Poacher

Basic Info

Type: Action
Cost: 4
Effect: +1 Card / +1 Action / +1 Coin / Discard a card per empty Supply pile.

Rating

Non-terminal cantrip (+1 card / +1 action) + 1 coin + "discard 1 per empty Supply pile" penalty. At cost 4, the "+1 card / +1 action / +1 coin" baseline is near Grand Market (cost 5) — exceptional early-mid game performance.

The penalty triggers as Supply piles deplete. Early game = 0 piles empty = no penalty. Mid game = 1-2 piles empty = mild discard. End game = 3+ empty = punishing discard. Big Money is unaffected; engines suffer end-game.

Overall B to A tier. Base 2E replacement for old Spy. Strong in both engine and Big Money plans.

How to Play

4-coin opening: Poacher is strong candidate. Engine plans value the non-terminal +1 coin; Big Money plans benefit from +1 coin reach.

Mid-game: 1-3 Poachers. Pre-penalty performance is Market-like.

End-game: Supply piles emptying triggers penalties. Time Poacher plays carefully near pile-down.

Key Combos

Poacher + Smithy: Poacher saves Action, Smithy +3 cards = +4 cards / +1 coin in one Action slot.

Poacher + Chapel: Thinning helps draw Poacher.

Poacher + Throne Room: TR + Poacher = +2 cards / +2 actions / +2 coins / 2 discards.

Poacher + Witch: Poacher's +1 action enables Witch + other terminal.

Poacher + Market/Lab: Non-terminal cantrip pair.

Poacher + pile-down strategies: Gardens etc. with intentional pile depletion → Poacher penalty hurts you. Conversely, opposing Gardens: Poacher penalty interferes.

Synergies

Smithy: Poacher saves +1 action / +1 coin while Smithy draws.
Chapel: Thinning support.
Throne Room: Doubled stats (+2 coins, +2 cards).
Witch: +1 action for terminal pairing.
Market / Laboratory: Non-terminal pair.
Remodel: Convert obsolete Poacher to Duchy.
Silver / Gold: Economy + Poacher's +1 coin.
Vineyard (Alchemy): Action stacking.

Counters & Bad Matchups

Pile-down strategies: Self-emptying piles trigger Poacher penalty.
End-game multi-pile depletion: 3+ empty piles = 3+ discard, crippling.
TfB targeting Poacher: Procession trashes it.
Better cantrips on board: Grand Market (Prosperity, 5) outclasses without penalty.

Related Cards

Market (Base, 5): +1 card / +1 action / +1 buy / +1 coin. Cost 5, no penalty.
Grand Market (Prosperity, 5): +1 / +1 / +1 / +2. Can't buy with Copper.
Great Hall (Intrigue, 3): +1 / +1 action / +1 VP.
Ill-Gotten Gains (Intrigue, 5): Silver-like + 1 buy.
Spy (Base 1E): Old version, attack on deck-top. Replaced by Poacher.

Poacher's "cost 4 / +1/+1/+1 / penalty" is a unique cantrip-economy hybrid.

Advanced Tips

When to play: Early-mid penalty-free, mid-late time around Supply pile state. Hand has Estate/Copper to discard? Play Poacher.

Discard priority: Estates > unusable terminals > Coppers > Silvers > strong actions. Similar to Cellar.

Pile-down monitoring: Estate (8-12), Copper (32-46), each Kingdom (8-12). Mid-game often depletes Estates/Curses. Maximize Poacher use before 3+ piles empty.

Second/third Poacher: Penalty stacks (each Poacher discards independently). 3 Poachers + 3 empty piles = 9 discards in one turn. Limit to 2 in late stages.

vs Spy: Spy was weak attack on deck-top. Poacher is cantrip + economy with penalty. Engine prefers Poacher. Currently only Poacher exists.