Wild Hunt (Empires)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Wild Hunt:

Wild Hunt Strategy Guide

Introduction: Wild Hunt is a unique $5 Action-Gathering card from Empires that creates an interesting shared Victory point pool and offers players a choice between drawing cards or gaining Victory points. Its dual-mode nature and the competition for Victory tokens make it one of the more strategically nuanced cards in Dominion.

Basic Mechanics: - Mode 1: Draw 3 cards and add 1 Victory token to the shared Wild Hunt pile - Mode 2: Gain an Estate and claim all Victory tokens from the Wild Hunt pile - The Victory tokens accumulate until a player claims them - Each Victory token is worth 1VP at game end

Key Strengths: 1. Strong card draw option (+3 Cards) 2. Creates Victory points that weren't previously in the game 3. Flexible timing for claiming points 4. Can function as both an engine component and a greening mechanism

Key Weaknesses: 1. Requires gaining an Estate to claim Victory tokens 2. Competitive element means opponents can steal accumulated tokens 3. Mode 1 doesn't provide any immediate Victory points 4. Takes up an Action

Strategic Considerations:

1. Timing of Wild Hunt Acquisition
2. Early Game:
3. Generally strong as an early purchase
4. Helps build deck while contributing to eventual VP gain
5. Earlier purchase means more opportunities to add tokens

6. Can establish tempo advantage by threatening to claim tokens

7. Mid Game:

8. Still valuable for both modes
9. More tactical considerations about when to claim tokens

10. Need to watch opponent's capability to claim tokens

11. Late Game:

12. Usually too late to effectively use Mode 1
13. May still be worth buying just to deny opponent access

14. Can be crucial for final VP push

15. Mode Selection Strategy

Mode 1 (+3 Cards): - Best early in the game - Excellent for engine building - Similar to Laboratory but adds future VP potential - Strong when you need deck acceleration - Particularly good with: * Trashing effects * Action chains * Card draw multipliers * Victory card transformers

Mode 2 (Gain Estate + Take VP): - Better later in the game - Critical timing decision - Consider claiming when: * 3+ tokens are available * Opponent threatens to claim * You need the Estate for other effects * End game is approaching * You can mitigate Estate's deck-clogging effect

1. Token Accumulation Strategy

Optimal Token Count: - 2-3 tokens: Consider claiming if Estate won't hurt much - 4+ tokens: Strong incentive to claim - 6+ tokens: Usually worth claiming even if Estate is detrimental

Factors Affecting Token Claiming: - Current VP difference - Deck composition - Opponent's ability to claim - Game phase - Available trashing - Estate synergies

1. Combos and Synergies

Strong Synergies:

Estate Transformers: - Upgrade - Remodel - Governor - Apprentice These cards help mitigate the downside of gaining Estates

Trashing Effects: - Chapel - Steward - Trading Post Allow you to remove gained Estates

Draw Enhancement: - Laboratory - Village variants - Fishing Village Help maintain deck quality despite Estates

Estate Synergies: - Mill - Market Towns - Ironworks Make gaining Estates less painful or even beneficial

Victory Token Synergies: - Groundskeeper - Temple - Goons Create additional VP opportunities

Deck Quality Maintainers: - Warehouse - Cellar - Stables Help cycle past gained Estates

1. Counter-Strategy

Playing Against Wild Hunt:

Defensive Considerations: - Track token count carefully - Calculate break-even points for claiming - Consider buying Wild Hunt defensively - Watch opponent's trashing capability - Monitor Estate pile size

Offensive Tactics: - Force opponent to claim early - Deny access to trashing - Accelerate game end if opponent is building tokens - Competition for Action spaces

1. Kingdom-Specific Considerations

Strong Kingdoms: - Heavy trashing available - Multiple card draw effects - Estate synergies present - Slow VP accumulation methods - Strong engine potential

Weak Kingdoms: - Limited trashing - Big Money dominant - Fast alternate VP sources - Colony/Platinum games - Rush strategies viable

1. Player Count Considerations

2 Players: - More control over token claiming - Easier to track opponent's capability - More predictable timing - Often more tokens per claim

3+ Players: - More competition for tokens - Less predictable claiming - Harder to accumulate large token counts - Need to be more opportunistic - Higher risk of tokens being claimed

1. Opening Considerations

As First Buy ($5): Pros: - Immediate deck improvement - Starts token accumulation - Flexible strategic options - Strong with 3/4 second buy

Cons: - No +Actions - Competes with other strong $5 cards - May be too slow in some kingdoms

Alternative Openings: - Silver/Wild Hunt - Wild Hunt/Silver - Double Wild Hunt (rare)

1. Mid-Game Strategy

Key Decision Points: 1. When to transition from Mode 1 to Mode 2 2. Optimal token claim timing 3. Balance between engine building and VP accumulation 4. Estate management planning

Factors to Consider: - Deck composition - VP race status - Opponent's position - Available auxiliary cards - Remaining game length

1. End Game Considerations

Timing Factors: - Province pile size - Other VP pile sizes - Token count in Wild Hunt pile - Opponent's VP total - Estate pile size

Final Turn Calculations: - VP swing from claiming - Deck degradation impact - Alternative VP sources - Denial value

1. Common Mistakes to Avoid

2. Claiming tokens too early:

3. Without sufficient trashing
4. With weak deck composition

5. When tokens are few

6. Waiting too long to claim:

7. Allowing opponent to steal
8. Missing crucial timing

9. Getting locked out of Estates

10. Over-investing in Wild Hunt:

11. Buying too many copies
12. Focusing too much on tokens

13. Neglecting other VP sources

14. Poor Estate management:

15. No plan for gained Estates
16. Insufficient trashing

17. Ignoring Estate synergies

18. Advanced Techniques

Token Denial: - Claiming at strategic moments - Forcing opponent claims - Pile control strategies

Estate Manipulation: - Strategic pile depletion - Transformation chains - Synergy maximization

Tempo Control: - Token accumulation pacing - Claim timing optimization - Opponent prediction

1. Conclusion

Wild Hunt is a strategically rich card that rewards careful planning and tactical flexibility. Success with Wild Hunt requires: - Accurate timing assessment - Strong Estate management - Token accumulation awareness - Opponent reading skills - Kingdom context understanding

The card's dual modes make it consistently useful throughout the game, but maximizing its potential requires careful consideration of both immediate and long-term implications of each decision.

Key Takeaways: 1. Early Wild Hunt acquisition is usually strong 2. Mode 1 early, Mode 2 late is the general pattern 3. Estate management is crucial 4. Token claiming timing is critical 5. Kingdom context heavily influences strategy 6. Opponent capabilities must be considered 7. Flexibility in planning is essential

This complex card rewards skilled play and strategic thinking, making it a valuable addition to many Dominion strategies when used appropriately.