Fool's Gold
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Fool's Gold (Hinterlands)

Cost: $2

Type: Treasure-Reaction

Text: If this is the first time you played a Fool's Gold this turn, this is worth $1, otherwise it's worth $4.\dWhen another player gains a Province, you may trash this from your hand. If you do, gain a Gold, putting it on your deck.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Fool's Gold:

Fool's Gold Strategy Guide

Introduction Fool's Gold is a fascinating $2 treasure card with both an unusual treasure mechanic and a reactive ability. Its dual nature makes it one of the more complex treasure cards to evaluate and use effectively. While it can provide significant economic potential, it requires careful deck construction and timing to maximize its benefits.

Basic Mechanics

  1. Treasure Value
  2. First Fool's Gold played in a turn: Worth $1
  3. Subsequent Fool's Gold plays: Worth $4 each

  4. Example: Playing three Fool's Golds in one turn generates $9 total ($1 + $4 + $4)

  5. Reaction Ability

  6. Triggers when another player gains a Province
  7. Can trash Fool's Gold from hand to gain a Gold
  8. The gained Gold goes directly to your deck
  9. Multiple Fool's Golds in hand can each be traded for Gold

Core Strategic Considerations

  1. Multiple Copy Requirement The most fundamental aspect of Fool's Gold strategy is that you need multiple copies to make it worthwhile. A single Fool's Gold is strictly worse than Copper, but each additional copy dramatically increases the value:
  2. 1 Fool's Gold = $1 (worse than Copper)
  3. 2 Fool's Golds = $5 ($1 + $4)
  4. 3 Fool's Golds = $9 ($1 + $4 + $4)

  5. 4 Fool's Golds = $13 ($1 + $4 + $4 + $4)

  6. Draw Requirements To maximize Fool's Gold's potential, you need:

  7. Card draw to find multiple copies
  8. The ability to play multiple treasures in one turn

  9. Ways to consistently get multiple copies in hand together

  10. Deck Velocity Since Fool's Gold requires multiple copies to be effective, deck velocity becomes crucial:

  11. Thinner decks are generally better for Fool's Gold strategies
  12. Card draw and sifting effects help find multiple copies
  13. Village/draw chains can help assemble multiple copies

Key Synergies

  1. Card Draw Strong card draw pairs exceptionally well with Fool's Gold:
  2. Laboratory
  3. Smithy
  4. Council Room
  5. Hunting Party (especially good at finding additional copies)

  6. Warehouse (helps concentrate Fool's Golds together)

  7. Deck Manipulation Cards that help arrange multiple Fool's Golds together:

  8. Warehouse
  9. Cellar
  10. Scout
  11. Harbinger

  12. Sentinel

  13. Gainers Cards that can gain multiple Fool's Golds quickly:

  14. Workshop
  15. Ironworks
  16. Gain-focused attacks like Bandit
  17. Governor

  18. Black Market

  19. Throne Room Effects Double-play cards have interesting interactions:

  20. Throne Room/King's Court don't double the value of subsequent plays
  21. Can be useful for playing multiple copies quickly

  22. Generally not as strong as with other treasures

  23. Duration Cards Cards that draw over multiple turns can help assemble Fool's Golds:

  24. Fishing Village (terminal draw)
  25. Wharf
  26. Caravan
  27. Haven (can save a Fool's Gold for next turn)

Specific Game Situations

  1. Opening Buys Fool's Gold is generally a strong opening buy when:
  2. Multiple copies can be gained early
  3. The board has good card draw
  4. Opponent's strategy is Province-focused

  5. Kingdom lacks strong $3-$4 cards

  6. Mid-Game Transitions Important considerations for mid-game Fool's Gold play:

  7. Timing of additional copies
  8. Balance with other economy
  9. Whether to hold for reaction or play for money

  10. Probability of opponent's Province gains

  11. Late Game Key decisions in the late game:

  12. Whether to trade for Gold when Provinces are being bought
  13. Timing of Province purchases relative to opponent
  14. Maintaining enough copies for reliable economy

Counter-Strategy

  1. Rush Strategies Fool's Gold can be weak against:
  2. Colony/Platinum games (fewer Province triggers)
  3. Gardens rush (fewer Province triggers)
  4. Duke/Duchy strategies

  5. Fast Province rush before engine setup

  6. Alt-VP Alternative victory point strategies can reduce Fool's Gold's effectiveness:

  7. Silk Road
  8. Gardens
  9. Duke

  10. Vineyard

  11. Attacks Certain attacks particularly hurt Fool's Gold strategies:

  12. Discard attacks (reduce likelihood of multiple copies)
  13. Hand-size reduction
  14. Deck inspection/interference

Number of Copies to Buy

The optimal number of Fool's Golds depends on several factors: - 3-4 copies: Minimum for reliable engine - 5-6 copies: Strong in draw-heavy decks - 7+ copies: Usually excessive unless extreme draw available

Factors affecting optimal copy count: - Available card draw - Deck size - Competition for deck space - Presence of other economy

Timing Considerations

  1. When to Buy Optimal timing for Fool's Gold purchases:
  2. Early game when multiple copies available
  3. When deck is still small
  4. Before heavy greening begins

  5. When good draw support exists

  6. When to Play Strategic considerations for playing Fool's Gold:

  7. Play order matters significantly
  8. Consider holding vs. playing based on hand composition
  9. Calculate probability of drawing additional copies

  10. Factor in opponent's likely Province purchases

  11. When to React Decision factors for the reaction ability:

  12. Stage of game
  13. Deck composition
  14. Position of deck
  15. Need for reliable economy

Advanced Techniques

  1. Hand Reading Important skills for Fool's Gold play:
  2. Tracking opponent's buying power
  3. Predicting Province purchases
  4. Calculating odds of multiple copies

  5. Managing reaction timing

  6. Deck Tracking Critical information to track:

  7. Number of Fool's Golds in deck
  8. Location of Fool's Golds
  9. Probability of drawing multiple copies

  10. Opponent's economy development

  11. Province Dancing Strategic considerations around Province purchases:

  12. Timing purchases to maximize reaction value
  13. Forcing opponent's Province buys
  14. Managing Province pile depletion
  15. Balancing economy vs. victory points

Kingdom Analysis

When evaluating Fool's Gold in a kingdom, consider:

  1. Supporting Factors
  2. Strong card draw
  3. Deck manipulation
  4. Multiple-card play enablers

  5. Thin deck potential

  6. Opposing Factors

  7. Alt-VP strategies
  8. Attack cards
  9. Competing $2 costs

  10. Colony/Platinum presence

  11. Speed Factors

  12. Kingdom pace
  13. Rush potential
  14. Engine building speed
  15. Green card distribution

Sample Strategies

  1. Basic Engine
  2. 4-5 Fool's Golds
  3. Strong card draw
  4. Deck thinning

  5. Standard green end-game

  6. Mega-Draw

  7. 6+ Fool's Golds
  8. Heavy card draw
  9. Village support

  10. Multiple action chains

  11. Hybrid Economy

  12. 3-4 Fool's Golds
  13. Mixed with other treasures
  14. Moderate draw
  15. Flexible purchase options

Conclusion

Fool's Gold is a unique treasure that requires specific support to reach its full potential. When properly supported, it can provide powerful economy and interesting strategic options through its reaction ability. Success with Fool's Gold depends on:

  • Acquiring multiple copies early
  • Building appropriate draw support
  • Managing the timing of plays and reactions
  • Reading opponent's Province purchasing patterns
  • Maintaining flexibility in strategy

The card's unusual mechanics make it particularly skill-testing, rewarding players who can: - Build appropriate support - Time their plays well - Read game state accurately - Manage probabilities effectively - Adapt strategy as needed

While not always a dominant strategy, Fool's Gold can be a powerful component in many engines and provides interesting decisions throughout the game. Understanding its strengths and limitations is crucial for both using it effectively and playing against it successfully.