Procession (Dark Ages)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Procession:

Procession Strategy Guide

Introduction Procession is a powerful but tricky card from Dark Ages that allows you to squeeze extra value out of your Action cards before upgrading them. While it shares some similarities with Throne Room variants, its forced trashing and upgrade aspect makes it play quite differently. Understanding how to use Procession effectively requires careful consideration of both its immediate benefits and long-term implications.

Core Mechanics and Basic Usage

1. Double Action Effect
2. Like Throne Room, Procession lets you play an Action card twice
3. Both plays happen before the card is trashed
4. You must trash the processed card (not optional)
5. The gained card must cost exactly $1 more

6. If there's no valid target to gain, you still trash the card

7. Key Timing Considerations

8. Procession itself is an Action card, so it needs +Actions to chain with other cards
9. The doubled card resolves completely before being trashed
10. Duration cards are trashed immediately, not when they finish their duration
11. You can't Process tokens (like from Way of the Chameleon)

Basic Strategic Elements

1. Value Generation
2. Get two plays of a card for one Action
3. Upgrade to a more expensive card
4. Can effectively convert lower-cost Actions into more valuable ones

5. Particularly strong with self-replacing cards

6. Deck Evolution

7. Helps trim weak Action cards while gaining better ones
8. Creates natural progression up the cost curve
9. Can convert early-game cards into mid/late-game power cards

10. Allows for strategic deck transformation

11. Risk Management

12. Trashing is mandatory - don't Process cards you can't afford to lose
13. Plan your Action chain carefully to avoid stranding important cards
14. Consider having backup copies of key engine pieces
15. Be aware of kingdom card availability for upgrades

Optimal Targets for Procession

1. Self-Replacing Cards ($2-3)
2. Cantrips (Cards that draw 1 card)
3. Pearl Diver → Silver Mine
4. Harbinger → Steward
5. Vagrant → Sentry
6. +2 Card drawers
7. Warehouse → Library
8. Storeroom → Hunting Lodge

9. Courtyard → Mill

10. Terminal Draw ($4-5)

11. Smithy → Laboratory
12. Council Room → Witch

13. Hunting Party → Torturer These upgrades often maintain draw power while adding utility

14. Villages ($3-4)

15. Village → Mining Village
16. Fishing Village → Festival

17. Native Village → Market Be careful not to Process away too many villages and break your engine

18. Gainers ($4-5)

19. Workshop → Artificer
20. Ironworks → Upgrade
21. Mining Village → Mine Can create interesting gaining chains

Advanced Strategies and Combinations

1. Engine Building
2. Use Procession to upgrade early game pieces into mid-game engine components
3. Convert surplus villages into terminals once engine is running
4. Process draw cards into more efficient versions

5. Maintain careful balance of Actions and draw

6. Payload Enhancement

7. Process money-generating Actions into stronger ones
8. Convert early treasures into more powerful payload cards

9. Use as part of a gaining chain to reach expensive cards

10. Combo Potential

Strong Synergies: - Throne Room/King's Court: Can double/triple Procession - Necropolis: Free Action to Process early - Fortress: Returns to hand when Processed - Band of Misfits: Can be Processed into various costs - Overlord: Flexible Process target that can become any Action - Crown: Can Process treasures in Action phase

1. Key Combinations by Cost Jump

$2 → $3 - Necropolis → Village - Pearl Diver → Shanty Town - Vassal → Fishing Village

$3 → $4 - Village → Mining Village - Shanty Town → Bridge - Pawn → Monument

$4 → $5 - Smithy → Laboratory - Mining Village → Market - Bridge → Duke

$5 → $6 - Laboratory → Gold Mine - Market → Grand Market - Sentry → Margrave

Specific Strategic Applications

1. Opening Considerations
2. Procession/Silver is a common opening
3. Procession/Necropolis can be strong
4. Consider kingdom-specific openings that provide good Process targets

5. Plan upgrade paths based on available kingdom cards

6. Early Game (Turns 1-7)

7. Focus on acquiring Process targets
8. Build toward basic engine pieces
9. Don't Process key components too early

10. Establish +Actions foundation

11. Mid Game (Turns 8-15)

12. Begin Processing weaker cards into engine pieces
13. Convert early game cards into stronger alternatives
14. Maintain engine stability while upgrading

15. Look for key power card conversions

16. Late Game (Turns 16+)

17. Process engine pieces into victory point generators
18. Convert draw into stronger terminals if deck is thin
19. Use as final trim mechanism
20. Consider Processing for immediate benefit even without ideal upgrades

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses

1. Limitations
2. Requires exact cost matches for gains
3. Can break engines if used carelessly
4. Needs Action suppliers to chain effectively

5. Kingdom must have suitable upgrade targets

6. Counter-Play

7. Depleting key upgrade targets
8. Racing strategies that punish slow development
9. Cursing/junking can dilute Action density

10. Embargo on critical upgrade targets

11. Risk Mitigation

12. Maintain backup copies of essential cards
13. Don't over-Process early
14. Have alternate strategies available
15. Watch pile counts carefully

Kingdom Considerations

1. Favorable Kingdoms
2. Multiple villages available
3. Strong +$1 upgrades present
4. Engine-friendly environment
5. Good terminal payoffs

6. Throne Room variants present

7. Unfavorable Kingdoms

8. Few valuable upgrade targets
9. Big Money dominant
10. Limited +Action availability
11. Critical piles likely to deplete

12. Strong attack presence

13. Key Support Cards

14. Villages (any variety)
15. Throne Room variants
16. Card draw
17. Cost reducers
18. Gaining cards

Timing and Execution Tips

1. When to Buy Procession
2. Early if strong upgrade paths exist
3. Mid-game for engine conversion
4. Late game for final optimization

5. When +Actions are available

6. When to Play Procession

7. Early in hand to maximize options
8. After establishing +Actions
9. When upgrade target is confirmed available

10. Before drawing new cards (usually)

11. When to Avoid Processing

12. Critical engine pieces without backups
13. Cards needed for current turn
14. When upgrade targets are depleted
15. If hand is Action-poor

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Strategic Errors
2. Processing too aggressively early
3. Breaking engine functionality
4. Not planning upgrade paths

5. Ignoring pile depletion

6. Tactical Mistakes

7. Processing last village
8. Not checking upgrade availability
9. Poor Action sequencing

10. Over-investing in Procession

11. Engine Construction Errors

12. Insufficient +Actions
13. Too many terminals
14. Unstable card ratios
15. Poor payload planning

Sample Engine Builds

1. Basic Procession Engine
2. 2-3 Procession
3. 4-5 Villages
4. 3-4 Draw cards
5. 2-3 Payload cards

6. Upgrade targets at key costs

7. Heavy Processing Engine

8. 3-4 Procession
9. 6-7 Villages
10. 4-5 Draw cards
11. Strong terminal payoffs

12. Multiple upgrade paths

13. Hybrid Engine

14. 2 Procession
15. 3-4 Villages
16. 2-3 Draw cards
17. Mixed money/Action payload
18. Flexible upgrade options

Conclusion

Procession is a powerful but complex card that requires careful planning and execution. Success with Procession depends on: - Understanding available upgrade paths - Maintaining engine stability - Timing Processes appropriately - Managing risk and redundancy - Adapting to kingdom context

When used properly, Procession can accelerate deck development and create powerful engines. However, it requires careful attention to timing, pile counts, and engine stability. Players must balance the immediate benefits of double plays against long-term deck composition goals and maintain sufficient support cards to operate effectively.

Master Procession by studying upgrade paths, practicing careful timing, and maintaining awareness of kingdom-specific opportunities and limitations. With experience, it becomes a valuable tool for deck transformation and engine building in appropriate kingdoms.