Workshop

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 3
• Effect: Gain a card costing up to 4.

Rating

A simple gainer. At cost 3, gain any card costing up to 4. The basic deck-stuffing tool. Especially strong with Gardens (1 VP per 10 cards in deck).

Workshop's headline use is the Gardens rush. Workshop into Silver/Workshop/Estate, swelling the deck size and maximizing Gardens VP. On Base-only boards with Gardens, Workshop+Gardens is a top contender.

In normal engine builds, Workshop's use is limited. No +1 Action means each play burns a terminal slot, and gained cards go to the discard (not hand), preventing same-turn use.

Overall B to A tier (with Gardens) / B to C tier (without). Workshop's peak performance comes paired with Gardens.

How to Play

Opening 3-coin slot: Workshop is a standard pick. 4/3 split's 3-coin slot; on 5/2, can't afford directly.

Mid-game with Gardens strategy: stack 3-5 Workshops. 3-5 cards gained per turn (Workshops × 3 + buy = 4+ gains) rapidly fattens the deck.

In normal play, 1-2 Workshops suffice. Use to gain key cost-4 cards (Smithy, Remodel, Throne Room, Silver) for mid-game development.

Gardens Strategy

Workshop's signature build. Strong on Base-only boards:

1. T1-2: Silver/Workshop (4/3 split)
2. T3-5: Add Workshops, buy Coppers/Silvers
3. Mid-game: Workshop into Gardens/Workshop/Silver, deck swells
4. End-game: Trigger 3-pile ending (Gardens + 2 others). Workshop empties piles by gaining Estates / Silvers en masse.

Gardens scores 1 VP per 10 cards. 50-card deck = 5 VP = roughly 2 Duchies + 3 Estates. 100-card deck = 10 VP ≈ Province + Duchy + Estate.

Faster game-ending than engines, the key is closing before the engine completes.

Key Combos

Workshop + Gardens: The signature pairing.

Workshop + Throne Room: TR + Workshop = 2 gains. Two cards gained in one play.

Workshop + Remodel: Gain Silver via Workshop → Remodel into Gold etc.

Workshop + Chapel: Thinning + gaining = quality shift.

Workshop + Vineyard (Alchemy): Action stacking matches Vineyard scoring.

Workshop + Great Hall (Intrigue): Workshop gains Great Hall = VP + village.

Synergies

• Gardens: Gardens-rush core.
• Throne Room: Doubled gains.
• Remodel: Gain → upgrade chain.
• Chapel: Thin + gain.
• Great Hall (Intrigue): Workshop target with VP.
• Worker's Village (Prosperity, 4): Workshop target, strong village.
• Silver: Simple economy gain.
• Vineyard (Alchemy): Action-stacking score.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Engine main role: Cannot anchor engines (terminal, no draw).
• Cost-5+ heavy supplies: Workshop caps at cost 4.
• No Gardens: Workshop's peak use disappears.
• TfB targeting Workshop: Procession trashes it.

Related Gainers

• Artisan (Base, 6): Gain cost-5 + topdeck a hand card.
• Remodel (Base, 4): Trash + gain (+2 cost).
• Trade (Adventures, 5): Trash 2, gain 2 Silvers.
• Forge (Prosperity, 7): Trash any number, total-cost gain.
• Replace (Intrigue, 5): Trash + gain +2 + topdeck/curse.
• Cobbler (Nocturne, 5): Gain cost-4 to hand at start of next turn.

Workshop's "cost 3 / gain up to 4" simplicity is its hallmark. Stronger gainers exist but at higher cost.

Advanced Tips

Plan target on each Workshop play. Gardens build → Gardens/Workshop/Silver. Engine build → Smithy/Silver/Throne Room.

Gained cards go to discard, not hand. Wait a few turns for them to reshuffle into hand.

Workshop chain: Stack many Workshops → Workshop gains another Workshop → next turn that one gains something else. Classic Gardens build.

"Workshop vs Silver" decision: Engine plan → Silver. Gardens plan → Workshop. Read the supply.