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| + | An [[opening]] consists of the cards purchased in the first two turns. The starting deck of each player consists of 7 {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} and 3 {{Card|Estate|Estates}} or [[Shelter]]s. Therefore, under ordinary circumstances, if your first hand has 4 Coppers, your second hand will have 3 Coppers, and vice versa. This is called a 4/3 or 3/4 split, respectively. A 5/2 (or 2/5) split means you have a first hand of 5 Coppers and second hand of 2 Coppers (and vice versa). |
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− | An [[opening]] consists of the cards purchased in the first two turns. The starting deck of each player usually consists of 7 {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} and 3 {{Card|Estate|Estates}} or [[Shelter|Shelters]]. Therefore, under ordinary circumstances, if your first hand has 4 Coppers, your second hand will have 3 Coppers, and vice versa. This is called a {{Split|4|3}} or {{Split|3|4}} split, respectively. A {{Split|5|2}} (or {{Split|2|5}}) split means you have a first hand of 5 Coppers and second hand of 2 Coppers (and vice versa). In an ordinary kingdom, players receive {{Split|5|2}} or {{Split|2|5}} splits 16.67% of the time. | + | |
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| == Openers == | | == Openers == |
− | An '''opener''' is a card that a player buys on their first or second turn. Some cards are better openers than others. [[Trasher|Trashers]] and [[curser|cursers]] tend to be good openers, and opening with a {{Card|Silver}} or a [[terminal Silver]] is also usually a good idea in order to build up buying power early. Some cards, like {{Card|Moneylender}}, {{Card|Coppersmith}}, or {{Card|Baron}}, are usually either bought as an opener or not at all, due to their interactions with cards in the starting deck. Usually, {{Card|Village|Villages}} are poor openers because there are no terminal actions in your deck at first. | + | An '''opener''' is a card that a player buys on his first or second turn. Some cards are better openers than others. [[Trasher]]s and [[curser]]s tend to be good openers, and opening with a {{Card|Silver}} or a [[terminal Silver]] is also usually a good idea in order to build up buying power early. Some cards, like {{Card|Moneylender}}, {{Card|Coppersmith}}, or {{Card|Baron}}, are usually either bought as an opener or not at all, due to their interactions with cards in the starting deck. Usually, {{Card|Village|Villages}} are poor openers because there are no terminal actions in your deck at first. |
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| == Unusual openings == | | == Unusual openings == |
− | If {{Card|Baker}}, from [[Guilds]], is in the supply, players begin the game with an extra [[Coffers|Coffer]], allowing openings of {{Split|6|2}}, {{Split|5|3}}, or {{Split|4|4}} if the Coffer is spent immediately. {{Event|Borrow}} gives a similar effect, by letting you "steal" a card from your next turn for +{{Cost|1}} now. [[Event|Events]] in general, particularly in combination with the cards listed below, can produce many weird and varied openings. {{Debt}}-costing cards also mess with opening strategy. {{Event|Tax}} forces the player to spend one {{Cost|1}} on their second turn.
| + | Some cards with on-buy or on-gain effects can alter the usual 4/3 or 5/2 split when bought on the first turn: |
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− | In games using [[Shelter|Shelters]], certain [[Way|Ways]] can result in unusual openings, as {{Card|Necropolis}} can be played to produce {{Cost|}} or have other effects.
| + | * {{Card|Doctor}} – allows you to trash or discard cards from the top of your deck on-buy; so buying it on your first turn with {{Cost|4}} or more can change the makeup of your second turn in various ways depending on what is trashed. |
| + | * {{Card|Inn}} – can be shuffled into your deck and if so will likely be drawn next turn, giving you a 5/3 split. |
| + | * {{Card|Mandarin}} – puts the five Coppers you played back top of your deck, giving you another {{Cost|5}} turn before you reshuffle, turning a 5/2 opening into a 5/5/2 opening. |
| + | * {{Card|Noble Brigand|Noble Brigand}} – when bought by your opponents on their first turn makes you discard the top two cards from your deck, resulting in various possible unusual openings. |
| + | * {{Card|Nomad Camp}} – goes on the top of your deck, which can result in a 4/5 or 4/4 split. |
| + | * {{Card|Stonemason}} – allows you to gain two extra cards if you [[overpay]] when you buy it, meaning you can gain more than the usual one card per opening turn. |
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− | [[Heirloom|Heirlooms]] {{Card|Cursed Gold}} and {{Card|Pouch}} give {{Coin|3}} and +buy, respectively.
| + | If {{Card|Baker}}, from [[Guilds]], is in the supply, players begin the game with an extra [[coin token]], allowing openings of 6/2, 5/3, or 4/4 if the coin token is spent immediately. |
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− | Some cards with on-buy or on-gain effects can also alter the usual {{Split|4|3}} or {{Split|5|2}} split when bought on the first turn:
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− | * {{Card|Noble Brigand}}: When bought by your opponents on their first turn makes you discard the top two cards from your deck, resulting in various possible unusual openings.
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− | * {{Card|Nomad Camp}}: Goes on the top of your deck, which can result in a Nomad Camp/{{Cost|5}} or Nomad Camp/{{Cost|4}} split.
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− | * {{Card|Inn}}: Can be shuffled into your deck and if so will likely be drawn next turn, giving you a {{Split|5|3}} split.
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− | * {{Card|Mandarin}}: Puts the five Coppers you played back on top of your deck, giving you another {{Cost|5}} turn before you [[reshuffle]], turning a {{Split|5|2}} opening into a {{Split|5|5|2}} opening.
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− | * {{Card|Stonemason}}: Allows you to gain two extra cards if you [[overpay]] when you buy it, meaning you can gain more than the usual one card per opening turn.
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− | * {{Card|Doctor}}: Allows you to trash or discard cards from the top of your deck on-buy; so buying it on your first turn with {{Cost|4}} or more can change the makeup of your second turn in various ways depending on what is trashed.
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− | * {{Card|Messenger}}: Gives each player an effective extra {{Cost|4}} to their opening per player that opens with it, with the caveat that they may not get to choose which card they get, and it may miss their reshuffle.
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− | * {{Card|Lost City}}: If another player opens with it, causing you to draw a card, it can completely change your {{Cost}} output on your opening turns.
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− | * {{Card|Villa}}: Lets you pick up an additional {{Cost|1}} or {{Cost|2}} with it, depending on your split.
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− | * {{Card|Forum}}: If you open {{Split|5|2}}, you can pick up a {{Cost|0}} card with Forum.
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− | * {{Card|Guardian}}: If you gain Guardian in your first turn, you can spend an additional {{Cost|1}} in your second turn, which turns a {{Split|2|5}} opening effectively to {{Split|2|6}}. This can also turn a {{Split|3|4}} into a {{Split|2|5}} when there is an early {{Cost|5}} card that is more desireable than the available {{Cost|4}} and {{Cost|3}} cards.
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− | * {{Card|Den of Sin}}: On a {{Split|5|2}} opening you can buy and play den of Sin, triggering a reshuffle of your starting 5 Coppers on your second turn, effectively getting a {{Split|5|4}} with guaranteed {{Coin|3}}+ on your third turn.
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− | * {{Card|Night Watchman}}: On a {{Split|4|3}} opening, you can buy a Silver or a [[terminal silver]] on the first turn. Then buy and play a Night Watchman on your second turn, triggering a reshuffle of your cards from the first turn. Discard the Estate if it is in the top 5 cards, which will guarantee {{Cost|6}} on your third turn and an early reshuffle at the end of your third turn. This effectively gives you a {{Split|3|3|6}} Opening (or {{Split|4|3|6}} in the presence of terminal silvers such as {{Card|Militia}})
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− | * {{Card|Importer}}: With many allies, it can change the opening since it gives 4 Favors when starting the game. In general, having any game with a Liaison card can also change up the opening slightly since you start with 1 Favor, though there are less chances to do so than with Importer.
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− | With Baker, Lost City, Borrow and {{Card|Pooka}} (which comes with the {{Card|Cursed Gold}} [[Heirloom]]) in a game, it's possible to field {{Cost|11}} on an opening turn. If you go 3rd or later, the two players ahead of you buy Lost City, you have a Cursed Gold and you buy Borrow, you can get {{Cost|7}} in your hand at the beginning (with Cursed Gold), add {{Cost|2}} by drawing 2 Coppers from the Lost Cities, and you buy Borrow, it is possible to get a Colony on your first turn.
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| == Examples of strong openers == | | == Examples of strong openers == |
− | * Strong [[Curser|cursers]] and [[Junker|junkers]]:
| + | * {{Card|Ambassador}} |
− | ** {{Card|Witch}}
| + | * {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | ** {{Card|Mountebank}}
| + | * {{Card|Masquerade}} |
− | ** {{Card|Cultist}}
| + | * {{Card|Mountebank}} |
− | * Pseudo- and real [[Trasher|Trashers]]
| + | * {{Card|Remake}} |
− | ** {{Card|Chapel}}
| + | * {{Card|Trading Post}} |
− | ** {{Card|Masquerade}}
| + | * {{Card|Witch}} |
− | ** {{Card|Trading Post}}
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− | ** {{Card|Remake}}
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− | ** {{Card|Amulet}}
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− | ** {{Card|Ambassador}}
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| == Examples of strong openings == | | == Examples of strong openings == |
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− | According to [http://CouncilRoom.com CouncilRoom.com], the top 20 openings (pre-[[Dark Ages]]) are as follows:<ref>http://councilroom.com/openings</ref> | + | According to [[CouncilRoom.com]], the top 20 openings (pre-[[Dark Ages]]) are as follows:<ref>http://councilroom.com/openings</ref> |
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| # {{Card|Mountebank}} / {{Card|Chapel}} | | # {{Card|Mountebank}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
| # {{Card|Tournament}} / {{Card|Ambassador}} | | # {{Card|Tournament}} / {{Card|Ambassador}} |
− | # {{Card|Governor}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Governor}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
| # {{Card|Mint}} / {{Card|Fool's Gold}} | | # {{Card|Mint}} / {{Card|Fool's Gold}} |
− | # Tournament / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Tournament}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # {{Card|Witch}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Witch}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # {{Card|Caravan}} / Ambassador | + | # {{Card|Caravan}} / {{Card|Ambassador}} |
− | # Tournament / {{Card|Masquerade}} | + | # {{Card|Tournament}} / {{Card|Masquerade}} |
− | # {{Card|Wharf}} / Fool's Gold | + | # {{Card|Wharf}} / {{Card|Fool's Gold}} |
− | # Witch / Fool's Gold | + | # {{Card|Witch}} / {{Card|Fool's Gold}} |
− | # {{Card|Upgrade}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Upgrade}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # {{Card|Vault}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Vault}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # {{Card|Hunting Party}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Hunting Party}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
| # {{Card|Trading Post}} / {{Card|Haven}} | | # {{Card|Trading Post}} / {{Card|Haven}} |
− | # {{Card|Minion}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Minion}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # Witch / {{Card|Crossroads}} | + | # {{Card|Witch}} / {{Card|Crossroads}} |
− | # Mountebank / {{Card|Hamlet}} | + | # {{Card|Mountebank}} / {{Card|Hamlet}} |
− | # {{Card|Laboratory}} / Chapel | + | # {{Card|Laboratory}} / {{Card|Chapel}} |
− | # Mountebank / {{Card|Native Village}} | + | # {{Card|Mountebank}} / {{Card|Native Village}} |
− | # Mountebank / Haven | + | # {{Card|Mountebank}} / {{Card|Haven}} |
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− | * Only three openings were {{Split|3|4}}.
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− | * Most {{Split|5|2}} openings were Curser/Trasher or Booster/Trasher.
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| == References == | | == References == |
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| {{Navbox Strategy}} | | {{Navbox Strategy}} |
− | [[Category:Strategic concepts]]
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