Post by Brontobeuf on Aug 31, 2012 10:03:32 GMT -5
Heya,
It's not an easy one, but let me try to talk about the new ressource booster cards. I'll try to explain why you should play some of them, and when to avoid others. As usual, feel free to comment if you find that my opinion is incomplete or wrong.
In order to make this thread readable I will give scores to a selection of cards, and as well, I will categorise them. You will see that some notations are obvious, but some others will certainly make you react. :]
To gain ressources, here is what you can play:
** AGENTS **
Two kind of agents, fighters and non-fighters. Fighters are fine by themselves, they will give you ressources and help you building some score in the regions. They are not that numerous that will attract your eye when you are building your deck.
* CRIME FIGHTERS *
- Ruthless Robbers - 2/5
Not very strong early game and still not strong all game long. Only good if you can draw other Thieves synergy cards.
- Ugo - 2/5
I find it hard to pay 2 to get only 1 atk power. Even with the threat advantage (and the fact that he kills Lanz) he is not that great considering theother fighters in crime.
- Cento Occhi Footpad - 3/5
He is great because he can be placed in a crime toolbox as a ressource booster. In a thieve deck, you may want to play something else.
* FAITH FIGHTERS * (quick one ^^)
- Brother Ristoro - 1/5
Terrible... no synergy at all with... nothing. Don't play him.
* MEDIA FIGHTERS *
- Persistant Panhandler - 4/5
Certainly the strongest 1/1 for 1 of all the game. You can search him, boost him in numerous ways, etc. Great choice (considering that you don't have that many options).
- Duccio deLuca - 2/5
Good stats but a huge lack of synergies with the other media cards as he is not a millitant.
* ORDER FIGHTERS *
- Militia Pikeman -1/5
Don't play him.
- Theodor viscardi - 4/5
Very good agent, virtually imune to Sudden Exhaust and counters. He is a strong choice, even when you don't build your deck around a fighting strategy.
* SCHOLAR FIGHTERS *
- Engineer Warrior - 1/5
Maybe if they release synergies with Engineers...
- Ilario Lombardi - 1/5
If you play Scholar, you don't want to play him.
* GOLD FIGHTERS *
- Capable carpenter - 1/5
Just plain bad.
- Masked Merchant - 4/5 (in a merchant deck)
Really good openner in a Merchant deck, and maybe as well in other decks that use agents.
- Templar Captain - 5/5
This one is my new flavorof the month. I play him a lot, and I'm very satisfied by the results so far. What's nost amazing is it's hidden capacity to attract all of your opponent attacks during the early game.
He is also a Herald and can be tutored by "By Order of the King".
- Master Smith - 3/5
Great one, once again in a Trader deck as I don't see him going anywhere else.
That's it for our fighters. We can see that choices are really not that numerous. If you want to fight, you will have to rely on other ressources boosters thanfightersmost of the time.
Now the non-fighters. I won't talk about anything above 2 ressources here:
* CRIME NON-FIGHTER *
- Paola - 4/5
Mona Lisa is just that great and will save your butt many times.
- Romani Pickpocket - 5/5
She can be tutored and that's why she has a better note than Paola. Both of them are awesome "1 for 0".
- Coy Courtesan - 3/5
Not that great in a courtesan deck, but she is one of the few "2 for 1" that are left in this game and may be played just for that.
- Beguiling Courtesans - 2/5
I love Cunning, it's a great counter to Magnetic Personality decks etc, but she's just meh and can hardly be played outside of a courtesan deck.
* FAITH NON-FIGHTERS *
- Benevolent Midwife - 4/5
You will love to have her in your starting hand. Note that you can use the fact that you fill the archive with her capacity as well (why not discarding a big fat Thief for instance?).
- Heathen Follower - 3/5
I love them. They can be very strong when the deck is built around them. It's a bit costly in time and ressources to develop and you really don't want to draw the first one after the day 4 or 5, explaining why I don't give them more points.
* MEDIA NON-FIGHTERS *
- Dama Rossa - 6/5
Maybe the best ressource booster card of the game right now.
- Rare Art Merchant - 3/5
Really not bad by himself. He is just less good than Rossa and that's why he doesn't have the attention he deserves. Note that he can be played in a Merchant deck with good success.
* ORDER NON-FIGHTER *
- Dante Moro - 4/5
Even if you find him a bit redundant with Harbor of Thedosius, you should play him in your agents-based order decks. He will always be a pain for Mass Removals, Crime cards etc.
* SCHOLAR NON-FIGHTER *
- Ottoman Gunman - 4/5
If you have sites, play him.
* GOLD NON-FIGHTERS *
- Young Farmer - 2.5/5
If only he had any kind of power... Even as a Peasant, he will hardly synergize with your agents boosters during mid game. He is still a great "1 for 0" that can be played in all decks.
- Horse Merchant - 2/5
I don't give him 1 because as soon as he gets any boost he turns into a pain in the neck. But don't use him if you don't boost him.
- Honest Worker - 3.5/5
A bit expensive but he is a puff of pure air when he is working for you.
That's it for thenon-fighters. Courtesans are really shinning inthis analysis so far.
** SITES **
There is no need to divide sites in many different categories. Let's see what score they have:
* CRIME SITES *
- Hidden Refuge - 1/5
Plain bad.
- Romani Camp - 3/5
Deceptive is strong, even without any sort of influence when it hits an empty region.
- Rosa in Fiore - 4.5/5
Sadly Crime decks don't synergize with sites. It would be godly. Fortunately for us, you can play that with Scholar or Faith and reach a virtual 5/5.
This is now one of the best ressource booster of the game.
* FAITH SITES *
- Basilica di San Pietro - 4.5/5
It's just a bit slowto gain ressources this way, but it is a huge card that will make you reach end game ressources quickly and that can be a combo with many sites in Faith and Scholar.
- Roman Temple Ruins - 3/5
Great card in 1 copy if you play the tutor. If not, it's not that great.
- Sanctuary's Heart - 2/5
Dominant is not bad, but not as good as Deceptive.
- Quiet Chapel - 3/5
It's a very efficient site, but from a ressource-only pov, it's a bit slow.
- Novella Catacombs - ?/5
Play it if, and only if, you want to play this kind of victory condition. In this specific deck, it's not a very good ressource booster as you give away your win card early game, exposing your strategy to your opponent and allowing him many time to destroy it.
* MEDIA SITES *
- Main Piazza -2/5
It's not that bad... but I can't help myself finding it too much a poor choice.
* ORDER SITES *
- Gruesome Gallows - 1/5
You have other options in Order.
- Militia Camp - 3/5
Not bad at all actually. Gaining 2 is really great considering all Order'smain strategies are based on agressive scoring.
- Torre Grossa - 3/5
Very efficient card. Sadly, Order doesn't really synergise with sites.
* SCHOLAR SITES*
- Great Library - 1/5
You have many other cards to play.
- Lighthouse - 3/5
Very good one in a control deck. Can also be used to rush, but this is more tricky in Scholar.
- Sofia's Office - 5/5
This one is still a beast even after its nerf. It's so great to thin your deck, fill your hand and your regions with sites while gaining ressources...
- Temple Repository - 2.5/5
Edituism: ok... it's not *that* bad. Still I'm not sure you can find rooms for this site in any deck, it's quite efficient from a stats pov.
Edit: can be a good option to make the game go to end game more frequently.
- Converted Chapel - 2/5
A correct Sanctuary if you need ressources that bad.
* GOLD SITES *
- Byzantine Market- 3.5/5
It's always hard to giveanything to your opponent, I know. But this site is a "1 for 0" that will also score all game long. It's a good card.
- Fishing Village - 3/5
Even if I never managed to trigger its capacity in my life, I think this little site is a good one.
- Merchant Ship - 4/5
One of the few good "2 for 1" left.
- Merchants Warehourse - 1/5
Don't play that.
- City Stables - 3/5
At worst, it's 1 ressource and 1influence. At best, it's 3 ressources and 1 influence. It is a very affordable ressource booster that you should really play if your deck uses sites.
That's it for the sites. Rosa in Fiore and BasilicaDSP are the clear winner here.
** ACTIONS **
* CRIME ACTIONS *
- Ruthless Kidnapping - 1/5
Not reliable as a ressource booster.
- Splinter Bomb - 0/5
Even if you build a deck around it, it's not good. Even if you play a suicide rush, it's not good. You will lose 2 cards, just to make your opponent lose one card and gain 1 ressource. It's lock potential is so limited that I don't see any use for this one with our current card pool.
- Smoke Signal - 3/5
Losing card advantage to gain tactical advantage is an acceptable choice. Itcan turn your agents like Mario into Counter cards.
- Vantage Point - 1/5
No, it is not even good in a ressource destruction deck. You just lose a huge card advantage to gain nothing. Don't consider this card as a "2 for 1" because it's a biaised way of viewing it.
Edituism: I really think nobody should play this card. Losing a card to gain little to nothing if your opponent is slow in ressources is not worth it.
- Forced Charity - 5/5
Nuff said. One of the best ressource boosters ever.
* FAITH ACTIONS *
- Papal Bull - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Holy Calling - 1/5
Not reliable (can be played in combo with Sacred Vision, Machiavelli etc).
- Sacred Vision - 2.5/5
Very acceptable card by itself that can help you a lot (most of the time, you play it on yourself), it's just that you will have many other options to play before that.
- Gather the Faithfull - 2/5
Reliable but so risky to play.
- Holy Day - 4.5/5
If you choose as a strategy to discard your opponent'shand, you have no choices but to play it to get rid of the 11-cc. It's also a surprise that make you see your opponent's hand.
- Bitter Farewell - 1/5 or 4/5
It's 1/5 if you don't play 11-cc, it's 4/5 if you play at least as much self-discard cards as you play 11-cc.
- Renovate Temple - 1/5
Not reliable. See Holy Calling for combos.
- Into the Light - 3.5/5
Good card, especially with the Sacred Vault or Assassin sites.
- Seeking Sanctuary - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Bitter Repentance - 1.5/5
I don't really like it, but now that Sudden Exhaust doesn't give +1 anymore, this one can find it's place in a deck.
- Answered Prayers - 2.5/5
This card is not played that much, but it's a good card. It's just that you don't have rooms for it.
- Funeral Pyre - 4/5
Just great.
* MEDIA ACTIONS *
- Political Patronage - 4/5
Still strong, very strong. But the loss of power is really palpable. :/
- A hard ride - 1.5/5
Not great...
- Brothers in Arms - 4/5
Awesome troop booster, but be aware that it will also help your opponent.
- A Call to Action - 3/5
Great underplayed card. A millitant that you can play as a surprise is strong ("I block your Street Thespian and I give +1/+1 to my City Official lol").
- Tactless Theatrics - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Uneasy Alliance - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Advanced Training - 1/5
Not Reliable.
- Incognito - 1/5
Not reliable.
* ORDER ACTIONS *
- Weapons Cache - 1/5
It would give +2, ok. It would be great. But as it is now, you just lost one card of your hand to pottentially help your opponent.
- The Plan - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Militia Training - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Forced Inheritance - 3.9/5
Ok this card is the hardest one to evaluate so far. I may change this note later. ^^
It's a pure ressource booster that will never synergise with anything. It costs 2, which is a lot early game. But it gives +2 as a surprise, and you will enjoy that. It does its job well.
- On the Attack - 3/5
Not bad at all actually, it is a bit underplayed I think.
* SCHOLAR ACTIONS *
- Knowledge has a Price - 3/5
Still a great card even after the nerf. Dead card in your hand during mid/end game, and risky in early game... but the boost is huge. Don't play it blindly.
- Knowledge is Power - 4.5/5
I don't give it 5 because I find it slow sometimes, but anyway.
- Sharing Secrets - 2/5
It's not bad at all, it's just that you want to play it early game for the boostand not for it's power that will certainly be wasted...
- The Discovery - 3.5/5
Of course it's huge with 11-cc, but even without them, it is not a bad one.
- Secret Door - 3/5
Same as its sisters.
- Slow Study - 1/5
Not reliable.
* GOLD ACTIONS *
- Narrow Escape - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Nothing Ventured, nothing gained - 3/5
Be sure you really know what you aredoing when you put this card in your deck.
- Plentiful Crop - 2.5/5
Not bad if you really can't find a better choice. Still, I find it hard to beleive.
Good as a single card in a gold toolbox.
- Den Defense - 2/5
Not catastrophic, but not good either.
- PeacefulRetreat - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Tactical Upheaval - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Evasive Maneuvers - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Power to the People - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Slave Trade - 3.5/5
Good impact on your ressources, but the cost is huge (1 card, 3 ressources...). Only play it if your deck is ressources dependant.
Score list is over. Feel free to debate my opinion in the thread.
Now a few words...
** RESSOURCES AND DRAW POWER SYNERGY **
In this game, either you choose to win very quickly and you may not need that much ressources for that, or that much draw power either. But as soon as you decide that your deck is not a rush, you will need ressources and draw power.
You can play them the way you want, but it's best if they work together.
Let's see this setup:
- 5 Forced Inheritance
- 5 Torre Grossa
- 5 Byzantine Market
- 5 In-Depth Analysis
As you may see, you are only playing good cards that will do their job correctly. You will have enough ressources to play your cards in time, and if you draw them, you will also have your draw power to help you during the mid game.
But absolutely none of these cards is actually working in synergy with the others. This is something you want to avoid. So, let's see another setup:
- 5 Dama Rossa
- 5 Rare Art Merchant
- 5 Benevolent Midwife
- 5 Bearer of Mixed Tidings
This setup is the exact opposite of the previous one for the simple reason that your ressource boosters will help you get your draw power AND will also strenghten it a lot.
Another setup which is very good is this one:
- 5 Sophia's Office
- 5 rosa In Fiore
- 5 Ottoman Gunman
- 5 Field Study
It's obvious I hope that all the selected cards are working together to make you actually win the game while giving you cards and ressoruces.
Be sure to weave strong links between your cards when you are building your sequence.
** FIRST HANDS ORDER **
You know how the ressources in this game work right?
Quick reminder:
- You gain your ressources max in a whole day.
- You start with 1 ressource and 2 ressources max.
- You gain 1 ressouce max every day.
Obvious, I know. But it means that some cards will be better in your hand than others. Espcially the 0-2-duo.
Here is a first setup, just for ressources:
- 5 Plentiful Crop
- 5 Forced Inheritance
- 5 Den Defense
And here is a second setup:
- 5 Paola
- 2 Romani Pickpockets
- 5 Forced Charity
- 3 Rosa In Fiore
Now try to picture in your head why the second one is better... it's because of the "0-2 duo". Ressources that cost 0 work great with ressources that cost 2 for the simple reason that you will be able to play both of them without any dead time while in the first setup, having them in your hand turns out to be a mathematical complex issue that you may not really want to solve each time you have them in your hand. :]
As a conclusion, I want to say that I really like the changes that have been made in the last patch. The game was a bit too much on the overpower side and obvious cards were too present (By Order of The king is a good exemple). I hope this thread wasnot too long and that it will help noobs and veterans in their deck building process.
It's not an easy one, but let me try to talk about the new ressource booster cards. I'll try to explain why you should play some of them, and when to avoid others. As usual, feel free to comment if you find that my opinion is incomplete or wrong.
In order to make this thread readable I will give scores to a selection of cards, and as well, I will categorise them. You will see that some notations are obvious, but some others will certainly make you react. :]
To gain ressources, here is what you can play:
** AGENTS **
Two kind of agents, fighters and non-fighters. Fighters are fine by themselves, they will give you ressources and help you building some score in the regions. They are not that numerous that will attract your eye when you are building your deck.
* CRIME FIGHTERS *
- Ruthless Robbers - 2/5
Not very strong early game and still not strong all game long. Only good if you can draw other Thieves synergy cards.
- Ugo - 2/5
I find it hard to pay 2 to get only 1 atk power. Even with the threat advantage (and the fact that he kills Lanz) he is not that great considering theother fighters in crime.
- Cento Occhi Footpad - 3/5
He is great because he can be placed in a crime toolbox as a ressource booster. In a thieve deck, you may want to play something else.
* FAITH FIGHTERS * (quick one ^^)
- Brother Ristoro - 1/5
Terrible... no synergy at all with... nothing. Don't play him.
* MEDIA FIGHTERS *
- Persistant Panhandler - 4/5
Certainly the strongest 1/1 for 1 of all the game. You can search him, boost him in numerous ways, etc. Great choice (considering that you don't have that many options).
- Duccio deLuca - 2/5
Good stats but a huge lack of synergies with the other media cards as he is not a millitant.
* ORDER FIGHTERS *
- Militia Pikeman -1/5
Don't play him.
- Theodor viscardi - 4/5
Very good agent, virtually imune to Sudden Exhaust and counters. He is a strong choice, even when you don't build your deck around a fighting strategy.
* SCHOLAR FIGHTERS *
- Engineer Warrior - 1/5
Maybe if they release synergies with Engineers...
- Ilario Lombardi - 1/5
If you play Scholar, you don't want to play him.
* GOLD FIGHTERS *
- Capable carpenter - 1/5
Just plain bad.
- Masked Merchant - 4/5 (in a merchant deck)
Really good openner in a Merchant deck, and maybe as well in other decks that use agents.
- Templar Captain - 5/5
This one is my new flavorof the month. I play him a lot, and I'm very satisfied by the results so far. What's nost amazing is it's hidden capacity to attract all of your opponent attacks during the early game.
He is also a Herald and can be tutored by "By Order of the King".
- Master Smith - 3/5
Great one, once again in a Trader deck as I don't see him going anywhere else.
That's it for our fighters. We can see that choices are really not that numerous. If you want to fight, you will have to rely on other ressources boosters thanfightersmost of the time.
Now the non-fighters. I won't talk about anything above 2 ressources here:
* CRIME NON-FIGHTER *
- Paola - 4/5
Mona Lisa is just that great and will save your butt many times.
- Romani Pickpocket - 5/5
She can be tutored and that's why she has a better note than Paola. Both of them are awesome "1 for 0".
- Coy Courtesan - 3/5
Not that great in a courtesan deck, but she is one of the few "2 for 1" that are left in this game and may be played just for that.
- Beguiling Courtesans - 2/5
I love Cunning, it's a great counter to Magnetic Personality decks etc, but she's just meh and can hardly be played outside of a courtesan deck.
* FAITH NON-FIGHTERS *
- Benevolent Midwife - 4/5
You will love to have her in your starting hand. Note that you can use the fact that you fill the archive with her capacity as well (why not discarding a big fat Thief for instance?).
- Heathen Follower - 3/5
I love them. They can be very strong when the deck is built around them. It's a bit costly in time and ressources to develop and you really don't want to draw the first one after the day 4 or 5, explaining why I don't give them more points.
* MEDIA NON-FIGHTERS *
- Dama Rossa - 6/5
Maybe the best ressource booster card of the game right now.
- Rare Art Merchant - 3/5
Really not bad by himself. He is just less good than Rossa and that's why he doesn't have the attention he deserves. Note that he can be played in a Merchant deck with good success.
* ORDER NON-FIGHTER *
- Dante Moro - 4/5
Even if you find him a bit redundant with Harbor of Thedosius, you should play him in your agents-based order decks. He will always be a pain for Mass Removals, Crime cards etc.
* SCHOLAR NON-FIGHTER *
- Ottoman Gunman - 4/5
If you have sites, play him.
* GOLD NON-FIGHTERS *
- Young Farmer - 2.5/5
If only he had any kind of power... Even as a Peasant, he will hardly synergize with your agents boosters during mid game. He is still a great "1 for 0" that can be played in all decks.
- Horse Merchant - 2/5
I don't give him 1 because as soon as he gets any boost he turns into a pain in the neck. But don't use him if you don't boost him.
- Honest Worker - 3.5/5
A bit expensive but he is a puff of pure air when he is working for you.
That's it for thenon-fighters. Courtesans are really shinning inthis analysis so far.
** SITES **
There is no need to divide sites in many different categories. Let's see what score they have:
* CRIME SITES *
- Hidden Refuge - 1/5
Plain bad.
- Romani Camp - 3/5
Deceptive is strong, even without any sort of influence when it hits an empty region.
- Rosa in Fiore - 4.5/5
Sadly Crime decks don't synergize with sites. It would be godly. Fortunately for us, you can play that with Scholar or Faith and reach a virtual 5/5.
This is now one of the best ressource booster of the game.
* FAITH SITES *
- Basilica di San Pietro - 4.5/5
It's just a bit slowto gain ressources this way, but it is a huge card that will make you reach end game ressources quickly and that can be a combo with many sites in Faith and Scholar.
- Roman Temple Ruins - 3/5
Great card in 1 copy if you play the tutor. If not, it's not that great.
- Sanctuary's Heart - 2/5
Dominant is not bad, but not as good as Deceptive.
- Quiet Chapel - 3/5
It's a very efficient site, but from a ressource-only pov, it's a bit slow.
- Novella Catacombs - ?/5
Play it if, and only if, you want to play this kind of victory condition. In this specific deck, it's not a very good ressource booster as you give away your win card early game, exposing your strategy to your opponent and allowing him many time to destroy it.
* MEDIA SITES *
- Main Piazza -2/5
It's not that bad... but I can't help myself finding it too much a poor choice.
* ORDER SITES *
- Gruesome Gallows - 1/5
You have other options in Order.
- Militia Camp - 3/5
Not bad at all actually. Gaining 2 is really great considering all Order'smain strategies are based on agressive scoring.
- Torre Grossa - 3/5
Very efficient card. Sadly, Order doesn't really synergise with sites.
* SCHOLAR SITES*
- Great Library - 1/5
You have many other cards to play.
- Lighthouse - 3/5
Very good one in a control deck. Can also be used to rush, but this is more tricky in Scholar.
- Sofia's Office - 5/5
This one is still a beast even after its nerf. It's so great to thin your deck, fill your hand and your regions with sites while gaining ressources...
- Temple Repository - 2.5/5
Edituism: ok... it's not *that* bad. Still I'm not sure you can find rooms for this site in any deck, it's quite efficient from a stats pov.
Edit: can be a good option to make the game go to end game more frequently.
- Converted Chapel - 2/5
A correct Sanctuary if you need ressources that bad.
* GOLD SITES *
- Byzantine Market- 3.5/5
It's always hard to giveanything to your opponent, I know. But this site is a "1 for 0" that will also score all game long. It's a good card.
- Fishing Village - 3/5
Even if I never managed to trigger its capacity in my life, I think this little site is a good one.
- Merchant Ship - 4/5
One of the few good "2 for 1" left.
- Merchants Warehourse - 1/5
Don't play that.
- City Stables - 3/5
At worst, it's 1 ressource and 1influence. At best, it's 3 ressources and 1 influence. It is a very affordable ressource booster that you should really play if your deck uses sites.
That's it for the sites. Rosa in Fiore and BasilicaDSP are the clear winner here.
** ACTIONS **
* CRIME ACTIONS *
- Ruthless Kidnapping - 1/5
Not reliable as a ressource booster.
- Splinter Bomb - 0/5
Even if you build a deck around it, it's not good. Even if you play a suicide rush, it's not good. You will lose 2 cards, just to make your opponent lose one card and gain 1 ressource. It's lock potential is so limited that I don't see any use for this one with our current card pool.
- Smoke Signal - 3/5
Losing card advantage to gain tactical advantage is an acceptable choice. Itcan turn your agents like Mario into Counter cards.
- Vantage Point - 1/5
No, it is not even good in a ressource destruction deck. You just lose a huge card advantage to gain nothing. Don't consider this card as a "2 for 1" because it's a biaised way of viewing it.
Edituism: I really think nobody should play this card. Losing a card to gain little to nothing if your opponent is slow in ressources is not worth it.
- Forced Charity - 5/5
Nuff said. One of the best ressource boosters ever.
* FAITH ACTIONS *
- Papal Bull - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Holy Calling - 1/5
Not reliable (can be played in combo with Sacred Vision, Machiavelli etc).
- Sacred Vision - 2.5/5
Very acceptable card by itself that can help you a lot (most of the time, you play it on yourself), it's just that you will have many other options to play before that.
- Gather the Faithfull - 2/5
Reliable but so risky to play.
- Holy Day - 4.5/5
If you choose as a strategy to discard your opponent'shand, you have no choices but to play it to get rid of the 11-cc. It's also a surprise that make you see your opponent's hand.
- Bitter Farewell - 1/5 or 4/5
It's 1/5 if you don't play 11-cc, it's 4/5 if you play at least as much self-discard cards as you play 11-cc.
- Renovate Temple - 1/5
Not reliable. See Holy Calling for combos.
- Into the Light - 3.5/5
Good card, especially with the Sacred Vault or Assassin sites.
- Seeking Sanctuary - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Bitter Repentance - 1.5/5
I don't really like it, but now that Sudden Exhaust doesn't give +1 anymore, this one can find it's place in a deck.
- Answered Prayers - 2.5/5
This card is not played that much, but it's a good card. It's just that you don't have rooms for it.
- Funeral Pyre - 4/5
Just great.
* MEDIA ACTIONS *
- Political Patronage - 4/5
Still strong, very strong. But the loss of power is really palpable. :/
- A hard ride - 1.5/5
Not great...
- Brothers in Arms - 4/5
Awesome troop booster, but be aware that it will also help your opponent.
- A Call to Action - 3/5
Great underplayed card. A millitant that you can play as a surprise is strong ("I block your Street Thespian and I give +1/+1 to my City Official lol").
- Tactless Theatrics - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Uneasy Alliance - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Advanced Training - 1/5
Not Reliable.
- Incognito - 1/5
Not reliable.
* ORDER ACTIONS *
- Weapons Cache - 1/5
It would give +2, ok. It would be great. But as it is now, you just lost one card of your hand to pottentially help your opponent.
- The Plan - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Militia Training - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Forced Inheritance - 3.9/5
Ok this card is the hardest one to evaluate so far. I may change this note later. ^^
It's a pure ressource booster that will never synergise with anything. It costs 2, which is a lot early game. But it gives +2 as a surprise, and you will enjoy that. It does its job well.
- On the Attack - 3/5
Not bad at all actually, it is a bit underplayed I think.
* SCHOLAR ACTIONS *
- Knowledge has a Price - 3/5
Still a great card even after the nerf. Dead card in your hand during mid/end game, and risky in early game... but the boost is huge. Don't play it blindly.
- Knowledge is Power - 4.5/5
I don't give it 5 because I find it slow sometimes, but anyway.
- Sharing Secrets - 2/5
It's not bad at all, it's just that you want to play it early game for the boostand not for it's power that will certainly be wasted...
- The Discovery - 3.5/5
Of course it's huge with 11-cc, but even without them, it is not a bad one.
- Secret Door - 3/5
Same as its sisters.
- Slow Study - 1/5
Not reliable.
* GOLD ACTIONS *
- Narrow Escape - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Nothing Ventured, nothing gained - 3/5
Be sure you really know what you aredoing when you put this card in your deck.
- Plentiful Crop - 2.5/5
Not bad if you really can't find a better choice. Still, I find it hard to beleive.
Good as a single card in a gold toolbox.
- Den Defense - 2/5
Not catastrophic, but not good either.
- PeacefulRetreat - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Tactical Upheaval - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Evasive Maneuvers - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Power to the People - 1/5
Not reliable.
- Slave Trade - 3.5/5
Good impact on your ressources, but the cost is huge (1 card, 3 ressources...). Only play it if your deck is ressources dependant.
Score list is over. Feel free to debate my opinion in the thread.
Now a few words...
** RESSOURCES AND DRAW POWER SYNERGY **
In this game, either you choose to win very quickly and you may not need that much ressources for that, or that much draw power either. But as soon as you decide that your deck is not a rush, you will need ressources and draw power.
You can play them the way you want, but it's best if they work together.
Let's see this setup:
- 5 Forced Inheritance
- 5 Torre Grossa
- 5 Byzantine Market
- 5 In-Depth Analysis
As you may see, you are only playing good cards that will do their job correctly. You will have enough ressources to play your cards in time, and if you draw them, you will also have your draw power to help you during the mid game.
But absolutely none of these cards is actually working in synergy with the others. This is something you want to avoid. So, let's see another setup:
- 5 Dama Rossa
- 5 Rare Art Merchant
- 5 Benevolent Midwife
- 5 Bearer of Mixed Tidings
This setup is the exact opposite of the previous one for the simple reason that your ressource boosters will help you get your draw power AND will also strenghten it a lot.
Another setup which is very good is this one:
- 5 Sophia's Office
- 5 rosa In Fiore
- 5 Ottoman Gunman
- 5 Field Study
It's obvious I hope that all the selected cards are working together to make you actually win the game while giving you cards and ressoruces.
Be sure to weave strong links between your cards when you are building your sequence.
** FIRST HANDS ORDER **
You know how the ressources in this game work right?
Quick reminder:
- You gain your ressources max in a whole day.
- You start with 1 ressource and 2 ressources max.
- You gain 1 ressouce max every day.
Obvious, I know. But it means that some cards will be better in your hand than others. Espcially the 0-2-duo.
Here is a first setup, just for ressources:
- 5 Plentiful Crop
- 5 Forced Inheritance
- 5 Den Defense
And here is a second setup:
- 5 Paola
- 2 Romani Pickpockets
- 5 Forced Charity
- 3 Rosa In Fiore
Now try to picture in your head why the second one is better... it's because of the "0-2 duo". Ressources that cost 0 work great with ressources that cost 2 for the simple reason that you will be able to play both of them without any dead time while in the first setup, having them in your hand turns out to be a mathematical complex issue that you may not really want to solve each time you have them in your hand. :]
As a conclusion, I want to say that I really like the changes that have been made in the last patch. The game was a bit too much on the overpower side and obvious cards were too present (By Order of The king is a good exemple). I hope this thread wasnot too long and that it will help noobs and veterans in their deck building process.
Of course it is situational but more cards that you value higher are situational... I understand you see it as a gamble to base a deck on getting someone's resources down to win, but this card can be a strong choice in some decks imo.