Harvest
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Harvest (Cornucopia)

Cost: $5

Type: Action

Text: Reveal the top 4 cards of your deck, then discard them. +$1 per differently named card revealed.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Harvest:

Harvest Strategy Guide

Introduction Harvest is a $5 Action card from Cornucopia that provides variable money based on revealing different card names. While seemingly straightforward, it requires careful deck construction and timing to maximize its potential. This guide will explore how to effectively use Harvest, its strengths and weaknesses, and key strategic considerations.

Basic Mechanics - Reveal exactly 4 cards from your deck - Discard all revealed cards - Gain $1 for each differently named card - Maximum possible gain is $4 (with 4 different cards) - Minimum gain is $1 (if all cards have the same name)

Key Characteristics 1. Terminal Action - Takes up your Action without providing +Actions - Competes with other terminal Actions for play - Generally wants to be your main Action play for the turn

  1. Variable Payload
  2. Not guaranteed money like Silver/Gold
  3. Requires deck diversity to function well

  4. Can provide better money-per-card than Silver in ideal conditions

  5. Self-Discarding

  6. Reveals and discards cards regardless of usefulness
  7. Can both help and hurt deck cycling
  8. Affects deck composition for subsequent turns

Optimal Usage Conditions

  1. Deck Diversity The primary requirement for Harvest to succeed is having different card names in your deck. Ideal diversity ratios:

  2. Early Game (10-15 cards): 4-5 different cards

  3. Mid Game (20-25 cards): 6-8 different cards

  4. Late Game (30+ cards): 8+ different cards

  5. Timing Considerations Best times to play Harvest:

  6. When you need money this turn
  7. When revealed cards aren't crucial for next turn
  8. Early in your turn before drawing additional cards

Avoid playing when: - You need specific cards for combos next turn - Your deck is too homogeneous - You have better terminal Actions available

Building Around Harvest

  1. Core Strategy Elements

a) Card Diversity - Mix different basic treasures (Copper, Silver, Gold) - Include varied Victory cards - Add utility Actions with different names - Consider unique Kingdom cards

b) Deck Size Management - Moderate deck size (25-35 cards) - Too small: harder to maintain diversity - Too large: harder to draw Harvest consistently

  1. Supporting Components

a) Card Drawing - Laboratory - Council Room - Smithy - Village variants (for additional Actions)

b) Deck Manipulation - Sifting cards (Cellar, Warehouse) - Card selection (Scrying Pool, Navigator) - Deck inspection (Oracle, Scout)

Synergies and Combinations

  1. Strong Synergies

a) Deck Inspection - Oracle: Helps arrange diverse cards - Scout: Reveals and arranges top cards - Navigator: Can skip bad reveals

b) Card Recovery - Treasury: Returns to deck for diversity - Haven: Sets aside key cards - Archive: Preserves important cards

c) Multi-Card Types - Great Hall (Action-Victory) - Harem (Treasure-Victory) - Market (Action giving multiple benefits)

  1. Kingdom Card Combos

a) Tournament - Provides deck cycling - Prizes add name diversity - Helps maintain card variety

b) Menagerie - Similar requirement for different cards - Natural fit in diversity-focused decks - Can share support cards

c) Warehouse/Cellar - Helps manage hand composition - Improves probability of diverse reveals - Provides deck cycling

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses

  1. Main Weaknesses

a) Terminal Action Nature - Competes for limited Action slots - May prevent playing other important Actions - Requires Villages if multiple terminal Actions exist

b) Unreliable Payload - Can whiff with similar cards - Average return often less than Gold - Requires specific deck conditions

c) Forced Discarding - Can discard needed cards - May disrupt next turn's plans - Cannot choose which cards to keep

  1. Opposing Strategies

a) Deck Attack - Cursing attacks reduce diversity - Discard attacks weaken setup - Deck inspection interference

b) Rush Strategies - Province rush can end game before setup - Colony rush similarly effective - Gardens rush can work if Kingdom supports it

Optimization Techniques

  1. Deck Construction

a) Early Game (First 4-5 Turns) - Buy one Harvest - Add 1-2 different treasures - Include 1-2 different Actions - Avoid duplicate purchases

b) Mid Game (Turns 6-12) - Maximum 2-3 Harvests - Continue adding variety - Start including Victory cards - Balance economy and actions

c) Late Game (Turns 13+) - Maintain card diversity - Consider trimming duplicates - Add necessary Victory cards - Keep economy strong

  1. Play Patterns

a) Optimal Sequencing 1. Play treasure-generating Actions first 2. Play Harvest 3. Play remaining treasures 4. Make purchases

b) Hand Management - Consider holding diverse cards for next Harvest - Track deck composition - Plan for reshuffles

Kingdom Considerations

  1. Favorable Kingdoms

  2. Multiple unique Action cards

  3. Card drawing support
  4. Deck manipulation options
  5. Alternative Victory cards

  6. Multi-type cards

  7. Unfavorable Kingdoms

  8. Heavy curse-giving attacks

  9. Few unique cards
  10. Strong terminal Action competition
  11. Fast Province rush potential
  12. Lack of +Action cards

Sample Opening Strategies

  1. Standard Opening ($4/$3)
  2. Silver + unique $3 Action
  3. Sets up early diversity

  4. Maintains buying power

  5. Double $4 Opening

  6. Two different $4 cards
  7. Builds variety quickly

  8. May sacrifice early economy

  9. $5 Opening

  10. Harvest as first buy
  11. Requires follow-up diversity
  12. Can be risky without support

Comparing Alternative Options

  1. vs. Silver ($3) Advantages:
  2. Higher potential payload
  3. Helps cycle deck
  4. Can provide $4 vs Silver's $2

Disadvantages: - Takes an Action - Less reliable - Requires setup

  1. vs. Gold ($6) Advantages:
  2. Lower cost
  3. Can match Gold's $3 regularly
  4. Provides deck cycling

Disadvantages: - Less reliable - Requires more support - Takes an Action

  1. vs. Other $5 Actions Advantages:
  2. No hand requirement
  3. Potential for high payload
  4. Helps with deck cycling

Disadvantages: - More setup needed - Less reliable - May discard key cards

Advanced Techniques

  1. Deck Tracking
  2. Count different card names
  3. Track shuffle timing

  4. Monitor deck composition

  5. Probability Management

  6. Calculate odds of diverse reveals
  7. Plan purchases around probabilities

  8. Adjust strategy based on results

  9. Endgame Considerations

  10. Balance Victory card additions
  11. Maintain diversity through greening
  12. Time final Province purchases

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Over-Investment
  2. Buying too many Harvests
  3. Focusing too much on diversity

  4. Neglecting core deck needs

  5. Poor Timing

  6. Playing before important Actions
  7. Revealing crucial combo pieces

  8. Discarding needed cards

  9. Insufficient Support

  10. Not maintaining enough variety
  11. Lacking card draw
  12. Missing deck manipulation

Conclusion

Harvest is a complex card that requires careful deck building and strategic play to maximize its potential. Success with Harvest depends on: - Maintaining card name diversity - Proper timing and sequencing - Supporting infrastructure - Understanding probability - Careful deck management

While not always the optimal $5 choice, Harvest can be powerful in the right kingdom and with proper support. Its variable nature makes it both challenging and rewarding to play effectively.

Final Tips: - Start with one copy - Build diversity naturally - Monitor effectiveness - Adjust strategy based on kingdom - Consider alternatives if support is lacking - Practice deck tracking - Pay attention to timing - Plan for the long game

With proper understanding and application of these principles, Harvest can be a valuable addition to your deck-building strategy.