This #1 is of course technically possible, but how often are you going to be playing HP+X where NB is the X?
Dunno, HP+NB seems pretty reasonable as far as an HP+X goes. Why WOULDN'T you play it? I mean, it's not as great as HP+Baron or something, but it seems like it would be pretty good.
I didn't say HP+NB wasn't a thing. I asked how often are you going to be playing it as a strategy? So I'll ask you the same thing... if it is so reasonable, how often have you played it, ftl? With all due respect, I'm guessing not much.
The reason I think that it isn't so good is that NB only gives you $1 and the gained cards will dilute your chances of drawing HP in your hand in your initial 5 cards for each turn. So yeah, that's a reason why I wouldn't play it. At least not as a strat. If I happened to get it due to some Swindler shenanigans like eHalcyon mentioned, sure, I'd play it.
Nah, the dilution is not really a problem. I think the thing really is, there's usually some other better terminal silver. As in... a terminal silver. Actually, it's a little better than some of the worse ones (duchess and navigator for sure, but also something like chancellor).
So I'll ask you the same thing... if it is so reasonable, how often have you played it, WW? With all due respect, I'm guessing not much.
Not trying to be flippant or sassy. Just honestly curious. If it is a thing, then cool. However, I haven't yet seen anyone posting a log or a game report where they are like "HP+NB was the key strat here. It is a thing." The responses from you and ftl are the first rumblings I've ever heard of it as a thing.
I haven't played it a lot, no. In fact, I haven't played it ever. Which is totally irrelevant to how strong it is. The two cards don't come up for often, and there's often something better. But I mean, seriously, I've had it come up 7 times. 7. I think 2-3 of them I should have played it but did not. I miss stuff. It's not like something is good because I play it, or bad because I don't. I'm not saying it's great.
I ask you paddyodoors, since this is something you ACTUALLY CLAIMED: How the heck is the Silver/Gold actually diluting your deck as in making it worse??? (Hint: it isn't).
1. More nested quotes ftw. Thanks for not breaking the chain. For serious. I'm not breaking the chain.
2. Remember I said that I
think it isn't so good. (See the fourth quote up in the nest from here). I never outright claimed some definitve knowledge that it isn't good, only that I had the non-certain line of reasoning in my mind which concluded that is isn't good. I took a position, defended it with my line of reasoning. Little Dominion peons like me get things wrong a lot, if indeed wrong I am. Dog bites man, where's the news?
3. If the key to HP+X is getting provinces, and in order to do that you need to either: be dealt enough to buy the Province outright or an HP chain resulting in the play of X and/or $8 in hand, then having more money in your deck seems to me to only be spreading out your HPs, making the probability that you draw an HP in each starting hand lower. 'Course the flipside of this coin is the fact that this probability is made lower by the fact that you have more money, which is the goal of HP+X in the first place... getting the money to buy the prov.
But if the money doesn't hurt, then why does the HP+X article assert that you should really only be buying 1-3 Silvers and no more? And only 1 Gold? Well, nevermind, I understand the Gold. Another HP is preferable to a Gold, since the Gold will be found by the digging of the HPs. But why a limit on Silver if it is supposedly good? And that leads me to my final point...
4. Like i'm not some brilliant independent thinker, man. Nor have I ever claimed to be. I don't pose as a great Dominion-player. I have thoughts, share them, generally include caveats, and get it wrong. Probably a decent short-story version of my life, actually.
My point: Guys like me, we read something that some bigwig wrote in an article on the blog and think it's Gospel truth. You tell me that I should't have more than 3 Silvers, fine -- 3 Silver limit it is. NB gains you Silvers. Must be bad, right guys? I don't know, so let me throw it out there, argue my thought based on principles that I am sure exist. So apparently the bigwigs say that I'm wrong, that more Silvers in a HP+X deck are nothing but good. Guess I'm wrong then. Don't know how to now reconcile the two seemingly contradictory thoughts about it, but rhetorical questions that end posts responding to me on the subject are pretty helpful. But does anyone really owe me any sort of help? (Hint: they don't.)
I doubt I've ever had one truly new or innovative thought about this game -- it is mostly just leeching off of others that I've gotten to be where I am today. Now, I'm sure you're thinking "man, you can't be like that, you've gotta think for yourself and draw your own conclusions and be creative or you'll never be great." And you're right. I see that, too, especially the conclusion.
I probably should take extra sips of chill-juice before writing responses, but it just kinda had to flow. Everyone: if my text-wall above doesn't agree with you, feel free to disregard. Dog bites man.
Oh, and Paul -- thanks for letting me know, man. That did help put it into relief for me.