[Dominion] Taxman Card Guide - Treasure Trash + Attack + Topdeck Gain
Rating of the Guilds card Taxman. Cost 4 Action-Attack. Trash a Treasure; opponents discard a copy; gain a Treasure costing up to [3] more onto deck.
Taxman
Basic Info
- Type: Action - Attack
- Cost: 4
- Effect: You may trash a Treasure from your hand. Each other player with 5+ cards in hand discards a copy of it (or reveals their hand). Gain a Treasure costing up to [3] more onto your deck.
Rating
Cost-4 three-in-one card: Treasure-trash + Attack + topdeck-Treasure-gain. Multifunctional but each function partial.
Rating B-. The "Gold trash → Province topdeck + opponent discards Gold" line is the dream play but requires Gold accumulation first. Other lines are mediocre — Copper trash for Silver topdeck is acceptable but slow.
Overall B-. Boards with Taxman benefit from the Gold-attack endgame, but the 4-coin slot has stronger options usually.
How to Play
Early-game 4-coin slot for Taxman is fragile — Attack barely fires (opponents may have <5 cards). Prefer Smithy / Bridge / Remodel.
Mid-game, when Gold appears in deck, fire Taxman for "trash Gold → Province on top + opponent discards Gold". The strongest play.
End-game, prefer Province directly over Taxman activation.
Trash + Gain Patterns
Treasure trashed → Treasure costing up to [3] more on top of deck:
- Copper (0) → cost-3: Silver topdeck.
- Silver (3) → cost-6: Gold topdeck.
- Gold (6) → cost-9: Province (8) topdeck. Best play.
- Platinum (9) → cost-12: Almost nothing (Platinum self).
"Trash Gold → Province topdeck" is the signature combo.
Attack Mechanic
"Each other player with 5+ cards in hand discards a copy":
- Hand 5 (typical): Always triggers if they have it.
- Hand 4-: No effect.
- No copy: They reveal hand (info leak only).
Mid-game when opponents hold Coppers/Silvers in hand, Taxman strips them.
Key Combos
Taxman + Merchant Guild: Gold trash + Province topdeck while MG fuels Coffers.
Taxman + Smithy: Smithy draws, Taxman strikes Gold.
Taxman + Great Hall: Boost Action density for Attack pacing.
Taxman + Throne Room: TR + Taxman = 2 trashes + 2 gains + 2 Attacks.
Taxman + Chapel: Chapel for Coppers, Taxman for Silver/Gold upgrade.
Taxman + Remodel: Trash + gain combo.
Synergies
- Merchant Guild: Coffers tie-in.
- Smithy: Draw stack.
- Throne Room: Doubled.
- Chapel: Copper cleanup.
- Remodel / Expand: Trash + gain combo.
- Ambassador: Estate-return + Treasure refactor.
Counters & Bad Matchups
- Moat / Lighthouse / Secret Chamber: Attack defense.
- Strong 4-cost cards: Smithy / Bridge / Baron / Remodel compete.
- Short games: Effect underused.
- Treasure-thin decks: No trash target.
Advanced Tips
Taxman shines on the Gold-trash → Province play. Other lines are sub-par.
Before playing, verify Gold in hand; otherwise hold Taxman.
Second Taxman: One usually fine. 2+ excess.
Taxman-BM: Silver/Taxman → Silver → Taxman trashes Copper for Silver → Gold → Taxman trashes Silver for Gold → Province. Mid-tier BM variant.
Attack copy mechanic: opponent must have a copy of the trashed Treasure. Without it, no discard, just reveal.
The "discard + topdeck" is split function. Remodel beats Taxman at single-function efficiency. Taxman bundles attack + gain for situational power.
Taxman + Merchant Guild + Bridge: Gold trash + Province topdeck + Bridge buys another Province next turn = 2 Province turn potential.