Farmers' Market

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Gathering
• Cost: 3
• Effect: +1 Buy / If 4+ VP tokens on pile, take them all and trash this. Otherwise add a VP token, then +$ equal to VP tokens on pile.

Rating

Empires' Gathering VP-token engine. Tier A. Cycle: token grows pile, eventually a player cashes out for +4 VP and trashes their copy.

Open with 1-2 copies; coordinate the cashout timing.

How to Play

$3 turn — Farmers' Market priority. Buy 2-3 copies early.

Cycle awareness: token grows on pile each play. First to 4 VP cashes and trashes. Plan to time the cash-out yourself.

Pair with other Gatherings (Temple, Pirate Ship) for compound VP race.

When to Pick / Skip

Almost always good. Skip when:

1. Fast Big-Money Province rush dominates.
2. Heavy attacks neutralize Farmers' Market.

Open 2-3 copies on $3-$4 turns.

Key Combos

Farmers' Market + KC / TR: doubled token + income, fast cashout.

Farmers' Market + Temple: dual Gathering.

Farmers' Market + Pirate Ship: Gathering.

Farmers' Market + +1 Buy: scoop multi-copies.

Farmers' Market + Engineer / University: cost-3 gain.

Farmers' Market + Bishop / Altar: trash synergy.

Synergies

• KC / TR: doubled.
• Temple / Pirate Ship: Gathering.
• +1 Buy cards.
• Engineer: free gain.
• University: free gain.
• Bishop / Altar: trash combo.
• Draw engines: per-turn.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Fast Big-Money rush.
• Strong attacks.
• Terminal-collision.
• Very short games.

Advanced Tips

Cycle: VP grows, player at 4+ cashes for VP and resets.

KC + FM: 2 token adds + 2 income, can cash same turn.

Cashout at exactly 4 — even if pile has 5, you get them all on next play. Time it.

Mirror: gain timing matters; first to cash advances.

3-pile to-go: FM + other pile + VP pile.

Stack Gathering cards: Temple + FM gives dual VP race.