Sage (Dark Ages)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Sage:

Sage Strategy Guide

Introduction: Sage is a $3 Action card from Dark Ages that functions as a specialized draw card with a unique filtering mechanism. While it can be powerful in the right circumstances, it requires careful deck construction to maximize its effectiveness. Understanding when to buy Sage and how to build around it is crucial for success.

Basic Mechanics: - Provides +1 Action, making it non-terminal - Digs through your deck until finding a card costing $3 or more - All other revealed cards are discarded - If no $3+ card is found, all revealed cards are discarded

Key Strengths: 1. Non-terminal nature allows multiple Sages per turn 2. Reliably finds expensive cards 3. Can function as deck filtering by removing cheaper cards from your draw path 4. Works well with payload cards 5. Can thin your deck of copper during play

Key Weaknesses: 1. May miss desired cards that cost less than $3 2. Can potentially discard valuable cards 3. Ineffective with too many cheap cards 4. Requires careful deck construction 5. Can be unreliable with shuffle variance

Optimal Usage Strategies

1. Deck Construction Considerations

When building a deck with Sage, pay careful attention to your cost distribution:

Ideal ratio: - Aim for approximately 60-70% of your deck to cost $3 or more - Minimize $2 and lower cards where possible - Consider the average number of cards you'll need to reveal

Cards to avoid: - Cheap cantrips (e.g., Pearl Diver, Vagrant) - Low-cost kingdom cards that aren't essential - Excess Coppers beyond what's necessary

1. Early Game Strategy

Early game considerations for Sage: - Usually worth buying on $3 opening - Can pair well with a $4/$3 split opening - Consider whether alternative $3 cards might be better - Plan your deck composition from the start

Opening buys: - Sage/Silver opening can work well - Sage/Sage can be viable with the right kingdom - Consider population density of $3+ cards in the kingdom

1. Mid-Game Development

As your deck evolves: - Add more expensive cards to increase Sage reliability - Begin thinning cheaper cards when possible - Consider adding multiple Sages for consistency - Balance Sage quantity with payload cards

1. Synergies and Combinations

Strong Synergies:

a) Cost-Increasing Effects: - Bridge - Highway - Quarry These make more cards viable Sage targets

b) Deck-Top Manipulation: - Scheme - Navigator - Scout Help ensure Sage hits desired cards

c) Trashing Cards: - Chapel - Steward - Trading Post Remove cheap cards to improve Sage reliability

d) Draw-to-X Cards: - Library - Watchtower - Jack of all Trades Can complement Sage's filtering

1. Specific Card Combinations

Strong Combos:

1. Sage + Laboratory
2. Both non-terminal
3. Lab costs $5, making it a reliable target

4. Creates strong drawing engine

5. Sage + Gold

6. Gold always hits with Sage
7. Provides strong economic boost

8. Reliable payload

9. Sage + Bridge

10. Makes more cards viable targets
11. Can create powerful engines

12. Increases flexibility

13. Sage + Chapel

14. Chapel removes cheap cards
15. Improves Sage reliability
16. Fast deck improvement

Weak Combinations:

1. Sage + Villages
2. Most villages cost $2-$3
3. May miss crucial chain components

4. Can lead to unstable engines

5. Sage + Copper flooding attacks

6. Reduces reliability
7. Makes finding payload harder

8. Can stall deck development

9. Counter-Strategy

Playing Against Sage:

a) Attack vectors: - Copper flooding (Mountebank, Ill-Gotten Gains) - Junking with cheap cards (Curse, Ruins) - Deck order disruption (Ghost Ship, Bureaucrat)

b) Defense strategies: - Build faster engines - Focus on alternative drawing methods - Compete for key kingdom cards

1. Kingdom Considerations

Favorable Kingdoms:

1. Many expensive cards ($5+)
2. More reliable hits
3. Better payload options

4. Stronger late-game scaling

5. Strong trashing

6. Helps remove cheap cards
7. Improves consistency

8. Faster deck development

9. Cost reduction

10. Increases viable targets
11. More flexible build paths
12. Better engine potential

Unfavorable Kingdoms:

1. Cheap card focus
2. Poor target density
3. Inefficient filtering

4. Weak payload options

5. Limited trashing

6. Harder to remove cheap cards
7. Slower development

8. Less consistent performance

9. Timing and Quantity

How Many Sages?

Early Game (1-2 Sages): - Test waters with initial copy - Evaluate kingdom synergy - Assess competing $3 options

Mid Game (2-4 Sages): - Build toward engine - Balance with payload - Consider deck composition

Late Game (3-5 Sages): - Maximum consistent drawing - Should have minimal cheap cards - Strong payload established

1. Advanced Techniques

2. Sage Chaining:

3. Use multiple Sages in sequence
4. Track deck composition

5. Maintain action count

6. Deck Tracking:

7. Monitor discarded cards
8. Calculate remaining targets

9. Adjust play order accordingly

10. Shuffle Timing:

11. Consider when to trigger shuffles
12. Track green card distribution

13. Optimize reveal probability

14. Common Mistakes to Avoid

15. Over-investing in Sage:

16. Too many copies early
17. Insufficient payload

18. Neglecting other important cards

19. Poor Deck Construction:

20. Too many cheap cards
21. Insufficient trashing

22. Weak payload options

23. Incorrect Timing:

24. Buying too early
25. Holding too long

26. Missing better alternatives

27. Sample Game Plans

Basic Engine: 1. Open Sage/Silver 2. Add trashing 3. Build to 3-4 Sages 4. Incorporate strong payload 5. Remove remaining cheap cards

Big Money Variant: 1. Open Sage/Silver 2. Focus on Gold 3. Add 2-3 Sages 4. Include Province purchases 5. Maintain money density

Conclusion:

Sage is a unique card that requires careful consideration and planning to use effectively. Success with Sage depends on: - Proper deck construction - Understanding timing - Kingdom evaluation - Synergy optimization

When used correctly, Sage can be a powerful engine component or money accelerator. However, it requires more setup and planning than many other $3 cards. The key to success is maintaining the right ratio of expensive cards while developing your deck's capabilities.

Consider Sage when: - Kingdom has many expensive cards - Trashing is available - Cost reduction exists - Engine potential is strong

Avoid Sage when: - Kingdom focuses on cheap cards - Better $3 alternatives exist - Junking attacks are prevalent - Fast strategies dominate

Remember that Sage's effectiveness scales with deck quality and composition. Taking time to build properly around Sage will lead to stronger performances and more consistent results.