April 12, 2024 / by breppert
Season 63 - D3: Tias vs. Sharur
First Feature Match of Season 63
Our first feature match of the season between Tias and Sharur showcased many high-powered, fast kingdoms that were nimbly played by our D3 competitors. The first game of the match lasted 15 turns, the second just 13, and after that we never saw turn 12 again. Though there were two resignations, on turn 11.5 and 8.5, both took place with a game ending immediately forthcoming.
I was pleased to be joined by Bienchen1 for commentary and a great crowd of spectators. Unfortunately, no recording is available.
Game 1 (142565657)
Game 1 was a no-trashing kingdom with relatively little going on for payload other than Smugglers which drew a card due to Footpad and a few decent +buy cards with Abundance and Baron. The Nobles and Port splits looked important, and Sharur managed to win the Nobles split but lost the Ports. In the end Tias built up enough gains to take the last 5 Smugglers on their final turn, which, because they were the Obelisk pile and along with a single Estate, rewarded Tias a one-point win.
Game 2 (142566717)
The second game featured Cage at its finest, with both players opening cage, but the first player setting aside an Estate with one Cage on turn 6. For Tias, it didn’t happen until turn 8. There were two sources of payload available, Training with Candlestick Maker, and Banks that were high-powered as long as you didn’t buy Victory cards due to Cages remaining in play and counting towards the treasure total.
Sharur was able to build up a large lead after winning the Candlestick Maker split and playing with the very good draw-to-x cards available in the kingdom, which outlasted Tias’s attempt to build towards the Bank megaturn. Tias nearly made it, with 4 Banks at the end of the game, but this was perhaps too many as they didn’t manage to draw them all at once before Sharur ended the game by buying out the Estates.
Game 3 (142567838)
Game 3 didn’t feature a kingdom card costing more than 4, but had Universities that could gain useful Throne Rooms, Nomads, and Hasty Border Guards. The Hasty Border Guards proved very important, helping with consistency in a kingdom with lots of gains, but not too much payload. Despite one time deciding to skip a Hasty Border Guard resulting in a dud, Tias generally had more of the Border Guards, as well as more Universities, leaping out to an early lead which proved decisive in a kingdom that three-piled on turn 11.
Game 4 (142568693)
The fourth game was madness: Donate, King’s Court, Highway, Merchant Guild. Tias went first and bought Donate turn 1, trashing down to 5 Coppers, which proved a smart move as their deck quickly accelerated into powerful King’s Court plays of Highway and Merchant Guild. Tias was perhaps a little too aggressive with payload, buying more Merchant Guilds and Copper than was necessary to win the game, but, having generated 32 Coffers by turn 8, easily won this one. The powerful kingdoms continued with game five (!game 142569203) featuring Band of Misfits that could be played as Landing Parties, or in other words Band of Misfits could be Lost City without the on-gain penalty. Tias later confirmed they didn’t notice this until turn 5, and Sharur, along with some timely Governor remodels, was able to take 6 Nobles and win the game by emptying the Rats pile. Both players took Rats that they didn’t quite manage to trash out, as there were 13 Rats in the decks at the end of the game, and also took Governor in order to try to trash out Rats.
There were lingering questions on how to play this board, as Bridge Troll was here but didn’t get bought much until late, and Governor might actually never be worth buying, especially if used to “Remodel” cards while your opponent has a Rats in hand. The Nobles were clearly important, though, being the main draw aside from Band of Misfits as Landing Party, providing Sharur a comfortable win.
Game 6 (142570240)
Souk good. Sharur takes 7. Despite losing the Highway split, Sharur wins.