Philosopher's Stone

Basic Info

Type: Treasure
Cost: 3+P (requires Potion)
Effect: +1 Coin per 5 cards in your deck + discard pile combined (round down).

Rating

A treasure that "grows with deck size." This inverts Dominion's universal "thin = strong" rule. 20-card deck → +4. 30 → +6. 50 → +10.

Biggest strength: turns Curses and Estates given by opponents into self-buff. Witch/Familiar enemies inadvertently strengthen your Stone.

Tier B-. Usually weak — runs counter to compression theory. Shines only in specific narrow supplies (heavy curse-spreading, engine-impossible boards).

How to Play

Open Potion + Silver. Build to 3+P access.

Mid: Use Vineyard / Stones / Coppers / Curses to bloat deck. Fire Stones each turn for steady +3-5 coin.

Late: Pivot to Province economy.

Coin by Deck Size

10 cards: +2 coin (just after buying Stone)
15: +3
20: +4
25: +5 (Gold-tier)
30: +6
50: +10 (Province solo)

Standard 10-15 card decks ≈ Silver. 30+ surpasses Gold.

Key Combos

Stone + Vineyard: Vineyard + Stone bloat + score together; both Potion-cost.

Stone + Receive-Curse: Opponent's Witch/Familiar grows your deck and Stone simultaneously.

Stone + Gardens: Same theme — pile-up scoring + Stone scaling.

Stone + Harem: Bloat with Treasure-VP duals.

Stone + Platinum (Prosperity): Big Stones enable Platinum purchases.

Synergies

Potion: Required.
Vineyard: Deck bloat + score.
Gardens (Base): Same axis.
Anti-thinning BM: Keep all Coppers, accumulate Curses.
Receive-Curse plays: Self-buff via opponent attack.

Counters & Bad Matchups

Chapel/Remodel/Baron etc: Self-thinning kills Stone.
Engine boards: Tight deck + frequent shuffle → Stone weak.
Potion-blocked turns: 3+P unbuyable.

Advanced Tips

Stone strategy is "anti-Dominion" — fighting the compression dogma. Works only on supplies where engines aren't available.

2-3 Stones = +6-15 coin per turn = Province+extras economy. Larger deck = bigger Stones.

Stone vs cursers: Each Curse received is +1 coin's worth of deck size for your Stone. Tactical inversion.

Stone + Vineyard: Both scale with deck/Action density. Combine for parallel scoring.

Stone is a niche / training-supply card. Against engine players it loses badly.