Any high level strategies resources out there?

[whaaalee]

Last time I checked I could only find playthrough type of content. I'm interested in any discussions or links to top level zenith strategies

[whaaalee]

I'll start with a zenith card tier list https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/365004 ... -in-zenith
It does a pretty good job breaking down cards though I disagree with some of the picks. Ultimately, I also think that it would be more appropriate to have one tier list per early/mid/late game

[Lapirex]

What about leader's token?

[visuseast]

I started a google doc awhile back with high level info and tips. haven't gotten around to finishing it, but feel free to PM me, happy to talk more

[Johb79]

I'm no expert but I played about 250 games and learnt a few things along the way.

I'll start with a zenith card tier list https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/365004 ... -in-zenith
It does a pretty good job breaking down cards though I disagree with some of the picks. Ultimately, I also think that it would be more appropriate to have one tier list per early/mid/late game

Yeah that tierlist is kinda pointless because some S tier cards are trash early game and some expensive cards in the B & C tier are bad early game but become S tier later on. Like you said : out of context, a tier list is irrelevant.

I never found proper strategies guides but a good resource is BGA games records. Go watch games with top players and you'll learn a lot.

Some of the most important things for me :
- mulligan : get rid of all the cards that don't provide money or Zenithium very easily. I hate to do it but I always trash cards that would be S tier mid/late game from my starting hand if they don't provide instant benefit. Especially expensive cards or those that require to trash many cards because you have no idea how fast you'll be able to collect the color you need and in the meantime you basicly have one less card in your hand which is a big handicap.
- zenithium : you need zenithium badly and need it as early as possible to play the 1st tech tracks before your opponent has a powerful engine because these levels will slow you down. That being said, sometimes you just don't get zenithium cards so you need to gain money to make it up for it.
- money : you need to watch your money at all time unless it's late game and you have 6+ cards for each color. And even then, you need to be able to play a 10 coster so don't get too low. If you get short of money and have no way to gain some very quickly you're in a bad place because you never know when you'll be able to and you don't want to go human diplo 3x in a row just to play a card
- balance : avoid letting your opponent get the lead too much on planet control or tech tracks unless you have a very good reason. I just won a game 5-3 after being led 0-3 but I had crazy good zenithium cards that allowed me to risk letting my opponent win planets. I also could because my opponent went all in trying to end fast and had no money for a potential closing move. In every other situation, dont' let that happen.
- adapt : every game is different : read the room, decide early on what tech tracks you want to go for depending on the cards you have and watch what your opponent is going for
- diplo : I try to avoid going there as much as possible. Robot diplo can be useful if you're exactly 1 zenithium short of a good play but that's it. Human diplo means you failed at saving money, shame on you. And animal diplo has very little instant benefit. So unless you have 2+ cards that benefit from the leader token and you have no other way to get it, just don't go there it's a wasted turn.

Tech tracks
Whether you go all the way up one track at a time or you advance on all tracks in parallel is situational and there's no right or wrong in itself.
N : I find it a little better than others so as much as possible I aim for it
O : is interesting early game because you prevent your opponent from getting too much Zenithium and progress on tech tracks. 95% of the time, it's a race for who gets to lvl 2 first.
P : can be a real pain in the ass for your opponent. By the time you reach level 5 your took away 8 cards from them and added 9 to yourself. Cards differential can make a huge difference mid and late game
D & U are solid tracks and are equally good to me. Just not my 1st pick if N or O are on the table.
S : I don't like because of the randomness of level 4. I want to control the game, prevent the opponent to get a planet / make sure I can get one / just end the game

Hope this helps