• Type: Action
• Cost: $8 (8 Debt)
• Effect: +5 Cards / Reveal your hand, discard each Copper revealed.

The premier big-draw terminal of Empires, paid with 8 Debt. A Smithy (+3 Cards) on steroids: +5 Cards plus mass-Copper trashing. Tier B+ to A-.

8 Debt locks your buys for several turns, but as an engine cornerstone it's elite. Annihilates synergy with Coppersmith / Money-handler builds, but ideal for engines that want Copper gone.

Mid-game, after engine has revenue, gain 1-2 Royal Blacksmiths. Time the 8-Debt carefully.

Copper-discard fits engines that swap to Gold / Platinum / special treasures. Doesn't fit Copper-loyal builds.

+5 Cards beats Smithy and rivals Council Room (+4/+1 Buy). Terminal, so needs villages.

Use as the closer of a draw-deck engine for mass-Province turns.

Pick when:

1. Strong villages / +Action exist for chaining.
2. Engine wants Copper gone (no Coppersmith).
3. Debt-payment is feasible.
4. Big-money or hybrid draw is the plan.

Skip when:

1. Coppersmith / Counting House / Merchant Guild builds.
2. Short games where 8 Debt won't pay back in time.
3. Weak village support — terminal collisions.

Royal Blacksmith + village: chain-draw engine.

Royal Blacksmith + King's Court: +10 Cards, Copper trash twice. Engine kill move.

Royal Blacksmith + draw-deck: cycle deck fully every turn.

Royal Blacksmith + Library: combine to oversize hand and dig for actions.

Royal Blacksmith + Mint: clear Debt instantly.

Royal Blacksmith + City / Capital: high-income debt pay.

Royal Blacksmith + Tribute / Borrow: extra coin to clear debt.

• Strong villages (Border Village, Throne Room): chain.
• King's Court: doubled big draw.
• Remodel / Expand: $8 → Province.
• Grand Market: pairs with Debt-card economy.
• Borrow / Tax: Debt management.
• Trader / Mountebank counter: Copper handling.
• Capital: high income for Debt.
• Mint: snap-off Debt.

• Coppersmith / Money-handler: Copper-loyal builds break.
• Bank / Venture: Treasure-count economies suffer when Coppers go.
• Short games (Witch, Sea Hag): no time for 8-Debt.
• Terminal-collision boards.
• Heavy attacks (Witch, Mountebank): engine-disruption.

Pay Debt incrementally — even $1 at a time is legal.

KC + Royal Blacksmith: +10 Cards, double Copper trash, signature combo.

Copper-discard happens after the draw, from hand only — not deck.

Mid-late, Coppers dwindle to 0-1; the +5 Cards alone is still elite.

Royal Blacksmith → Province via Remodel / Expand for endgame snap.

In mirror, first to two RBs typically wins; Debt management decides tempo.