Farming Village (Cornucopia)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Farming Village:

Farming Village Strategy Guide

1. Overview

Farming Village is a $4 Action card from Cornucopia that serves two primary functions: providing +2 Actions and offering selective deck filtering to find Action or Treasure cards. Understanding when and how to use Farming Village effectively requires careful consideration of your deck composition and overall strategy.

1. Core Strengths

a) Action Chaining - The +2 Actions makes Farming Village an excellent village variant - Allows you to play multiple terminal actions in the same turn - Creates no drawback when drawn dead (unlike cards like Festival that give +buy or +coins)

b) Deck Filtering - Helps find important Action or Treasure cards - Can skip over Victory cards and Curses - Functions as partial deck tracking when you know what's coming - Can potentially draw into critical cards more reliably than simple card draw

1. Key Considerations for Purchasing

a) Deck Composition - Works best in decks with a high proportion of Actions and Treasures - Less effective when Victory cards make up a large portion of your deck - Consider the ratio of Actions/Treasures to Victory cards - More effective in the early game before Victory cards dilute your deck

b) Timing - Early game purchase ($4 price point makes it accessible) - Can help establish engine components quickly - Value decreases in the late game as deck becomes Victory-heavy - Consider whether you need the Actions or the filtering more

1. Optimal Usage Strategies

a) Engine Building - Use as a core village component in engine decks - Chain multiple Actions together efficiently - Can help find key engine pieces more reliably - Particularly strong with cost-reduction effects

b) Deck Tracking - Pay attention to cards you've discarded - Know what Action/Treasure cards remain in your deck - Use this information to make better decisions about when to play Farming Village - Consider tracking important cards that have been discarded

c) Turn Optimization - Play early in your turn to maximize options - Can help find key cards you need for your strategy - Use as a backup when you need either Actions or Treasures - Consider whether to play before or after other drawing effects

1. Synergies and Combinations

a) Strong Synergies

Terminal Action Heavy Decks: - Helps play multiple terminal actions - Provides reliable action chaining - Examples: Witch, Monument, Ghost Ship

Deck Trackers: - Oracle - Wandering Minstrel - Scout - These cards help you know what's coming

Cost Reduction: - Bridge - Highway - Quarry - Makes engine building more efficient

Action-Heavy Engines: - Laboratory - Market - Festival - Helps establish consistent draws

b) Card-Specific Synergies

Treasury: - Helps find Treasuries more consistently - Can skip over Victory cards to reach them

King's Court/Throne Room: - Multiple Farming Villages can help find key cards - Creates more consistent engine building

Library: - Can work together to find specific cards - Helps manage deck composition

1. Counter Strategies and Weaknesses

a) Main Weaknesses

Victory Card Dilution: - Effectiveness decreases as Victory cards accumulate - Late game can be significantly less useful - May need to transition away from Farming Village

Cursing Attacks: - Similar to Victory cards, Curses reduce effectiveness - Can make finding key cards more difficult - May need alternative strategies

Limited Information: - Unlike regular drawing, you can't see all cards revealed - May miss important cards that get discarded - Requires careful deck tracking

b) Counter Play

When Opponent Has Farming Village: - Consider cursing strategies - Force earlier green card purchases - Rush strategies can be effective

When Playing Against: - Focus on deck efficiency - Consider alternative village cards - Plan for late game transitions

1. Kingdom Considerations

a) When to Buy Farming Village

Strong Kingdoms: - Multiple terminal actions present - Cost reduction available - Few cursing attacks - Engine components available

Weak Kingdoms: - Heavy cursing presence - Better village options available - Big money strategies dominant - Victory card heavy strategies

b) Alternative Considerations

Other Villages: - Compare to alternatives like Workers' Village - Consider if +Buy or +Coins needed - Evaluate filtering vs. raw card draw

Speed of Game: - Faster games may favor Farming Village - Slower games may prefer other options - Consider Victory card acquisition timing

1. Opening Strategies

a) Opening With Farming Village

Pros: - Early action chaining - Helps find key $5 cards - Establishes engine foundation - Good with 5/2 splits

Cons: - No immediate economy boost - May miss key cards in discard - Requires supporting cards

b) First Few Turns

Priority Considerations: - Balance with treasure cards - Look for complementary $5 cards - Plan engine development - Consider deck tracking early

1. Mid-Game Development

a) Scaling Considerations

Number to Buy: - Usually want 2-3 in engine decks - May want more with heavy terminal actions - Consider ratio to other components

Timing of Purchases: - Priority in first few shuffles - Decrease priority as Victory cards enter - Plan transition timing

b) Adaptation Strategies

Deck Evolution: - Monitor Victory card ratio - Track engine consistency - Adjust purchase priority - Consider alternative draw sources

1. Late Game Transitions

a) Managing Effectiveness

Victory Card Integration: - Plan for decreased effectiveness - Consider alternative action sources - May need to stop buying - Focus on key card acquisition

b) Alternative Strategies

Transition Options: - Switch to bigger money - Focus on other villages - Emphasize direct draw - Consider deck resetting

1. Specific Kingdom Analyses

a) Strong Kingdoms

Example 1: - Farming Village - Laboratory - Market - Bridge - Strong engine potential with cost reduction

Example 2: - Farming Village - Witch - Monument - Treasury - Good terminal action support

b) Weak Kingdoms

Example 1: - Farming Village - Young Witch - Duke - Gardens - Too many non-Action/Treasure cards

Example 2: - Farming Village - Workers' Village - Market Square - Better village options available

1. Tips and Tricks

Advanced Techniques: - Track discarded key cards - Time purchases with shuffles - Consider opponent's strategy - Plan Victory card timing

Common Mistakes: - Over-investing in late game - Ignoring deck composition - Poor timing of plays - Failing to transition

1. Conclusion

Farming Village is a versatile card that excels in engine building and deck filtering. Its success depends heavily on careful consideration of deck composition, timing, and kingdom context. While powerful in the early and mid-game, players must plan for its decreased effectiveness in the late game and be prepared to transition strategies accordingly.

Key Takeaways: - Excellent early game village - Strong engine enabler - Requires careful deck composition management - Plan for late game transitions - Consider kingdom context carefully

Understanding these aspects of Farming Village will help you utilize it effectively in your Dominion strategies. Remember that successful use often requires careful planning and awareness of both your deck composition and the overall game state.