Forum (Empires)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Forum:

Forum Strategy Guide

Introduction Forum is a $5 Action card from Empires that provides +1 Card, +1 Action, and requires you to discard 2 cards. When purchased, it gives +1 Buy. At first glance, Forum might seem underwhelming or even detrimental due to its forced discard, but it's actually a versatile card that can be quite powerful in the right circumstances.

Core Mechanics and Basic Usage

1. Card Flow Forum's primary function is to help you cycle through your deck while maintaining action economy. The +1 Card and +1 Action means it's terminal draw neutral (it replaces itself and the action used to play it), but the forced discard of 2 cards creates interesting dynamics:
2. Net card change: -1 card in hand (draw 1, discard 2)
3. Maintains action chain capability

4. Helps filter through deck quickly

5. Deck Velocity One of Forum's key strengths is increasing deck velocity - how quickly you can cycle through your cards:

6. Discarding 2 cards helps you reach your reshuffle faster
7. Can help thin out unwanted cards from your hand
8. Particularly useful when you want to see specific cards more frequently

Key Synergies and Combinations

1. Discard Benefits Forum becomes particularly powerful when combined with cards that care about discarding:
2. Market Square: Get Gold when discarding
3. Tunnel: Gain Gold when discarded
4. Haven: Can set aside valuable cards before discarding
5. Stables: Makes it easier to meet discard conditions

6. Archive: Helps you recover discarded cards later

7. Draw-to-X Cards Forum works well with cards that draw to a specific hand size:

8. Library: Forum's discard helps you draw more useful cards
9. Watchtower: Can protect valuable cards from being discarded
10. Governor: Helps maximize the draw option

11. Jack of all Trades: Forum can help filter through junk cards

12. Action Chains The +1 Action makes Forum valuable in action-heavy decks:

13. Laboratory variants: Adds filtering to draw engines
14. Village/Worker's Village: Provides more options for action chains
15. Fishing Village/Festival: Helps maintain momentum across turns

16. King's Court/Throne Room: Can multiply Forum's effects

17. Treasure Manipulation Forum can help optimize treasure play:

18. Bank: Helps cycle to see more treasures
19. Venture: Increases chances of hitting valuable treasures
20. Royal Seal: Better control over deck order
21. Capital: Helps find more buying power when needed

Strategic Considerations

1. Early Game Forum's early game utility depends heavily on the kingdom:
2. Can help filter starting Coppers and Estates
3. $5 cost means it competes with other important cards
4. Buy bonus helps enable double-province turns later

5. Consider skipping if better $5 options exist

6. Mid Game Forum really shines in the middle game:

7. Helps establish and maintain engines
8. Provides deck control and filtering
9. Can enable powerful combinations

10. Useful for reaching price points consistently

11. Late Game Late game value varies:

12. Helpful for finding key cards quickly
13. Can thin out green cards from hand
14. Buy bonus becomes more relevant

15. May become less useful if deck is already streamlined

16. Number of Forums to Buy The optimal number depends on your strategy:

17. Engine decks: 2-3 typically sufficient
18. Big Money variants: 1-2 usually enough
19. Heavy combo decks: May want 3-4
20. Consider kingdom context carefully

Counters and Weaknesses

1. Anti-Synergies Some cards make Forum less effective:
2. Cursers: More junk to filter through
3. Hand size reducers: Less flexibility for discarding
4. Cards requiring large hand sizes

5. Deck inspection cards (as discarding changes deck order)

6. Opportunity Cost At $5, Forum competes with:

7. Strong terminal draw cards
8. Key engine pieces
9. Important attack cards

10. Essential kingdom cards

11. Timing Considerations Forum can be awkward when:

12. Hand size is already small
13. You need to keep specific cards
14. Deck is too thin
15. You're in danger of deck-out situations

Building Around Forum

1. Engine-Based Strategies Forum excels in engines:
2. Provides consistent deck cycling
3. Maintains action chains
4. Helps find key components
5. Enables combo execution

Example Engine: - Villages for actions - Forums for filtering/draw - Payload cards - Support cards (e.g., Market Square)

1. Treasure-Based Strategies Forum can enhance money decks:
2. Filters through copper
3. Finds higher value treasures
4. Enables special treasure effects
5. Maintains buying power

Example Money Deck: - 2-3 Forums - High-value treasures - Select support actions - Buy enablers

1. Combo Decks Forum helps assemble combinations:
2. Finds key pieces quickly
3. Maintains necessary cards
4. Enables consistent execution
5. Provides deck control

Example Combo Setup: - Key combo pieces - Forums for filtering - Action suppliers - Backup strategy cards

Kingdom Analysis Examples

1. Strong Forum Kingdom Kingdom contains:
2. Village variants
3. Market Square
4. Draw cards
5. Payload cards Strategy:
6. Buy early Forum
7. Build engine
8. Use discard synergies

9. Scale up Forum count

10. Weak Forum Kingdom Kingdom contains:

11. Strong terminal draw
12. Essential $5 cards
13. Hand size attacks
14. Better filtering options Strategy:
15. Skip Forum
16. Focus on stronger options
17. Build alternative engine
18. Consider late-game utility

Timing and Sequencing

1. Playing Forum Optimal sequencing:
2. Play early in turn if filtering
3. Play mid-turn in chains
4. Play late if seeking specific cards

5. Consider discard choices carefully

6. Buying Forum Timing considerations:

7. Early if building engine
8. Mid-game for optimization
9. Late for buy bonus
10. When synergies present

Advanced Techniques

1. Discard Selection Optimize discards by:
2. Considering next shuffle
3. Planning for combinations
4. Maintaining action chains

5. Preparing for opponent's turns

6. Buy Bonus Utilization Maximize buy bonus through:

7. Split pile purchases
8. Victory card acquisition
9. Event/Project buys

10. Supplement cards

11. Engine Optimization Enhance engine performance:

12. Balance Forum count
13. Maintain action density
14. Consider deck composition
15. Plan reshuffles carefully

Multiplayer Considerations

1. 3+ Player Games Adjust strategy for:
2. Increased pile competition
3. Longer game length
4. More interference

5. Different ending conditions

6. Team Games Utilize Forum for:

7. Deck coordination
8. Resource sharing
9. Combined strategies
10. Support roles

Conclusion

Forum is a versatile card that requires careful consideration and skilled play to maximize its potential. Its strength lies not in raw power but in enabling consistency and combinations while providing valuable deck control. Success with Forum depends on: - Understanding kingdom context - Recognizing synergies - Proper timing and sequencing - Strategic discard decisions

While not always an auto-buy at $5, Forum can be a crucial component in many successful strategies. Its ability to maintain action chains while filtering cards makes it particularly valuable in engine builds, while its buy bonus provides additional utility throughout the game.

The key to mastering Forum is practice and experience with different kingdom combinations. Pay attention to timing, discard choices, and potential synergies to make the most of this flexible card.

Remember that Forum's true value often lies in enabling other strategies rather than being the centerpiece itself. Used wisely, it can be the difference between a clunky deck and a smooth-running engine.