Magic Lamp (Nocturne)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Magic Lamp:

Magic Lamp Strategy Guide

Introduction Magic Lamp is a unique Heirloom treasure from the Nocturne expansion that offers a powerful reward - three Wishes - but requires careful deck construction and timing to activate. Understanding how to optimize Magic Lamp's condition while maximizing the value of the Wishes it provides is key to leveraging this card effectively.

Basic Mechanics - Magic Lamp provides $1 when played - Its trashing condition requires exactly 6 or more cards with exactly one copy in play - When trashed, it provides 3 Wishes (powerful $6 Action cards that can gain any card or provide +$2) - As an Heirloom, one copy starts in your deck when you buy its associated Kingdom card

Key Characteristics 1. Zero cost 2. Self-trashing mechanism 3. Requires specific board state to activate 4. Provides valuable Wishes upon activation

Understanding the "Exactly One Copy" Condition

The most crucial aspect of Magic Lamp is meeting its condition of having 6+ cards with exactly one copy in play. This means: - You need diverse cards rather than multiple copies - Duration cards that stay in play help meet this condition - Cards that play other cards from your deck can help or hinder this goal - You must carefully track duplicates

Optimal Timing

When to Activate: - Mid-game is often ideal, when you have: * Enough different cards to meet the condition * Deck economy to utilize the Wishes * Time to incorporate gained cards into your strategy - Early activation can be powerful but challenging to achieve - Late activation may not leave enough time to leverage the Wishes

Strategy Components

1. Deck Construction

Key principles for building a Magic Lamp deck: - Focus on singleton cards initially - Include card-drawing effects to see more of your deck - Consider Duration cards that stay in play - Balance unique cards with deck consistency

Good card types for Magic Lamp decks: - Unique Treasures (Quarry, Horn of Plenty) - Duration cards (Caravan, Wharf) - One-off powerful Actions (Bridge, King's Court) - Cards that play other cards (Throne Room variants)

1. Meeting the Condition

Methods to get 6+ unique cards in play: a) Duration chains - Play multiple Duration cards across turns - Each stays in play, contributing to the count - Examples: Haunted Woods, Gear, Haven

b) Village chains - Play multiple different village cards - Each stays in play during your turn - Examples: Native Village, Fishing Village, Border Village

c) Throne Room variants - Use different copies of throne-type effects - Each stays in play while resolving - Examples: Throne Room, King's Court, Crown

d) Mixed approach - Combine multiple strategies - Provides flexibility and reliability - Requires careful deck building

1. Utilizing Wishes

Once you gain the Wishes, maximize their value: - Gain expensive cards ($6+) - Setup powerful combinations - Fill strategic gaps in your deck - Use for economy when needed ($2)

Common Wish targets: - Provinces/Colonies - Key engine pieces - Powerful unique cards - Alternative victory cards

Synergistic Cards

Strong Companions: 1. Duration Cards - Wharf - Caravan - Haven - Gear - Fishing Village

1. Throne Room Effects
2. Throne Room
3. King's Court
4. Crown

5. Procession

6. Card Draw

7. Laboratory
8. Smithy
9. Council Room

10. Drawing Villages

11. Village Variants

12. Native Village
13. Festival
14. Market

15. Worker's Village

16. Other Supporting Cards

17. Scheme (to plan Duration chains)
18. Band of Misfits (counts as unique)
19. Highway (cost reduction helps Wishes)
20. Bridge (same as Highway)

Counter Strategies

When facing Magic Lamp: 1. Attack options: - Discard attacks disrupt setup - Junking attacks make consistency harder - Possession can steal Wish gains

1. Racing strategies:
2. Push provinces before Wishes activate
3. Build faster engines

4. Focus on alternate victory conditions

5. Deck manipulation:

6. Gain key cards before opponent's Wishes
7. Control pile availability
8. Consider card-gaining limits

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overcommitting to uniqueness
2. Don't sacrifice deck consistency

3. Balance singleton strategy with power

4. Poor timing

5. Activating too early without follow-up

6. Waiting too long to setup condition

7. Mismanaging duplicates

8. Tracking copies incorrectly

9. Playing duplicates unnecessarily

10. Suboptimal Wish usage

11. Gaining low-impact cards
12. Not considering timing of gains
13. Using for money when cards needed

Kingdom Considerations

Favorable Kingdoms: - Many Duration cards available - Strong $6+ cards to gain - Card draw support - Village/splitter support - Cost reduction effects

Unfavorable Kingdoms: - Heavy attack presence - Limited valuable gain targets - Junking elements - Alternate victory focus - Limited Action support

Sample Strategies

1. Duration Chain Strategy Turn 1-2: Acquire Durations Turn 3-4: Play Durations, add draw Turn 5-6: Complete condition, activate Lamp Turn 7+: Leverage Wishes for power cards

2. Village Engine Strategy Turn 1-3: Build village diversity Turn 4-5: Add draw support Turn 6: Activate Lamp Turn 7+: Use Wishes to complete engine

3. Mixed Approach Turn 1-2: Get key support cards Turn 3-4: Add Duration elements Turn 5: Include unique actions Turn 6-7: Activate Lamp Turn 8+: Execute endgame

Specific Kingdom Examples

Example 1: Strong Setup Kingdom cards: - Fishing Village - Caravan - Laboratory - King's Court - Market - Bridge - Witch - Colony/Platinum Strategy: Duration/village mix with strong Wish targets

Example 2: Challenging Setup Kingdom cards: - Militia - Bureaucrat - Chapel - Gardens - Workshop - Village - Cellar - Moat Strategy: Limited support requires careful planning

Playing With/Against Magic Lamp

When Using Magic Lamp: 1. Plan activation timeline 2. Track unique cards carefully 3. Prepare for post-activation strategy 4. Consider opponent's counter-options

When Opposing Magic Lamp: 1. Monitor activation progress 2. Control key piles 3. Press advantage before Wishes 4. Consider denial strategies

Advanced Techniques

1. Delayed Activation
2. Hold Magic Lamp until optimal moment
3. Setup multiple activations

4. Coordinate with other strategies

5. Pile Control

6. Monitor crucial piles
7. Time gains appropriately

8. Consider alternate targets

9. Engine Integration

10. Incorporate into existing engines
11. Use as supplement not focus
12. Balance with other strategies

Conclusion

Magic Lamp is a powerful but complex card that rewards careful planning and strategic deck construction. Success requires: - Understanding unique card requirements - Timing activation optimally - Maximizing Wish value - Balancing uniqueness with consistency

Key Takeaways: 1. Plan your path to activation 2. Build supporting infrastructure 3. Time activation strategically 4. Use Wishes effectively 5. Maintain deck consistency

When properly executed, Magic Lamp can provide a significant advantage through its Wishes, but requires careful attention to setup and timing. The key is balancing the unique card requirement with overall deck effectiveness while preparing to maximize the value of the Wishes once gained.