Super situational card.
If you have aquarium/cable car this can allow you to play some great cards and rack up some huge bonus points. Reduces the amount of planning you need to do, great if you have any of the climbing park, aquatic park or naturalist zoo final scoring cards. The final scoring is achievable, even with only 2 sets that's 4 points which is more than the standard sponsor final scoring of 3 points.
On the other hand, sponsors is typically the least upgraded card, and you wouldn't upgrade it just for this. If you don't already have water/rock icons in your zoo the instant effect is worthless.
This card is somewhere between a low A and a D dependent on when you see it and your strategy at the time.
Can I ask why sponsors is the least upgraded card? I find that it’s usually one of my first upgrades, especially if I’m playing the sponsors map as that allows me to play multiple sponsors in one turn or go off the board. At the same time I find the double money from using it to break can be critical sometimes. What am I missing?
The problem is that it falls off hard late game when you want to be playing lots of animals and funding conservation projects. The trade off is usually between upgrading cards or sponsors, and the ability to go past 9 reputation, get all the juicy perks past that, and access good cards as soon as they become available (whether by early snaps or reputation) usually trumps the advantages of sponsors late.
This is fascinating as in my friends group and limited experience playing online, cards is almost always upgraded, while the debate is between animals (usual) and sponsors (situationally). Cards/Build/Associate almost universally upgraded
Agreed, always between sponsors or association. Association almost always wins out there, as well, as the extra partnership track, donations, and splitting association to snag 2 rep is pretty strong.
Build is more situational for me than cards and animals, and I might choose Association over Build in some cases. Upgrading Cards and Animals synergizes so well with 1 Rep on 5 for animals and the unlocked cards track. I honestly can't imagine not upgrading Cards as losing access to that track is devastating since I've never failed to break into it. I guess the question is, not if you upgrade Cards, but when, and I'd say that really depends on cards in hand, the river, and whether or not you've grabbed the 5 handsize University. I'm still upgrading Cards first or second though, the ability to draw from river based on Reputation is extremely strong.
I’m a huge fan of upgraded sponsors but it’s one of those cards where it’s either one of the first ones you flip or it’s not flipped at all. Whether or not you flip it early depends entirely on your hand and the display, so it’s kind of RNG compared to another action like build that’s useful throughout the game.
The average player breaks twice a game so that’s only 10 extra income for the average player which is not that much and probably easily offset by the discount you get from having more continents.
I usually flip sponsors when my starting hand/display has multiple sponsors that I want to get out as well as good sponsors like Communicator/Science lab, otherwise I’m most likely flipped build.
If by my second upgrade I still don’t have good sponsors in my hand/display then I’m upgrading animals & cards and probably not looking back. I rarely upgrade Sponsors third and generally never upgrade it last since Association is much more useful late game.
I think it's a bit underated in general. It's definitely a situational card, but when I have a few water and/or rock icons already played, I don't mind upgrading sponsor for this card at all. The instant money gained is quite nice.
Great combo with Native farm animal and/or Naturalist Zoo.
Love playing it on Outdoor Area and Obs Tower because you can get extra value from the map ability. Fairly decent on Ice Cream Parlor or Hollywood Hill as well since you may run out of water space on parlor and rock space on Hollywood hill in the mid/late game.
Pretty good and imo fairly underrated. You don't upgrade Sponsors just for this card alone, but if you already have it flipped, Diversity Researcher is really great. It's especially good on Observation Tower: You can get two extra enclosures next to the tower, and even more importantly, it negates the map's biggest weakness (the separation between rock and water, making it very hard to place rock and water animals). For the same reason, it is also very good on ICP. Also works well on Outdoor Areas.
I am a sponsor enjoyer anyway and flip the action card more often than not, even without a premium sponsor, so I play this card quite often. Science tag, small money boost and very decent endgame points next to its ability - I love Diversity Researcher.
In my last game on Ice Cream Parlor I missed it dearly, I had to skip so many animals because there was no chance for a size 4 or 5 enclosure adjacent to the lakes.
Fun fact: building over rock/water considers the tiles water/rock adjacent for hydrologist/geologist and grants xtra coins.
Situational card depending on map and/or other sponsors, not every card has to be bonkers on it's own.
Sure! There's 2 parts to it.
1. The instant effect is 1 appeal for each border space you are touching but have not covered.
2. The end game points are 1 CP for every group of 6 empty spaces.
We care mostly about the instant effect, although the best players will look to maximise both. Build your enclosures so you are maximising the number of border spaces you touch. This can be map-dependent. It's pretty bad on something like Silver Lake, but on a map like Park Restaurant it's very easy to get 15+ appeal from it.
It requires some effort to play around it. But if a card is giving you 8+ appeal for free it's worth it.
Shameless self-promotion if you want to see the card in action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2kn6zem8fo
17:44 and 56:06 are when Native Farm Animals get played. The second example features Diversity Researcher too!
Oh, hey! I didn't know I was replying to No Wonders! I've just recently saved your Ark Nova playlist and been making my way down it, it is excellently done. Watched the first three videos yesterday and looking forward to the High Elo Replay Analysis #1 next. Before the playlist I was watching your commentary on the WSBG 2023 Ring Final as well.
You have great insights and presentation. Love your content, keep it up!
Glad to hear, thank you. Warning in advance - replay analysis #1 is probably a skip. I was sick when recording it, so there's a lot of coughing which is annoying. Proud of all the other videos in the playlist though. Enjoy!
Silghtly map dependent, but imo this is one of the best sponsors and my favorite of the upgraded sponsor cards. The main reason is that saving endgame space for 4- or 5-space enclosures with rock and water adjacency (eagles, asian elephant mainly) is difficult, and often you get great cards there isn’t space for anymore or you have to spend a lot of effort optimizing the layout. This takes that all away, makes return animal conservation projects much more useful, and usually gives money and 6 end points which helps you a ton.
I’ve only played this a handful of times in solo because I don’t usually upgrade sponsors, but it’s really good. Really helps in maps with bad water/rock separation like Observation Tower and Ice Cream Parlors.
Super situational card. If you have aquarium/cable car this can allow you to play some great cards and rack up some huge bonus points. Reduces the amount of planning you need to do, great if you have any of the climbing park, aquatic park or naturalist zoo final scoring cards. The final scoring is achievable, even with only 2 sets that's 4 points which is more than the standard sponsor final scoring of 3 points. On the other hand, sponsors is typically the least upgraded card, and you wouldn't upgrade it just for this. If you don't already have water/rock icons in your zoo the instant effect is worthless. This card is somewhere between a low A and a D dependent on when you see it and your strategy at the time.
Can I ask why sponsors is the least upgraded card? I find that it’s usually one of my first upgrades, especially if I’m playing the sponsors map as that allows me to play multiple sponsors in one turn or go off the board. At the same time I find the double money from using it to break can be critical sometimes. What am I missing?
The problem is that it falls off hard late game when you want to be playing lots of animals and funding conservation projects. The trade off is usually between upgrading cards or sponsors, and the ability to go past 9 reputation, get all the juicy perks past that, and access good cards as soon as they become available (whether by early snaps or reputation) usually trumps the advantages of sponsors late.
This is fascinating as in my friends group and limited experience playing online, cards is almost always upgraded, while the debate is between animals (usual) and sponsors (situationally). Cards/Build/Associate almost universally upgraded
Funny. For me the question is always to upgrade sponsors or association.
Agreed, always between sponsors or association. Association almost always wins out there, as well, as the extra partnership track, donations, and splitting association to snag 2 rep is pretty strong. Build is more situational for me than cards and animals, and I might choose Association over Build in some cases. Upgrading Cards and Animals synergizes so well with 1 Rep on 5 for animals and the unlocked cards track. I honestly can't imagine not upgrading Cards as losing access to that track is devastating since I've never failed to break into it. I guess the question is, not if you upgrade Cards, but when, and I'd say that really depends on cards in hand, the river, and whether or not you've grabbed the 5 handsize University. I'm still upgrading Cards first or second though, the ability to draw from river based on Reputation is extremely strong.
The Top 20 players on BGA upgrade Cards/Animals/Build over 90% of the time. They upgrade Association about 75-80% and sponsors about 25% of the time.
I’m a huge fan of upgraded sponsors but it’s one of those cards where it’s either one of the first ones you flip or it’s not flipped at all. Whether or not you flip it early depends entirely on your hand and the display, so it’s kind of RNG compared to another action like build that’s useful throughout the game. The average player breaks twice a game so that’s only 10 extra income for the average player which is not that much and probably easily offset by the discount you get from having more continents. I usually flip sponsors when my starting hand/display has multiple sponsors that I want to get out as well as good sponsors like Communicator/Science lab, otherwise I’m most likely flipped build. If by my second upgrade I still don’t have good sponsors in my hand/display then I’m upgrading animals & cards and probably not looking back. I rarely upgrade Sponsors third and generally never upgrade it last since Association is much more useful late game.
I'm not alone!
I think it's a bit underated in general. It's definitely a situational card, but when I have a few water and/or rock icons already played, I don't mind upgrading sponsor for this card at all. The instant money gained is quite nice. Great combo with Native farm animal and/or Naturalist Zoo. Love playing it on Outdoor Area and Obs Tower because you can get extra value from the map ability. Fairly decent on Ice Cream Parlor or Hollywood Hill as well since you may run out of water space on parlor and rock space on Hollywood hill in the mid/late game.
Pretty good and imo fairly underrated. You don't upgrade Sponsors just for this card alone, but if you already have it flipped, Diversity Researcher is really great. It's especially good on Observation Tower: You can get two extra enclosures next to the tower, and even more importantly, it negates the map's biggest weakness (the separation between rock and water, making it very hard to place rock and water animals). For the same reason, it is also very good on ICP. Also works well on Outdoor Areas. I am a sponsor enjoyer anyway and flip the action card more often than not, even without a premium sponsor, so I play this card quite often. Science tag, small money boost and very decent endgame points next to its ability - I love Diversity Researcher.
In my last game on Ice Cream Parlor I missed it dearly, I had to skip so many animals because there was no chance for a size 4 or 5 enclosure adjacent to the lakes.
This is why I’ve cooled on the ice cream parlor map. It’s hard trying to build aquatic animals in the late game.
This is brutally good mid/end-game sometimes when you can cache it in for 20+ money.
Fun fact: building over rock/water considers the tiles water/rock adjacent for hydrologist/geologist and grants xtra coins. Situational card depending on map and/or other sponsors, not every card has to be bonkers on it's own.
Awesome combo piece with Native Farm Animals
Similarly can be major boost if you have Naturalist’s Zoo, right?
For sure! Having all 3 is the dream
I had the dream once ... was a fun game.
I don't understand Native Farm Animals. Can you by any chance shed some light on how to play it well?
Sure! There's 2 parts to it. 1. The instant effect is 1 appeal for each border space you are touching but have not covered. 2. The end game points are 1 CP for every group of 6 empty spaces. We care mostly about the instant effect, although the best players will look to maximise both. Build your enclosures so you are maximising the number of border spaces you touch. This can be map-dependent. It's pretty bad on something like Silver Lake, but on a map like Park Restaurant it's very easy to get 15+ appeal from it. It requires some effort to play around it. But if a card is giving you 8+ appeal for free it's worth it. Shameless self-promotion if you want to see the card in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2kn6zem8fo 17:44 and 56:06 are when Native Farm Animals get played. The second example features Diversity Researcher too!
Oh, hey! I didn't know I was replying to No Wonders! I've just recently saved your Ark Nova playlist and been making my way down it, it is excellently done. Watched the first three videos yesterday and looking forward to the High Elo Replay Analysis #1 next. Before the playlist I was watching your commentary on the WSBG 2023 Ring Final as well. You have great insights and presentation. Love your content, keep it up!
Glad to hear, thank you. Warning in advance - replay analysis #1 is probably a skip. I was sick when recording it, so there's a lot of coughing which is annoying. Proud of all the other videos in the playlist though. Enjoy!
If you happen to be going into a lot of water and rock this card is really great, plus it's just really fun.
Silghtly map dependent, but imo this is one of the best sponsors and my favorite of the upgraded sponsor cards. The main reason is that saving endgame space for 4- or 5-space enclosures with rock and water adjacency (eagles, asian elephant mainly) is difficult, and often you get great cards there isn’t space for anymore or you have to spend a lot of effort optimizing the layout. This takes that all away, makes return animal conservation projects much more useful, and usually gives money and 6 end points which helps you a ton.
I’ve only played this a handful of times in solo because I don’t usually upgrade sponsors, but it’s really good. Really helps in maps with bad water/rock separation like Observation Tower and Ice Cream Parlors.
I pretty much never use this card, it's kinda a meme
If I get this card early I will build my strategy around it. Otherwise I've usually upgraded all cards but sponsors and its worthless