Ruined Market (Dark Ages)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Ruined Market:

Ruined Market Strategy Guide

Introduction Ruined Market is one of the five Ruins cards introduced in Dark Ages. Like all Ruins, it's a weak action card that players don't choose to buy or gain, but rather receive as a result of being attacked by cards that give out Ruins (primarily Looter cards) or through other card effects that distribute Ruins.

Basic Characteristics - Cost: $0 - Type: Action-Ruins - Effect: +1 Buy - Cannot be bought directly; only gained through other card effects - One of the five types of Ruins (along with Ruined Library, Abandoned Mine, Ruined Village, and Survivors)

Core Considerations

1. Receiving Ruined Market The primary ways to receive Ruined Market include:
2. Being attacked by Cultist
3. Being attacked by Death Cart
4. Being attacked by Marauder

5. Gaining it from a Ruins pile created by any Looter cards in play

6. Impact on Deck Composition Ruined Market is generally considered one of the weaker Ruins cards because:

7. It only provides +1 Buy without any other benefits
8. It takes up an action without providing any economic boost
9. It dilutes your deck's effectiveness
10. It can interfere with important card draw or action chains

Strategic Uses

1. Basic Utility Despite being a weak card, Ruined Market does have some limited usefulness:
2. Provides an extra Buy when you need it
3. Can enable multi-buy turns when you have excess money but limited Buys
4. Serves as an Action card for cards that care about Action card counts

5. Can be used as fodder for trashing or remodeling effects

6. Specific Synergies

a) Buy-Focused Strategies In decks that need additional Buys, Ruined Market can occasionally help: - Bridge strategies where multiple Buys are valuable - Gardens strategies that want to acquire many cards - Rush strategies that need to buy multiple cheaper cards per turn

b) Action-Count Synergies Several cards become more effective with more Actions in your deck: - Fortress can use it as fodder while maintaining Action density - Scholar can discard it to draw a fresh hand - Royal Blacksmith becomes easier to reveal for with more Actions - Tournament becomes easier to reveal Province for

c) Trash-for-Benefit Effects Ruined Market can be fodder for various beneficial trashing effects: - Apprentice (trashing for +1 card) - Bishop (trashing for 1 VP and +$1) - Salvager (trashing for +$0) - Remodel (upgrading to a $2 card) - Expand (upgrading to a $2 card)

1. Defensive Considerations

When facing Ruins-giving attacks, consider: - Whether to prioritize trashing Ruined Market over other Ruins - The impact on your deck's Action density - Whether you need the +1 Buy for your strategy - The opportunity cost of drawing and playing it

Countering Ruined Market

1. Trashing Options The best way to deal with Ruined Market is usually to trash it:
2. Chapel is extremely effective
3. Steward can trash two Ruins at once
4. Trading Post can trash it while gaining Silver
5. Remake can upgrade it to something useful

6. Altar can transform it into a more valuable card

7. Deck Management If you can't trash it, consider these management strategies:

8. Use sifting effects (Cellar, Warehouse) to discard it
9. Save non-terminal actions for more important cards
10. Consider whether playing it is worth the action
11. Use cards that can put it on top of your deck for later trashing

Timing and Pace Considerations

1. Early Game In the early game, Ruined Market:
2. Is less harmful as decks are still forming
3. Can occasionally help with multiple Silver purchases
4. Should be trashed if possible

5. May enable early Gardens strategies

6. Mid Game During the middle game:

7. The opportunity cost of drawing it increases
8. Its utility in providing an extra Buy may increase
9. Should still be trashed if possible

10. Can become more relevant in engines needing +Buy

11. Late Game In the late game:

12. Often becomes irrelevant as Buys are less needed
13. Can still help with multiple Victory card purchases
14. May be worth keeping if trashing actions are better used on other cards
15. Can still serve as fodder for various effects

Kingdom Considerations

1. Strong Kingdoms for Ruined Market Ruined Market is less painful when:
2. Multiple Buys are valuable (Bridge strategies)
3. Action density matters (Royal Blacksmith)
4. Trashing is readily available
5. Card draw is plentiful

6. Victory card rushing is viable

7. Weak Kingdoms for Ruined Market Ruined Market is particularly problematic when:

8. Actions are at a premium
9. No trashing is available
10. Deck efficiency is crucial
11. Better +Buy options exist
12. Terminal space is limited

Interaction with Other Cards

1. Positive Interactions

a) Cards That Need Actions: - Royal Blacksmith - Scholar - Tournament - Conspirator

b) Trashing Benefits: - Apprentice - Bishop - Salvager - Remodel - Expand

c) Buy-Dependent Strategies: - Bridge - Gardens - Monument - Grand Market

1. Negative Interactions

a) Terminal Action Chains: - Laboratory variants - Village chains - Drawing chains - Action-dependent engines

b) Deck Efficiency Requirements: - Big Money strategies - Thin deck strategies - Province rushing - Critical mass engines

Advanced Strategies

1. Engine Considerations

When building an engine: - Consider whether the +1 Buy is worth the action - Evaluate if it helps reach critical mass - Determine if it enables better purchasing patterns - Assess its impact on shuffle timing

1. Rush Strategies

In rush strategies: - May enable multiple Victory card purchases - Can help with pile-out victories - Might support 3-pile endings - Could enable faster Gardens accumulation

1. Alternate Victory Conditions

When pursuing alternate wins: - Can support Gardens strategies - Might enable faster pile depletion - Could help with Province rushing - May assist in collecting Victory tokens

Specific Counter-Strategies

1. When Facing Looter Attacks:
2. Prioritize trashing capabilities
3. Consider deck-tracking importance
4. Evaluate action density requirements

5. Plan for reduced efficiency

6. Managing Multiple Ruins:

7. Establish trashing priorities
8. Consider keeping some for utility
9. Balance action economy
10. Maintain deck effectiveness

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overvaluing the Buy
2. Don't play it just because you can
3. Consider opportunity costs
4. Evaluate action efficiency

5. Remember shuffle timing

6. Improper Trashing Priorities

7. Don't automatically trash it first
8. Consider other Ruins' impacts
9. Evaluate current strategy needs

10. Think about future turns

11. Neglecting Synergies

12. Don't overlook Action-count benefits
13. Consider trash-for-benefit opportunities
14. Remember Buy-dependent strategies
15. Look for creative uses

Conclusion

Ruined Market is generally one of the weaker Ruins cards, providing only a +1 Buy effect that often isn't worth the action cost. However, understanding its potential uses and limitations can help minimize its negative impact on your deck and occasionally even turn it to your advantage. The key is to:

• Evaluate whether playing it is worth the action
• Look for trashing opportunities
• Consider potential synergies
• Manage it within your broader strategy
• Use it as fodder for beneficial effects when possible

While you'll rarely be happy to receive Ruined Market, proper management of this card can help maintain your deck's effectiveness even when faced with Ruins-giving attacks. Remember that its impact varies significantly based on the kingdom cards available and your chosen strategy, so always evaluate it in the context of the current game state.