Altar
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Altar (Dark Ages)

Cost: $6

Type: Action

Text: Trash a card from your hand. Gain a card costing up to $5.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Altar:

Altar Strategy Guide

Introduction Altar is a $6 Action card from Dark Ages that offers a simple but powerful effect: trash a card from your hand and gain a card costing up to $5. While this may seem straightforward, Altar's flexibility and dual functionality make it a versatile tool in many strategies. Understanding when and how to use Altar effectively can significantly improve your Dominion gameplay.

Core Functions

  1. Trashing
  2. Altar provides reliable trashing, which is essential for deck improvement
  3. Unlike Chapel or Steward, it's mandatory to trash when played
  4. The trashing is limited to one card per play
  5. Cannot be used if you have no cards in hand

  6. Works well in the mid-game when starting cards need removal

  7. Gaining

  8. Gains any card costing $5 or less
  9. Gained card goes to your discard pile
  10. Not limited to Action cards
  11. Can gain cards from empty piles
  12. Provides immediate access to powerful $5 cards

Key Strengths

  1. Flexibility
  2. Can trash any card type
  3. Wide range of gain options
  4. Useful throughout the game

  5. Helps transition between game phases

  6. Non-terminal

  7. Doesn't consume your Action
  8. Can be played alongside other Actions

  9. Works well in Action-heavy decks

  10. Mid-game Power

  11. Strong price point for what it does
  12. Effective at transitioning deck composition
  13. Helps maintain deck quality

Weaknesses

  1. Cost
  2. $6 cost makes it harder to acquire early
  3. Competing with other important $6 cards

  4. May delay crucial engine pieces

  5. Mandatory Trashing

  6. Must trash if possible
  7. Can be awkward with good hands

  8. May force undesirable trashes

  9. Limited Gaining

  10. $5 ceiling restricts options
  11. Cannot gain Provinces or expensive cards
  12. May become less useful in late game

Optimal Usage Strategies

  1. Early Game (Turns 1-5)
  2. Usually too expensive to obtain
  3. Consider opening with cheaper trashers instead

  4. Plan acquisition timing based on economy

  5. Mid Game (Turns 6-12)

  6. Prime time for Altar acquisition
  7. Focus on removing starting cards
  8. Build toward key $5 components

  9. Consider gaining engine pieces

  10. Late Game (Turns 13+)

  11. Can help maintain deck quality
  12. Less effective for gaining
  13. Consider trashing declined Victory cards
  14. May become dead card

Key Synergies

  1. Draw Cards
  2. Laboratory
  3. Smithy
  4. Council Room
  5. Helps find cards to trash

  6. Increases options for gains

  7. Villages

  8. Native Village
  9. Fishing Village
  10. Market Square
  11. Enables multiple Altar plays

  12. Supports action-heavy strategies

  13. Gainers

  14. Workshop
  15. Ironworks
  16. Artisan
  17. Provides alternative gaining methods

  18. Helps acquire Altar faster

  19. Duration Cards

  20. Wharf
  21. Fishing Village
  22. Haven
  23. Provides consistent access to cards

  24. Helps manage mandatory trashing

  25. Card-Per-Action Engines

  26. Market
  27. Laboratory
  28. Village/Smithy combinations
  29. Maintains engine efficiency
  30. Provides trashing without terminal collision

Counter Strategies

  1. Rush Strategies
  2. Province rush can outpace Altar's improvements
  3. Gardens rush may overwhelm before Altar impact

  4. Colony rush can ignore Altar's benefits

  5. Alternative Trashers

  6. Chapel provides faster trashing
  7. Steward offers more flexibility

  8. Trading Post may be more efficient

  9. Big Money

  10. May not need Altar's trashing
  11. Can focus on direct buying power
  12. Reduces impact of deck improvement

Kingdom Considerations

  1. Available $5 Cards
  2. Quality of gainable cards
  3. Engine components
  4. Victory cards

  5. Attack protection

  6. Trashing Alternatives

  7. Presence of other trashers
  8. Speed of deck thinning

  9. Cost of alternatives

  10. Victory Card Distribution

  11. Provinces vs. Colonies
  12. Alternate victory conditions
  13. Victory card ratio

Specific Card Interactions

  1. Positive Interactions

Market Square - Benefits from trashing - Provides additional resources - Helps maintain hand size

Fortress - Can be repeatedly trashed - Provides Actions - Maintains hand size

Band of Misfits - Can copy Altar - Provides flexibility - Lower cost entry point

  1. Negative Interactions

Possession - Can force unwanted trashing - May gain suboptimal cards - Reduces control

Cursers - May flood deck with trash - Reduces trashing efficiency - Slows deck improvement

Hunting Grounds - Anti-synergy with trashing - May prefer other $6 cards - Conflicts with deck thinning

Timing Considerations

  1. Purchase Timing
  2. After initial deck thinning
  3. Before late game

  4. When $5 cards are crucial

  5. Play Timing

  6. Early in hand for options
  7. After drawing cards

  8. Before other Actions

  9. Trash Timing

  10. Priority for starting cards
  11. Consider future shuffles
  12. Maintain economy balance

Number of Copies

  1. Single Copy
  2. Minimal impact
  3. Supplementary trashing

  4. Flexible gaining option

  5. Two Copies

  6. Moderate deck control
  7. Reliable trashing

  8. Good gaining frequency

  9. Three or More

  10. Strong deck control
  11. May be excessive
  12. Consider opportunity cost

Sample Strategies

  1. Engine Building
  2. Acquire 1-2 Altars
  3. Focus on gaining engine pieces
  4. Maintain action density
  5. Trash starting cards

  6. Build toward power cards

  7. Money-Based

  8. Single Altar
  9. Remove basic cards
  10. Gain silver/gold
  11. Maintain buying power

  12. Transition to Provinces

  13. Hybrid Approach

  14. Two Altars
  15. Balance trashing/gaining
  16. Mix money and actions
  17. Flexible improvement
  18. Adaptable transitions

Common Mistakes

  1. Over-Investment
  2. Buying too many copies
  3. Focusing too much on trashing

  4. Neglecting victory conditions

  5. Poor Timing

  6. Getting Altar too early
  7. Holding too long

  8. Missing crucial gains

  9. Suboptimal Choices

  10. Trashing wrong cards
  11. Gaining inefficient cards
  12. Ignoring better options

Advanced Techniques

  1. Multi-Action Chains
  2. Combine with draw
  3. Sequence properly

  4. Maximize efficiency

  5. Tactical Trashing

  6. Priority ordering
  7. Maintaining ratios

  8. Future turn planning

  9. Strategic Gaining

  10. Anticipating needs
  11. Responding to opponents
  12. Building toward goals

Conclusion

Altar is a versatile card that requires careful consideration of timing, kingdom context, and strategic goals. Its strength lies in its flexibility and ability to both improve deck quality and gain useful cards. While not always the optimal choice, understanding when and how to use Altar effectively can significantly improve your Dominion gameplay.

Success with Altar depends on: - Correct timing of acquisition - Strategic trashing choices - Efficient gaining decisions - Kingdom context awareness - Overall strategy alignment

When used properly, Altar can be a powerful tool for deck improvement and strategic development. However, its effectiveness depends heavily on the specific kingdom cards available and your ability to maximize its dual functionality.

Remember: - Consider kingdom context - Plan acquisition timing - Make strategic trashing choices - Choose gains carefully - Balance with other cards - Adapt to game phase

With proper understanding and application of these principles, Altar can be a valuable addition to many Dominion strategies.