Solo Pyramid Setup Card Categories

By: Dennis B. B. Taylor

Categories for Setting Up a Solo Pyramid Deck

If you enjoy playing Pyramid Solitaire on your own, you may benefit from organizing your cards into different categories. These categories can help you set up a successful game and increase your chances of winning. In this article, I will explain the different card categories you can use to set up your solo Pyramid deck.

Number Cards

The first category is the number cards. These cards include the numbers 2 through 10 in each suit. When setting up your deck, separate the number cards from the rest of the deck. This will make it easier for you to locate and play these cards during the game.

Face Cards

The next category is the face cards. Face cards include the Jack, Queen, and King in each suit. Like the number cards, you should separate the face cards from the rest of the deck. This will allow you to quickly identify and use these cards as you progress through the game.

Ace Cards

Another category for your solo Pyramid deck is the ace cards. These cards are crucial for completing the pyramid and winning the game. Keep the ace cards separate and easily accessible, as they are essential for gameplay.

Special Cards

Lastly, the special cards category consists of the Joker and any other special cards that may be included in your deck. These cards often have unique abilities or rules associated with them. Make sure to familiarize yourself with these cards and their effects before starting the game.

By organizing your solo Pyramid deck into these different categories, you can enhance your gameplay experience and make setting up the game much simpler. Make sure to keep your categories well-defined and easily distinguishable to optimize your chances of winning. Happy playing!

When it comes to ensuring game balance, it’s important to pay attention to the distribution of cards. Let me take you through the different types of cards you should consider:

I. +Card/+Action

Here, you should select 2 cards, but it’s not recommended to have 2 villages in play.

  • [Dominion] Laboratory, Cellar, Village, Spy, or Market
  • [Intrigue] Wishing Well, Shanty Town, Mining Village, Scout, or Pawn
  • [Seaside] Warehouse, Treasury, Pearl Diver, Haven, Bazaar, or Caravan
  • [Prosperity] City, Grand Market, Worker’s Village, or Peddler
  • [Hinterlands] Cartographer, Scheme, Oasis, Border Village, Inn, or Highway
  • [Dark Ages] Sage, Wandering Minstrel, Vagrant, Ironmonger, Bandit Camp, Mystic, or Fortress
  • [Cornucopia] Tournament, Menagerie, Hamlet, or Hunting Party
  • [Guilds] Advisor, Baker, Herald, or Plaza
  • [Promo] Walled Village

By following these guidelines, you can ensure a well-balanced and enjoyable gameplay experience. So, select your cards wisely and have fun!

II. Coin

Discover the Perfect Card Combinations

Choosing the right cards to include in your deck is a crucial decision that can greatly impact your chances of victory in Dominion. When it comes to the Coin category, there are several powerful combinations that you should consider. Here are some top choices:

  • [Dominion] Chancellor or Festival
  • [Intrigue] Coppersmith or Conspirator
  • [Seaside] Treasure Map, Embargo, Merchant Ship, Cutpurse, or Navigator
  • [Prosperity] Bank, Quarry, Monument, Royal Seal, Hoard, Venture, Contraband, Talisman, or Loan
  • [Hinterlands] Fool’s Gold, Mandarin, Ill-Gotten Gains, Cache, Haggler, or Duchess
  • [Dark Ages] Poor House, Counterfeit, Squire, Scavenger, or Death Cart
  • [Guilds] Masterpiece or Horn of Plenty
  • [Promo] Black Market or Stash

III. Utility

Powerful Cards for Efficiency and Strategy

Now, let’s dive into the Utility category, which consists of cards that offer unique advantages and improve your overall gameplay. These cards are essential for building efficient strategies and gaining an edge over your opponents. Here are some key Utility cards you should consider:

  • [Dominion] Adventurer, Library, Throne Room, or Workshop
  • [Intrigue] Tribute, Ironworks, or Steward

By including these cards in your deck, you’ll have a higher chance of success and a more enjoyable gameplay experience. So, go ahead and explore these powerful combinations to elevate your Dominion skills!

IV. Victory or Reaction

  • [Dominion] Moat or Gardens
  • [Intrigue] Duke, Great Hall, Nobles, Harem or Secret Chamber
  • [Seaside] Island
  • [Prosperity] Watch Tower
  • [Hinterlands] Trader, Tunnel, Silk Road or Farmland
  • [Dark Ages] Rats or Count
  • [Cornucopia] Harvest or Farming Village
  • [Guilds] Butcher or Soothsayer
  • [Promo] Prince or Envoy

I. Intro

Hey there! Welcome to my guide on which cards to choose for your Dominion deck. If you’re new to the game or just looking for some advice, you’re in the right place. I’ve got some great recommendations for each expansion pack, so let’s get started!

II. Action

When it comes to action cards, there are so many to choose from, but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are my top picks for each expansion:

[Seaside] You can’t go wrong with the Smugglers, Fishing Village, Lighthouse, Tactician, Native Village, Explorer, or Outpost cards. They all bring something unique to the table, so pick the one that suits your strategy best.

[Prosperity] The Counting House and King’s Court are both solid choices. The Counting House can help you manage your deck more efficiently, while the King’s Court allows you to play the same action card three times in one turn.

[Hinterlands] For the Hinterlands expansion, I recommend the Crossroads, Jack of All Trades, or Stables cards. They all have their own benefits, so choose the one that fits your playstyle.

[Dark Ages] The Knights, Armory, Band of Misfits, Catacombs, Marauder, Graverobber, Rats, and Count cards are all great options from the Dark Ages expansion. Each one adds a unique twist to your gameplay, so give them a try.

[Cornucopia] Harvest and Farming Village are my top picks for the Cornucopia expansion. Harvest allows you to gain more cards, while Farming Village helps you manage your deck more effectively.

[Guilds] If you’re playing with the Guilds expansion, you can’t go wrong with the Doctor, Butcher, or Soothsayer cards. Each one brings its own set of skills to the game.

[Promo] Finally, if you’re playing with the Promo cards, I highly recommend the Prince or Envoy. They both have powerful abilities that can really give you an edge in the game.

III. Treasure

Now let’s talk about treasure cards. These cards are all about building up your wealth, so you can buy even more powerful cards. Here are my top picks for each expansion:

[Dominion] The Silver, Gold, and Platinum cards are all essential for building up your treasure. Make sure to grab a few of these to fuel your deck.

[Intrigue] The Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum cards are all great choices from the Intrigue expansion. Focus on getting a good mix of these to ensure you have enough money to buy the cards you want.

[Seaside] The Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum cards are also important from the Seaside expansion. Don’t forget to grab a few of these to fund your deck.

[Prosperity] The Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Colony cards are all crucial for the Prosperity expansion. You’ll need these to generate enough money to buy the more expensive cards in this set.

[Hinterlands] The same goes for the Hinterlands expansion. Focus on getting a good mix of Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Colony cards to maximize your purchasing power.

[Dark Ages] The main treasure card you’ll want from the Dark Ages expansion is the Copper card. This will help you build up your wealth and afford the other cards in this set.

[Cornucopia] The treasure cards in the Cornucopia expansion are pretty straightforward. Focus on getting a mix of Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum cards to ensure you have enough money to buy the cards you want.

[Guilds] Finally, from the Guilds expansion, you’ll want to focus on getting a good mix of Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum cards to maximize your purchasing power.

IV. Victory or Reaction

Now let’s take a look at victory and reaction cards. These cards can help you score victory points or react to your opponent’s actions. Here are my top picks for each expansion:

[Dominion] The Moat and Gardens cards are both great choices from the Dominion expansion. The Moat can help defend against your opponents’ attacks, while the Gardens can give you extra victory points.

[Intrigue] The Duke, Great Hall, Nobles, Harem, and Secret Chamber cards are all fantastic choices from the Intrigue expansion. Each one can help you score victory points or react to your opponents’ actions.

[Seaside] The Island card is a standout choice from the Seaside expansion. It allows you to set aside cards for later use, which can be a powerful strategy.

[Prosperity] The Watch Tower card is a must-have from the Prosperity expansion. It allows you to react to your opponents’ actions and gain additional cards.

[Hinterlands] From the Hinterlands expansion, I recommend the Trader, Tunnel, Silk Road, and Farmland cards. These can all help you score victory points or react to your opponents’ actions.

[Dark Ages] The Rats and Count cards are both strong choices from the Dark Ages expansion. The Rats card can help you thin out your deck, while the Count card can give you extra victory points.

[Cornucopia] For the Cornucopia expansion, the Harvest and Farming Village cards are great options. The Harvest card gives you victory points based on the variety of cards in your deck, while the Farming Village can help you manage your deck more effectively.

[Guilds] Finally, from the Guilds expansion, the Butcher and Soothsayer cards are both excellent choices. The Butcher allows you to gain additional cards, while the Soothsayer can give you victory points and attack your opponents.

And there you have it! My guide to the best cards to choose for your Dominion deck. I hope you found this helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in your games!

  1. [Dark Ages] Beggar, Market Square, or Feodum
  2. [Cornucopia] Fairgrounds or Horse Trader.

V. Card Trashing

  1. [Dominion] Remodel, Chapel, Mine, Money Lender, or Feast
  2. [Intrigue] Trading Post or Upgrade
  3. [Seaside] Lookout
  4. [Prosperity] Mint, Expand, Bishop, or Forge
  5. [Hinterlands] Develop, Spice, or Merchant
  6. [Dark Ages] Junk Dealer, Forager, Altar, Hermit, Rebuild, or Procession
  7. [Cornucopia] Remake
  8. [Guilds] Taxman or Stonemason.

VI. Attack

I must select at least 1 card from this category, specifically those that target the other player’s hand or deck.

  1. [Dominion] Witch, Militia, Bureaucrat, or Thief
  2. [Intrigue] Saboteur, Swindler, Torturer, or Minion

The Best Dominion Cards for Action Chains and +Buy/+Card Strategies

When playing Dominion, it’s all about finding the right cards that can unleash powerful combos and help you maximize your deck’s potential. One way to achieve this is by creating action chains, where you play multiple action cards in a single turn to generate incredible effects. Another effective strategy is focusing on +Buy and +Card cards, allowing you to purchase more cards and draw more for increased opportunities.

I. Action Chains

Building action chains is a fantastic way to create powerful combinations that can turn the tide of the game in your favor. Here are some of the best action cards to consider for action chains:

  • [Seaside] The Ambassador, Ghost Ship, Sea Hag, or Pirate Ship
  • [Prosperity] Goons, Mountebank, or Rabble
  • [Hinterlands] Noble Brigand
  • [Dark Ages] Urchin, Rogue, or Pillage
  • [Cornucopia] Fortune Teller, Young Witch, or Jester

II. +Buy or +Card

+Buy and +Card cards are essential for expanding your deck and giving you more options during your turns. Here are some top choices for +Buy and +Card cards:

  • [Dominion] Woodcutter, Council Room, or Smithy
  • [Intrigue] Bridge, Baron, Courtyard, or Masquerade
  • [Seaside] Wharf or Salvager
  • [Prosperity] Trade Route or Vault
  • [Hinterlands] Nomad Camp, Margrave, Oracle, or Embassy
  • [Dark Ages] Hunting Grounds, Cultist, or Storeroom
  • [Guilds] Candlestick Maker, Journeyman, or Merchant Guild

By building action chains and incorporating +Buy and +Card cards into your strategy, you can greatly enhance your Dominion gameplay. Experiment with different combinations and card interactions to discover unique and powerful strategies. Have fun and may the cards be in your favor!

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