Editing Strictly better
Warning: You are not logged in.
Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | A card in Dominion is informally referred to as '''strictly better''' than another if, in some sense, having or using the former confers all the same advantages as the latter as well as some added benefit, with no potential additional disadvantages. A typical reason this might happen is if one card provides more +{{Cost|}}, +Buy, +Action, or {{VP}} than another but otherwise has the same effect, since under ordinary circumstances there is no way those additional effects can harm the player. For example, {{Card|Bazaar}} is strictly better than {{Card|Village}} because the effect of Bazaar is the same as that of Village plus {{Cost|1}}. Another way one card might be strictly better than another is if it offers the effect of the other as one of two or more options. For instance, once in your deck, {{Card|Count}} is better than {{Card|Mandarin}} since Mandarin's effect is one of the nine choices Count makes available: thus all the benefits of Mandarin are present, but in cases where the effect of Mandarin would be disadvantageous, Count makes other options available and Mandarin doesn't. {{Card|Alchemist}} is strictly better than {{Card|Laboratory}} because it has exactly the same effect when played, and also may give you the ''option'' of top-decking it instead of discarding it | + | A card in Dominion is informally referred to as '''strictly better''' than another if, in some sense, having or using the former confers all the same advantages as the latter as well as some added benefit, with no potential additional disadvantages. A typical reason this might happen is if one card provides more +{{Cost|}}, +Buy, +Action, or {{VP}} than another but otherwise has the same effect, since under ordinary circumstances there is no way those additional effects can harm the player. For example, {{Card|Bazaar}} is strictly better than {{Card|Village}} because the effect of Bazaar is the same as that of Village plus {{Cost|1}}. Another way one card might be strictly better than another is if it offers the effect of the other as one of two or more options. For instance, once in your deck, {{Card|Count}} is better than {{Card|Mandarin}} since Mandarin's effect is one of the nine choices Count makes available: thus all the benefits of Mandarin are present, but in cases where the effect of Mandarin would be disadvantageous, Count makes other options available and Mandarin doesn't. {{Card|Alchemist}} is strictly better than {{Card|Laboratory}} because it has exactly the same effect when played, and also may give you the ''option'' of top-decking it instead of discarding it. |
There are numerous cases where a card has an additional effect that is ''usually'' beneficial, but in some cases may turn out to be harmful; whether such cards are considered "strictly better" may depend on context. For example, although [[draw|drawing]] an additional card is usually desirable, it can also cause a terminal [[collision]] or a [[reshuffle]] at an inopportune time, so a card like {{Card|Village}} may not be considered "strictly" better than a card like {{Card|Necropolis}} for this reason in some analyses. More complicated situations also exist: for example, {{Card|Harem}} has the same effect as {{Card|Silver}} when played and is worth 2{{VP}} more, so it might be considered strictly better than Silver; but possessing a Harem in your deck may allow you to be given a {{Card|Curse}} by an opponent's {{Card|Jester}}, which Silver would not. Similarly, {{Card|Goons}} differs from {{Card|Woodcutter}} by providing both +{{VP}} and a [[discard attack]] and would in most contexts be considered strictly better, but the discard attack could help an opponent by enabling their {{Card|Tunnel}} or {{Card|Menagerie}}. {{Card|Great Hall}} is usually strictly better than {{Card|Estate}} since Great Hall may be played as a [[cantrip]], but in a deck with {{Card|Baron}}, Estate may be more beneficial. | There are numerous cases where a card has an additional effect that is ''usually'' beneficial, but in some cases may turn out to be harmful; whether such cards are considered "strictly better" may depend on context. For example, although [[draw|drawing]] an additional card is usually desirable, it can also cause a terminal [[collision]] or a [[reshuffle]] at an inopportune time, so a card like {{Card|Village}} may not be considered "strictly" better than a card like {{Card|Necropolis}} for this reason in some analyses. More complicated situations also exist: for example, {{Card|Harem}} has the same effect as {{Card|Silver}} when played and is worth 2{{VP}} more, so it might be considered strictly better than Silver; but possessing a Harem in your deck may allow you to be given a {{Card|Curse}} by an opponent's {{Card|Jester}}, which Silver would not. Similarly, {{Card|Goons}} differs from {{Card|Woodcutter}} by providing both +{{VP}} and a [[discard attack]] and would in most contexts be considered strictly better, but the discard attack could help an opponent by enabling their {{Card|Tunnel}} or {{Card|Menagerie}}. {{Card|Great Hall}} is usually strictly better than {{Card|Estate}} since Great Hall may be played as a [[cantrip]], but in a deck with {{Card|Baron}}, Estate may be more beneficial. | ||
Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
* {{Card|Noble Brigand}} is better than {{Card|Thief}} except when gaining {{Card|Copper}} is desirable or special Treasure cards abound. | * {{Card|Noble Brigand}} is better than {{Card|Thief}} except when gaining {{Card|Copper}} is desirable or special Treasure cards abound. | ||
* Buying {{event|Delve}} is strictly better than {{card|Silver}}, except that Delve is an [[Event]] and in a few cases buying cards is preferable to buying Events, and Events cannot have their [[cost reduction|cost reduced]]. | * Buying {{event|Delve}} is strictly better than {{card|Silver}}, except that Delve is an [[Event]] and in a few cases buying cards is preferable to buying Events, and Events cannot have their [[cost reduction|cost reduced]]. | ||
− | * {{card|Ducat}} is strictly better than {{card|Candlestick Maker}} in terms of its abilities; but the fact that Ducat is a Treasure and Candlestick Maker is an Action can make Candlestick Maker more | + | * {{card|Ducat}} is strictly better than {{card|Candlestick Maker}} in terms of its abilities; but the fact that Ducat is a Treasure and Candlestick Maker is an Action can make Candlestick Maker more valuable in some circumstances. |
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
Copper is in general strictly better than {{Card|Abandoned Mine}}. However, there are some edge cases like Festival+Library engines or the unfortunate case of drawing a Throne Room without any other action card, where Abandoned Mine can be better than Copper. Also Copper and all [[Ruins]] are in general strictly better than {{Card|Curse}}; but these are a special case since they cost {{Cost|0}} and are so rarely likely to be bought anyway. | Copper is in general strictly better than {{Card|Abandoned Mine}}. However, there are some edge cases like Festival+Library engines or the unfortunate case of drawing a Throne Room without any other action card, where Abandoned Mine can be better than Copper. Also Copper and all [[Ruins]] are in general strictly better than {{Card|Curse}}; but these are a special case since they cost {{Cost|0}} and are so rarely likely to be bought anyway. | ||
− | It is possible, however, for a card to be strictly better than one of the same cost ''in a particular Kingdom'' | + | It is possible, however, for a card to be strictly better than one of the same cost ''in a particular Kingdom'': in games with no [[non-terminal]] Action cards, {{Card|Conspirator}} is strictly worse than many [[terminal silver|terminal silvers]] costing {{Cost|3}} and {{Cost|4}}. |
{{Navbox Strategy}} | {{Navbox Strategy}} | ||
[[Category:Strategic concepts]] | [[Category:Strategic concepts]] |