Three-pile ending
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In order to achieve victory with a three-pile ending, you have to be sure that you have the most {{VP}}. The most straightforward way to do that is by cheaply increasing your own points with Kingdom cards. Alt-VP cards that give static {{VP}}, like {{Card|Harem}} and {{Card|Island}}, are usually not enough to justify trying to empty out three piles, though {{Card|Distant Lands|Distant Lands'}} 4 {{VP}} is often quite tempting. The counting Victory cards, like Gardens, are more likely to provide enough {{VP}} to viably compete with Provinces, but most need some sort of gaining enabler, like {{Card|Workshop}} or {{Card|Ironworks}}, in order to pump up their points. Bishop usually needs help [[trasher|trashing]] to merit three-piling, but in such Kingdoms it might be more worth it to go for a [[golden deck]] and just buy Provinces; Goons, on the other hand, usually needs the help of an [[engine]] so it can be played consistently, and in multiples, in order to produce enough {{VP}} to overwhelm any player foolish enough to only go for Provinces. | In order to achieve victory with a three-pile ending, you have to be sure that you have the most {{VP}}. The most straightforward way to do that is by cheaply increasing your own points with Kingdom cards. Alt-VP cards that give static {{VP}}, like {{Card|Harem}} and {{Card|Island}}, are usually not enough to justify trying to empty out three piles, though {{Card|Distant Lands|Distant Lands'}} 4 {{VP}} is often quite tempting. The counting Victory cards, like Gardens, are more likely to provide enough {{VP}} to viably compete with Provinces, but most need some sort of gaining enabler, like {{Card|Workshop}} or {{Card|Ironworks}}, in order to pump up their points. Bishop usually needs help [[trasher|trashing]] to merit three-piling, but in such Kingdoms it might be more worth it to go for a [[golden deck]] and just buy Provinces; Goons, on the other hand, usually needs the help of an [[engine]] so it can be played consistently, and in multiples, in order to produce enough {{VP}} to overwhelm any player foolish enough to only go for Provinces. | ||
| − | The second necessary part to three-piling is the actual means to emptying piles. The most obvious way to do that is through +Buy or gainers, though some are better than others. Cheap, preferably [[non-terminal]] +Buy, like {{Card|Candlestick Maker}} or {{Card|Market Square}}, works well, as do gainers that are either cheap, like Workshop, or otherwise useful, like Ironworks. Both of these groups do well emptying out their own piles; including the Alt-VP card in question, that just leaves one pile left to empty, usually the {{Card|Estate|Estates}} or {{Card|Duchy|Duchies}}. Curser games | + | The second necessary part to three-piling is the actual means to emptying piles. The most obvious way to do that is through +Buy or gainers, though some are better than others. Cheap, preferably [[non-terminal]] +Buy, like {{Card|Candlestick Maker}} or {{Card|Market Square}}, works well, as do gainers that are either cheap, like Workshop, or otherwise useful, like Ironworks. Both of these groups do well emptying out their own piles; including the Alt-VP card in question, that just leaves one pile left to empty, usually the {{Card|Estate|Estates}} or {{Card|Duchy|Duchies}}. Curser games often lead naturally to three-piling, as the {{Card|Curse}} pile usually quickly empties. |
A few cards are exceptionally good at emptying piles. {{Card|Border Village}}, {{Card|Stonemason}}, and {{Card|Messenger}} all gain either on-gain or on-buy; since buying happens more often than playing, these cards usually empty piles faster than conventional gainers. {{Card|Masterpiece}} is an interesting case; the only pile it can empty is the {{Card|Silver}} pile, and so works beautifully with {{Card|Feodum}}, but is less useful with the other counting Victory cards. | A few cards are exceptionally good at emptying piles. {{Card|Border Village}}, {{Card|Stonemason}}, and {{Card|Messenger}} all gain either on-gain or on-buy; since buying happens more often than playing, these cards usually empty piles faster than conventional gainers. {{Card|Masterpiece}} is an interesting case; the only pile it can empty is the {{Card|Silver}} pile, and so works beautifully with {{Card|Feodum}}, but is less useful with the other counting Victory cards. | ||
Revision as of 22:50, 1 May 2015
A three-pile ending is when the game ends by emptying three piles, rather than the Province (or Colony) pile. When this is done as an intentional, strategic move by a player, it is called three-piling.
A few cards, usually Alt-VP cards in rush games, play best when a three-pile ending is the goal, and there are many cards, including +Buy, gainers, and cursers, that can be very useful in achieving such an ending.
In games with more than four players, four empty piles are required to end the game, but most competitive Dominion play is done with only two players.
Cards that like three-pile endings
Most counting Alt-VP cards:
Victory token cards that need to continue adding cards for fuel:
Swift-acting cursers:
Strategy
In order to achieve victory with a three-pile ending, you have to be sure that you have the most 
. The most straightforward way to do that is by cheaply increasing your own points with Kingdom cards. Alt-VP cards that give static , like Harem and Island, are usually not enough to justify trying to empty out three piles, though Distant Lands' 4 is often quite tempting. The counting Victory cards, like Gardens, are more likely to provide enough to viably compete with Provinces, but most need some sort of gaining enabler, like Workshop or Ironworks, in order to pump up their points. Bishop usually needs help trashing to merit three-piling, but in such Kingdoms it might be more worth it to go for a golden deck and just buy Provinces; Goons, on the other hand, usually needs the help of an engine so it can be played consistently, and in multiples, in order to produce enough to overwhelm any player foolish enough to only go for Provinces.
The second necessary part to three-piling is the actual means to emptying piles. The most obvious way to do that is through +Buy or gainers, though some are better than others. Cheap, preferably non-terminal +Buy, like Candlestick Maker or Market Square, works well, as do gainers that are either cheap, like Workshop, or otherwise useful, like Ironworks. Both of these groups do well emptying out their own piles; including the Alt-VP card in question, that just leaves one pile left to empty, usually the Estates or Duchies. Curser games often lead naturally to three-piling, as the Curse pile usually quickly empties.
A few cards are exceptionally good at emptying piles. Border Village, Stonemason, and Messenger all gain either on-gain or on-buy; since buying happens more often than playing, these cards usually empty piles faster than conventional gainers. Masterpiece is an interesting case; the only pile it can empty is the Silver pile, and so works beautifully with Feodum, but is less useful with the other counting Victory cards.
Ill-Gotten Gains is the ultimate three-piler, as it provides both the (in this case simply relative to your opponents due to all the Curses they've been given) and the pile emptying; once all the Ill-Gotten Gains are gone (barring any Ambassador or Trader shenanigans), two piles are empty, and the Ill-Gotten Gains player just needs to empty a third.
