Storeroom (Dark Ages)

Storeroom Strategy Guide

Introduction: Storeroom is a versatile $3 Action card from Dark Ages that offers deck manipulation and economic flexibility through its discard-for-benefit mechanics. While it might appear simple at first glance, Storeroom's dual discard abilities create interesting strategic possibilities and decision points throughout the game.

Core Functions:

1. Deck Filtering
2. The primary function of Storeroom is to help filter through your deck by discarding unwanted cards
3. First discard phase converts dead cards into new draws
4. Second discard phase converts excess cards into money

5. Helps reduce hand variance by allowing you to reshape poor hands

6. Economic Boost

7. Can generate significant money in the right circumstances
8. Particularly useful for converting green cards or other terminal actions into money late game

9. Provides flexibility in hitting important price points

10. Buy Increase

11. The +1 Buy is a meaningful bonus that increases purchasing flexibility
12. Allows for gaining multiple cheaper cards when combined with the money generation

Key Strengths:

1. Hand Improvement
2. Allows you to dig for specific cards you need
3. Can help recover from collision (having too many terminal actions together)

4. Provides options for hands that would otherwise be "dead"

5. Economic Flexibility

6. Can convert non-money cards into buying power when needed
7. Helps hit critical price points that might otherwise be missed

8. Particularly valuable in games where traditional treasure cards are being attacked or are scarce

9. Deck Thinning Support

10. Works well with other deck thinning strategies by helping to concentrate good cards

11. Can accelerate the removal of starting cards when combined with trashers

12. Low Cost

13. At $3, it's relatively easy to acquire early
14. Can be gained with opening splits like Silver/Storeroom
15. Multiple copies can be obtained without significantly derailing your deck-building strategy

Weaknesses:

1. Card Disadvantage
2. Without other card draw, you're usually losing cards to gain benefits
3. Can lead to smaller hand sizes in subsequent turns

4. May struggle to generate both money and maintain hand size simultaneously

5. Terminal Action

6. Competes with other terminal actions for play
7. Multiple copies can lead to collision problems

8. Requires villages or other actions for multiple plays

9. Requires Careful Planning

10. Incorrect discard decisions can harm more than help
11. Need to balance immediate needs versus future turns
12. Can be difficult to optimize both discard phases effectively

Strategic Considerations:

1. Opening Buy Decisions
2. Strong opening at $3, particularly with:
3. 5/2 openings (can pair well with $5 cards)
4. 4/3 openings where the $4 card is another terminal
5. Split openings involving Silver
6. Consider skipping if:
7. Strong $2-$3 kingdom cards are present
8. Better trashing options are available

9. Terminal action density is already high

10. Early Game Use

11. Focus on filtering Copper and Estates
12. Look for opportunities to hit important price points
13. Be cautious about discarding Silver early unless necessary

14. Consider keeping some Copper for future turns if no other treasure available

15. Mid Game Application

16. Transition to using it for finding key cards
17. Balance between money generation and maintaining action density
18. Start considering multiple Storerooms if village support exists

19. Use to smooth out deck composition

20. Late Game Utility

21. Convert Victory cards into useful resources
22. Help hit Province price point more consistently
23. Consider keeping for reshaping final few turns
24. May become primary economy engine with heavy greening

Synergies:

1. Villages and Action Enablers
2. Native Village, Festival, City
3. Allows multiple Storeroom plays
4. Increases flexibility in discard decisions

5. Can create powerful drawing engines

6. Card Draw

7. Laboratory, Smithy, Council Room
8. Provides more cards to potentially discard
9. Helps offset card disadvantage

10. Creates more options for both discard phases

11. Gainers

12. Workshop, Ironworks, Border Village
13. Can help acquire multiple Storerooms quickly
14. Enables faster deck transformation

15. Provides more options for what to discard

16. Trashing Cards

17. Chapel, Steward, Trading Post
18. Accelerates deck thinning
19. Makes remaining cards more valuable

20. Improves consistency of Storeroom's effects

21. Victory Card Gainers

22. Gardens, Silk Road, Duke
23. Storeroom converts victory cards into utility
24. Helps maintain deck function while greening
25. Enables aggressive victory card acquisition

Counter Strategies:

1. Junking Attacks
2. Curse givers can flood deck with cards to discard
3. Ruins can clog hands but provide discard fodder

4. Consider getting multiple Storerooms to handle junk

5. Hand Size Attacks

6. Militia, Ghost Ship, Margrave
7. Can limit Storeroom's effectiveness

8. May need to prioritize keeping key cards over discarding

9. Action Denial

10. Cultist, Ghost Ship, Swamp Hag
11. Can prevent Storeroom from being played
12. Consider alternative strategies if heavily contested

Timing and Optimization:

1. When to Play
2. Usually best played early in turn
3. Consider other terminal actions first if collision possible

4. May want to play last if seeking specific cards for purchases

5. First Discard Phase

6. Prioritize dead cards and Copper
7. Consider keeping some resources for second phase

8. Look for specific cards needed this turn

9. Second Discard Phase

10. Calculate money needed for desired purchases
11. Balance current turn needs versus next turn

12. Consider keeping key components for engine building

13. Number to Buy

14. Usually want 1-2 in non-village boards
15. Can support 3+ with proper village support
16. Consider deck size and other terminal density

Sample Strategies:

1. Basic Engine Building
2. Acquire 1-2 Storerooms early
3. Focus on trashing weak cards
4. Build toward key price points
5. Add villages when possible

6. Transition to victory card acquisition

7. Multi-Storeroom Engine

8. Requires village support
9. Acquire 3-4 Storerooms
10. Use for both drawing and economy
11. Can support aggressive greening

12. Maintains functionality with victory cards

13. Hybrid Support

14. Use Storeroom as supplement to other strategies
15. Help smooth out engine building
16. Provide emergency economy
17. Convert dead cards late game

Kingdom Recommendations:

Good Kingdoms: - Boards with villages and card draw - Kingdoms with valuable victory cards (Gardens, Duke) - Setups where traditional treasure is attacked - Boards lacking other trashing/filtering options

Poor Kingdoms: - Boards with strong competing $3 cards - Kingdoms with heavy action denial - Setups with better deck manipulation options - Boards where terminal action space is limited

Tips and Tricks:

1. Efficiency Maximization
2. Don't feel compelled to discard during both phases
3. Sometimes keeping cards for next turn is better

4. Consider future turn requirements

5. Deck Reading

6. Track important cards in discard pile
7. Adjust strategy based on deck composition

8. Plan multiple turns ahead when possible

9. Resource Management

10. Balance immediate needs versus future turns
11. Don't over-discard treasure early game

12. Keep engine components when building

13. Adaptation

14. Adjust discard strategy as game progresses
15. Be flexible with role (drawing vs. economy)
16. Respond to opponent's strategy

Conclusion:

Storeroom is a versatile $3 card that provides valuable deck manipulation and economic flexibility. While it requires careful planning and consideration to use effectively, it can be a powerful addition to many strategies. Its ability to convert dead cards into useful resources makes it particularly valuable in the late game, while its early game filtering can help establish stronger deck compositions.

Success with Storeroom comes from understanding its dual nature as both a deck filter and economic engine, and knowing when to emphasize each aspect. Whether used as a primary engine component or supporting piece, Storeroom's low cost and flexible utility make it a valuable option in many kingdoms.

The key to maximizing Storeroom's potential lies in careful hand evaluation, strategic discarding decisions, and proper timing of plays. When used thoughtfully, it can help smooth out deck performance, hit crucial price points, and maintain functionality even as victory cards accumulate. While not always a game-defining card, Storeroom's versatility and utility make it a solid addition to many Dominion strategies.