Courtyard (Intrigue)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Courtyard:

Courtyard Strategy Guide

Introduction Courtyard is a humble $2 Action card from Intrigue that offers card draw with a unique twist. At first glance, it appears simple: draw three cards and put one card back on top of your deck. However, this combination of effects creates interesting strategic possibilities that make Courtyard more versatile than it might initially seem.

Basic Mechanics When you play Courtyard, you: 1. Draw three cards 2. Must put one card from your hand on top of your deck - Note that the card you put back can be any card from your hand, including cards you just drew or cards you were already holding - You cannot choose to skip putting a card back; it's mandatory

Core Benefits

1. Net Card Draw
2. Courtyard provides a net +2 cards (draw 3, put 1 back)
3. This makes it an effective card drawer, especially at the $2 price point

4. Helps you see more of your deck each turn

5. Deck Control

6. The put-back effect gives you control over your next draw
7. Can set up specific cards for your next turn

8. Allows you to manage your deck composition temporarily

9. Early Game Value

10. $2 cost makes it accessible from the opening
11. Provides immediate deck improvement
12. Helps find key cards early

Key Uses and Strategies

1. Opening Buy Considerations Courtyard makes an excellent opening buy for several reasons:
2. Affordable at $2
3. Immediately improves deck consistency
4. Helps find early key purchases

5. Works well with most other opening buys

6. Hand Smoothing One of Courtyard's primary functions is smoothing out your hands:

7. Can save important cards for next turn
8. Helps manage terminal collision
9. Allows you to save excess money for big purchases

10. Can remove dead cards from current hand

11. Setting Up Next Turn Courtyard excels at preparing for future turns:

12. Save an Action card for next turn when you're terminal-heavy
13. Put back treasure when you need specific amounts next turn
14. Save Victory cards when you need actions/money this turn

15. Set up specific combinations for the following turn

16. Deck Tracking The put-back effect gives you perfect knowledge of your next draw:

17. Helps with planning future turns
18. Allows for more precise decision-making
19. Particularly valuable in engines where knowing your next card matters

Synergies and Combinations

1. With Other Card Draw Courtyard works well with other drawing cards:
2. Laboratory
3. Smithy
4. Council Room
5. Can help manage terminal draw collision

6. Allows for strategic card placement

7. With Action-Heavy Decks Courtyard helps manage Action-dense decks:

8. Can save key Actions for next turn
9. Helps prevent terminal collision

10. Provides draw without being terminal itself

11. With Duration Cards Strong synergy with Duration cards:

12. Can set up important Duration cards for next turn
13. Helps ensure Duration effects trigger optimally

14. Works well with cards like Fishing Village, Wharf, Haven

15. With Card-Tracking Strategies Particularly effective with cards that care about deck order:

16. Navigator
17. Scout
18. Oracle
19. Spy

20. Helps maximize the value of these effects

21. With Treasure-Heavy Strategies Useful in Big Money variants:

22. Can save key treasures for critical turns
23. Helps hit specific price points
24. Manages green card dilution

Timing and Usage Tips

1. Early Game
2. Priority is finding key cards and purchases
3. Use to save important cards for next turn

4. Help manage early deck shuffle timing

5. Mid Game

6. Focus on deck building and engine construction
7. Save key components for critical turns

8. Manage growing deck complexity

9. Late Game

10. Help manage Victory card dilution
11. Set up specific buy amounts
12. Prepare for game-ending turns

Advanced Techniques

1. Managing Terminal Space Courtyard helps optimize terminal Action usage:
2. Save terminals for turns when you can play them
3. Prevent dead cards in hand

4. Maximize Action efficiency

5. Shuffle Timing Strategic use can influence shuffle timing:

6. Delay shuffles by putting cards back
7. Force shuffles by drawing through deck

8. Manipulate deck composition temporarily

9. Price Point Management Careful use helps hit specific buy amounts:

10. Save or remove specific treasures
11. Set up exact buying power

12. Manage split piles effectively

13. Engine Management In engine decks, Courtyard can:

14. Help establish draw chains
15. Manage component distribution
16. Ensure critical cards appear together

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses

1. Limited Impact
2. Only net +2 cards
3. Doesn't provide additional Actions

4. May not be enough draw for complex engines

5. Mandatory Put-Back

6. Must always put a card back
7. Can be awkward with small hand sizes

8. May force suboptimal choices

9. Competition at $2 Other strong $2 cards may be preferable:

10. Pearl Diver
11. Haven
12. Native Village

13. Consider kingdom context carefully

14. Scaling Issues

15. Effectiveness can decrease in late game
16. Less useful with Victory card dilution
17. May become redundant in strong engines

Kingdom Considerations

1. When to Buy Courtyard Strong considerations for purchase when:
2. Few other card drawers available
3. Deck control matters
4. Terminal space is limited

5. Early game improvement needed

6. When to Skip Courtyard Consider avoiding when:

7. Strong alternative $2 cards present
8. Better draw available
9. Terminal space is precious

10. Deck control less important

11. Number to Buy Typical purchase quantities:

12. 1-2 in most decks
13. 2-3 in draw-heavy strategies
14. 3+ rarely needed
15. Consider terminal density

Sample Strategies

1. Courtyard/Big Money Basic strategy:
2. Open Courtyard/Silver
3. Focus on Treasury acquisition
4. Use Courtyard to manage green cards

5. Time Province purchases carefully

6. Courtyard in Engines Implementation approach:

7. Early Courtyard for consistency
8. Build engine components
9. Use to manage terminal collision

10. Transition to engine draw later

11. Courtyard Control Deck manipulation focus:

12. Multiple Courtyards
13. Heavy emphasis on deck control
14. Combine with other manipulators
15. Precise turn planning

Specific Card Interactions

Strong Positive Interactions: 1. Duration cards (set up next turn) 2. Terminal draw (manage collision) 3. Deck inspectors (knowledge synergy) 4. Victory token generators (manage timing)

Weak or Negative Interactions: 1. Discard attacks (disrupts planning) 2. Deck-top attacks (wastes put-back) 3. Hand-size attackers (reduces options) 4. Heavy trashing (reduces flexibility)

Conclusion

Courtyard is a versatile $2 card that offers both immediate utility and strategic depth. Its combination of card draw and deck control makes it valuable in many strategies, from simple Big Money variants to complex engines. While not always a game-changing purchase, its low cost and consistent benefits make it a reliable choice in many kingdoms.

Key Takeaways: - Excellent early game card - Valuable deck control tool - Helps manage terminal density - Strong support for various strategies - Worth considering at $2 - Requires thoughtful use for maximum benefit

Remember that Courtyard's true strength lies not in its individual impact but in how it helps manage and optimize your deck's performance over time. Used skillfully, it can provide the consistency and control needed to execute more complex strategies effectively.