Editing Three-pile ending
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A '''three-pile ending''' is when the game ends by emptying three Supply piles, rather than the {{Card|Province}} (or {{Card|Colony}}) pile. When this is done as an intentional, strategic move by a player, it is called '''three-piling'''. | A '''three-pile ending''' is when the game ends by emptying three Supply piles, rather than the {{Card|Province}} (or {{Card|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 [[ | + | 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]], [[gainer|gainers]], and [[curser|cursers]], that can be very useful in achieving such an ending. |
In games with more than four players, four empty Supply piles are required to end the game. | In games with more than four players, four empty Supply piles are required to end the game. | ||
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The second necessary part to three-piling is the actual means to emptying Supply 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 Supply 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. | The second necessary part to three-piling is the actual means to emptying Supply 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 Supply 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. | ||
− | While Alt-VP rushes are most commonly associated with three-piling, engines can often end up three-piling as well. Engine players will often try to gain as many engine parts as possible, usually contesting certain piles in [[ | + | While Alt-VP rushes are most commonly associated with three-piling, engines can often end up three-piling as well. Engine players will often try to gain as many engine parts as possible, usually contesting certain piles in [[mirror]] matches, such as {{Card|Fishing Village}}, {{Card|Grand Market}}, and {{Card|Laboratory}}. With +Buy and cheap engine parts, more than one pile can empty without either player gaining a single [[Victory]] card. Such games will often end with one player buying one Province or Colony, and then finishing off a third Supply pile, squeaking a win. {{Card|City}} is notorious for this, as it requires two Supply piles to be empty in order to give its full effect in the first place. This can be frustrating when a player is trying to build their engine toward a hard to get card, such as {{Card|Teacher}} or {{Card|Prince}}, and the game ends before they can even make use of it. |
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 you can buy a card once every turn, but can only play a card once every shuffle (usually), 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 [[Combo: Masterpiece and Feodum|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 you can buy a card once every turn, but can only play a card once every shuffle (usually), 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 [[Combo: Masterpiece and Feodum|works beautifully with]] {{Card|Feodum}}, but is less useful with the other counting Victory cards. |