Navigator (Seaside)

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

Navigator Strategy Guide

Introduction Navigator is a $4 action card from Seaside that offers both economic benefit and deck manipulation. While it might appear simple at first glance, Navigator's flexibility makes it a surprisingly versatile card that can serve multiple strategic purposes in your deck.

Core Benefits

1. Economic Value
2. Provides +$2, making it equivalent to Silver in terms of money production
3. Unlike Silver, it's an Action card, meaning it can be modified by cards that interact with Actions

4. The $2 is guaranteed, regardless of what you do with the deck inspection ability

5. Deck Control

6. Allows you to look at your top 5 cards
7. Gives you the choice to either keep them (and reorder them) or discard them all
8. Provides valuable information about what's coming up in your deck
9. Can help you avoid bad hands or set up good ones

Key Strategic Uses

1. Quality Control Navigator's primary strength lies in its ability to help you avoid bad hands. When you see five cards that won't work well together or won't serve your current needs, you can discard them all and draw fresh cards on your next turn.

Common scenarios for discarding: - Multiple terminal actions without villages - Too many victory cards - A mix of cards that don't synergize well - Hands that would leave you just short of an important purchase

1. Hand Setup When you see good cards, you can reorder them to create stronger future turns. This is particularly valuable when:
2. Setting up action chains
3. Ensuring you hit specific price points
4. Preparing for specific card combinations

5. Planning multiple turns ahead

6. Deck Tracking Even if you don't manipulate the cards, seeing your top 5 cards provides valuable information about:

7. What resources you'll have available next turn
8. Whether you need to adjust your strategy
9. The current composition of your deck

Timing Considerations

Early Game: - Navigator is a solid early-game purchase - The +$2 helps reach important price points - Deck manipulation is more impactful when deck is smaller - Can help manage starting Estates

Mid Game: - Becomes more valuable as deck complexity increases - Helps manage the introduction of green cards - Can set up important power turns

Late Game: - Helps avoid victory card clogs - Can set up game-ending purchases - Less effective as deck becomes more victory-card heavy

Synergies and Combinations

1. Duration Cards Navigator works well with duration cards because:
2. You can see if duration cards are coming up
3. Helps plan multiple turns in advance

4. Can ensure duration cards arrive at optimal times

5. Draw Cards

6. Can help set up big draw turns
7. Works well with Library, Watchtower, and similar cards

8. Helps ensure draw cards don't waste effort on victory cards

9. Action Chains Navigator excels at setting up action chains:

10. Can arrange villages and terminals optimally
11. Helps prevent terminal collision

12. Allows for planning of complex turns

13. Throne Room Effects

14. Throne Room/King's Court on Navigator gives more options
15. Can look at more cards total
16. Provides more chances to find good cards

17. Multiple +$2 bonuses

18. Treasury

19. Can ensure Treasuries will return to deck
20. Helps manage when to take copper vs. return to deck

Counter-Synergies and Weaknesses

1. Shuffle-Heavy Decks
2. Less effective when deck frequently shuffles
3. May not get full value from reordering

4. Still provides value through discard option

5. Small Decks

6. May reveal too much of deck
7. Less flexibility in discard decisions

8. Economic value still relevant

9. Heavy Victory Card Decks

10. More likely to need discard option
11. Less control over deck composition
12. Reduced effectiveness late game

Specific Kingdom Considerations

When to Buy Navigator:

Strong Reasons to Buy: - No other deck manipulation available - Need reliable +$2 - Complex action chains present - Duration cards in kingdom - Few other $4 options

Reasons to Skip: - Better $4 cards available - Strong trashing already present - Very shuffle-heavy kingdom - Better deck manipulation available

Comparing to Other $4 Cards

vs. Sea Hag: - More flexible - Less attacking power - Better economy - More consistent

vs. Caravan: - Less draw - More flexibility - Similar economy over time - Better deck control

vs. Gardens: - Different strategic goals - Navigator better for engine building - Gardens better for rush strategies

Building Around Navigator

1. Engine Decks Navigator supports engine building by:
2. Managing terminal density
3. Setting up key combinations
4. Providing economic support
5. Offering deck quality control

Sample Engine Priority: 1. Key engine pieces 2. Navigator for support 3. Additional actions/draw 4. Payload cards

1. Big Money Variants Navigator can improve big money by:
2. Ensuring good money density
3. Avoiding dead draws
4. Providing additional economy
5. Managing green cards

Sample Big Money Priority: 1. Silver/Gold 2. Navigator 3. Additional economy 4. Victory cards

1. Combo Decks Navigator helps combo decks by:
2. Finding key pieces
3. Avoiding bad shuffles
4. Setting up critical turns
5. Providing backup plans

Optimization Tips

1. Tracking Decisions Keep mental note of:
2. Cards seen
3. Cards discarded
4. Deck composition

5. Shuffle timing

6. Planning Multiple Turns Consider:

7. Next turn's needs
8. Upcoming shuffles
9. Victory card distribution

10. Action density

11. Information Usage Use revealed cards to:

12. Plan purchases
13. Time green card buys
14. Manage action economy
15. Optimize coin usage

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overvaluing Reordering
2. Don't spend too much time on perfect order
3. Remember shuffle likelihood

4. Consider whether order matters

5. Neglecting the Discard Option

6. Sometimes discarding is better than any order
7. Don't force keeping mediocre cards

8. Consider opportunity cost

9. Forgetting the +$2

10. Don't focus solely on deck manipulation
11. Remember economic value
12. Consider total turn potential

Advanced Strategies

1. Multi-Navigator Chains
2. Can provide extensive deck control
3. Allows for seeing more cards
4. Increases economic base

5. Requires careful action management

6. Information Tracking

7. Use Navigator information for deck counting
8. Track victory card distribution
9. Monitor key card locations

10. Plan multiple turns ahead

11. Shuffle Timing

12. Use Navigator to influence shuffle timing
13. Consider whether to trigger shuffles
14. Plan around known card positions

Kingdom-Specific Strategies

Strong Kingdoms: - Duration card kingdoms - Engine kingdoms with terminal actions - Kingdoms with few other $4 options - Kingdoms lacking deck manipulation

Weak Kingdoms: - Heavy trashing kingdoms - Kingdoms with superior $4 cards - Shuffle-heavy kingdoms - Simple big money kingdoms

Multiplayer Considerations

In 3+ Player Games: - More valuable for consistency - Helps manage attacks - Economic value more important - Deck control more critical

In 2 Player Games: - More flexibility in strategy - Can focus more on optimization - Timing more critical - Information more valuable

Conclusion

Navigator is a solid $4 card that offers both economic value and strategic flexibility. While not always the strongest option at its price point, it provides reliable support for many strategies and can be particularly valuable in: - Engine building - Managing complex action chains - Providing deck control - Supporting duration cards - Offering consistent economy

The key to using Navigator effectively is understanding its dual nature as both an economic card and a deck manipulation tool. By properly balancing these aspects and using the information it provides, Navigator can be a valuable addition to many decks and strategies.

Final Tips: - Don't overthink ordering decisions - Value the economic benefit - Use information gained - Consider kingdom context - Plan multiple turns ahead - Remember flexibility in discard option

With proper use, Navigator can provide both the consistency and flexibility needed to support various Dominion strategies while offering reliable economic value throughout the game.