Top Ten Tapestry Card Rankings

[RichardWest]

I thought it would be fun to post a top 10 tapestry card list, and hope other good players do so as well. It will be important to understand the criteria I based my list on:

- 2v2 gameplay
- Nov 2022 civ adjustments (the civs from the past 5+ arena seasons, NOT the civs from the current disaster of an arena season)
- Ranking is based on the average ability to make use of a tapestry card in any civ matchup, any game situation, or drawing at any point in the game. Obviously some cards have incredibly strong plays in very specific cases - this ranking is based on average ability to use a tapestry card in any situation.
- I am not counting Marriage of State or Renaissance

1) Dark Ages. This card is so strong. I find I can use it to make a game-changing play in almost any situation and at any point in the game. That being said, I often see low to medium ranked players use it in suboptimal ways, or ways that even hurt them. Stealing a landmark from an opponent, while also moving backward on three different 2-3 value res track locations does not make sense.
2) Revisionism. Only reason it is ranked below Dark Ages is because there are some very early or very late game situations where it is not that good.
3) Dictatorship. This one speaks for itself.
4) Espionage. This cards gives so much flexibility and tactical options. Often cancels any good cards your opponent has.
5) Oil Magnate. Again, this one speaks for itself.
6) Trade Economy. I will let you take science and copy you on S11. Or M12.
7) Wartime Economy. Everyone knows this card is good, but sometimes it traps people into bad plays - they ride it out to get that one last free bonus, but at the same time allow the opponent to take first-to-era income with a strong income mat.
8) Plea for Aid. Two res and four points (or more)? Yes please.
9) Dystopia. I think a lot of people will be surprised how low I have this one. The longer I have played, the more times I have found myself passing on Dystopia for better plays. Yes its good, but not as good as many think.
10) Socialism. Very strong possibilities. Only reason it is ranked this low is because there are enough game situations where it just doesn't work out or doesn't make sense.

Just outside the top 10:
Capitalism (I think many underrate this card)
Industrialism (very good, but there are enough situations where it just doesn't work)

[Rtmason714]

Thanks for the list. I have never mastered dark ages. I had slept on plea for aid too long.

[DHMS]

Some interesting, but weird choices in there imo.

Dark Ages in 1st is controversial. I agree that it can be gamechanging, but I disagree about the "any situation" part. I can rarely find good uses for it midgame, while grinding through tier 2-3. Sure you can still steal a landmark with it, but you have to accept drawbacks for it. I think Dark Ages is very good used early to just jumpstart a second track (becoming mini Futurists), and it's best when used late on M10, comboed with 1 or 2 great tier 4 benefits on other tracks. So it's a very good, situational card, but not in the top ranks for me.... at least not yet

I also disagree with your high placements of Oil Magnate and Plea for Aid
- Oil Magnate: Free moves are always great, but giving the other players the choice to move or not is a significant drawback. Sure it can save you 2-3 resources, but it doesn't let you steal the lead on a track like Dictatorship does. And sometimes I'm even happy when an opposing Oil Magnate allows me to skip a shitty field.
- Plea for Aid: Above average card, but shouldn't be anywhere near a top 10. There are various other cards that can give you 2 resources or sometimes more.

Anyways, in my head, I've always made two separate rankings, one for era cards and one for immediate effects. So I keep it like that for now, maybe I'll merge it into one list later.

"This Era" cards:
1. Wartime Economy. Not the card with the highest potential, but it is the card with the highest reliability. It's ALWAYS good, no matter which track, which civ, which situation, early or late, no other cards reliably saves you 3-4 resources (and sometimes more) as WE does.
2. Industrialism. Not as reliable, but absolutely insane potential. Some of my best games were thanks to this card, inventing 10+ tech cards, double-finishing the tech track
3. Revisionism. Can deliver 4-5 resources lategame, or 1-2 resources or 1-2 income buildings early. Quite awesome, but often not as good as you're hoping it to be at the beginning of the era. In theory, getting 3-4 red buildings in Era II sounds insane, but that never happens.
4. ... leaving an honorary placeholder for Marriage of State. Hate that card so much, I'm glad it's banned. For me, MoS and the 3 cards above were always considered the "big four"
5. Pirate Rule. Underrated cards, that can easily get you 5-6 resources when saving it for Era IV and going Military late as your 3rd or 4th track, referably comboed with Science.
Honorary mentions:
- Pillage And Plunder: Who doesn't hate having this played against you?
- Capitalism: Agree on it being underrated. Very good in some situations, can give you 2-3 resources and some points

"When Played" cards
1. Rennessaince, obviously.
2. Trade Economy. Can deliver 2 free moves late game, or copying another great benefit. Best when saved for lategame, but even earlygame it's a very good card, almost always giving you an income building or another decent benefit.
3. Dictatorship. Free moves are always great, but this one is a landmark stealer and even a potential game ender on top of it.
4. Dystopia. Had enough discussions on this card in the Guru area, so I'm just leaving it there
5. Diplomacy. Maybe my favourite earlygame card, and still decent lategame.
Honorary mentions
- Espionage: Hard to rank, it depends on the quality of the other played cards
- Meritocracy & Feudalism: Best cards to play late for points (and not useless early either)
- Dark Ages & Socialism for obvious reasons