Cellar (Dominion)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Cellar:

Cellar Strategy Guide

Introduction Cellar is one of the original Dominion cards and represents one of the most basic forms of deck manipulation in the game. As a $2 cost card, it's readily accessible from the very first turn, but its strategic implications run deeper than its simple price tag might suggest. At its core, Cellar allows you to cycle through your deck faster while selectively removing unwanted cards from your hand.

Basic Mechanics - Costs $2 - Gives +1 Action - Lets you discard any number of cards from your hand - Draws one card for each card discarded - You must discard before drawing

Key Strengths 1. Deck Cycling - Helps you see more cards each turn - Increases probability of drawing key cards - Can help thin out bad hands

1. Hand Improvement
2. Allows discarding of unwanted cards
3. Can transform a weak hand into a potentially stronger one

4. Maintains hand size while improving quality

5. Action Economy

6. +1 Action means it doesn't consume your action allowance
7. Can be chained with other actions

8. Works well in action-heavy strategies

9. Low Cost

10. Available from first shuffle
11. Easy to acquire multiples early
12. Good opening buy option

When to Buy Cellar

Early Game Considerations 1. Opening Buy ($2/$5 or $3/$4 splits) - Strong opening when your initial deck will contain many Coppers - Particularly valuable with $2/$5 opening splits - Can help find your $5 purchase more consistently

1. Early Priority
2. High priority in first few turns if no other deck manipulation available
3. Less crucial if stronger alternatives exist (e.g., Warehouse, Steward)
4. Consider getting 2-3 copies in first few turns if strategy supports it

Mid-Game Considerations 1. Utility Assessment - Value decreases as deck improves - Still useful for cycling through growing deck - Consider opportunity cost vs. other $2 cards

Late Game 1. Limited Purchase Value - Generally poor late-game purchase - Exception: preparing for final turn cycling - May still buy if nothing better available at $2

Optimal Usage Strategies

1. Basic Hand Management
2. Always discard Coppers if you have sufficient Treasures
3. Generally discard Estates unless needed for specific strategies

4. Keep actions that chain well together

5. Advanced Filtering

6. Consider your deck composition
7. Calculate odds of drawing better cards

8. Factor in shuffle timing

9. Timing Considerations

10. Use early in your turn to maximize options
11. Can help find specific cards needed for combos

12. Consider whether shuffling is beneficial

13. Number of Cards to Discard

14. Don't feel compelled to discard maximum possible
15. Consider probability of drawing better cards
16. Factor in deck composition and current shuffle

Synergies and Combinations

Strong Synergies

1. Draw-to-X Cards
2. Library
3. Watchtower

4. These cards benefit from Cellar's ability to thin hand

5. Action Chains

6. Village variants
7. Festival
8. Market

9. Benefits from +1 Action while providing deck cycling

10. Trashing Cards

11. Chapel
12. Steward
13. Trading Post

14. Cellar helps find trashers more consistently

15. Victory Card Strategies

16. Gardens
17. Silk Road

18. Can help cycle through larger decks quickly

19. Duration Cards

20. Fishing Village
21. Wharf
22. Helps find duration cards more consistently

Weak Synergies

1. Terminal Draw Cards
2. Smithy
3. Council Room

4. Less valuable when hand already full of cards

5. One-Shot Effects

6. Feast
7. Remodel
8. Limited benefit from cycling if key cards already played

Counter Strategies

Playing Against Cellar 1. Rush Strategies - Can outpace Cellar's gradual improvement - Province rush can end game before Cellar engine builds

1. Attacks
2. Militia/Torturer can limit Cellar's effectiveness

3. Ghost Ship can disrupt deck order

4. Alternative Deck Manipulation

5. Warehouse generally superior
6. Steward offers more flexibility
7. Consider these alternatives when available

Defending Cellar Strategies 1. Multiple Copies - Reduces impact of attacks - Increases consistency - Improves cycling capability

1. Complement with Trashing
2. Remove unnecessary cards permanently

3. Increases effectiveness of cycling

4. Action Support

5. Ensure sufficient actions available
6. Consider Villages or other suppliers

Advanced Techniques

1. Shuffle Timing
2. Track probability of shuffle
3. Consider whether forcing shuffle is beneficial

4. May influence number of cards to discard

5. Progressive Filtering

6. Gradually improve hand quality
7. Build toward specific combinations

8. Consider future turns when discarding

9. Engine Building

10. Use Cellar to find key engine pieces
11. Consider as supplementary draw

12. Balance with other engine components

13. Endgame Optimization

14. Calculate points needed
15. Consider whether cycling helps reach goal
16. May influence final turns strategy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Over-Discarding
2. Don't discard good cards hoping for better
3. Consider probability of improvement

4. Factor in deck composition

5. Under-Utilizing

6. Forgetting to use when appropriate
7. Not considering all discard options

8. Missing optimization opportunities

9. Poor Timing

10. Using too late in turn
11. Missing action chain opportunities

12. Not considering shuffle timing

13. Over-Investing

14. Buying too many copies
15. Prioritizing over better options
16. Not transitioning strategy as game progresses

Kingdom Considerations

Strong Kingdoms 1. Limited Deck Manipulation - Few alternative sifting options - Limited trashing available - Basic treasure-based economies

1. Action-Heavy Boards
2. Multiple village effects
3. Engine-building potential

4. Card-dependent combos

5. Victory Card Strategies

6. Gardens kingdoms
7. Silk Road present
8. Duke strategies

Weak Kingdoms 1. Strong Alternatives - Warehouse available - Steward present - Multiple superior $2-$3 cards

1. Rush Potential
2. Strong attack cards
3. Quick Province rush possible
4. Limited engine potential

Opening Considerations

Strong Openings 1. Cellar/Silver ($2/$5) - Classic opening - Helps find Silver consistently - Builds toward engine potential

1. Double Cellar ($2/$2)
2. Situational but powerful
3. Maximizes early cycling

4. Best with specific strategies

5. Cellar/Chapel ($2/$3)

6. Strong deck improvement
7. Complementary effects
8. Rapid deck enhancement

Weak Openings 1. Cellar/Copper ($2/$4) - Generally inferior - Better alternatives usually exist - Limited improvement potential

1. Single Cellar ($2 only)
2. Missing opportunity for better card
3. Limited impact without support
4. Consider saving for better turn

Cost Analysis

Value Proposition 1. Early Game - High value relative to cost - Strong improvement potential - Good availability

1. Mid Game
2. Decreasing relative value
3. Opportunity cost considerations

4. Still useful for cycling

5. Late Game

6. Limited purchase value
7. Consider only if nothing better
8. May help with final turns

Alternative Uses

1. Defense
2. Can mitigate bad hands
3. Helps recover from attacks

4. Provides consistency

5. Combo Enabler

6. Finds key cards
7. Supports engine building

8. Enables specific strategies

9. Deck Tracking

10. Helps monitor deck composition
11. Provides information about shuffle
12. Aids strategic planning

Conclusion

Cellar represents one of Dominion's most fundamental deck manipulation tools. While simple in concept, its effective use requires careful consideration of numerous factors including deck composition, timing, and strategic context. As a $2 card, it's often available when needed and can provide significant value, particularly in the early game.

Key Takeaways: - Strong early game card - Requires careful consideration of discard choices - Benefits from multiple copies - Decreases in value as deck improves - Supports various strategies but rarely central - Most effective with complementary cards

Understanding when and how to use Cellar effectively can significantly improve your Dominion gameplay. While not always the optimal choice, its accessibility and flexibility make it a valuable tool in many kingdoms.