Temple

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Gathering
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +1 VP token / Trash 1-3 differently-named cards from hand / Add 1 VP token to this Supply pile. When you gain a Temple, take all VP tokens from the pile.
• Gathering: VP accumulates on the pile, gainer takes all.

Rating

Tier A. Trash + VP-token engine. +1 VP, multi-trash differently-named, plus pile gather.

The pile-gather is unique: each gain seeds and harvests VP. Time it carefully — outwait the opponent's seed.

Multi-trash on differently-named only — Estate + Copper + Curse purges in one play.

How to Play

$4 turn — Temple is top pick. Trash Estate / Copper / Curse for thinning + 1 VP.

Mind the gather: when the pile has VP from opponents, snap a Temple.

Late game, even after thinners are exhausted, the +1 VP per play stays useful.

Last Temple in pile = biggest VP haul.

When to Pick / Skip

Almost always good. Skip if better trasher and gatherer exist (Chapel + Pirate Ship covers both).

Usually buy 2-3 copies.

Key Combos

Temple + KC / TR: doubled VP, doubled trash, doubled gather.

Temple + Altar / Bishop: parallel trashing.

Temple + Farmers' Market (Gathering): synergistic VP race.

Temple + Rebuild: trash Temple → VP, transform into other card.

Temple + Remodel / Expand: convert Temple to VP.

Temple + Pirate Ship: Gathering pair.

Synergies

• King's Court / Throne Room: doubled effect.
• Farmers' Market: Gathering synergy.
• Bishop / Altar / Chapel: parallel trash.
• Rebuild: trash for VP gain.
• Engineer: gain Temple at cost 0 turn.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Single-card hand: only one different-name to trash.
• Stronger trasher exists.
• Very short games.
• Terminal-clog without villages.

Advanced Tips

Pile-gather game theory: wait for opponent to seed, then snap.

KC + Temple: +3 VP, 9 trashes (theoretical), 3 gather pulls.

Trash 1-3 free choice — 1 is fine on weak hands.

Gather triggers on gain (not play). Remodel / Engineer count.

Last-Temple snap is one of the biggest single-card swings in Empires.