fast way to get a possession set up (maybe wharf?) the governor player may be too far ahead by the time you get a possession and a chance to play it.

I think if I was playing a governor game and someone picked up possession I would prematurely start turning my golds into provinces. And I'm pretty sure I would have a possession before he did (without governors) that I could just start using the cards from governor and playing possession every turn. (granted he could still possess me and turn my possession into a province, but I think the odds are against him on most boards)

Ed

[Deadlock39]

I'm pretty sure they can only take advantage of Golds (not Possessions).  Governor says "...each player may trash a card from his hand and gain a card costing exactly $1 ($2) more."  $8 is not exactly $2 more than $6P.