Non-terminal draw

Cards that can increase your handsize without depleting your number of available Actions are referred to as non-terminal draw cards. They make a welcome addition to almost any engine strategy, in which large handsizes allow you to find and line up your key engine components. Many of them are helpful in Big Money strategies as well, but to a lesser degree: the +Action is less important in a Treasure-heavy Big Money deck, and they typically provide smaller handsizes than terminal draw cards.

The simplest vanilla non-terminal draw card is Laboratory; cards that have similar effects are therefore sometimes referred to as Lab variants.

Lab variants

These usually draw a specified number of cards—typically a total of +2 Cards, occasionally more—and can draw any card. Some are restricted by only being able to increase handsize in certain circumstances—e.g., in the case of Wishing Well, if you correctly guess what card is on top of your deck—and if the condition is not met they will be simple cantrips.

• Dominion: Laboratory
• Intrigue: Wishing Well
• Seaside: Caravan
• Alchemy: Alchemist
• Cornucopia: Menagerie, Hunting Party
• Hinterlands: Stables
• Dark Ages: Madman
• Guilds: Advisor

Fringe examples

These cards are not usually considered Lab variants, but can play that role in some decks:

• Tribute and Ironmonger can act as Lab variants depending on what card is on top of your opponent's deck or your deck.
• Shanty Town acts as a Lab variant if you have no Action cards in hand, but otherwise decreases handsize.
• Wharf is terminal when you play it, but has an effect on your next turn resembling non-terminal draw.
• Apprentice provides non-terminal draw if you trash a card costing or more.
• City provides non-terminal draw if one or more supply piles are empty.
• Crossroads provides non-terminal draw the first time you play it on a turn, if there are multiple Victory cards in your hand.
• Cultist is technically terminal, but will allow you to play additional Cultists after it.

Specific-card drawers

These non-terminal cards only draw cards of a specific type or other category, and increase handsize if they find such cards.

• Scout draws Victory cards.
• Apothecary draws Coppers and Potions.
• Scrying Pool draws Actions.
• Vagrant draws more or less dead cards.