Spoils (Dark Ages)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Spoils in Dominion:

Spoils Strategy Guide

Introduction Spoils is a unique treasure card that provides a powerful but temporary economic boost. Unlike most treasure cards, you can't buy Spoils directly - they can only be gained through specific cards that generate them (primarily from the Dark Ages set). Understanding how to effectively use Spoils and build around Spoils-generating cards is crucial for maximizing their potential.

Key Characteristics - Provides $3 when played - Returns to the Spoils pile after being played - Not part of the Supply - Can't be gained through normal buying - Shared pile that all players can access

Basic Usage The fundamental way to use Spoils is as a temporary economic boost. When you play a Spoils, you get $3 for that turn only, as it returns to the pile afterward. This makes Spoils different from normal treasure cards in several important ways:

1. One-time use per gain
2. Doesn't thin your deck
3. Provides significant money density for that specific turn
4. Can be gained multiple times throughout the game

Spoils-Generating Cards To use Spoils effectively, you need to understand the cards that can generate them:

Bandit Camp (Dark Ages) - Action card that gives +1 Card, +2 Actions, and gains a Spoils - Reliable way to consistently gain Spoils - Good for action-heavy decks

Marauder (Dark Ages) - Attack card that gives other players Ruins and gains you a Spoils - Combines junking opponents with economic gain - Can be particularly effective in multiplayer games

Pillage (Dark Ages) - Powerful one-shot card that forces opponents to discard down to 4 cards and gains you 2 Spoils - Must be trashed when played - Excellent opening buy in appropriate kingdoms

Plunder (Dark Ages) - Action card that gives +$2 and gains a Spoils - Simple but effective - Good for money-focused strategies

Strategic Considerations

1. Timing Your Spoils Plays Since Spoils return to the pile after being played, timing is crucial:
2. Consider saving Spoils for key turns when you need to hit important price points
3. Don't play Spoils unnecessarily if you already have enough money for your intended purchase

4. Keep track of how many Spoils are available in the pile

5. Deck Composition When building a Spoils-based strategy:

6. Include reliable Spoils gainers (especially Bandit Camp)
7. Consider cards that benefit from playing multiple treasures
8. Balance Spoils gainers with other economy

9. Don't rely exclusively on Spoils for your economy

10. Opening Considerations When Spoils-generating cards are available:

11. Pillage is often a strong opening at $5
12. Bandit Camp can be a good opening at $5 in action-heavy kingdoms
13. Consider how quickly you need to establish Spoils generation

Key Synergies

1. Draw Engines Spoils work particularly well with draw engines because:
2. You can more reliably find your Spoils gainers
3. You can play multiple Spoils in one turn
4. Drawing your deck lets you precisely time Spoils plays

Strong draw engine components that pair well with Spoils: - Laboratory - Village variants - Cantrips - Card draw terminals

1. Treasure-Focused Cards Cards that interact with treasures can amplify Spoils' effectiveness:
2. Bank (benefits from playing multiple treasures)
3. Merchant Guild (generates coffers when buying with treasures)
4. Plaza (can discard treasures for actions)

5. Treasury (works well with buying actions)

6. Multiple Action Enablers Since many Spoils gainers are actions, cards that enable multiple actions are important:

7. Village variants
8. Festival
9. Market Square

10. King's Court/Throne Room (especially with Pillage)

11. Duration Cards Duration cards can help establish consistent Spoils gaining:

12. Wharf provides draw to find Spoils gainers
13. Fishing Village provides extra actions for Spoils gainers
14. Caravan provides steady draw

Counter-Strategies

1. Rush Strategies Fast strategies can sometimes outpace Spoils-based engines:
2. Province rush with strong base treasure
3. Gardens rush with workshop variants

4. Colony rush in appropriate kingdoms

5. Pile Control Since Spoils is a shared pile:

6. Gaining Spoils yourself denies them to opponents
7. Consider gaining Spoils even if not central to your strategy

8. Track the number of remaining Spoils

9. Attack Cards Certain attacks can disrupt Spoils strategies:

10. Discard attacks (particularly against Pillage)
11. Militia/Ghost Ship can make it harder to assemble combinations
12. Cursing attacks can slow down deck cycling

Advanced Techniques

1. Spoils Chaining With multiple Spoils gainers:
2. Gain multiple Spoils in one turn
3. Use +Actions to play multiple gainers

4. Create big money turns with multiple Spoils

5. Timing Optimization Maximize Spoils effectiveness by:

6. Saving them for province turns
7. Using them to hit key price points

8. Combining with other treasure for specific amounts

9. Pile Management Strategic considerations for the Spoils pile:

10. Track remaining Spoils
11. Consider gaining Spoils defensively
12. Time gains based on opponent's strategy

Sample Strategies

1. Bandit Camp Engine Core components:
2. Multiple Bandit Camps
3. Village variants
4. Card draw
5. Victory card gainers

Strategy: - Build engine with multiple Bandit Camps - Generate consistent Spoils - Use for provinces/colonies

1. Pillage Opening Core components:
2. Pillage
3. Supporting economy
4. Treasure-based support cards

Strategy: - Open Pillage - Gain early Spoils advantage - Transition to stronger engine or big money

1. Mixed Spoils Gainers Core components:
2. Various Spoils gainers
3. Action enablers
4. Deck control

Strategy: - Use multiple Spoils sources - Build flexible engine - Adapt gaining based on needs

Kingdom Considerations

When evaluating Spoils in a kingdom, consider:

1. Available Gainers
2. Which Spoils gainers are present?
3. How reliable are they?

4. How many can you reasonably play?

5. Supporting Cards

6. Are there +Action cards?
7. What draw is available?

8. Are there treasure synergies?

9. Alternative Strategies

10. What other strategies are viable?
11. How fast is the kingdom?
12. Are there strong attacks?

Conclusion

Spoils is a unique treasure that requires specific support cards and careful timing to use effectively. Success with Spoils-based strategies depends on:

• Understanding available Spoils gainers
• Building appropriate support
• Timing plays effectively
• Managing the shared pile
• Adapting to kingdom context

When properly supported, Spoils can provide powerful economic advantages and enable strong engines. However, they require more setup than basic treasure and need to be carefully integrated into your overall strategy.

Tips for Success

1. Don't over-invest in Spoils gainers early
2. Balance Spoils with reliable base treasure
3. Pay attention to pile availability
4. Time Spoils plays for maximum impact
5. Consider kingdom speed and alternatives
6. Watch for treasure synergies
7. Build appropriate support for your Spoils strategy

Practice and experience will help you recognize when and how to best incorporate Spoils into your strategy. Remember that while powerful, Spoils are just one tool in your strategic arsenal and should be used appropriately based on the kingdom context.