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[philosophyguy]

Dominion's rules have you only put out Platinum and Colony together. But, suppose for a moment that Platinum were available but no Colonies. Are there situations in which buying Platinum would make sense?

The best scenario I can think of would be a player who has to piledrive the Provinces (maybe a BM race against a Monument engine); I can imagine Platinum being useful to avoid stalling on green.

[Beyond Awesome]

In some games, yes, I would buy it.

[eHalcyon]

Mega-turn engine might want it as an efficient boost to economy.  It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

[AJD]

It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

<mind blown>

I bet there's no other cases where cost(X) + cost(Y) = cost(Z) and effect(x) + effect(Y) = effect(Z)

[Mic Qsenoch]

I think it would make sense a lot of times:

-Engines looking to delay greening until they can buy several provinces at once.
-Boards with good sources of plus buy so that the extra money from Platinum can be put to use. (I'd think Wharf BM would want at least one Platinum before greening).
-Money boards where you have a freak occurrence and hit $9 really early. Sometimes you prefer Gold in your first $8 hand, so you'd definitely want Platinum sometimes.

[michaeljb]

It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

<mind blown>

I bet there's no other cases where cost(X) + cost(Y) = cost(Z) and effect(x) + effect(Y) = effect(Z)

Playing a Gold and a Silver has a different effect than playing a Platinum when followed by Bank or Horn of Plenty. Edge cased.

[AJD]

It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

<mind blown>

I bet there's no other cases where cost(X) + cost(Y) = cost(Z) and effect(x) + effect(Y) = effect(Z)

Playing a Gold and a Silver has a different effect than playing a Platinum when followed by Bank or Horn of Plenty. Edge cased.

No, playing a Bank or Horn of Plenty has a different effect if you've played Gold and Silver than if you've played Platinum.

[SirPeebles]

It would be nice to buy one with Mint.  You could also get them with Mine, but the question here was buying them.

[jomini]

Sure, plat makes a lot of sense in a number of province cases:
1. Space efficiency. Plat takes up only one card (and requires only one buy) so you can more easily build engines.
2. High variability. Take a simple card like cellar. Plat makes it a lot easier to go for a high cycling/sifting strategy and pitch cards until you get back to the plat. With gold, you need a 3 card residue to get a province, with plat you need only 2 - so pile on the warehouses, grab a storeroom and hunt for the plat.
3. Plat has some good interactions with a number of action cards that can let you get major benefit out of it. Mint/Mine both give you relatively more reward from Plat than from Gold; both also have a much easier time piling out the Plats than the golds. Plat is immune to Noble Brigand, Rogue, and Knights. Herbalist/Plat is an assured duchy, and a highly likely Province; being able to get that close to a Province repetitively is a lot stronger than using gold.

[jupiter]

The first time I played with Prosperity (IRL) I played with Platinum and no Colony. I avoided them because of Thiefing (and there was Theifing), but I probably would have bought it with 9.

[WanderingWinder]

Depends on the board.

[Axxle]

Yes.

[Jimmmmm]

It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

<mind blown>

I bet there's no other cases where cost(X) + cost(Y) = cost(Z) and effect(x) + effect(Y) = effect(Z)

Playing a Gold and a Silver has a different effect than playing a Platinum when followed by Bank or Horn of Plenty. Edge cased.

No, playing a Bank or Horn of Plenty has a different effect if you've played Gold and Silver than if you've played Platinum.

Regardless of what you play afterwards, playing Gold and Silver increases the number of differently named cards and the number of treasures you've played by 2, while Platinum only by 1. Sometimes these tallies matter, usually they don't but they're still part of the gamestate.

If you can be pedantic, I can be more pedantic.

[Davio]

I would only buy it if I could double Province.

I mean, if you're able to buy Plat, you're going from $9 buying power to $14, $2 short of double Province territory.
And of course, sometimes you might have $11 and if you spend it on Plat, that's $16 as well.

The almighty "it depends" is perfectly valid of course. You just have to remember that you have less time in Province games.

[andy]

It's like Gold+Silver but it only takes up one card slot.

<mind blown>

I bet there's no other cases where cost(X) + cost(Y) = cost(Z) and effect(x) + effect(Y) = effect(Z)

Some two-and-two solutions:

$2 Estate + $6 Harem = $3 Silver + $5 Duchy
$5 Bazaar + $5 Market = $5 Festival + $5 Laboratory

This was a fun brain teaser to think about.

[heatthespurs]

Pawn + Pawn = Workers Village

[Tables]

Pawn + Pawn = Workers Village

Very tenuous. Even if you choose the right options, you're still a card and an action down.

[Davio]

Necropolis + Moat/Courtyard = Shanty Town?

[heatthespurs]

Pawn + Pawn = Workers Village

Very tenuous. Even if you choose the right options, you're still a card and an action down.

I guess it really depends on how you interpret the question. Anyway, it is at most 1 action down right?

How about 3 x Pawn = Gold?

[Tables]

Pawn + Pawn = Workers Village

Very tenuous. Even if you choose the right options, you're still a card and an action down.

I guess it really depends on how you interpret the question. Anyway, it is at most 1 action down right?

How about 3 x Pawn = Gold?

Well, there's no way you can play two pawns to get something functionally equivalent to a Worker's Village, you'll end up an action and a card short (play one for buy+action, one for card+action). 3 Pawns = Gold does work though, at least with the action+coin choice.

[Drab Emordnilap]

Well, there's no way you can play two pawns to get something functionally equivalent to a Worker's Village, you'll end up an action and a card short (play one for buy+action, one for card+action).

Yeah, but if you play Silver+Gold=Platinum, you're down a card there too.

[Jimmmmm]

Back to the original question, the obvious follow-up question is how often are Colonies viable if there are no Platinums?

[theory]

I don't think Colonies are as dependent on Platinums as the other way around.  King's Court is a lot more likely to lead to big wealthy hands, for instance.

[flies]

I've bought gold for $9 on province games, so yes.

[eHalcyon]

Well, there's no way you can play two pawns to get something functionally equivalent to a Worker's Village, you'll end up an action and a card short (play one for buy+action, one for card+action).

Yeah, but if you play Silver+Gold=Platinum, you're down a card there too.

You still can never get an extra action coming out of two pawns.