Lost City (Adventures)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Lost City:

Lost City Strategy Guide

Lost City is a powerful $5 Action card from the Adventures expansion that provides +2 Cards and +2 Actions, with the drawback that when gained, each other player draws a card. This guide will explore how to maximize Lost City's potential while minimizing its drawbacks.

Core Characteristics

Lost City is primarily a card-drawing terminal action that also provides +2 Actions, making it non-terminal. This combination makes it an excellent engine component, allowing you to both draw cards and play additional actions in the same turn. The key features are:

1. Strong card draw (+2 Cards)
2. Action generation (+2 Actions)
3. Immediate benefit upon playing
4. Drawback when gaining (opponent card draw)

Basic Usage

Lost City serves several fundamental roles in a deck:

1. Engine Building
2. Helps establish card draw
3. Maintains action chains

4. Increases hand size for bigger turns

5. Deck Velocity

6. Cycles through deck quickly
7. Improves consistency

8. Finds key cards faster

9. Action Generation

10. Enables multi-action turns
11. Supports action-heavy strategies
12. Maintains momentum

When to Buy Lost City

Optimal timing for Lost City acquisition depends on several factors:

Early Game (Turns 1-4): - Generally too expensive as an opening buy - Can be a strong priority if you hit $5 early - Consider the opponent draw drawback carefully

Mid Game (Turns 5-8): - Prime time to add Lost Cities - Often want multiple copies - Balance against other $5 priorities

Late Game (Turns 9+): - Less valuable as game nears end - Consider only if deck needs serious help - Watch for game-ending implications of opponent draws

Key Considerations for Purchasing:

1. Board Context
2. Available villages/splitters
3. Alternative card draw options

4. Presence of attack cards

5. Deck Composition

6. Current action density
7. Existing draw effects

8. Payload capabilities

9. Game State

10. Number of players
11. Opponent strategies
12. Province/Colony count

Synergies and Combinations

Lost City works particularly well with several card types:

1. Payload Cards
2. Treasure cards (especially Gold)
3. Attack cards

4. Victory point generators

5. Action Enablers

6. Villages
7. Throne Room variants

8. Cost reducers

9. Draw Multipliers

10. Laboratory variants
11. Caravan
12. Haven

Specific Strong Combinations:

1. Bridge
2. Reduces costs while Lost City finds more Bridges
3. Creates powerful buying turns

4. Accelerates engine building

5. King's Court/Throne Room

6. Multiplies Lost City's effects
7. Creates massive draw

8. Generates excess actions

9. Warehouse/Cellar

10. Helps filter through deck
11. Makes Lost City more consistent

12. Improves hand quality

13. Market Square

14. Benefits from extra actions
15. Provides additional buying power
16. Helps with deck velocity

Countering the Drawback

The opponent card draw when gaining Lost City requires careful management:

Timing Strategies: 1. Gain during opponent's turn (via Smugglers, etc.) 2. Gain when opponent deck quality is low 3. Consider gaining multiple Lost Cities at once

Mitigation Approaches: 1. Use attacks to weaken opponent hands 2. Time purchases with opponent deck shuffles 3. Gain when extra cards help opponents less

Building Around Lost City

Different deck archetypes utilize Lost City differently:

1. Engine Decks
2. Core component
3. Multiple copies desired
4. Enables big turn potential

Typical Build Order: 1. Acquire payload components 2. Add 2-3 Lost Cities 3. Include support cards 4. Balance with terminals

1. Big Money Variants
2. Supplementary draw
3. Usually 1-2 copies
4. Focuses on efficiency

Build Approach: 1. Establish treasure base 2. Add single Lost City 3. Include selective support 4. Maintain buying power

1. Rush Strategies
2. Situational inclusion
3. Careful timing required
4. Limited quantities

Implementation: 1. Focus on core strategy 2. Add Lost City opportunistically 3. Avoid over-investing

Counter-Strategy

When opponents are using Lost City:

1. Defensive Measures
2. Consider junking attacks
3. Maintain deck quality

4. Watch shuffle timing

5. Competitive Responses

6. Match engine building
7. Focus on efficiency

8. Exploit timing windows

9. Alternative Approaches

10. Develop different strategies
11. Use cheaper alternatives
12. Target different victory conditions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Over-investing
2. Buying too many too early
3. Neglecting payload

4. Ignoring other priorities

5. Poor Timing

6. Giving opponents key draws
7. Missing shuffle opportunities

8. Incorrect build order

9. Improper Support

10. Insufficient action support
11. Poor payload balance
12. Weak treasure base

Advanced Techniques

1. Double-Dip Timing
2. Gain during reshuffles
3. Coordinate with attacks

4. Maximize opponent weak points

5. Action Chaining

6. Optimize play order
7. Maintain action count

8. Balance draw effects

9. Deck Manipulation

10. Control shuffle timing
11. Manage deck composition
12. Optimize card order

Sample Strategies

1. Lost City/Bridge Engine Components:
2. 3-4 Lost Cities
3. 3-4 Bridges
4. 2-3 Villages
5. Payload cards

Goal: Build quickly to multiple-buy turns with cost reduction

1. Lost City/King's Court Components:
2. 2-3 Lost Cities
3. 2-3 King's Courts
4. Support actions
5. Treasure

Goal: Create massive action chains with multiplied effects

1. Lost City/Market Components:
2. 2-3 Lost Cities
3. 3-4 Markets
4. Treasury support
5. Additional draw

Goal: Balanced engine with buying power and consistency

Kingdom Considerations

Lost City's value varies based on kingdom cards:

Strong With: 1. Action multipliers 2. Cost reducers 3. Deck manipulators 4. Payload generators

Weak Against: 1. Cursing attacks 2. Handsize attacks 3. Action jammers 4. Alternative VP strategies

Kingdom Analysis Examples:

1. Strong Kingdom
2. Lost City
3. Village
4. Bridge
5. Market
6. Warehouse

Analysis: Excellent engine potential with support and payload

1. Weak Kingdom
2. Lost City
3. Witch
4. Militia
5. Bureaucrat
6. Gardens

Analysis: Limited synergy and vulnerable to attacks

Multiplayer Considerations

Lost City's effectiveness changes with player count:

2 Players: - Stronger overall - Drawback more manageable - Easier to control timing

3-4 Players: - More drawback impact - Timing more critical - Different strategic approach

Adjustments for Multiple Players: 1. More selective purchasing 2. Greater emphasis on timing 3. Different support requirements

Conclusion

Lost City is a powerful engine component that requires careful timing and strategic consideration. Its strong card draw and action generation make it valuable in many decks, but the opponent draw drawback demands thoughtful implementation.

Success with Lost City depends on: 1. Proper timing of purchases 2. Strong supporting cards 3. Clear strategic direction 4. Careful management of drawbacks

When used correctly, Lost City can be a cornerstone of powerful engines and efficient decks. The key is balancing its benefits against the drawback and building appropriate support around it.

Final Tips:

1. Practice timing purchases
2. Watch opponent deck quality
3. Build appropriate support
4. Maintain strategic focus
5. Consider kingdom context

Lost City's combination of strong benefits and interesting drawback makes it a fascinating card that rewards skilled play and careful strategy. Understanding when and how to use it effectively can significantly improve your Dominion gameplay.