Opening

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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 CoppersCopper.jpg and 3 EstatesEstate.jpg or 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 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).

Contents

Openers

An opener is a card that a player buys on his first or second turn. Some cards are better openers than others. Trashers and cursers tend to be good openers, and opening with a SilverSilver.jpg or a terminal Silver is also usually a good idea in order to build up buying power early. Some cards, like MoneylenderMoneylender.jpg, CoppersmithCoppersmith.jpg, or BaronBaron.jpg, are usually either bought as an opener or not at all, due to their interactions with cards in the starting deck. Usually, VillagesVillage.jpg are poor openers because there are no terminal actions in your deck at first.

Unusual openings

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:

  • DoctorDoctor.jpg – allows you to trash or discard cards from the top of your deck on-buy; so buying it on your first turn with $4 or more can change the makeup of your second turn in various ways depending on what is trashed.
  • InnInn.jpg – can be shuffled into your deck and if so will likely be drawn next turn, giving you a 5/3 split.
  • MandarinMandarin.jpg – puts the five Coppers you played back top of your deck, giving you another $5 turn before you reshuffle, turning a 5/2 opening into a 5/5/2 opening.
  • Noble BrigandNoble Brigand.jpg – 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.
  • Nomad CampNomad Camp.jpg – goes on the top of your deck, which can result in a 4/5 or 4/4 split.

If BakerBaker.jpg, 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.

Examples of strong openers

Examples of strong openings

According to CouncilRoom.com, the top 20 openings are as follows:[1]

  1. Mountebank / Chapel
  2. Tournament / Ambassador
  3. Governor / Chapel
  4. Mint / Fool's Gold
  5. Tournament / Chapel
  6. Witch / Chapel
  7. Caravan / Ambassador
  8. Tournament / Masquerade
  9. Wharf / Fool's Gold
  10. Witch / Fool's Gold
  11. Upgrade / Chapel
  12. Vault / Chapel
  13. Hunting Party / Chapel
  14. Trading Post / Haven
  15. Minion / Chapel
  16. Witch / Crossroads
  17. Mountebank / Hamlet
  18. Laboratory / Chapel
  19. Mountebank / Native Village
  20. Mountebank / Haven

References

  1. http://councilroom.com/openings
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