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| {{Infobox Card | | {{Infobox Card |
| |name = Beggar | | |name = Beggar |
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− | '''Beggar''' is an [[Action]]-[[Reaction]] card from [[Dark Ages]]. When played as an Action, it gains three {{Card|Copper|Coppers}}, putting them in your hand, so you get an effective +{{Cost|3}} this turn at the cost of gaining three Coppers, which is usually a penalty. When revealed and discarded as a reaction, it gains you two {{Card|Silver|Silvers}}, putting one on top of your deck - an effective defense against [[trashing attack|trashing attacks]], since they'll hit your new Silver, and a defense against some [[discard attack|discard attacks]] which only force you to discard down to 4. | + | '''Beggar''' is an [[Action]]-[[Reaction]] card from [[Dark Ages]]. When played as an Action, it gains three {{Card|Copper|Coppers}}, putting them in your hand, so you get an effective +{{Cost|3}} this turn at the cost of gaining three Coppers, which is usually a penalty. When revealed and discarded as a reaction, it gains you two {{Card|Silver|Silvers}}, putting one on top of your deck. |
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| == FAQ == | | == FAQ == |
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| * If there is only one Silver left, put it on your deck; if there are no Silvers left, you do not gain any. | | * If there is only one Silver left, put it on your deck; if there are no Silvers left, you do not gain any. |
| === Other Rules clarifications === | | === Other Rules clarifications === |
− | == Strategy Article == | + | == Strategy == |
− | ''[http://dominionstrategy.com/2012/11/19/dark-ages-beggar/ Article] by [[User:Schneau | Schneau]], originally posted on the [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=5132 forum].''
| + | Beggar is a very weak card that is rarely relevant, mostly because adding three {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} to your deck is antithetical to getting good [[deck control]], and also generally decreases your [[money density]]. Beggar is a powerful enabler of a few very specific [[combo]]s: |
− | | + | * Beggar gaining three {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} with one [[terminal]] Action play is relevant for scoring with {{Card|Triumph}}. |
− | Beggar is the new {{Card|Copper}} hipster. When we were all introduced to Dominion, we thought Coppers were cool. Who would want to trash them? Hipster {{Card|Chapel}}, I guess. But, as time went by, we all realized that trashing Coppers was fun, and the hipsters started saying they liked Chapel before it was cool. Now the hipsters are back into Copper, and Beggar is their new retro king. | + | * Beggar can amass [[Coffers]] rapidly with {{Project|Guildhall}} ([[Combo:_Beggar_and_Guildhall]]). |
− | | + | * Beggar can quickly fatten your deck for {{Card|Gardens}} ([[Combo:_Beggar_and_Gardens]]). |
− | Before considering how to use it, let's take a look at what Beggar does. The action part is pretty simple, right? Gain 3 Coppers into your hand. But, it's more subtle than that. Beggar can be seen as a [[terminal]] {{Card|Gold}} that comes with the drawback of three more Coppers in your deck. The reaction part of Beggar gains you two {{Card|Silver|Silvers}}, one on top of your deck. This is also more subtle than it looks, and depends on what [[Attack]] card it is reacting to, as we will discuss in a bit.
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− | === As an Action ===
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− | So, when would you want to use Beggar? Didn't we all learn long ago that Coppers are bad? Well, yes, they are bad in many [[engine|engines]]. But, as most things in Dominion, it isn't as simple as that and it depends on the kingdom. Even in a thin engine, there may be a time and place for Beggar.
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− | The thing to realize about Beggar is that {{Cost|3}} on a terminal Action is really good, especially on a {{Cost|2}} card. With a terminal Gold, it is easy to hit {{Cost|5}}, {{Cost|6}}, and even {{Cost|7}} on early hands, making it easier to get those important high-cost cards. The only downside is that you now have Copper clogging your deck. So, if you can play it in situations when you don't mind the extra Copper, it can be fantastic.
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− | Another general use for Beggar is as a late-game buy to keep your money going strong as you start to green. If you can pick up a Beggar with an extra buy when you expect to see it only once or twice more until the end of the game, it can be used as a terminal Gold without worrying about the Coppers hurting your deck too much. In non-trimmed decks, this can make all the difference in hitting {{Cost|8}} more often than your opponent, and in thinned engine decks, it can boost you to {{Cost|16}} for the all-important double Province or {{Cost|13}} for Province + {{Card|Duchy}}.
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− | Early Beggars aren't good in straight [[Big Money]] or BM+draw decks - they conflict with drawing terminals, and aren't good enough on their own since the Coppers slow things down a bit too much. They also aren't good early in engines, where they put too many Coppers between important engine parts. As mentioned above, Beggar can be worthwhile later in both of these types of decks as a boost to large payoffs. In {{Card|Curse}} or [[Ruins]] slogs where you aren't as worried about a few extra Coppers, Beggar can be more effective early, since it can help buy important Attack cards and Provinces and Duchies later. Additionally, Beggar's reaction provides a benefit when hit by the Attack cards that are slowing down the game.
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− | One situation when extra Coppers don't hurt much is if you aiming for [[Alt-VP|alternative Victory cards]]. {{Card|Gardens}} are a natural fit, since playing Beggar allows you to gain 4 cards on a turn and all but guarantees enough money for a Gardens (see below for more detailed analysis). Beggar works decently well with other alt-VPs, namely {{Card|Silk Road}} and {{Card|Duke}}, and possibly {{Card|Feodum}} if your opponents are going heavy on the Attacks. These strategies require a heavy density of Beggars, which is probably easiest to achieve if there is a source of cheap +Buy, especially if it is non-terminal such as {{Card|Hamlet}}, {{Card|Worker's Village}}, {{Card|Forager}}, or {{Card|Market Square}}. In these games you will want to load up on 4 or 5 Beggars, and then start hitting the Victory cards. Note that in games without cheap +Buy, these strategies will more likely end up being slogs than rushes.
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− | === Specific Card Combos ===
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− | Some Action cards don't mind having a pile of Coppers around. {{Card|Apothecary}} might be the strongest combo here, where Beggar can be the terminal after an Apothecary chain. The Apothecaries will just sweep up those extra Coppers to easily get to Province or {{Card|Colony}} range. Non-terminal +Buy would definitely help here, both for Apothecary+ buys as well as Province+ buys.
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− | Similarly, {{Card|Counting House}} can be a good partner in an otherwise mediocre kingdom - you can easily get more than enough Coppers in your deck to get Colonies. Also, since Beggar is a terminal Gold, it is easy to hit early {{Cost|5}} to get the Counting Houses. This should come with the usual caveat that Counting House is not a good card, and should only be attempted if no strong strategies are present.
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− | {{Card|Bank}} can also be one of Beggar's best friends (which is sort of ironic when you think about it). Bank has several properties that make it work well with Beggar. It is a Treasure, so you can play Beggar and Bank on the same turn without any [[Villages]] (unlike Counting House and {{Card|Coppersmith}}). Beggars can help hit the high {{Cost|7}} cost early in the game. Plus, each time you play a Beggar and a Bank in the same hand, you are already guaranteed {{Cost|7}}, which means you just need a Copper more to hit Province.
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− | {{Card|Gardens}} may be Beggar's most powerful combo. Unlike just about any other board, it may be optimal to buy a straight Victory card on turn 1 or 2 with the [[opening]] Gardens/Beggar. This allows you to get a jump on the Gardens pile to almost guarantee an even split of the Gardens, if not a split in your favor. According to simulations performed by DStu, just buying Gardens / ({{Card|Estate}} when Gardens are low) / Beggar / Copper wins against a basic {{Card|Workshop}} / Gardens bot 80% of the time. When your opponent is not rushing the Gardens, you should buy Duchies once the Gardens are gone to help 3-pile and get more VP. This wins against a [[DoubleJack]] bot 75% of the time.
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− | Even though Coppersmith + Beggar intuitively seems like it would work well, I think most of the time it will end up being more of a nombo than a combo. Coppersmith likes Coppers, but more of the time it prefers you just draw your starting Coppers on the same turn you play Coppersmith, not that you actually gain extra Coppers. Playing Village then Beggar then Coppersmith is doable, though unlikely. And once you have played Beggar a few times, the extra Coppers make it difficult to line up your Village + draw + Coppersmith for the big hands. If you are playing Beggar a lot, you may be able to expect at least 3 Coppers in hand with your Coppersmith, though you will be unlikely to hit the necessary 4 for a Province.
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− | A few other cards may combo decently depending on the board. {{Card|Stables}} will enjoy guaranteed Coppers to discard, though the Copper flood will limit the ability to build an engine. {{Card|Philosopher's Stone}}, like Gardens, likes a thick deck and may be a decent option, especially with other {{Card|Potion}}-cost cards present. If you have a {{Card|Trader}} in hand, you can Beggar for 3 Silvers, albiet ones that go to your discard pile instead of your hand. {{Card|Counterfeit}}, {{Card|Moneylender}}, and {{Card|Spice Merchant}} can all trash Coppers for benefit, though in most cases it won't be enough of a benefit to make it worth gaining Coppers just to trash them. {{Card|Forager}} can work due to it being non-terminal; if you can get an engine that draws three Foragers with your Beggar with at least one extra action, you can use Beggar to gain the Coppers and then the Foragers to immediately trash them for {{Cost}}, which keeps them from clogging up your engine. {{Card|Counterfeit}} can also immediately trash one Copper each for {{Cost|2}}. While it would be more difficult to get 3 Counterfeits in hand due to its higher cost, having at least one with the Beggar would help mitigate the damage to your deck.
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− | As mentioned earlier, Beggar can boost you into the expensive card zone early on, with Bank being the star of the show. Additionally, depending on the Kingdom, expensive cards like {{Card|Goons}}, {{Card|Hunting Grounds}}, {{Card|Forge}}, and {{Card|Altar}} may be worth the sacrifice of having 3 extra Coppers to buy them early. On the other hand, cards like {{Card|Grand Market}}, {{Card|King's Court}}, {{Card|Border Village}}, and {{Card|Expand}} conflict with having lots of Coppers around, making an early Beggar not worthwhile to get to them. If you need to hit {{Cost|5}} on your first reshuffle for some important card ({{Card|Witch}} and {{Card|Mountebank}} come to mind), Beggar all but guarantees their purchase while giving some defense if your opponent is also grabbing attacks.
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− | === As a Reaction ===
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− | You rarely want to buy Beggar solely for its reaction. But, if you were thinking about it anyway for its Action, you may be swayed further by its reactionary ability. Beggar is often happy to be hit by an Attack card. Gaining 2 Silvers is very good, unless you're going for a Treasureless deck, in which case why would you buy Beggar in the first place? Unlike {{Card|Moat}}, and somewhat like {{Card|Horse Traders}}, Beggar's reaction acts differently depending on what attack triggers it, making it a better defense against some Attacks than others.
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− | Junkers: Beggar's reaction is probably weakest against [[Curser|Cursers]] and [[Looter|Looters]]. You still get the Silvers, but no other advantage. On the other hand, Beggar's action can be good in {{Card|Curse}} and [[Ruins]] slogs, so Beggar may still be worthwhile in these games. Beggar pairs well with {{Card|Ambassador}}, both for its action and reaction abilities.
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− | [[Discard attack|Discard attacks]]: Beggar is very good against many discard attacks. Against a [[vanilla]] discard attack like {{Card|Militia}}, Beggar allows you to discard it to gain 2 Silvers, while reducing your hand size so that you have to discard one fewer card. This works great against {{Card|Militia}}, {{Card|Goons}}, {{Card|Ghost Ship}}, and {{Card|Urchin}}/{{Card|Mercenary}}, and decently against {{Card|Margrave}}. Beggar is an excellent counter to {{Card|Pillage}}, since it removes itself from your hand, giving you 4 cards which makes you immune to Pillage. Similarly, Beggar allows you to dodge {{Card|Minion|Minions}} if you wish, or you can choose not to reveal it if you don't like your hand. Beggar is bad against the targeted discards of {{Card|Cutpurse}} and {{Card|Bureaucrat}}, which don't care about handsize.
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− | Deck Inspection Attacks: Though cards like {{Card|Spy}} and {{Card|Scrying Pool}} will usually discard the topdecked Silver, they are often played frequently and therefore you can expect them to be played when you have Beggar in hand. Beggar is not as good against {{Card|Rabble}}, {{Card|Fortune Teller}}, or {{Card|Oracle}}, which will discard the topdecked Silver. It is pretty decent against {{Card|Jester}}, which prefers to hit your really good cards or your really bad cards; Silver is in the middle ground which gives your opponent the least advantage.
| + | Very uncommon (but possible) use cases for Beggar include: |
| + | * In some fast [[money strategies]] that just want to hit {{Cost|8}} a few times, Beggar can act as a very cheap [[terminal]] {{Card|Gold}}. |
| + | * In decks with [[sifting|sifters]] but no [[draw]] options, Beggar can increase your hand size by two, increasing the amount of cards you can collide at once. |
| + | * With a {{Card|Monastery}} in hand, Beggar’s self-junking is not a concern, and it can act as a [[terminal]] +{{Cost|3}}. By playing {{Card|Monastery}} on the same turn as the Beggar and trashing the {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} gained immediately, you avoid putting those {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} into your shuffle. |
| + | * In the endgame, when you won’t have to draw through the {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} gained (because the game will be over), Beggar may be useful as a cheap source of [[payload]]. |
| + | * In a [[slog]] on very slow [[Kingdom]]s, Beggar and {{Landmark|Tower}} can score a lot of {{VP}}. However, many Kingdoms are fast enough that the game will end before this scores any {{VP}}. |
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− | [[Trashing attack|Trashing attacks]]: Beggar somewhat protects against {{Card|Thief}} and {{Card|Noble Brigand}}, since you'll likely gain a Silver while giving your opponent a Silver. It is excellent against {{Card|Saboteur}}, {{Card|Rogue}}, and {{Card|Knights}}, since the topdecked Silver protects your better cards. It is also great against {{Card|Swindler}}, where you will gain a Silver and another {{Cost|3}} card. The one card you'll almost never want to reveal Beggar to is {{Card|Pirate Ship}} - you will guarantee they'll hit Treasure. | + | It is almost never worth it to gain Beggar for its defensive [[Reaction]]. Adding a {{Card|Silver}} to the top of your deck slows down your [[cycling]]. Even against [[Attack]]s such as {{Card|Knights}} that attack the top of your deck, adding an otherwise [[junk]] card in Beggar to your deck and reducing your usable hand size by one to stop a single Knight attack is usually not worth it. |
− | === Synergies/Combos ===
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− | * [[Alt-VP]], especially {{Card|Gardens}}
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− | * {{Card|Apothecary}}
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− | * {{Card|Bank}}
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− | * {{Card|Counting House}}
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− | * {{Card|Monastery}} lets you easily trash the Coppers you just gained.
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− | * {{Project|Guildhall}} (gains 3 Coppers and 3 [[Coffers]])
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− | * {{Project|Citadel}} (gains 6 Coppers)
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− | * Hitting high price points early ({{Card|Bank}}, {{Card|Goons}}, {{Card|Hunting Grounds}}, {{Card|Forge}}, {{Card|Altar}})
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− | * Buying late with an extra buy
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− | * Discarding attacks and some trashing attacks
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− | === Antisynergies === | + | ===External strategy articles=== |
− | * {{Card|Colony}}
| + | ''Note: Article(s) below are by individual authors and may not represent the community's current views on cards, but may provide more in-depth information or give historical perspective. Caveat emptor.'' |
− | * Strong [[trashing]]
| + | * [http://dominionstrategy.com/2012/11/19/dark-ages-beggar/ Schneau's 2012 article] |
− | * Buying early in engines or [[Big Money]]
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− | * {{Card|Grand Market}}, {{Card|King's Court}}, {{Card|Border Village}}, {{Card|Expand}} | + | |
− | * {{Card|Pirate Ship}}
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− | * {{Card|Cutpurse}}
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− | * {{Card|Venture}} and {{Card|Adventurer}}
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− | * {{Card|Poor House}}
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| == Versions == | | == Versions == |
Beggar is a very weak card that is rarely relevant, mostly because adding three to your deck is antithetical to getting good deck control, and also generally decreases your money density. Beggar is a powerful enabler of a few very specific combos: