Underling

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Liaison
• Cost: 3
• Effect: +1 Card / +1 Action / +1 Favor

Rating

Cost 3 cantrip plus +1 Favor. A pure upgrade over standard cantrips.

Biggest strength: doesn't disrupt the deck and reliably banks 1 Favor per play. Cantrip means no terminal-collision risk — you can pile in 3-5 copies safely.

Weakness: low standalone output. No +Coin / +Buy. Pure Favor accumulation. If the Ally is weak, banked Favors don't pay off.

Overall B+ tier. Spikes to A on strong-Ally boards.

How to Play

Strong open-3 candidate. Competes with Chapel and Masquerade — but if the Ally is strong, prioritize Underling.

Mid-game: stack 3-5 copies. Deck cycles + Favor accumulates passively.

End-game: time the Ally activation for VP/Gold conversion.

Key Combos

Underling + Draw engine: pure cantrip slots in seamlessly.

Underling + other Liaisons: stack Favor income.

Underling + strong Ally: bank 5-10 Favors → mega payoff.

Underling + Throne Room: +2 Cards / +2 Actions / +2 Favors. Big in engines.

Synergies

• All Liaisons: stacked Favor income.
• Draw engines: cantrip fits everywhere.
• Throne Room: doubled +Favor.
• Peddler / Market: similar cantrips compound.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Weak Ally: stockpiled Favor wasted.
• BM strategies: cantrips weak in BM.
• Heavy thinning environment: usually still good but competes for buy slots.

Advanced Tips

Buy count scales with Ally strength: strong Ally → 3-5; weak Ally → 1-2.

Even early game, 3 coin → Underling = guaranteed +1 Favor each draw.

Stacking with Guildmaster / Bauble = 4-5 Favors per turn.

No collision risk regardless of multi-copy in hand.