Triggered effects

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The default time in Dominion at which a card has an effect is when it is played. If an Action, Treasure, or Night card's text doesn't state specifically when the instructions on it are to be carried out, it is when the card is played. Since cards are played one at a time in Dominion (even Treasure cards), there is never any ambiguity about what order to resolve these effects in: play one card, resolving its effects; then play the next card, resolving its effects. Similarly, Events by default are resolved when you buy them.

Many cards and landscapes, however, have effects at specifically-stated other times. This page is an index of the various situations that can cause a card's abilities to be triggered. This can be interpreted as data for a flow chart: For example, if you are buying a card, look at the list of "when you buy a card" triggers to see if any of those effects apply, and if they do, execute them; then you can see if any of the effects triggered by buying a card themselves trigger other effects, and so on. It is often the case that a single trigger can activate multiple cards' abilities simultaneously, and then the abilities must be resolved one at a time using the rules below.

Some effects that take place at times other than when a card is played are thought of as being "set up" by playing a card; even though the effect itself takes place later, the act of playing the card is what causes it to happen. For example, playing the same card twice will cause the later effect to take place twice, and moving the card out of play will not prevent the set-up effect from taking place. Other effects are caused by a card being in a particular location, such as the play area, regardless of how or why it got there.

Cards in italics have been removed.

Official Rules

  • If multiple cards resolve at the same time on your turn (for example, Duration cards that do something “at the start of your next turn”), you choose what order to resolve them.
  • A card that affects multiple players during your turn still resolves in player order, affecting you first if it affects all players and then proceeding clockwise.

Other rules clarifications

  • If an effect causes you to gain or draw multiple cards, you always in principle gain or draw them one at a time, resolving any on-gain or on-draw abilities of one before moving on to the next. However, if you are instructed to trash or discard multiple cards, unless that effect is explicitly sequential, they are trashed or discarded at the same time. For example, Steward can trash 2 cards; if you choose that option, you may not trash one card, resolve an on-trash effect (such as Market Square's), then trash the other card. Both cards must be trashed simultaneously, and on-trash effects resolved with afterwards. Conversely, Remake trashes two cards, but it instructs you specifically to trash them one at a time.
  • At the end of the game, your discard pile, your hand, cards you have in play, cards you've set aside, and cards you've put on mats all count as part of your deck.

Punctual effects

These are abilities that are executed at a single point in time: you fully resolve the card's ability by following the instructions on the card in order, and then move on to the next ability to be resolved.

Start of the game

Determine at the start of the game whether these cards should be used:

Setup

Setup instructions normally only happen once at the start of the game. They do not happen in any particular order, and should all be completely resolved before players shuffle their starting decks.

Some cards (e.g. Young Witch) add extra Supply piles and/or cards; those Supply piles will be affected by cards that care about all Supply piles (e.g. Tax). If these extra Supply piles and/or cards also have setup instructions (e.g. the Bane is Tracker), do those as well.

If cards are added to the Kingdom during the game (such as with Divine Wind), the setup for the added cards are resolved then, before the game continues. No previous setup is repeated (e.g. Defiled Shrine or Liaison setup).

Grouped cards:

Specific cards:

Parts of the turn

When you would start a turn

  • Lich: Skip this turn.

At the start of your turn, first

These effects take place "first", before other effects that trigger at the start of your turn.

  • Donate (2022): Put your deck and discard pile into your hand, trash any number of cards from it, then shuffle the rest into your deck and draw 5 cards.

At the start of your turn

  • Haven: Put the set-aside card into your hand.
  • Lighthouse: +$1
  • Astrolabe: +1 Buy and +$1
  • Fishing Village: +1 Action and +$1
  • Monkey: +1 Card
  • Blockade: Put the set aside card into your hand.
  • Caravan: +1 Card
  • Sailor: +$2 and you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Tide Pools: Discard 2 cards.
  • Corsair: +1 Card
  • Merchant Ship: +$2
  • Pirate: Gain a Treasure costing up to $6 to your hand.
  • Sea Witch: +2 Cards, then discard 2 cards.
  • Tactician: +5 Cards, +1 Action, +1 Buy.
  • Wharf: +2 Cards and +1 Buy.
  • Clerk: You may play this from your hand.
  • Farmhands: Play the set aside card.
  • Teacher: You may call this, to move your +1 Card, +1 Action, +1 Buy, or +$1 token to an Action Supply pile you have no tokens on.
  • Ratcatcher: You may call this, to trash a card from your hand.
  • Amulet: Choose one: +$1; or trash a card from your hand; or gain a Silver.
  • Caravan Guard: +$1
  • Dungeon: +2 Cards, then discard 2 cards.
  • Gear: Put the set aside cards into your hand.
  • Guide: You may call this, to discard your hand and draw 5 cards.
  • Transmogrify: You may call this, to trash a card from your hand, and gain a card to your hand costing up to $1 more than it.
  • Bridge Troll: +1 Buy
  • Haunted Woods: +3 Cards
  • Swamp Hag: +$3
  • Hireling: +1 Card
  • Enchantress: +2 Cards
  • Archive: Put one of the set aside cards into your hand.
  • Guardian: +$1
  • Ghost Town: +1 Card and +1 Action
  • Secret Cave: +$3.
  • Blessed Village: Receive the Boon you took.
  • Ghost: Play the set aside Action twice.
  • Cobbler: Gain a card to your hand costing up to $4.
  • Crypt: Put one of the set aside Treasures into your hand.
  • Den of Sin: +2 Cards
  • Raider: +$3
  • Lost in the Woods: You may discard a card to receive a Boon.
  • Cargo Ship: Put the set aside card into your hand.
  • Research: Put the set aside cards into your hand.
  • Key: +$1
  • Cathedral: Trash a card from your hand.
  • City Gate: +1 Card, then put a card from your hand onto your deck.
  • Fair: +1 Buy.
  • Silos: Discard any number of Coppers, revealed, and draw that many cards.
  • Sinister Plot: Add a token here, or remove your tokens here for +1 Card each.
  • Piazza: Reveal the top card of your deck. If it's an Action, play it.
  • Barracks: +1 Action.
  • Crop Rotation: You may discard a Victory card for +2 Cards.
  • Village Green: +1 Card and +2 Actions.
  • Barge: +3 Cards and +1 Buy.
  • Gatekeeper: +$3
  • Mastermind: You may play an Action card from your hand three times.
  • Delay: Play the set aside Action.
  • Reap: Play the set aside Gold.
  • Conjurer: Put this into your hand.
  • Contract: Play the set aside Action.
  • Garrison: Remove the tokens here for +1 Card each.
  • Highwayman: Discard this from play and +3 Cards.
  • Importer: Gain a card costing up to $5.
  • Royal Galley: Play the set aside Action card.
  • Stronghold: +3 Cards.
  • Warlord: +2 Cards.
  • Cave Dwellers: You may spend a Favor, to discard a card then draw a card. Repeat as desired.
  • Crafters' Guild: You may spend 2 Favors to gain a card costing up to $4 onto your deck.
  • Desert Guides: You may spend a Favor to discard your hand and draw 5 cards. Repeat as desired.
  • Forest Dwellers: You may spend a Favor to look at the top 3 cards of your deck, discard any number and put the rest back in any order.
  • Gang of Pickpockets: Discard down to 4 cards in hand unless you spend a Favor.
  • Mountain Folk: You may spend 5 Favors for +3 Cards.
  • Grotto: Discard the set aside cards, then draw that many.
  • Shaman: Gain a card from the trash costing up to $6.
  • Siren: Draw until you have 8 cards in hand.
  • Stowaway: +2 Cards.
  • Taskmaster: Repeat this card's ability.
  • Cabin Boy: Choose one: +$2; or trash this to gain a Duration card.
  • Gondola: +$2
  • Rope: +1 Card and you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Buried Treasure: +1 Buy and +$3.
  • Crew: Put this onto your deck.
  • Enlarge: Trash a card from your hand, and gain a card costing up to $2 more.
  • Longship: +2 Cards
  • Quartermaster: Choose one: gain a card costing up to $4, setting it aside on this; or put a card from this into your hand.
  • Amphora: +1 Buy and +$3.
  • Endless Chalice: +1 Buy and +$1.
  • Figurehead: +2 Cards.
  • Jewels: Put this on the bottom of your deck.
  • Prepare: Play the set-aside Actions and Treasures in any order, and discard the rest.
  • Shy: You may discard one Shy card for +2 Cards.
  • Hasty: Play the set aside Hasty card.
  • Patient: Play the set aside Patient card.
  • Riverboat: Play the set-aside card, leaving it there.
  • Samurai: +$1
  • Biding Time: Put the set aside cards into your hand.
  • Kind Emperor: Gain an Action to your hand.
  • Rapid Expansion: Play the set aside card.
  • Sickness: Choose one: gain a Curse onto your deck; or discard 3 cards.
  • Summon: Play the set aside Action.
  • Church: Put the set aside cards into your hand, then you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Captain: Play a non-Duration, non-Command Action card from the Supply costing up to $4, leaving it there.
  • Prince (2022): Play the set aside Action, leaving it there.
  • Prince (2014): Play the set aside Action, setting it aside again when you discard it from play.
  • Horse Traders: If this is set aside, +1 Card and return this to your hand.

At the start of your Buy phase

At the end of your Buy phase

At the start of Clean-up

Anyone's Clean-up

  • Alchemist (2022): If you have a Potion in play, you may put this onto your deck.
  • Encampment: Return this to its pile.
  • Improve: You may trash an Action card you would discard from play this turn, to gain a card costing exactly $1 more than it.
  • River Shrine: If you didn't gain any cards in your Buy phase this turn, gain a card costing up to $4.
  • Walled Village: If you have this and no more than one other Action card in play, you may put this on top of your deck.

Your Clean-up

  • Friendly: You may discard a Friendly card to gain a Friendly card.
  • Patient: Set aside any number of Patient cards from your hand, to play them at the start of your next turn.
  • Biding Time: Set aside your hand.

When discarding during Clean-up

  • Joust: Discard the set aside Province.
  • Coastal Haven: You may spend any number of Favors to keep that many cards in hand for next turn (you still draw 5).
  • Journey: You don't discard cards from play.

When you would draw your hand during Clean-up

  • Outpost: Only draw 3 cards (instead of 5).

When you draw your hand during Clean-up

End of turn

End of your turn:

  • Possession: Put the set aside cards in your discard pile.
  • Save: Put the set aside card into your hand.
  • Baths: If you haven't gained a card this turn, take 2VP from here.
  • Island Folk: If the previous turn wasn't yours, you may spend 5 Favors to take another turn.
  • Deliver: Put the set aside cards into your hand.
  • Foresight: Put the set aside Action into your hand.
  • Donate (2020): Put all cards from your deck and discard pile into your hand, trash any number, shuffle your hand into your deck, then draw 5 cards.

End of this turn:

After this turn

These happen after checking if the game has ended.

  • Donate (2016): Put all cards from your deck and discard pile into your hand, trash any number, shuffle your hand into your deck, then draw 5 cards.
  • Mountain Pass (2016): Each player bids once, up to 40D, ending with you. High bidder gets +8VP and takes the D they bid.

In between turns

  • Outpost: Take an extra turn (but not a 3rd turn in a row)
  • Possession: The player to your left takes an extra turn (but not a 2nd extra turn in a row), during which you can see all cards they can and make all decisions for them. Any cards or D they would gain that turn, you gain instead; any cards of theirs that are trashed are set aside and put in their discard pile at end of turn.
  • Mission: Take an extra turn, (but not a 3rd turn in a row) during which you can't buy cards.
  • Seize the Day: Take an extra turn.
  • Voyage: Take an extra turn (but not a 3rd turn in a row), during which you can only play 3 cards from your hand.
  • Island Folk: Take an extra turn (but not a 3rd turn in a row).
  • Journey: Take an extra turn (but not a 3rd turn in a row).

Playing a card

When you can play a card from your hand

  • Voyage: If you already played 3 cards from your hand this turn, you can't play that card.
  • Warlord: If that card is an Action, and you already have 2 or more copies of that Action in play, you can't play it.
  • Shadow: You can play this from your deck.

When you play a card, first

These effects take place "first", before other effects triggered by playing a card (assuming that you played it on your turn).

For any type of played card…

If it's an Action

If it's an Attack

If it's a Treasure

  • Good Harvest: If it’s the first time you played a Treasure with that name this turn, +1 Buy and +$1

When another player plays a card, first

These effects take place after "when you play a card, first" effects (assuming that another player played it on their turn).

If the played card is an Attack

  • Moat: You may reveal this from your hand, to be unaffected by that Attack.
  • Diplomat: You may reveal this from a hand of 5 or more cards, to draw 2 cards then discard 3.
  • Horse Traders: You may set this aside from your hand. If you do, at the start of your next turn, +1 Card and return this to your hand.
  • Guard Dog: You may play this from your hand.
  • Beggar: You may discard this to gain two Silvers, putting one onto your deck.
  • Caravan Guard: You may play this from your hand.
  • Shield: You may reveal this from your hand, to be unaffected by that Attack.
  • Secret Chamber: You may reveal this from your hand. If you do, +2 cards, then put 2 cards from your hand on top of your deck.

When you play a card

These effects take place after all players resolve any "when a player plays a card, first" effects. This means that if any players reveal a Moat to your Attack, you may opt to use a Way instead.

  • Enchantress: If it's your turn, and it's the first time you played an Action card, you get +1 Card and +1 Action instead of following its instructions.
  • Ways: If this is an Action, you may perform the Way instead of following this Action's instructions.
  • Highwayman: If it's the first time you played a Treasure this turn, it does nothing.
  • Enlightenment: If it’s a Treasure played in an Action phase, instead of following its instructions, +1 Card and +1 Action.

On-play effects

By definition, Action, Treasure, and Night cards have effects when you play them, and are not listed here.

Unlike the cards in the previous section, these on-play effects modify card instructions (instead of making you do something else). This means that these effects take place afterwards, and can be overridden (e.g. Highwayman overrides Envious).

After playing a card

For any type of played card…

  • Inspiring: If it's your turn, and that card was an Inspiring card, you may play an Action from your hand that you don't have a copy of in play.

If it's an Action…

  • Coin of the Realm: You may call this, for +2 Actions.
  • Royal Carriage: If that Action is still in play, you may call this, to replay that Action.
  • Citadel: If it's your turn, and that Action is the first Action you played this turn, replay it.
  • Fellowship of Scribes: If you have 4 or fewer cards in hand, you may spend a Favor for +1 Card.
  • Harbor Village: If it's the next Action you played after this on the same turn, and that Action gave you +$, +$1
  • Flagship: If it's the next time you played a non-Command Action card, replay that Action.
  • Frigate: Discard down to 4 cards in hand.
  • Daimyo: If it's the next time you played a non-Command Action card, replay that Action.
  • Great Leader: +1 Action.

If it's an Attack…

If it's a Liaison…

If it's a Treasure…

Although some of the following cards have different wordings from each other, they are all timed the same.

  • Merchant: If it's the first Silver you played this turn, +$1.
  • Sauna: If it's a Silver, you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Corsair: If it's the first time you played a Silver or a Gold this turn, trash it.
  • Landing Party: If it's the next time you played a Treasure as the first card during a turn, put this onto your deck.
  • Panic: +2 Buys.

Buying a card

When you would pay for a card you just bought

  • Animal Fair: Instead of paying this card's cost, you may trash an Action card from your hand.

When paying for a card you just bought

When you buy a card

By definition, Events have effects when you buy them, and are not listed here.

Remember that buying a card happens before gaining it, so all these effects happen before you gain the relevant card, and before any of its on-gain effects happen.

In 2022, when-buy effects got changed to be when-gain.

Removed and errata'ed cards

    When you buy any card:

  • Hoard (2010): If it is a Victory card, gain a Gold.
  • Haggler (2010): Gain a cheaper non-Victory card.
  • Hovel (2012): If that card is a Victory card, you may trash this from your hand.
  • Merchant Guild (2013): +1 Coffers
  • Haunted Woods (2015): Put your hand on top of your deck in any order.
  • Swamp Hag (2015): Gain a Curse.
  • Plan (2015): If that card has your Trashing token on its pile, you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Charm (2016): If that card is the next card you've bought this turn, you may also gain a differently named card with the same cost.
  • Tax (2016): Take the D from its pile.
  • Basilica (2016): If you have $2 or more left, take 2VP from here.
  • Colonnade (2016): If that card is an Action card, and you have a copy of it in play, take 2VP from here.
  • Defiled Shrine (2016): If that card is a Curse, take the VP from this.
  • Embargo: For each Embargo token on that pile, gain a Curse.
  • Talisman: If that card is a non-Victory card that costed $4 or less, gain a copy of it.
  • Goons: +1VP.
    When you buy this card:
  • Mint (2010): Trash all Treasures you have in play.
  • Farmland (2011): Trash a card from your hand and gain a card costing exactly $2 more than the trashed card.
  • Stonemason (2013): You may overpay for this. If you do, gain 2 Action cards each costing the amount you overpaid.
  • Doctor (2013): You may overpay for this. For each $1 you overpaid, look at the top card of your deck; trash it, discard it, or put it back.
  • Masterpiece (2013): You may overpay for this. For each $1 you overpaid, gain a Silver.
  • Herald (2013): You may overpay for this. For each $1 you overpaid, put a card from your discard pile onto your deck.
  • Messenger (2015): If this is your first buy in a turn, gain a card costing up to $4, and each other player gains a copy of it.
  • Port (2015): Gain another Port.
  • Forum (2016): +1 Buy.
  • Noble Brigand: Each other player reveals the top 2 cards of their deck, trashes a revealed Silver or Gold you choose, and discards the rest. If they didn’t reveal a Treasure, they gain a Copper. You gain the trashed cards.

Gaining a card

When you would gain

When you would gain any card:

  • Possession: The player to your right gains that card instead.
  • Trader (2011): You may reveal this from your hand, to instead gain a Silver.

When you would gain this to your discard pile:

When you gain

When you gain another card:

  • Blockade: If it's your turn, and another player has a copy of that card set aside with Blockade, gain a Curse.
  • Watchtower: You may reveal this from your hand, to either trash that card, or put it on top of your deck.
  • Tiara: You may put that card onto your deck.
  • Trader (2021): You may reveal this from your hand, to exchange that card with a Silver.
  • Haggler (2022): If you bought that card, gain a cheaper non-Victory card.
  • Footpad: If it's an Action phase, +1 Card.
  • Duplicate: If that card costed up to $6, you may call this, to gain a copy of it.
  • Haunted Woods (2022): If you bought that card, put your hand onto your deck in any order.
  • Swamp Hag (2022): If you bought that card, gain a Curse.
  • Travelling Fair: You may put that card onto your deck.
  • Plan (2022): If you have your Trashing token on that card's Supply pile, you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Charm (2022): If it's the next card you gained this turn, you may also gain a differently named card with the same cost.
  • Forum (2022): +1 Buy.
  • Tax (2022): If it's your Buy phase, take the D from that card's Supply pile.
  • Basilica (2022): If it's your Buy phase and you have $2 or more, take 2VP from here.
  • Defiled Shrine (2022): If it's your Buy phase and that card is a Curse, take the VP from here.
  • Labyrinth: If it's your turn, and that's the 2nd card you gained this turn, take 2VP from here.
  • Changeling: If that card costed $3 or more, you may exchange it for a Changeling.
  • Cargo Ship: If you haven't set aside a card with this, you may set that card aside face up (on this).
  • Exile: You may discard all other copies of that card from here.
  • Sleigh: You may discard this, to put that card into your hand or onto your deck.
  • Sheepdog: You may play this from your hand.
  • Falconer: If that card has 2 or more types (Action, Attack, etc.), you may play this from your hand.
  • Livery: If that card costed $4 or more, gain a Horse.
  • Way of the Seal: You may put that card onto your deck.
  • Bauble: You may put that card onto your deck.
  • Galleria: If that card costed either $3 or $4, +1 Buy.
  • Garrison: Add a token here.
  • Guildmaster: +1 Favor.
  • Architects' Guild: You may spend 2 Favors to gain a cheaper non-Victory card.
  • Band of Nomads: If that card costed $3 or more, you may spend a Favor, for +1 Card, or +1 Action, or +1 Buy.
  • Trappers' Lodge: You may spend a Favor to put that card onto your deck.
  • Insignia: You may put that card onto your deck.
  • Taskmaster: If that card costed exactly $5, then at the start of your next turn, repeat this ability.
  • Deliver: Set it aside, and put it into your hand at end of turn.
  • Bureaucracy: If it doesn't cost $0, gain a Copper.
  • Harsh Winter: If it’s your turn: if there’s D on its pile, take it; otherwise put 2D on its pile.
  • Progress: Put it onto your deck.
  • Trade Route: Move the Coin token from that card's pile to the Trade Route mat.
  • Royal Seal: You may put that card onto your deck.

When you gain an Action card:

  • Collection: +1VP.
  • Cauldron: If that's the 3rd Action card you gained this turn, each other player gains a Curse.
  • Colonnade (2022): If it's your Buy phase and you have a copy of that Action in play, take 2VP from here.
  • Defiled Shrine: Move 1VP from its pile to this.
  • Academy: +1 Villager.
  • Innovation (2022): If it's your turn, and you haven't used this ability yet this turn, you may play that Action.
  • Gatekeeper: If you don't have an Exiled copy of that card, Exile it.
  • City-state: If it's your turn, you may spend 2 Favors to play that Action.
  • Abundance: If it's the next time you gained an Action card, +1 Buy and +$3.
  • Rush: If it's the next time you gained an Action card this turn, play it.
  • Mirror: If it's the next time you gained an Action card this turn, gain a copy of it.
  • Rapid Expansion: Set it aside, and play it at the start of your next turn.
  • Innovation (2018): If it's your turn, and that card is the first Action card you gained this turn, you may play it.

When you gain a Treasure card:

  • Pirate: You may play this from your hand.
  • Aqueduct: Move 1VP from that card's pile to this.
  • Guildhall: +1 Coffers.
  • Gatekeeper: If you don't have an Exiled copy of that card, Exile it.
  • Secluded Shrine: If it's the next time you gained a Treasure, trash up to 2 cards from your hand.
  • Cutthroat: If it's the next time a a Treasure costing $5 or more was gained, gain a Loot.
  • Mining Road: If you haven't used this ability yet this turn, you may play that Treasure.
  • Growth: Gain a cheaper card.
  • Rapid Expansion: Set it aside, and play it at the start of your next turn.

When you gain a Victory card:

  • Hoard (2022): If you bought that card, gain a Gold.
  • Hovel (2022): You may trash this from your hand.
  • Groundskeeper: +1VP.
  • Aqueduct: Take the VP from this.
  • Battlefield: Take 2VP from here.
  • Mountain Pass (2022): If that card is the first Province gained this game, each player bids once, up to 40D, ending with you. High bidder gets +8VP and takes the D they bid.
  • Cage: If it's the next time you gained a Victory card, trash this, and put the set aside cards into your hand at end of turn.
  • Mapmaker: You may play this from your hand.
  • Fawning: If that card is a Province, gain a Fawning card.
  • Mountain Pass (2016): If that card is the first Province gained this game, after this turn, each player bids once, up to 40D, ending with you. High bidder gets +8VP and takes the D they bid.
  • Mountain Pass (2020): If that card is the first Province gained this game, at end of turn, each player bids once, up to 40D, ending with you. High bidder gets +8VP and takes the D they bid.
  • Duchess: If that card is a Duchy, you may gain a Duchess.

When you gain an Attack card:

  • Skirmisher: Each other player discards down to 3 cards in hand.

When you gain a Duration card:

  • Sailor: If you haven't used this ability yet this turn, you may play that Duration.
  • Stowaway: You may play this from your hand.

When you gain this:

When another player gains a card

These effects happen after "when you gain" effects. This means that, if they gain a Haunted Castle, they attack you before you get to react with Falconer or Black Cat.

When another player gains a Treasure card

  • Pirate: You may play this from your hand.
  • Cutthroat: If this was the next time a Treasure costing $5 or more was gained, gain a Loot.

When another player gains a Victory card

When another player gains a Duration card

  • Stowaway: You may play this from your hand.

When another player gains any card

  • Monkey: If they're the player to your right, +1 Card.
  • Fool's Gold: If that card is a Province, you may trash this from your hand to gain a Gold onto your deck.
  • Falconer: If that card has 2 or more types (Action, Attack, etc.), you may play this from your hand.
  • Invest: If you Invested in a copy of that card, and you still have that copy in Exile, +2 Cards.

Trashing a card

When you trash

When you trash any card:

  • Tomb: +1VP.
  • Priest: +$2.
  • Sewers: If that card wasn't trashed with this, you may trash a card from your hand.

When you trash one of your cards:

  • Possession: Set aside that card, and return it to your discard pile at end of turn.
  • Market Square: You may discard this from your hand to gain a Gold.

When you trash this:

Discarding a card

When you discard this other than during Clean-up

When you discard a card from play

Normally, these effects happen during Clean-up, at the same time as Coastal Haven. However, Highwayman discards itself from play before then; if you already played a Scheme, you can use its ability before Clean-up.

When you discard this from play:

When you discard another card from play:

  • Herbalist (2022): Once a turn, if it's a Treasure, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Scheme: Once a turn, if it's an Action card, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Horn: Once per turn, if it's a Border Guard, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Trickster: Once a turn, if it's a Treasure, you may set it aside. Put it into your hand at end of turn.
  • Panic: If it's a Treasure, return it to its pile.
  • Prince (2014): If that card was played by Prince this turn, set it aside.

Miscellaneous

When you would make any decision

  • Possession: The player to your right makes that decision for you.

When a Supply pile is emptied

When shuffling

  • Star Chart: You may pick one of the cards to go on top.
  • Order of Astrologers: You may pick one card per Favor you spend to go on top.
  • Order of Masons: You may pick up to 2 cards per Favor you spend to put into your discard pile.
  • Fated: You may reveal Fated cards to put them on the top or bottom.
  • Avoid: If it's the next time you shuffled this turn, pick up to 3 cards to put into your discard pile.
  • Stash: You may look through your remaining deck, and may put this anywhere in the shuffled cards.

When you would get coins

When you would draw cards

When you choose between options

  • Elder: You may choose an extra (different) option.

When you reveal this

When you remove the last Sun

After the game ends

  • Fleet: There is an extra round of turns just for players with this.

When scoring

By definition, Victory cards have effects when scoring, and are not listed here.

  • Bandit Fort: -2VP for each Silver and each Gold you have.
  • Fountain: 15VP if you have at least 10 Coppers.
  • Keep: 5VP per differently named Treasure you have, that you have more copies of than each other player, or tied for most.
  • Museum: 2VP per differently named card you have.
  • Obelisk: 2VP per card you have from the chosen pile.
  • Orchard: 4VP per differently named Action card you have 3 or more copies of.
  • Palace: 3VP per set you have of Copper-Silver-Gold.
  • Tower: 1VP per non-Victory card you have from an empty Supply pile.
  • Triumphal Arch: 3VP per copy you have of the 2nd most common Action card among your cards (if it's a tie, count either).
  • Wall: -1VP per card you have after the first 15.
  • Wolf Den: -3VP per card you have exactly one copy of.
  • Plateau Shepherds: Pair up your Favors with cards you have costing $2, for 2VP each.

Persistent effects

The cards listed below have effects that persist over some extended period of time, rather than being resolved at a specific, unique point in time. Many of them have the effect of setting up a trigger for a punctual event as listed above, which can be triggered any number of times as long as whatever factor conditions the persistent effect remains active. Others cause more general changes to gameplay while they obtain, such as changing the costs or other characteristics of cards.

While a card is in play

In 2022, while-in-play effects got changed to “this turn.”

While you have this in play:

  • Urchin: When you play another Attack card, you may first trash this, to gain a Mercenary.

While another card is in play:

Removed and errata'ed cards

    While this is in play:

  • Quarry (2010): Action cards cost $2 less.
  • Highway (2011): Cards cost $1 less.
  • Band of Misfits (2012): This is the played card.
  • Overlord (2016): This is the played card.
    While you have this in play:
  • Lighthouse (2009): When another player plays an Attack card, it doesn’t affect you.
  • Hoard (2009): When you buy a Victory card, gain a Gold.
  • Princess (2010): Cards cost $2 less.
  • Haggler (2011): When you buy a card, gain a cheaper non-Victory card.
  • Merchant Guild (2013): When you buy a card, +1 Coffers.
  • Bridge Troll (2015): If it is your turn, cards cost $1 less.
  • Groundskeeper (2016): When you gain a Victory card, +1VP.
  • Tracker (2017): When you gain a card, you may put that card onto your deck.
  • Sauna (2016): When you play a Silver, you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Talisman: When you buy a non-Victory card costing $4 or less, gain a copy of it.
  • Royal Seal: When you gain a card, you may put that card on top of your deck.
  • Goons: When you buy a card, +1VP.

Turns

During a turn

During your turn

  • Possession: The player to your right can see all cards they can and make all decisions for your. Any cards or D your would gain this turn, they gain instead, and any cards of yours that are trashed are set aside and put in your discard pile at end of turn.
  • Bridge Troll (2022): If you played this last turn, cards cost $1 less.
  • Coffers (2022): You may remove tokens from this for +$1 each.
  • Mission: You can't buy cards.
  • Inheritance (2022): Estates are also Command Actions with "Play the card with your Estate token, leaving it there."
  • Capitalism: Actions with +$ amounts in their text are also Treasures.
  • Canal: Cards cost $1 less.
  • Innovation: Once this turn, when you gain an Action card, you may play it.
  • Voyage: You can only play 3 cards from your hand.
  • City-state: When you gain an Action card, you may spend 2 Favors to play it.
  • Harsh Winter: When you gain a card, if there's D on its pile, take it; otherwise put 2D on its pile.

During any player's turn

  • Fisherman: If that player's discard pile is empty, this costs $3 less.
  • Destrier: This costs $1 less for each card that player gained this turn.
  • Wayfarer: This has the same cost as the last other card gained this turn, if any.
  • Debt (2024): You may pay $1 to pay off 1D.

During your Action phase

  • Villagers: You may remove tokens from this for +1 Action each.

During a Buy phase

During your Buy phase

  • Debt (2016): You may pay $1 to pay off 1D.
  • Coffers (2013): If you haven't bought anything, you may remove tokens from this for +$1 each.
  • Flourishing Trade: You may spend Action plays as Buys.

During any player's Buy phase

  • Peddler: This costs $2 less per Action card that player has in play.

For the rest of this turn

  • Bridge: Cards cost $1 less.
  • Quarry (2022): Action cards cost $2 less.
  • Tiara: When you gain a card, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Collection: When you gain an Action card, +1VP.
  • Hoard (2022): When you gain a Victory card, if you bought it, gain a Gold.
  • Haggler (2022): When you gain a card, if you bought it, gain a cheaper non-Victory card.
  • Highway (2022): Cards cost $1 less.
  • Renown: Cards cost $2 less.
  • Bridge Troll (2022): Cards cost $1 less.
  • Travelling Fair: When you gain a card, you may put it on top of your deck.
  • Groundskeeper (2022): When you gain a Victory card, +1VP.
  • Tracker (2022): When you gain a card, you may put it onto your deck
  • Deluded: You can't buy Actions.
  • Envious: Silver and Gold make $1.
  • Inventor: Cards cost $1 less.
  • Priest: When you trash a card, +$2.
  • Snowy Village: Ignore any +Actions you get.
  • Livery: When you gain a card costing $4 or more, gain a Horse.
  • Way of the Chameleon: Each time this card would give you +Cards, you get +$ instead, and vice-versa.
  • Way of the Seal: When you gain a card, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Bauble: When you gain a card, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Garrison: When you gain a card, add a token here.
  • Elder: When the card you played with this gives you a choice of abilities (with "choose"), you may choose an extra (different) option.
  • Galleria: When you gain a card costing $3 or $4, +1 Buy.
  • Guildmaster: When you gain a card, +1 Favor.
  • Skirmisher: When you gain an Attack card, each other player discards down to 3 cards in hand.
  • Insignia: When you gain a card, you may put it onto your deck.
  • Deliver: When you gain a card, set it aside, and put it into your hand at end of turn.
  • Sauna (2022): When you play a Silver, you may trash a card from your hand.
  • Coppersmith: Copper produces an extra $1.
  • Contraband: You can't buy the named card.
  • Princess (2022): Cards cost $2 less.

Until your next turn

As soon as you start your turn (e.g. before 2022 Donate resolves), these effects all expire. [1]

  • Lighthouse (2022): When another player plays an Attack card, it doesn't affect you.
  • Monkey: When the player to your right gains a card, +1 Card.
  • Corsair: Each other player trashes the first Silver or Gold they play each turn.
  • Haunted Woods (2022): When any other player gains a card they bought, they put their hand on top of their deck in any order.
  • Swamp Hag (2022): When any other player gains a card they bought, they gain a Curse.
  • Enchantress: The first time each other player plays an Action card on their turn, they get +1 Card and +1 Action instead of following its instructions.
  • Guardian: When another player plays an Attack card, it doesn't affect you.
  • Gatekeeper: When another player gains an Action or Treasure card they don't have an Exiled copy of, they Exile it.
  • Highwayman: The first Treasure each other player plays each turn does nothing.
  • Warlord: Other players can't play an Action from their hand that they have 2 or more copies of in play.
  • Frigate: Each time another player plays an Action card, they discard down to 4 cards in hand afterwards.
  • Haunted Woods (2015): When any other player buys a card, they put their hand on top of their deck in any order.
  • Swamp Hag (2015): When any other player buys a card, they gain a Curse.

Longer

In games using this

While your token is on a supply pile

While you have debt

  • Debt: You can't buy cards, Events, or Projects.

While a card is in Exile

  • Invest: When another player gains or Invests in a copy of that card, +2 Cards.

While a card is set aside

  • Blockade: If the card is set aside with this, when another player gains a copy of that card on their turn, they gain a Curse.

For the rest of the game

By definition, Projects you've bought and Prophecies that have been activated will have effects for the rest of the game, and aren't all listed here.

  • Hireling: At the start of your turn, +1 Card.
  • Champion: When another player plays an Attack card, it doesn't affect you, and when you play an Action, you first get +1 Action.
  • Family of Inventors: Cards cost $1 less per Favor token on their pile.
  • Inheritance (2022): During your turns, Estates are also Command Actions with "Play the card with your Estate token, leaving it there."
  • Quartermaster: At the start of your turn, choose one: gain a card costing up to $4, setting it aside on this; or put a card from this into your hand.
  • Endless Chalice: At the start of your turn, +1 Buy and +$1.
  • Samurai: At the start of your turn, +$1.
  • Flourishing Trade: Cards cost $1 less.
  • Enlightenment: Treasures are also Actions.
  • Prince (2022): At the start of your turn, play the set-aside Action card, leaving it set aside.
  • Inheritance (2015): Your Estates gain the abilities and types of the card with your Estate token.
  • Prince (2014): At the start of your turn, play the set-aside Action, setting it aside again when you discard it from play.
  • Embargo (2016): When you buy a card from a pile with an Embargo token, gain a Curse.


Deck archetypes Big MoneyComboEngineRushSlog
Strategic concepts CollisionCounterCyclingDeadDuchy dancingEndgameGreeningMegaturnMirrorOpeningOpportunity costPenultimate Province RulePayloadPinPiledrivingReshuffleSilver testStop cardSplit advantageStrictly betterSynergyTerminalityTerminal spaceThree-pile endingTurn advantageVictory pointVillage idiot
Rules Blue dog ruleCostDeckGameplayMaterialsNo Visiting ruleStop-Moving rule (previously Lose Track rule) • Supply (Kingdom) • Triggered effectsTurn