[Dominion] Transmute Card Guide - Type-Branching Trasher
Rating of the Alchemy card Transmute. Cost 0+P Action. Trash a card: Action→Duchy, Treasure→Transmute, Victory→Gold.
Transmute
Basic Info
- Type: Action
- Cost: 0+P (requires Potion)
- Effect: Trash a card from your hand. Action→gain Duchy. Treasure→gain Transmute. Victory→gain Gold.
Rating
Type-branching trasher. 0+P for "trash + conditional gain." Estate→Gold is the headline play.
Biggest weakness: Treasure→Transmute creates a perpetual self-cycle but the economy gain is trivial. Past 3 Estates, Transmute has limited targets.
Tier B-. Estate-to-Gold is strong, but only 3 Estates exist. Other usage scenarios are situational. Often "if you can spend P, there's a better card."
How to Play
Open Potion + Silver. Buy Transmute turn 3-4.
Early: trash Estates → gain Golds. Massive economic acceleration (+6 coin equivalent across 3 Estates).
Mid-late: with Estates gone, Transmute becomes circumstantial. Trashing Victory cards is usually wasteful.
Estate-to-Gold Strategy
Once Transmute + Potion both in hand, trash an Estate, gain Gold. Best use case bar none.
3 Estates → 3 Golds = +6 coin density. Cost 3+P investment for +6 coin is fantastic.
Single Transmute takes 3 turns to clear all Estates. Slower than Chapel.
Key Combos
Transmute + Vineyard: Transmute is Action, fuels Vineyard score.
Transmute + Familiar/Alchemist: Co-axis on Potion strategy.
Transmute + Chapel: Chapel for bulk-trash, Transmute for Estate-to-Gold cherry-pick.
Transmute + Throne Room: 2 Estates → 2 Golds in one turn.
Transmute + University: University-gain path.
Synergies
- Potion: Required.
- Vineyard: Action density.
- Chapel: Bulk-trash partner.
- Throne Room: Doubled trigger.
- Estate-rich hand: Prime target.
Counters & Bad Matchups
- No good non-Estate trash targets: After 3 Estates, low utility.
- Pure BM: Potion wasted.
- Strong trasher boards: Chapel/Remodel/Baron eclipse Transmute.
Advanced Tips
Treat Transmute as "early Estate-Gold converter." After 3 Estates done, consider trashing Transmute itself.
Action→Duchy is rarely good. Net +2 VP at engine cost is risky.
Vineyard strategies welcome Transmute as Action-count + trash + Gold gain combo.
Province→Gold is last-ditch. -6 VP for +3 coin almost always loses.
Transmute is Potion-strategy support, not headliner. Familiar/Alchemist/Scrying Pool come first.