Upgrade
Some card images may not be available for public viewing.

Upgrade (Intrigue)

Cost: $5

Type: Action

Text: +1 Card\n+1 Action\nTrash a card from your hand. Gain a card costing exactly $1 more than it.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Upgrade:

Upgrade Strategy Guide

Introduction: Upgrade is a powerful and flexible card from Dominion: Intrigue that allows you to gradually improve your deck while maintaining action economy. Its ability to both draw a card and provide an action makes it self-replacing, while its trashing and gaining abilities enable strategic deck transformation throughout the game.

Core Mechanics and Basic Usage:

  1. Self-Replacing Nature
  2. Upgrade gives +1 Card and +1 Action, meaning it doesn't take up an action slot
  3. This makes it relatively safe to include multiple copies in your deck

  4. You can play all your Upgrades without risking terminal collision

  5. Trashing Mechanism

  6. You must trash a card if you can (it's not optional)
  7. The gained card must cost exactly $1 more than the trashed card
  8. This precise cost requirement is both a limitation and an opportunity
  9. If you have no cards in hand after drawing, you can't trash anything

Basic Strategic Uses:

  1. Early Game
  2. Can trash Copper ($0) into Estates ($2)
  3. Can trash Estates ($2) into Silver ($3)
  4. Helps thin your deck while simultaneously gaining better cards

  5. Consider buying Upgrade on $5 opening turns

  6. Mid Game

  7. Transforms middling cards into more powerful ones
  8. Can upgrade Silver ($3) into good $4 cards

  9. Excellent for converting early-game cards that have lost utility

  10. Late Game

  11. Can convert excess money into Victory cards
  12. Transforms lower-value Victory cards into higher ones
  13. Helps maintain deck quality while greening

Key Upgrade Chains:

Common Useful Sequences: - Copper ($0) → Curse ($0) → Nothing - Estate ($2) → Silver ($3) - Silver ($3) → Various $4 cards - Gold ($6) → Province ($8) - Duchy ($5) → Gold ($6) - Province ($8) → Province ($8)

Advanced Strategies and Combinations:

  1. Engine Building Upgrade excels in engine-building strategies because:
  2. It's non-terminal, supporting multiple action plays
  3. It can systematically improve card quality

  4. It helps thin your deck while maintaining or increasing your buying power

  5. Card Synergies:

Strong Combinations: a) Throne Room/King's Court - Multiple Upgrade effects in one action - Can quickly transform your deck - Particularly powerful with cards that have useful upgrade paths

b) Draw Cards (Laboratory, Smithy, etc.) - More cards in hand means more upgrade options - Helps find key cards to upgrade - Maintains hand size after trashing

c) Gainers (Workshop, Ironworks) - Can gain cards specifically to upgrade them - Creates efficient upgrade chains - Helps acquire specific cost cards needed for upgrades

d) Other Trashers - Provides flexibility in trashing choices - Helps thin deck faster - Can create powerful complementary effects

  1. Kingdom-Specific Considerations:

Cost Gap Strategies: - Look for valuable upgrade paths in the Kingdom - Consider cards that are powerful at specific price points - Be aware of gaps in the cost curve that might limit options

Victory Card Considerations: - Gardens decks might want to retain cards rather than upgrade - Colony games offer new upgrade paths - Silk Road and other alternate Victory cards create new opportunities

Timing and Deck Composition:

  1. When to Buy Upgrade:

Early Game Factors: - Available $5 opening splits - Presence of alternative trashers - Kingdom-specific upgrade paths - Competition for key cards

Mid-Game Considerations: - Current deck composition - Remaining upgrade opportunities - Victory card situation - Engine development status

  1. How Many to Buy:

Factors to Consider: - Deck size and composition - Available actions - Alternative card-improvement methods - Game pace and end-game timing

General Guidelines: - 2-3 copies in most engines - More in dedicated Upgrade strategies - Fewer in big money or rush strategies - Consider stopping when upgrade paths diminish

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses:

  1. Limitations:

Cost Restrictions: - Must gain exactly $1 more - Can create dead ends in upgrade paths - Some kingdoms lack good upgrade sequences

Timing Issues: - Requires multiple turns to execute chains - Can be too slow in rush strategies - May conflict with greening timing

  1. Counter-Play:

Opponent Strategies: - Rush strategies can pressure before Upgrade chains complete - Junking attacks can disrupt upgrade paths - Gaining key upgrade target cards can block strategies

Defending Against These: - Incorporate additional trashing - Maintain alternative strategies - Consider backup plans for blocked upgrade paths

Special Considerations:

  1. Multiplayer Games:
  2. More competition for key cards
  3. Increased importance of timing
  4. Different upgrade paths may become viable

  5. Greater impact of junking attacks

  6. Colony Games:

  7. New upgrade paths available
  8. Longer game duration affects strategy
  9. Different end-game considerations

  10. Modified Victory card priorities

  11. Prosperity Games:

  12. Platinum and Colony create new options
  13. Different cost curve considerations
  14. Modified timing for deck development
  15. New late-game upgrade paths

Sample Strategies:

  1. Classic Engine Build:
  2. Buy 2-3 Upgrades early
  3. Focus on action card upgrades
  4. Build toward consistent deck

  5. Convert to Victory cards late

  6. Money-Heavy Approach:

  7. Use Upgrade to improve treasure cards
  8. Convert excess money to Victory cards
  9. Maintain buying power while greening

  10. Focus on efficient upgrade paths

  11. Combo-Based Strategy:

  12. Acquire key combo pieces
  13. Use Upgrade to thin and improve
  14. Build toward specific card combinations
  15. Time Victory card acquisition carefully

Advanced Tips and Tricks:

  1. Optimization Techniques:
  2. Track upgrade paths carefully
  3. Plan multiple turns ahead
  4. Consider opportunity costs

  5. Maintain flexibility in strategies

  6. Timing Considerations:

  7. Balance trashing and gaining
  8. Monitor game pace
  9. Watch opponent strategies

  10. Plan end-game transitions

  11. Special Situations:

  12. Using Upgrade defensively
  13. Responding to attacks
  14. Adapting to blocked paths
  15. Managing hand composition

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  1. Strategic Errors:
  2. Over-investing in Upgrade
  3. Ignoring alternative strategies
  4. Following fixed upgrade paths

  5. Neglecting deck balance

  6. Tactical Mistakes:

  7. Poor upgrade timing
  8. Suboptimal card choices
  9. Inflexible planning

  10. Ignoring opponent actions

  11. General Issues:

  12. Forgetting non-upgrade options
  13. Poor end-game timing
  14. Inadequate deck tracking
  15. Insufficient adaptation

Conclusion:

Upgrade is a versatile and powerful card that rewards careful planning and strategic thinking. Its ability to gradually improve your deck while maintaining action economy makes it valuable in many strategies. Success with Upgrade requires:

  • Understanding available upgrade paths
  • Careful timing and planning
  • Flexibility in strategy
  • Awareness of game state
  • Balance with other tactics

The card shines brightest when: - Multiple valuable upgrade paths exist - Game pace allows for deck development - Engine building is viable - Card improvement is important

Keep in mind: - Cost restrictions can limit options - Timing is crucial - Alternative strategies may be needed - Opponent actions affect strategy

Master these aspects of Upgrade play, and you'll have a powerful tool for improving your Dominion gameplay across many different kingdom configurations.