Horse Traders

Basic Info

Type: Action-Reaction
Cost: 4
Effect: +1 Buy, +3 Coin. Discard 2 cards.
Reaction: When another player plays an Attack card, you may first set this aside from your hand. If you do, then at the start of your next turn, +1 Card and return this to your hand.

Rating

Cost-4 utility powerhouse. +1 Buy + +3 Coin (Market-beating coin), discard 2, plus attack-defense reaction. Cost 4 with this kit is excellent.

Big strengths: high coin (Province line at +3) + +1 Buy + reaction. Roughly = 2 Silvers compressed into 1 card.

Reaction is excellent: dodge Witch / Ghost Ship / Militia by side-setting, return next turn +1 Card. Dual benefit: defense + cycling.

Weakness: 2-card discard hurts engines. Hand 5 → 3 trims hand. BM-strong, engines use it for the +3 / +1 Buy combo.

Overall A. Top BM card; engine quasi-essential.

How to Play

Open 4-coin slot top pick. Often beats Silver on 4/3.

Mid-game: every turn for +3 Coin + 1 Buy. Province + Duchy combo enabled.

Attack-defense: hold 1-2 in curser games. Side-set on opponent's Witch turn, dodge Curse, return next turn.

Reaction Use

Reaction sequence:

Opponent's attack announced
Set aside Horse Traders from hand (multiple OK)
Attack effects don't reach (not in hand)
Next turn start: +1 Card and return to hand

Notes:

Already-played Horse Traders this turn can't react
One side-set protects from all attacks that turn
Throne+Witch double-attack also covered

Key Combos

Horse Traders + Library: hand refill + +3 Coin discard.

Horse Traders + Smithy: +3 cards then +3 coin no discard problem.

Horse Traders + Chapel / Masquerade: thin to upgrade discard targets.

Horse Traders + Young Witch / Witch: attack-defense.

Horse Traders + Throne Room: +2 Buy / +6 Coin / 4-discard.

Horse Traders + Festival / Market: +1 Buy redundant but coin stacks.

Synergies

Library: hand fuel.
Smithy / Hunting Party: drawer.
Chapel / Masquerade: thinning.
Witch / Young Witch / general curser: defense.
Throne Room: doubled.
Remodel / Expand: cost-up conversion.
Tournament: +3 Coin in 6-coin enables Province → Prize.
Bridge: +1 Buy enables multi-Province.

Counters & Bad Matchups

Heavy thinning: 4-5 hand size makes 2-discard painful.
Light draw: hand-thin issue.
Attack-free boards: reaction wasted.
4-player: attacks spread, fewer defense triggers.

Advanced Tips

The +1 Buy is the killer feature. Compared to Market (cost 5: +1 Buy +1 Coin +1 Card +1 Action), Horse Traders trades cantrip for +2 Coin — significantly stronger coin.

The 2-discard is positive thinning when hand has Curse / Estate / Copper. Late game gold-heavy hands lose discard targets but already produce 8-9 coin.

Multi-Horse Traders ideal for reaction. With 1 in hand, side-setting eats the +3 Coin turn. With 2+, side-set 1 keeps tempo.

Horse Traders BM: Silver / Horse Traders → Silver → Horse Traders (+3 + discard) → Gold → Province. Stable Province line; cost-4 +3 Coin is 50% more than Silver — a Province-rush staple.

Curser boards: Horse Traders especially strong. Witch arrives → side-set, return → +3 Coin next turn. Loop.