Ill-Gotten Gains

Basic Info

• Type: Treasure
• Cost: 5
• Effect: +$1. You may gain a Copper to your hand. When you gain this, each other player gains a Curse.

Rating

Hinterlands' curse-spreading Treasure. A Treasure that curses — unique. On-gain trigger means buy-into-curse is instant.

Only +$1, but Copper-to-hand effectively makes it +$2 with a leftover Treasure. Curse spread is faster than Witch (no Action needed).

Community consensus: top Hinterlands curser, brutal in 2-player. Tier A-S.

How to Play

Open buy at $5. Multiple buys deplete Curse pile fast.

Mid: Each $5 turn buy IGG, opponents take Curses each turn. Works in BM too.

When to Pick / Skip

Strong when Curse pile present and opponents lack Trader/Moat.

Bad in pure engines (Copper-to-hand bloats deck, no +Action use).

Key Combos

IGG + Witch: Double-curse spread. Brutal.

IGG + Trader: Strong support — IGG curses opps, Trader cleanses your own gained Curses (but only if you're somehow gaining one).

IGG + Chapel: Trash Coppers (your own); opponents drown in Curses.

Synergies

• Witch: Double curse-spread.
• Jeweler-analog: Silver fed.
• Chapel / Masquerade: Trash own deadweight.
• Trader: Self curse-defense + BM.
• Jack of all Trades: Curse defense + BM.
• Throne Room: IGG is Treasure — can't TR. Pair with non-Action engine.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Strong opp trasher (Chapel): Curses get wiped.
• Engine boards: IGG bloats deck with Coppers.
• 4-player: Curse supply spreads thinner across opponents.

Advanced Tips

Curse speed: Triggers on gain — instant Curse for opps, faster than Witch.

Cap: 3-4 IGGs to drain 10 Curses fast.

IGG mirror: First to stack wins. Race the Curse pile.

Copper-to-hand: Use selectively — instant $1, but bloats long term.

3-pile to-go: Curse + IGG + 1 other = end game.

Curse defenses: Trader / Moat reduce IGG's edge.