Scheme
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Scheme (Hinterlands)

Cost: $3

Type: Action

Text: +1 Card\n+1 Action\nAt the start of Clean-up this turn, you may choose an Action card you have in play. If you discard it from play this turn, put it on your deck.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Scheme in Dominion:

Scheme Strategy Guide

Overview: Scheme is a $3 Action card from Hinterlands that allows you to place an Action card you played this turn on top of your deck during Clean-up, instead of discarding it. With +1 Card and +1 Action, it's a cantrip that doesn't immediately affect your turn but can significantly influence your next one.

Basic Mechanics: - Draw a card and get an Action back when played - At Clean-up, choose one Action card you played this turn - That chosen card goes on top of your deck instead of the discard pile - The choice is optional - You must have actually played the card to Scheme it - Cards in play for other reasons (e.g., Throne Room's copy) cannot be Schemed

Core Strategy Elements:

  1. Terminal Draw Consistency One of Scheme's primary uses is ensuring reliable access to your best terminal draw cards. By putting a strong draw card like Smithy or Council Room on top of your deck, you guarantee having it for your next turn. This creates consistency in accessing your deck and reduces the variance inherent in shuffle luck.

  2. Engine Acceleration In engine decks, Scheme can help ensure you have key components available each turn. This is particularly valuable early in the game when your engine isn't fully built yet. By consistently having access to your best Action cards, you can build your engine more reliably.

  3. Duration Card Enhancement Scheme works exceptionally well with Duration cards, as you can put them back on top after they've already provided their initial benefit. This creates powerful recurring combinations that can significantly boost your deck's performance.

Key Use Cases:

  1. Terminal Draw
  2. Smithy
  3. Council Room
  4. Witch

  5. Margrave These cards become much stronger when you can guarantee having them every turn. Scheme allows you to consistently access your deck's drawing power.

  6. Payload Cards

  7. Bridge
  8. Worker's Village

  9. Festival Important payload cards that provide +Buy, +Coins, or extra Actions become more reliable with Scheme, ensuring you have them when needed.

  10. Attack Cards

  11. Militia
  12. Ghost Ship

  13. Bureaucrat Keeping pressure on opponents becomes easier when you can consistently replay your attacks.

  14. Duration Cards

  15. Wharf
  16. Fishing Village
  17. Caravan
  18. Haven Duration cards are excellent Scheme targets because you get both the immediate and delayed benefits before putting them back on top.

Specific Card Combinations:

  1. Scheme + Wharf This is one of the strongest Scheme combinations. Wharf provides +2 Cards and +1 Buy now, and +2 Cards next turn. By Scheming it, you guarantee having it every turn, creating a powerful drawing engine.

  2. Scheme + Laboratory Laboratory's +2 Cards and +1 Action makes it self-replacing. Scheming it ensures consistent deck access and maintains your Action count.

  3. Scheme + Bridge Repeatedly Scheming a Bridge can accelerate your buying power significantly, especially in engines focused on playing multiple Actions.

  4. Scheme + Fishing Village This combination provides reliable economy and Actions, as Fishing Village gives both immediate and delayed benefits before being Schemed.

Building Around Scheme:

  1. Early Game (Turns 1-5)
  2. Priority should be acquiring 1-2 Schemes if they fit your strategy
  3. Look for key Action cards that benefit from consistency

  4. Consider whether terminal draw will be important in your strategy

  5. Mid Game (Turns 6-10)

  6. Start implementing Scheme combinations
  7. Use Scheme to ensure key engine pieces are available

  8. Consider getting additional Schemes if beneficial

  9. Late Game (Turns 11+)

  10. Focus on Scheming victory point generators if using alternate VP cards
  11. Continue Scheming key attack or engine components
  12. Be prepared to transition away from Scheming if deck composition changes

Multiple Schemes:

Having multiple Schemes can be powerful but requires careful consideration: - Can put multiple cards back on deck in a specific order - Allows for more flexible sequencing of important cards - May become redundant if you don't have enough worthy targets - Consider opportunity cost of additional $3 purchases

Number of Schemes to Buy: - 1 Scheme: Basic consistency for key cards - 2 Schemes: Flexible sequencing, multiple important targets - 3+ Schemes: Usually excessive unless specific strategy requires it

Counter-Strategy: - Junking attacks can disrupt Scheme's effectiveness - Deck inspection/manipulation (e.g., Spy, Scrying Pool) can interfere with planned sequences - Fast rushing strategies may outpace Scheme's setup time

Playing Against Scheme: 1. Consider rushing strategies if opponent is building a Scheme engine 2. Use attacks that add cards to their deck 3. Focus on disrupting their key Action cards rather than the Schemes themselves

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  1. Over-investing in Schemes
  2. Don't buy too many Schemes if you lack good targets

  3. Consider opportunity cost of not buying other $3 cards

  4. Poor Target Selection

  5. Don't Scheme mediocre cards just because you can

  6. Make sure the card you're Scheming is worth having next turn

  7. Inflexible Planning

  8. Don't commit too rigidly to Scheming the same card every turn

  9. Be willing to adapt based on game state

  10. Forgetting the Optional Nature

  11. Sometimes it's better not to Scheme anything
  12. Don't feel compelled to use Scheme's ability every turn

Advanced Techniques:

  1. Multi-Scheme Sequencing When you have multiple Schemes, carefully plan the order of cards you put back. Consider:
  2. Draw cards first for continuous deck access
  3. Economy cards for specific buy targets

  4. Attack cards based on opponent's likely responses

  5. Duration Card Cycling With Duration cards, you can create powerful cycles:

  6. Play Duration card on turn 1
  7. Scheme it on turn 2 after getting delayed benefit

  8. Repeat for consistent benefits

  9. Reaction Threading When using Reaction cards, Scheme can help ensure they're available when needed:

  10. Moat against expected attacks
  11. Secret Chamber for specific turns
  12. Watchtower for key purchases

Kingdom Considerations:

  1. Strong Scheme Kingdoms
  2. Multiple powerful Action cards
  3. Duration cards present
  4. Limited trash/attack cards

  5. Engine-friendly environments

  6. Weak Scheme Kingdoms

  7. Few valuable Action cards
  8. Heavy trashing present
  9. Rush strategies viable
  10. Big Money dominant

Cost Considerations:

At $3, Scheme competes with: - Silver - Other useful $3 Actions Consider whether Scheme's consistency outweighs raw buying power

Opening Strategies:

  1. Scheme/Silver
  2. Solid general-purpose opening
  3. Flexible for many strategies

  4. Good if planning to add valuable Actions

  5. Double Scheme

  6. Situational opening
  7. Requires strong Action cards in kingdom

  8. Can set up powerful early combinations

  9. Scheme/Action

  10. Strong with specific $3 Actions
  11. Allows immediate implementation of Scheme strategy

Timing Considerations:

  1. When to Buy Scheme
  2. Early if essential to strategy
  3. Mid-game if adding consistency

  4. Rarely late unless specific need

  5. When to Stop Buying Schemes

  6. When deck is running smoothly
  7. When victory cards become priority
  8. When alternative cards offer more value

Edge Cases and Rules Notes:

  1. Throne Room Interactions
  2. Can't Scheme copied cards
  3. Can Scheme the Throne Room itself

  4. Original card eligible for Scheme

  5. Duration Card Timing

  6. Can Scheme after getting both benefits
  7. Still works if Duration card is trashed before Clean-up
  8. Multiple Duration effects resolve before Scheme decision

Conclusion:

Scheme is a powerful card that requires thoughtful implementation. Its strength lies in creating consistency and enabling powerful combinations, particularly with Duration cards and terminal draw. Success with Scheme depends on: - Choosing appropriate targets - Proper kingdom analysis - Careful timing of purchases - Understanding of deck composition

When used correctly, Scheme can be a key component in many successful strategies, from engine building to attack chains. However, it requires careful consideration of opportunity costs and kingdom context to maximize its effectiveness.

The key to mastering Scheme is recognizing when its consistency-providing power outweighs the opportunity cost of including it in your deck, and then leveraging that consistency to execute your strategy more effectively than would be possible without it.