Apprentice (Alchemy)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Apprentice:

Apprentice Strategy Guide

Introduction Apprentice is a powerful trashing and drawing card from the Alchemy expansion that rewards players for trashing expensive cards. Its unique ability to provide extra draw based on card costs makes it both a deck thinner and a strong engine component. Understanding how to maximize Apprentice's potential is key to using it effectively.

Basic Mechanics - Apprentice gives +1 Action, allowing it to chain with other actions - You must trash a card from your hand (this is not optional) - You draw cards equal to the coin cost of the trashed card - You get 2 additional cards if the trashed card has a potion cost - The card draw happens after the trashing

Key Strengths 1. Engine Building - Self-replacing action (+1 Action) - Can generate significant card draw - Helps thin deck while maintaining hand size

1. Deck Thinning
2. Removes unwanted cards while providing immediate benefit
3. Can strategically remove expensive cards late game

4. More efficient than most other trashers for maintaining hand size

5. Flexibility

6. Useful throughout all game phases
7. Can adapt to trash different cards as needed
8. Works well with both treasure and action-heavy strategies

Using Apprentice Effectively

Early Game Strategy In the early game, Apprentice serves primarily as a deck thinner, typically targeting: - Estates ($2) = 2 cards drawn - Copper ($0) = 0 cards drawn - Early purchases you no longer need

While trashing Copper provides no immediate draw benefit, it's often correct to do so early to improve deck quality. However, if you have the choice, trashing Estates is usually better as it provides both deck improvement and card draw.

Mid Game Strategy During the mid-game, Apprentice becomes more versatile: - Can trash medium-cost cards ($3-$4) for decent draw - Helps maintain engine consistency - Can strategically trash potions once they're no longer needed

Late Game Strategy In the late game, Apprentice really shines: - Can trash expensive cards for massive draw - Helps dig for key cards or Victory cards - Can convert dead cards (like Gold) into immediate utility

Optimal Trashing Targets

By Cost: $0 (Copper): 0 cards $2 (Estate): 2 cards $3 (Silver): 3 cards $4 (many Kingdom cards): 4 cards $5 (including Apprentice itself): 5 cards $6 (Gold): 6 cards $8 (Province): 8 cards

Potion-cost cards ($2P to $6P): Base cost + 2 extra cards

Notable Targets: - Provinces ($8): Draw 8 cards - Colonies ($11): Draw 11 cards - Platinum ($9): Draw 9 cards - Potion-cost cards: Extra value from +2 cards bonus

Key Combos and Synergies

1. Other Trashers
2. Chapel: Early deck thinning support
3. Trading Post: Provides Silver for Apprentice to trash later

4. Salvager: Alternative way to benefit from expensive cards

5. Gainers

6. Workshop: Gains $4 cards to trash for draw
7. Ironworks: Gains cards you can trash for profit

8. Governor: Gains Provinces you can trash for massive draw

9. Cost-Increasing Effects

10. Bridge: Makes all cards cost more, increasing Apprentice's draw
11. Highway: Similar to Bridge but in reverse

12. King's Court/Throne Room: Multiply Apprentice's effectiveness

13. Potion-Cost Cards

14. Familiar: Worth 4 cards when trashed (2+2)
15. Possession: Worth 8 cards when trashed (6+2)

16. Golem: Worth 6 cards when trashed (4+2)

17. Treasure-Heavy Strategies

18. Bank: High-value trash target
19. Venture: Good trash target providing 5 cards
20. Hoard: Provides extra Gold as trash fodder

Building Around Apprentice

1. Basic Engine Structure
2. 2-3 Apprentices
3. Terminal draw cards
4. Village variants

5. Key payload cards

6. Treasure-Based Strategy

7. Multiple Apprentices
8. High-value treasures
9. Card gainers

10. Optional trashing support

11. Action-Heavy Engine

12. Multiple Apprentices
13. Villages
14. Draw cards
15. Engine payload

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses

1. Limitations
2. Requires cards worth trashing
3. Can be awkward with minimal actions
4. May overdraw with multiple copies

5. Sometimes forces trashing of useful cards

6. Counter-Play

7. Rush strategies can win before Apprentice engines set up
8. Cursing attacks can provide low-value trash fodder

9. Junking attacks can dilute deck quality

10. Hostile Environments

11. Gardens strategies (want to keep cards)
12. Heavy attack boards
13. Boards lacking valuable trash targets

Timing and Quantity

How Many to Buy? - Minimum: 1-2 for deck thinning - Engine support: 2-3 - Heavy focus: 3-4 - Rarely want more than 4

When to Buy? - First Apprentice: Turns 3-5 - Additional copies: After basic engine pieces - Stop buying: When deck is sufficiently thin

Opening Considerations

Strong Openings with Apprentice: - Silver/Apprentice - Potion/Apprentice (if potion cards present) - Double Silver into Apprentice - Native Village/Apprentice

Avoid: - Double Apprentice opening - Apprentice without good trash targets - Apprentice with competing $5 priorities

Kingdom Considerations

Favorable Kingdoms: 1. Boards with: - Expensive cards - Multiple potion-cost cards - Strong engine components - Card gainers - Cost reducers

1. Specific Cards:
2. Throne Room variants
3. Bridge variants
4. Mint
5. Grand Market
6. Bank

Unfavorable Kingdoms: 1. Boards with: - Few expensive cards - Heavy attacking elements - Rush strategies - Gardens/Silk Road scoring

1. Specific Cards:
2. Cultist
3. Mountebank
4. Young Witch
5. Cursing attacks

Advanced Tips and Tricks

1. Timing Optimization
2. Save expensive cards for big turn setups
3. Consider trashing order with multiple Apprentices

4. Plan ahead for Province trashing

5. Engine Management

6. Balance trashing versus maintaining engine components
7. Keep track of remaining valuable trash targets

8. Consider opportunity cost of trashing versus playing cards

9. Endgame Considerations

10. Calculate remaining shuffles
11. Plan Province trashing for key turns

12. Consider keeping some valuable cards for final scoring

13. Multi-Player Dynamics

14. Watch opponent's strategies
15. Compete for key support cards
16. Adjust trashing priorities based on game pace

Sample Game Plans

1. Basic Engine Turn 1-2: Silver/Silver Turn 3-4: Apprentice, support cards Turn 5+: Additional Apprentices, engine pieces Late game: Trash Provinces for massive draws

2. Potion Strategy Turn 1-2: Silver/Potion Turn 3-4: Apprentice, potion cards Turn 5+: Additional engine pieces Late game: Trash potion cards for extra value

3. Treasure Focus Turn 1-2: Silver/Silver Turn 3-4: Apprentice, Gold Turn 5+: More treasures, selective trashing Late game: Convert treasures to cards as needed

Conclusion

Apprentice is a versatile card that combines trashing with powerful draw potential. Its ability to convert expensive cards into immediate card draw makes it both a strong engine component and a late-game powerhouse. Success with Apprentice requires careful planning, good timing, and understanding of when to trash which cards.

Key Takeaways: - Early game: Focus on deck thinning - Mid game: Build engine consistency - Late game: Convert expensive cards into massive draw - Balance trashing versus maintaining valuable cards - Consider kingdom context for optimal strategy

Remember that Apprentice's effectiveness scales with the cost of available cards and the presence of potion-cost cards. While it can be powerful in many situations, it's important to evaluate whether it fits your overall strategy and the specific kingdom context.