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[Dekryr]

This is my first time posting one of these...so here goes. I attached the game log (I saved the log instead of the link so I can't just post a link).

We both open potion-silver. I'm 2nd but think that the alchemist and possession are too good to ignore the potion here, so I mirror the opening. Turn 3 sucks with $2 but I grab the NV and then hit a $6 turn 4. I think the early gold will really help my economy so I take it, not sure if this is correct. I guess rabble could be better here?? Anyway I draw my potion with $2 and can't get an alchemist until turn 8, while my opponent buys a possession next turn (turn 9). Am I screwed now? Should I just try to bomb my deck and rush island and estates to mitigate possession damage? There's no + buy so that's probably too slow. Should I have ignored the potion opening and tried to build a village rabble drawing engine and hope it doesn't get possessed too much? With schemes I'll probably get possessed pretty often? I have no idea what to do here? Is it just bad luck or did I have options?

[Robz888]

You got bad luck. Your Potion missed the reshuffle, and you drew it with only $2. That's game over right there.

I think there is strong incentive to go the Alchemist/Possession route here, because nothing else is very strong. The other option is a Rabble engine. Expand can play a key role as a pseudo-Buy, but there just isn't enough going in the non-Potion department. So I think you were right to seek Alchemists and Possession, and you just got truly dreadful luck.

[Dekryr]

You got bad luck. Your Potion missed the reshuffle, and you drew it with only $2. That's game over right there.

I think there is strong incentive to go the Alchemist/Possession route here, because nothing else is very strong. The other option is a Rabble engine. Expand can play a key role as a pseudo-Buy, but there just isn't enough going in the non-Potion department. So I think you were right to seek Alchemists and Possession, and you just got truly dreadful luck.

I figured as much, thanks for the confirmation. I don t think I'm very good with Possession so the confirmation is good to have. I'll have to start posting some games where I can actually get strategy advice.

[ftl]

If you go for an Expand engine you'll be giving your Possessor really nice stuff with it.

[DG]

Am I screwed now? Should I just try to bomb my deck and rush island and estates to mitigate possession damage?

I think you've got to try the alchemy and then you are in a mess once the opponent gets ahead. Almost every kingdom card helps the possessor too much, including islands. Rushing estates is just too weak so you have to gamble on a halfway deck (with alchemists played as labs) that has a gambler's chance of getting a possession and some provinces. Duchies would be better but there is no way to force a three pile ending.

Your early native village is worth thinking about though. What does it do for your deck in the early, mid, and late game?

[dondon151]

I feel like going for an FV-Rabble draw engine makes Possession unsavory for the opponent. He can use FV himself to counter, but chances are he won't have all that many if he's dipped into Potions, and he may not want to play your Rabbles to junk up the top of his deck, especially if he hasn't trashed his Estates. Alchemist can try to draw through the clutter, but without an FV in hand, it has a greater probability of interrupting his Alchemist stack.

DG's appraisal of the kingdom is right, though; everything else can be a huge benefit to your possessor. In my opinion the acceleration provided by remodeling Estate -> something better is a little too good to pass up when building an engine supplemented by Rabble, and you'll just have to bite the bullet and hope that it doesn't work against you too much later on or hope that you can Island away the Remodel before your opponent gets to use it.

Another option that I see is to build an Alchemist engine, grab a couple of Possessions + FVs, and then Mint away enough treasure in your deck that you can't make $8.

[DrFlux]

Alchemist + Possession boards are very hard to come back from. The first person to play a possession can keep the other player from replaying the Alchemists, and on this board, he can empty you NV, etc. Not very fun.

[Dekryr]

Your early native village is worth thinking about though. What does it do for your deck in the early, mid, and late game?

I figured the pseudo-trashing of native village could help me a bit early. That was really the only thought. Didn't think about its uselessness when possessed. Also, I'm not good enough to realize when to just skip my buy on turn 3. But thanks it's a good lesson to learn.