Zombie Mason (Nocturne)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Zombie Mason:

Zombie Mason Strategy Guide

Introduction Zombie Mason is a $3 Action-Zombie card from the Nocturne expansion that allows you to trash the top card of your deck and potentially gain a more expensive card. As a Zombie card, it can only be obtained through specific means (primarily through the Necromancer card or Graveyard mat effects) and cannot be directly purchased from the Supply.

Core Mechanics and Basic Usage

1. Trashing Effect
2. Zombie Mason's primary function is as a trasher, removing unwanted cards from your deck
3. Unlike most trashers, you don't get to choose what to trash - it's always the top card
4. This randomness makes it less reliable than targeted trashers like Chapel or Steward

5. However, the gaining ability helps compensate for this limitation

6. Gaining Ability

7. After trashing, you may gain a card costing up to $1 more than the trashed card
8. This is optional - you don't have to gain anything if you don't want to
9. The gained card goes to your discard pile
10. The cost comparison uses the base cost of cards (not modified by Bridge or other cost reducers)

Key Strengths

1. Deck Improvement
2. Can upgrade lower-value cards into more valuable ones
3. Helps thin your deck while potentially adding better cards

4. Free trashing (no additional cost beyond playing the action)

5. Cost Efficiency

6. At $3, it's an affordable way to both trash and gain cards

7. The upgrade path can be valuable even with basic cards (Copper → Silver, Estate → Silver)

8. Flexibility

9. Works with any card costs in your deck
10. Can choose not to gain if there's nothing worthwhile available
11. Can help acquire specific price-point cards you need

Limitations and Weaknesses

1. Randomness
2. No control over what gets trashed
3. Can accidentally trash valuable cards

4. May need to plan turns carefully to maximize chances of hitting desired cards

5. Limited Upgrade Range

6. Only gains cards costing up to $1 more
7. Can't make big jumps in card value

8. May take multiple uses to reach desired cards

9. Accessibility

10. Cannot be bought directly
11. Requires specific kingdom cards or effects to obtain
12. May not be consistently available

Strategic Considerations

1. Deck Composition
2. Works best in decks with many low-value cards you want to upgrade
3. More effective early game when deck is mostly basic cards

4. Consider your deck's overall distribution of card costs

5. Timing

6. Early game: Focus on upgrading basic cards (Coppers, Estates)
7. Mid game: Can help reach specific price points for engine pieces

8. Late game: May become less useful as deck improves

9. Card Counting

10. Track what's likely to be on top of your deck
11. Consider using deck inspection cards to set up better trashes
12. Be aware of shuffle timing to maximize effectiveness

Specific Card Interactions

Strong Synergies:

1. Deck Inspection
2. Seer: Look at top cards to plan Zombie Mason plays
3. Scout: Arrange top cards for optimal trashing

4. Navigator: Control what Zombie Mason hits

5. Cost Reduction

6. Bridge: Enables gaining better cards within the +$1 limit
7. Highway: Similar to Bridge, makes higher-cost cards accessible

8. Quarry: Particularly useful for gaining more expensive Action cards

9. Card Recovery

10. Lurker: Can retrieve valuable cards accidentally trashed
11. Graveyard: Get back important cards that were trashed
12. Haven: Set aside cards you don't want to trash

Counter Synergies:

1. Top Deck Manipulation (Opponent's)
2. Bureaucrat: Can force bad trashes
3. Rabble: Disrupts planned top card

4. Fortune Teller: May put unwanted cards on top

5. Cost Increasing

6. Way of the Butterfly: Makes gaining replacement cards harder
7. Tax: Can prevent gaining desired replacements
8. Expedition: Similar effect to Tax

Specific Kingdom Configurations

Strong Kingdoms: 1. Kingdoms with: - Multiple valuable $3-4 cards - Cost reducers - Deck inspection - Card recovery options - Cards that benefit from trashing

Weak Kingdoms: 1. Kingdoms with: - Few worthwhile upgrade targets - Cost increasers - Heavy attack elements - Limited access to Zombie cards

Gameplay Strategies

Early Game: 1. Priority Targets - Upgrade Coppers to Silvers when possible - Convert Estates to more useful $3 cards - Look for key engine pieces at appropriate price points

1. Deck Control
2. Try to maintain awareness of deck order
3. Don't over-commit to Zombie Mason if access is limited
4. Balance trashing with deck functionality

Mid Game: 1. Strategic Upgrades - Focus on acquiring specific cards needed for your strategy - Consider whether upgrades are still worthwhile - Watch for opportunities to gain key components

1. Engine Building
2. Use Zombie Mason to streamline your deck
3. Convert dead cards into useful actions
4. Maintain balance between trashing and gaining

Late Game: 1. Selective Use - Only use when clear benefits exist - Be cautious of trashing valuable cards - Consider whether gains are still meaningful

1. Victory Card Considerations
2. May help convert dead cards into victory points
3. Be careful not to trash needed victory cards
4. Consider timing of final shuffles

Advanced Techniques

1. Chain Upgrades
2. Plan sequences of upgrades across multiple turns
3. Use cost reduction strategically

4. Consider long-term upgrade paths

5. Deck Manipulation

6. Combine with sifting effects
7. Use draw cards strategically

8. Plan shuffles carefully

9. Recovery Plans

10. Have backup plans for bad trashes
11. Consider ways to retrieve key cards
12. Maintain flexible strategies

Measuring Success

Good Signs: - Consistent upgrades of basic cards - Steady improvement in deck quality - Maintaining useful action density - Reaching key price points effectively

Warning Signs: - Frequently trashing valuable cards - Unable to gain useful replacements - Deck becoming too thin - Losing tempo due to poor gains

Sample Turn Examples

Example 1: Early Game Starting hand: Copper, Copper, Copper, Estate, Zombie Mason Play: Zombie Mason, trash top card (Copper) Gain: Silver Result: Effective basic upgrade

Example 2: Mid Game Starting hand: Silver, Village, Zombie Mason, Market, Copper Play: Village, Market, Zombie Mason, trash top card (Estate) Gain: Useful $3 action card Result: Deck improvement while maintaining engine

Counter-Play

When Opposing: 1. Considerations - Watch for opportunities to disrupt top deck - Consider attacks that increase costs - Track opponent's upgrade paths

1. Responses
2. Use attacks strategically
3. Compete for key price point cards
4. Consider tempo advantages

Resource Management

1. Action Economy
2. Balance Zombie Mason plays with other actions
3. Consider action density requirements

4. Watch for terminal collision

5. Treasure Management

6. Track upgrade opportunities
7. Consider impact on buying power
8. Balance trashing treasures with needs

Kingdom Selection Impact

When Available: 1. Considerations - Evaluate upgrade paths - Assess card accessibility - Consider kingdom synergies

1. Strategy Adjustments
2. Plan for randomness
3. Prepare alternative approaches
4. Consider reliability factors

Conclusion

Zombie Mason is a unique trasher that offers consistent, if random, deck improvement opportunities. Its success depends heavily on: - Kingdom composition - Deck construction - Strategic timing - Careful planning

While not as powerful as some dedicated trashers, its combination of trashing and gaining provides valuable deck improvement opportunities when used thoughtfully. Understanding its limitations and planning accordingly is key to maximizing its effectiveness.

The card's zombie nature makes it an interesting tactical option rather than a strategic cornerstone, but in the right circumstances, it can provide significant value to your deck-building efforts. Success with Zombie Mason comes from embracing its randomness while minimizing its drawbacks through careful play and strategic planning.