[Dominion] Stonemason Card Guide - Trash + 2 Gain + Overpay
Rating of the Guilds card Stonemason. Cost 2 Action. Trash a card; gain 2 cards each costing less. Overpay: gain 2 Actions of overpaid cost.
Stonemason
Basic Info
- Type: Action
- Cost: 2
- Effect: Trash a card from your hand; gain 2 cards each costing less.
- Overpay: Gain 2 Action cards each costing the amount overpaid.
Rating
Cost 2 with "trash + gain 2" — a strict upgrade in efficiency over Remodel-class cards. Plus the Overpay "gain 2 Actions of overpaid cost" is exceptional.
Rating A. The 2-for-1 swap shape is extremely efficient. Trash Gold (6) → 2 cost-5 Actions (e.g., 2 Witches). Overpay 5 → 2 cost-5 Actions immediately.
Always 1-2 on Stonemason boards. Engines exploit the Overpay for explosive ramp.
How to Play
Early-game 2-coin slot for Stonemason. Trash + gain combo competes with Chapel/Baron/Silver.
Mid-game: trash Estates/Coppers (note: Copper trash gains nothing — under cost 0 = nothing) for 2 weak cards. Trash Silver / Smithy for 2 cost-2 or cost-3 cards.
End-game: Overpay 5+ to gain 2 strong Actions (Witch ×2 / Throne ×2).
Trash + Gain Patterns
Trash card → 2 cards each costing less:
- Estate (2): 2 cost-1-or-less cards = Curse only (rare use).
- Copper (0): No gain (no cost-under-0 cards).
- Silver (3): 2 cost-2-or-less = Estates / cost-2 Actions.
- Smithy (4): 2 cost-3 = Silvers / Woodcutters.
- Gold (6): 2 cost-5 = strong Actions (Witch / Throne).
"Trash Gold for 2 Witches" is a famous power play.
Overpay Tactics
Overpay X → 2 Actions costing X:
- Overpay 2 (total 4): 2 cost-2 Actions (CSM / Stonemason).
- Overpay 4 (total 6): 2 cost-4 Actions (Smithy / Witch).
- Overpay 5 (total 7): 2 cost-5 Actions (Witch / Throne).
Overpay yields Actions only — no Treasures (Gold etc.).
Key Combos
Stonemason + Chapel: Stack thinning.
Stonemason + Remodel: Trash + gain chain.
Stonemason + Bridge: Cost reduction stacks Overpay value.
Stonemason + Candlestick Maker: Same cost-2 pickup.
Stonemason + Butcher: Trash + mass-gain combo.
Stonemason + Throne Room: TR + Stonemason = 2 trashes + 4 gains.
Stonemason + Merchant Guild: Overpay buys → multiple Coffers.
Synergies
- Chapel / Masquerade: Stacked thinning.
- Remodel / Expand: Trash + gain.
- Bridge: Cost reduction.
- Candlestick Maker: Same cost-2.
- Butcher: Mass-gain combo.
- Throne Room: Doubled.
- Merchant Guild: Coffers stack.
Counters & Bad Matchups
- Trash-empty decks: No targets.
- Terminal-heavy: Stonemason itself terminal.
- No Overpay coin: Halved value.
- Short games: Overpay underused.
Advanced Tips
Audit deck before firing — never trash Copper (no gain). Trash Silver/Gold for upgrade.
Overpay shines on Province-unreachable coin (4-7 Coin).
Second-third Stonemason: Engines OK with 3-4 for Overpay-spam.
Stonemason-BM: Weak. Estate × 2 isn't useful. Engine-only.
Stonemason chain: Stonemason gains a Stonemason → next turn chain.
Overpay has no upper limit. Pay 8+ for cost-6 Actions (no Gold via Overpay).