Duke

Basic Info

Type: Victory
Cost: 5
Effect: Worth 1 VP per Duchy you have.

Rating

The cornerstone of Intrigue's signature "Duke strategy." Worth 0 alone, but combined with Duchies it becomes a massive scoring source. 8 Duchies + 8 Dukes = 24 (Duchies) + 64 (8 Dukes × 8 Duchies) = 88 VP, rivaling 8 Provinces (48).

The defining feature is enabling "Duchy-army" play. Duchies are normally Province-fillers; Duke boards make them the primary target. 3-pile-out (Duchies + Dukes + 1 more pile) wins.

Tier B+ to A. Strong on supplies that enable the strategy, irrelevant otherwise. +1 Buy (Festival, Market, Bridge) and thinning (Chapel, Masquerade) make it shine.

How to Play

The "Duchy army":

Early: Chapel/Masquerade thinning + Silver/Gold.
Mid: At $5, choose Duke or Duchy based on count.
End: 8 Duchies + 8 Dukes + 1 pile = 3-pile-out victory.

Duke timing: shift to Duke once 3-4 Duchies stack. Earlier wastes Duke value.

Conditions for the Duke Strategy

+1 Buy enablers: Festival, Market, Bridge, Pawn, Council Room. Want simultaneous Duchy + Duke purchase.
$5-frequent deck: Both Duke and Duchy cost $5. Tune for $5, not $8.
Slim deck: Dukes are 0-action VP cards that bloat the deck. Thin tightly.
Province-ignore: Don't aim at $8. Mass-produce $5. Avoid the Province pile, deny it to opponents.
3-pile-out vision: Duchies + Dukes + 1 more pile = win.

Duke vs. Province Math

Province: 6 × 8 = 48 (full Province pile). Duke: 8 Duchies (24 VP) + 8 Dukes (each = 8 VP since 8 Duchies) = 24 + 64 = 88.

Even with both players splitting Duchies (likely), Duke side often hits 50-60 VP, edging Province.

Key Combos

Duke + Festival: +1 Buy enables same-turn Duchy + Duke. Workhorse combo.

Duke + Market: +1 Buy / +1 Coin acceleration.

Duke + Bridge: Cost reduction (5 → 4) lets Duchy + Duke land for $8 in one turn.

Duke + Pawn: +1 Buy / +Coin support.

Duke + Chapel: Thinning to push $5 hit-rate.

Duke + Masquerade: Thinning + Estate-pass burden onto opponent.

Duke + Council Room: +Buy + draw.

Duke + Great Hall: VP card with cantrip — combines well.

Synergies

Festival: +Buy + coin.
Market: +Buy + coin universal.
Bridge: Cost reduction multi-buy.
Pawn: +Buy + coin.
Council Room: +Buy + draw.
Chapel: Thinning.
Masquerade: Thinning + Estate dump.
Great Hall: VP cantrip.
Harem: $2 + 2 VP, $5 ramp.
Ironworks: Gain Duchy (cost-4 if Bridge played).

Counters & Bad Matchups

No +Buy cards: Strategy collapses.
Province-engine boards: Engines hit $8 faster, outscore Duke.
Heavy curser attacks: Curses bloat the deck past thinning.
Gardens parallel: VP-conflict scrambles for Estates.
No $5 cards: Less reason to optimize $5.

Advanced Tips

Duke mirror: First mover gets stronger Duke totals. Counter-strategy from behind: Province engine instead of mirroring.

Buy Dukes last: Stack Duchies first; Duke acquisition locks in score. Telegraphing Dukes lets opponents react.

3-pile timing: Duchy 8 + Duke 8 + Estate 8 (base) = three piles available. Or Duchy + Duke + a Kingdom pile. Don't tip your hand.

Standard plan: Chapel → Silver → Silver → Duchy → Duchy → Duke → Duchy → Duke → ...

Don't draw Dukes — they're VP cards. Late acquisition keeps the deck flowing.

Harem partner: Harem is $2 + 2 VP. Boosts $5 frequency + replaces Estate. Ideal Duke partner.