Engineer

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: $4 (Debt)
• Effect: Gain a card costing up to $4. You may trash this; if you do, gain another card costing up to $4.

Rating

Empires gain-chain. 2 gains per play (trash-trigger). Engine construction speed.

Strength: 1 play = 2 gains. Massive deck-building velocity.

Tier S, engine cornerstone. Debt early-burden but mid-late insane.

How to Play

Early: $4 Debt buy. Repay $4 next turn.

Mid: Gain Silver/junk + trash for second gain. Build + thin.

Late: Trash Engineer for mass $4 gains, 3-pile finisher.

Gain Targets

Priority:

1. Strong $4 actions (villages, lower Lab-class, Temple, Remodel).
2. Efficient $3 (Silver mostly).
3. Silver: BM boost.
4. Castle (Humble): VP unlock.

Key Combos

Engineer + Temple: Temple ($4) gain → VP tokens.

Engineer + Castles (Humble): Castle gain → chain.

Engineer + Villa: Villa ($4) gain → Action phase return.

Engineer + Crown/Throne: Doubled = +4 gains.

Engineer + Overlord: Copy.

Synergies

• $4 strong cards (Village, Villa, Temple, Remodel, Silver): Targets.
• Castles: Chain.
• Crown/Throne: Doubling.
• Overlord: Copy.
• Forum: Engineer can gain Temple while Forum stacks.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Weak $4 supply: Low-quality gains.
• Heavy trasher: Compete with Engineer trash slot.
• Short games: Debt repay too late.

Advanced Tips

True value: 1 play = 2 gains. Deck velocity 2x.

Engineer + Crown: Crown-Engineer = +4 gains in one turn.

Engineer + KC: 6 gains. Massive build.

Trash timing: Engine in place → trash without hesitation.

Debt repay: $4 next turn. Engine handles.

Mirror: First-mover wins.

3-pile: Pile multiple via Engineer.