Masterpiece
Masterpiece | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Info | |
Cost | |
Type(s) | Treasure |
Kingdom card? | Yes |
Set |
Guilds![]() |
Illustrator(s) | Kelli Stakenas |
Card text | |
Overpay: Gain a Silver per overpaid. |
Masterpiece is a Treasure card from Guilds. It is an overpay card that can net you many Silvers.
Contents |
FAQ
Unofficial FAQ (2022)
- When you buy this, you may overpay for it; if you do, then when you gain the Masterpiece you also gain a Silver for each extra you paid over the cost. For example if you buy a Masterpiece for , you will gain three Silvers.
Other rules clarifications
With errata implemented in 2022, the overpay effect has become a when-gain trigger, and so gaining the Silver(s) resolves at the same time as other when-gain abilities, if any.
Deprecated official FAQ (2017) |
|
Strategy
Masterpiece is a niche Kingdom Treasure that functions as a Copper once it's in your deck. Therefore, it's typically skippable, and the only reason to gain it is usually if you want to make use of its overpay effect, which can allow you to gain a large number of Silvers quickly and cheaply. While an influx of Silvers is not a particularly desirable effect in most decks given that many better sources of stop card payload exist, there are a few cases in which Masterpiece can be useful:
Masterpiece’s strongest use case is with effects that heavily reward gaining or having many Silvers. Guildhall is the most notable example of the former, and you can often accumulate many Coffers and Silvers and start greening quickly by only buying Guildhall, Masterpieces, and a couple of Silvers. Masterpiece also combos with Feodum, which is a prime example of the latter, as you can often simply buy several large Masterpieces before greening by buying Feodums, which can be worth more than Provinces. Tower rewards you in a similar manner, although the total amount of it provides is less than that of Feodum, and the fact that you score nothing if the game ends before you can pile Silver is a small risk. Less frequently, Masterpiece can be used to help score with effects such as Triumph or Conquest, but these synergies are more reliant on external support (most often +Buy and a large amount of via a strong engine) and more of a tool than a self-supporting build.
Infrequently, you might use Masterpiece as a source of additional gains if the Kingdom lacks effective alternatives. For example, if you have a very strong engine and deck control but your only alternative is buying Silvers directly, overpaying for a Masterpiece to gain several Silvers at once may be the fastest way to ramp up your payload or provide fodder for trash-for-benefit effects.
Money strategies can occasionally use Masterpiece for Silver flooding to raise your money density. This can be useful if you hit a high price point early in the game (e.g. before you are ready to green), or as a final preparatory move before greening (e.g. spending on a Masterpiece then triggering the shuffle during which you will start to green).
External strategy articles
Note: Article(s) below are by individual authors and may not represent the community's current views on cards, but may provide more in-depth information or give historical perspective. Caveat emptor.
Versions
English versions
Digital | Text | Release | Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
When you buy this, you may overpay for it. If you do, gain a Silver per you overpaid. |
Guilds | June 2013 |
![]() |
![]() |
When you buy this, you may overpay for it. For each you overpaid, gain a Silver. |
Guilds & Cornucopia (2017 printing) | March 2018 |
![]() |
Overpay: Gain a Silver per overpaid. |
June 29, 2022 |
Other language versions
Trivia
If you look closely at Candlestick Maker, you'll notice the man depicted is making the candelabra depicted in Masterpiece. The cards' art share the same artist.
Secret History
Retrospective