Coppersmith

Coppersmith
Cost	4
Type	[[Action]]
Set/Expansion	Intrigue
Illustrator	Claus Stephan
Copper produces an extra $1 this turn.

[[Category:Action cards]]

FAQ

Official FAQ

• This just changes how much money you get when playing Copper.
• The effect is cumulative; if you use Throne Room on Coppersmith, each Copper that you play that turn will produce 3 coins.

Other Rules clarifications

It does not affect the value of Coppers you have already played this turn via Black Market.

Strategy Article

There is no strategy article on Coppersmith, though it was mentioned here by theory.

Coppersmith is the archetype for all situational $4 cards. When it shines, it really shines; when it is bad, it’s really bad.

Unfortunately, the latter is more common than the former. What Coppersmith needs is big draw coupled with lots of Coppers. In practice, you can’t get that much reliable draw with many Coppers in your deck. Aside from edge cases like Tactician/Coppersmith/Warehouse, most of the time, Coppersmith either lacks the handsize for its Coppers, or lacks the Coppers for its handsize. And so it’s situational, but its situation happens to be inherently contradictory.

Add to the fact that it’s terminal, and you find yourself with a big liability if it doesn’t work out. Sure, on Turns 3 and 4 you might get away with a +$3, but as the game goes on you never match the same level of Copper density, and Coppersmith becomes “Spend an Action for +$1″.

Synergies/Combos

• Tactician
• Engines that draw your whole deck even with no trashing, such as with Wharf or King's Court
• Cute tricks with Counting House might count, though they're unlikely to work in a serious game
• Apothecary

Antisynergies

• Weak draw
• Strong trashing
• Lack of an engine

Trivia

Secret History

One of the times when I took something out and needed to replace it, I tried specifically to think of a new way to build up your money. This was the result. Double your Coppers! There are several directions to go with Coppersmith, but it's one of the trickier cards in the set. Those Coppersmith decks don't just build themselves.

—Donald X. Vaccarino, from The Secret History of the Intrigue Cards