• Type: Action
• Cost: 3
• Effect: +1 Card / +1 Action / The first time you play a Silver this turn, +1 Coin.

Non-terminal cantrip (+1 card / +1 action) with "first Silver = +1 coin" bonus. Effectively makes Silver play like Gold (3 + bonus 1 = 4 coins). Boosts Silver-heavy decks.

Multiple Merchants stack: 2 Merchants → 1 Silver = +2 coin bonus (Silver as 5-coin equivalent on first play).

But the bonus is only on "the first Silver." Second and subsequent Silvers are normal +2 coins. Stacking Merchants matters less than stacking Silvers in the deck.

Overall B tier. Base 2E replacement for old Woodcutter (+1 buy / +2 coins). Merchant is more engine-friendly than Woodcutter.

3-coin opening: Merchant is standard pick. Competes with Village; Merchant preferred for Silver-heavy plans.

Mid-game: 1-2 Merchants suffice.

End-game: Merchant's +1 coin pushes toward Province threshold.

Merchant fits "Silver-boost Big Money":

1. T1-2: Silver/Merchant or Silver/Silver
2. T3-4: Add Merchant
3. T5+: Stack Silvers, Merchant boosts first Silver

Slower than Smithy-BM but stable economy via Silver.

Merchant + Silver: The signature pairing. Silver 3 + Merchant 1 = 4 coins.

Merchant + Merchant + Silver: 1 Silver = +2 coin bonus. Silver as 5-coin equivalent.

Merchant + Mine: Mine upgrades Silver → Gold; Merchant target shrinks. Tension.

Merchant + Throne Room: TR + Merchant = double cantrip + double Silver bonus on first Silver.

Merchant + Chapel: Thinning improves Merchant draw rate, but Silvers may shrink.

Merchant + Smithy/Library: Drawing finds both Merchant and Silver.

• Silver: Merchant's main target.
• Silver-distributing cards: Inventor (Renaissance), Trader, etc.
• Mine: Tension — upgrade Silvers but Merchant target shrinks.
• Throne Room: Doubled bonus.
• Smithy / Library: Find Merchant + Silver.
• Broker (Allies): Silver upgrade + Merchant.
• Scholar (Renaissance): Massive draw + Merchant.

• Silver-poor decks: No bonus trigger.
• Thinned decks: Silvers also trashed.
• Better cantrips on board: Worker's Village (Prosperity, 4), Crossroads.
• Pure Big Money: Smithy beats Merchant raw speed.

• Worker's Village (Prosperity, 4): +1 / +2 actions / +1 buy.
• Ill-Gotten Gains (Intrigue, 5): Silver-like + 1 buy.
• Great Hall (Intrigue, 3): +1 / +1 action / 1 VP.
• Merchant Ship (Seaside, 5): Duration +2 coins.
• Scholar (Renaissance, 5): Discard hand + draw 7.
• Woodcutter (Base 1E): +1 buy / +2 coins. Replaced by Merchant.

Merchant's "cantrip + Silver booster" is unique. One of Base 2E's few economy cantrips.

Check for Silvers in hand or deck before playing Merchant. No Silver = pure cantrip.

Play Merchant first in turn, then Silver later. The bonus triggers at "first Silver play."

Two Merchants stack bonuses. Multiple Merchants = more Silvers desired.

Merchant-BM is "Silver-density Big Money." Slower than Smithy but attack-resistant (no Smithy to discard via Militia).

vs Woodcutter: Woodcutter's "+1 buy / +2 coins" is reliable for double-Province turns. Merchant requires Silver. Merchant fits engines; old Woodcutter fit BM. Currently only Merchant exists.