[Dominion] Candlestick Maker Card Guide - Cost 2 Cantrip Buy Coffers
Rating of the Guilds card Candlestick Maker. Cost 2 Action. +1 Action / +1 Buy / +1 Coffers.
Candlestick Maker
Basic Info
- Type: Action
- Cost: 2
- Effect: +1 Action / +1 Buy / +1 Coffers.
Rating
A cost-2 Action with +1 Action, +1 Buy, +1 Coffers. No card draw, but lots of utility per coin spent. A hidden gem of Guilds.
Rating B-. No draw means it shrinks hand size by 1 per play, but +1 Buy plus stored economy is invaluable for late-game point rushes and engine flexibility.
Generally B- — bought as a +1 Buy source on boards lacking that resource. Engines may load several copies for stacked Coffers.
Multiple copies stack the hand-shrink penalty. Watch the count.
How to Play
Early game on a 2-coin slot (5/2 split's 2-side) is a candidate, competing with Chapel/Baron/Silver. Boards low on +1 Buys prioritize this.
Mid-game keep 1-2 copies. +1 Buy enables Province + Silver same-turn buys; Coffers patch coin counts.
End-game, dump Coffers for multi-Province turns combined with the +1 Buy.
No-Draw Tradeoff
Candlestick Maker has +1 Action but no draw, so each play reduces effective hand by 1.
Hand of 5 → play CSM → hand of 4. Next terminal still works thanks to the action, but hand has thinned.
Loading too many leads to "I drew CSM and Copper" hands. Balance vs. draw.
Key Combos
CSM + Bridge: +2 Buys + cost reductions for multi-Province turns.
CSM + Merchant Guild: Both Coffers stackers.
CSM + Butcher: Coffers source for Butcher's big jumps.
CSM + Lab / Smithy: Draw to compensate for hand-shrink.
CSM + Throne Room: TR + CSM = +2 Buys / +2 Coffers. 4 Coin worth of economy.
CSM + Stonemason: Both cost-2; easy double pickups.
Synergies
- Bridge: +1 Buy stacking.
- Merchant Guild / Baker: Coffers stack.
- Butcher: Coffers consumer.
- Laboratory / Smithy: Draw compensation.
- Throne Room: Doubled effects.
- Stonemason: Same-cost gain support.
Counters & Bad Matchups
- Draw-poor decks: Hand-shrink hurts.
- +1 Buy already abundant: Market/Bridge eclipse.
- Short games: Coffers wasted.
Advanced Tips
When you play CSM, make sure to use the +1 Buy. Province + Silver same-turn is the standard play.
Spend Coffers on Province thresholds rather than hoarding.
Second CSM: One usually fine. 2 for engine. 3+ risks consistent hand-2.
CSM-BM: Weak. Smithy-BM beats. CSM is engine-only.
Opening choices: 5/2 → 2-coin CSM. 4/3 → other (Silver). 3/4 → Silver / other.
Province rush: late-game CSM enables Province + Province or Province + Duchy single-turn purchases.