Lulunasaika
What Makes Lulunasaika Special — The Value of Built-In Succession Points
First Princess Lulunasaika costs 6 and uniquely carries 6 succession points as part of her own card. No other princess offers this.
Cost Efficiency Comparison
| Card | Cost | Points | Cost per Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court Lady | 3 | 2 | 1.50 |
| Senator | 5 | 3 | 1.67 |
| Margrave | 6 | 3 | 2.00 |
| Lulunasaika | 6 | 6 | 1.00 |
| Duke | 8 | 6 | 1.33 |
| Emperor's Crown | 13 | 14 | 0.93 |
Lulunasaika at cost 6 provides the same 6 succession points as the Duke at cost 8. That's effectively 2 coins cheaper for 6 points — an enormous advantage spread over a full game.
Why She's Perfect for Beginners
One of the most common points of confusion for new players is "what do I buy after I coronate?" Lulunasaika removes much of that anxiety.
- She already contributes 6 points herself, so you need 6 fewer points from other sources.
- After coronation, your only job is to keep buying more succession points.
- The game plan collapses to three steps: build economy → coronate → buy points.
Why advanced players keep using her: Simpler strategies are harder to disrupt and more consistent. Lulunasaika isn't a "beginner's princess" — she's a princess with an ironclad strength floor.
When to Choose Lulunasaika
The Supply Doesn't Matter
Lulunasaika's biggest strength is her low supply dependence.
| Situation | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Compression cards (Donation) available | Exceptionally strong (fast coronation) |
| Rich economy cards available | Strong (straightforward buildup) |
| Few attack cards | Strong (less disruption to survive) |
| Heavy attack cards | Slightly harder (hard to recover from disruption) |
| No compression cards | Fine (compensate with raw economy) |
When Other Princesses Are Gone
If Raolili or Cramcram were taken first, Lulunasaika is always a reliable fallback. She's the most stable "what's left" option in any game.
Phase-by-Phase Strategy
Phase 1: Economy Building (Turns 1–5)
The core early-game plan: 3 Cities, then 1 Metropolis.
| Turn Range | Priority Purchases | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Turn 1–2 | Donation (if available) / City | Trash Villages or build economy |
| Turn 3–4 | City / Express Horse | Reach 4+ coins per turn reliably |
| Turn 5 | Metropolis / 3rd City | Lock in the 3-coin source |
The math behind 3 Cities:
- 3 Court Ladies (starting cards): 0 coins (VP only)
- 3 Cities: 6 coins
- 1 Metropolis: 3 coins
- Total with Cities + Metropolis: 9 coins — enough to coronate, with Villages and other cards filling out the rest
With this setup, a 5-card draw including Cities, Metropolis, and Villages will frequently provide enough coins to coronate.
Village removal priority:
- If Donation is available: buy 2 copies, trash 4+ Villages by turn 5–6
- If Donation is absent: skip aggressive compression, stack Court Ladies instead
Phase 2: Purchasing and Coronating Lulunasaika (Turns 6–12)
Ideal purchase timing: After securing at least one Metropolis.
Once you have the Metropolis, any turn you hit 6 coins is a good time to buy Lulunasaika. Don't delay — every turn she's not in your deck is a turn closer to your opponent's coronation.
Coronation checklist:
- At least 1 Metropolis in hand
- Lulunasaika is in your deck
- You regularly hit 12+ coins (Metropolis + 9 remaining)
- You aren't rushing prematurely under pressure
Phase 3: Pure Succession Point Collection
After coronation, the strategy is simple: buy the highest succession point card you can afford every single turn.
| Card | Cost | Points | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor's Crown | 13 | 14 | Top priority |
| Duke | 8 | 6 | High priority |
| Margrave | 6 | 3+effect | Buy when available |
| Senator | 5 | 3 | Good fallback |
| Court Lady | 3 | 2 | Only when you have 3 coins |
The Emperor's Crown Equation: Lulunasaika (6) + Emperor's Crown (14) = 20 points from just two cards. Add a Duke and two Senators and you're already at 32 points — typically enough to win.
Sample Game Walkthrough (Turn-by-Turn)
Assumed Supply: Donation, City, Metropolis, Supply Corps, Duke, Emperor's Crown available
Turns 1–5: Standard Route — 3 Cities and 2 Donations
| Turn | Hand Example | Purchase | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | [Village×4, Court Maiden×1] | Donation (2 coins) | Village compression first |
| T2 | [Village×2, Court Maiden×2, Village×1] | City (4 coins) | First economy card |
| T3 | [Court Maiden×3, Village×1, Donation×1] | Use Donation→trash Village; City (4 coins) | 2nd Village removed + 2nd City |
| T4 | [City×1, Court Maiden×2, Village×2] | City (4 coins) | Building toward 3 Cities |
| T5 | [Court Maiden×2, City×2, Village×1] | City (4 coins) | 3rd City secured |
Deck at end of T5 (13 cards): Court Maiden×3, Village×5 (2 trashed), City×3, Donation×1
Coin power check: 5-card draws frequently include 1–2 Cities + 1–2 Court Maidens. Expected 6–8 coins per turn.
Turns 6–8: Lulunasaika Purchase → Metropolis → Coronation
| Turn | Hand Example | Purchase | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| T6 | [City×1, Court Maiden×2, Village×2] | Lulunasaika (6 coins) | Secure princess before opponents can take her |
| T7 | [City×2, Court Maiden×2, Village×1] | Metropolis (6 coins) | Lock in the coronation trigger card |
| T8 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Court Maiden×1, Village×1] | Hold — 10 coins available; waiting for ideal coronation hand | — |
Decision note: Buying Lulunasaika before Metropolis (T6) prioritizes securing the princess over economy. The reverse order (Metropolis first) is also valid but risks opponents taking Lulunasaika.
Turn 9 (Coronation): 9 Coins + Metropolis → What Coronation Actually Means
Hand drawn: [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×2, Lulunasaika×1]
Coin calculation: Metropolis (3) + City×2 (4) + Village×2 (2) = 9 coins
Coronation conditions:
- Metropolis in hand ✓
- 9+ coins available (9 − 9 = 0 coins remaining) ✓
- Lulunasaika in deck ✓
Coronation executed.
What Lulunasaika's coronation concretely means: The moment she is coronated, her built-in 6 succession points are locked in forever. This is equivalent to having purchased a Duke (cost 8, 6 pts) for only 6 coins — a 2-coin discount. Even if you buy nothing else this turn, you already lead by 6 points.
Remaining coins this turn: 9 − 9 = 0 coins. No purchase this turn.
From T10 onward: Pure VP collection phase. Every turn, buy the highest-VP card you can afford.
Turns 10–15: Chaining Dukes Toward Emperor's Crown
| Turn | Hand Example | Coins | Purchase | Cumulative VP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T10 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×2] | 9 coins | Duke (8 coins) + 1 coin remainder | 6 (Lulunasaika) + 6 = 12 pts |
| T11 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×2] | 9 coins | Duke (8 coins) | 12 + 6 = 18 pts |
| T12 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×2] | 9 coins | Duke (8 coins) | 18 + 6 = 24 pts |
| T13 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×1, Duke×1] | 8 coins | Senator (5) + Court Lady (3) = 8 coins | 24 + 3 + 2 = 29 pts |
| T14 | [Metropolis×2, City×2, Village×1] | 11 coins | 2 coins short of Emperor's Crown → Duke (8) | 29 + 6 = 35 pts |
| T15 | [Metropolis×1, City×2, Village×1, Senator×1] | 8 coins | Duke (8 coins) | 35 + 6 = 41 pts |
Note: Emperor's Crown (cost 13) requires drawing Metropolis×2 (6) + City×2 (4) + Village×3 (3) = 13 coins, which needs more than 5 cards drawn. Use Alchemist or Supply Corps for extra draws, or compress Villages heavily to make high-coin hands more consistent.
Final Score Calculation Examples
Game Example A (with Emperor's Crown):
| Card | Count | Points Each | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lulunasaika | 1 | 6 | 6 pts |
| Duke | 3 | 6 | 18 pts |
| Emperor's Crown | 1 | 14 | 14 pts |
| Court Maiden | 4 | 2 | 8 pts |
| Senator | 1 | 3 | 3 pts |
| Total | — | — | 49 pts |
Game Example B (Duke-heavy, no Emperor's Crown):
| Card | Count | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Lulunasaika | 1 | 6 pts |
| Duke | 4 | 24 pts |
| Senator | 2 | 6 pts |
| Court Maiden | 3 | 6 pts |
| Total | — | 42 pts |
Comparison: Lulunasaika(6) + Duke×3(18) + Emperor's Crown(14) = 38 pts beats Lulunasaika(6) + Duke×4(24) + Senator(3) = 33 pts by 5 points. Emperor's Crown is the single highest-value purchase in the game — plan your economy to hit 13 coins.
Purchase Sequence Quick Reference Table
| Turn | Standard Route | Fast Route (compression-first) | Slow Route (safety-first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Donation (if available) / City | Donation | City |
| T2 | City | City | City |
| T3 | City / Donation→City | Donation (2nd)→trash Village | Star Witch (deck control) |
| T4 | Lulunasaika (if 6 coins) | City | 3rd City |
| T5 | 3rd City / Metropolis | Lulunasaika | Express Horse |
| T6 | Metropolis | Metropolis | Lulunasaika |
| T7 | Hold — wait for coronation | Coronate (T7–8) | Metropolis |
| T8 | Coronate (T8–9) | Duke | Hold |
| T9 | Duke | Duke | Coronate (T9–10) |
| T10 | Duke | Duke / Senator | Duke |
| T11 | Duke / Senator | Prepare for Emperor's Crown (13 coins) | Duke |
| T12 | Emperor's Crown or Duke | Emperor's Crown / Duke | Duke / Senator |
| T13 | Duke / Senator | Duke / Senator | Emperor's Crown or Duke |
| T14 | Emperor's Crown or Duke | Duke / Court Maiden | Duke / Court Maiden |
| T15 | Duke / Court Maiden | Game ending soon | Duke / Senator |
Route Characteristics
Standard Route: Secure 3 Cities first, then princess + Metropolis. Reliable 12-coin foundation with coronation around T8–9. Low risk, high reproducibility.
Fast Route: Use 2 Donations to trash 4–5 Villages, thin the deck, coronate T7–8. More turns for VP collection, but risks falling behind on economy if compression takes too long.
Slow Route: For supplies with heavy attack cards or when opponents are slow. Add Star Witch and Express Horse for higher buying power, aiming for reliable 13-coin turns to buy Emperor's Crown. Coronates T9–10 but buys more expensive VPs post-coronation.
Key Card Priority Rankings
Pre-Coronation
| Priority | Card | Cost | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| S |  Donation |
2 | Trash Villages for density |
| S | Metropolis | 6 | Required for coronation |
| A |  City |
4 | Core economy — target 3 copies |
| A |  Star-Reading Witch |
3 | Control your coronation turn |
| A | Lulunasaika | 6 | Buy immediately after Metropolis |
| B | Express Horse | 2 | Draw support |
| B |  Court Lady (extra) |
3 | Supplement low coin turns |
| C |  Alchemist |
5 | Useful in late game |
| D | Attack cards | — | Usually not needed |
Post-Coronation
| Priority | Card | Cost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Emperor's Crown | 13 | 14 |
| A |  Duke |
8 | 6 |
| B | Margrave | 6 | 3+ |
| B |  Senator |
5 | 3 |
| C | Court Lady |
3 | 2 |
Failure Patterns and How to Fix Them
Problem 1: Coronating Too Late
Symptom: Still not coronated past turn 15
Fix: Stop waiting for perfect 12-coin turns. If you consistently hit 10–11 coins, coronate now.
Problem 2: Buying Economy After Coronation
Symptom: Purchasing Cities and Express Horses after coronating
Fix: Succession points only after coronation. Every coin spent on economy is a point you didn't score.
Problem 3: Over-Investing in Compression
Symptom: Buying 3+ Donations and falling behind on economy
Fix: 2 Donations (removing 4 Villages) is almost always enough. Stop there and pivot to Cities.
Problem 4: Ignoring the Emperor's Crown
Symptom: Buying Duke + Senator instead of Emperor's Crown
Fix: Emperor's Crown (14 pts) vs Duke + Senator (9 pts) — a 5-point gap per purchase is massive. Plan your economy to hit 13 coins.
Matchup Strategies
vs. Raolili
Raolili gains up to 5 Court Ladies upon coronation — explosive post-coronation economy.
- Don't compete for Court Ladies early. She gets them for free anyway.
- Prioritize Emperor's Crown to out-point her card advantage.
- Your 6 built-in points offset her economic surge.
vs. Cramcram
Cramcram's cost-1 reduction makes attack cards cheaper. Expect disruption.
- Buy 1 defensive card (Rampart or similar) if heavy attacks are present.
- Don't mirror her attack strategy — it slows both players down.
- Lulunasaika's 6 points vs Cramcram's cost efficiency is a fair trade.
vs. Flamaria
Flamaria takes 2 free cards (cost 5 or less) upon coronation.
- Secure Star-Reading Witch before she coronates if possible.
- Race to coronate first to cut off her post-coronation value.
- Focus on pure point collection — Lulunasaika doesn't need special combo pieces.
Five Core Strengths of Lulunasaika
- Guaranteed 6 points at coronation — no conditions, no setup, always true
- Simplest strategy in the game — three steps, zero ambiguity
- No supply dependency — works in every game, every configuration
- Resilient to disruption — opponents can delay you but can't remove your points
- Perfect Emperor's Crown synergy — two cards give you 20 points, the strongest two-card core in the base set
Lulunasaika rewards players who execute fundamentals perfectly. In a game full of complex interactions, sometimes the simplest path is the strongest one.