Masquerade

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 3
• Effect: +2 Cards / Each player passes a card from their hand to the player on their left / You may trash a card from your hand.

Rating

One of the strongest trasher+drawer cards in all of Dominion. At cost 3, +2 Cards (Smithy-grade draw, one cost cheaper) plus a trash effect — extreme dual-function efficiency. The "pass left" mechanic also lets you push Estates or Curses to opponents.

The biggest strength is delivering "Chapel-level thinning + Smithy-level draw" in one card at cost 3. Chapel is trash-only; Smithy is draw-only; Masquerade does both. Community consensus rates it alongside Chapel as Intrigue's strongest, top-5 in all of Dominion.

The "pass left" cuts both ways — you might give an opponent something useful. But Estates/Curses passed left are pure asymmetric advantage. Pass timing matters in mirrors.

Overall S+ tier. On Masquerade boards, top-priority pickup. Skipping it is rarely correct.

How to Play

Open with Masquerade turn 1 or 2 if 3-coin slot allows. Top contender for the 3-coin pick on 4/3 splits. With Chapel also present, ideally buy both (compounded thinning).

Mid-game: 1-2 Masquerades fired every turn. Pass Estates / Curses / Coppers depending on situation.

End-game: With deck thinned, Masquerade serves as a +2 cards terminal drawer. Pass and trash are optional when no targets.

Pass-Left Tactics

What you give matters:

1. Estates: Push deadweight to opponents early; opponents accumulate dead VP cards.
2. Curses: After being cursed, pass the Curse left ("hot potato"). The receiving opponent may then pass it further on their turn.
3. Coppers: Late game when Silver/Gold density rises, push Coppers back to opponents.
4. Unwanted weak Actions: Sometimes terminal-collision pieces.

Read the opponent's likely give-back. Both players often pass Estates simultaneously.

Trash Priorities

After passing, trash one optionally:

1. Curses (including newly received).
2. Estates.
3. Coppers.
4. Useless terminals.

If Curse pile isn't empty, trashing your own Curse alone gains tempo over opponents.

Key Combos

Masquerade + Witch: Trash own Curses immediately; opponents struggle. Asymmetric like Chapel + Witch.

Masquerade + Smithy: +2 + +3 = +5 draw in one Action slot (with Village support).

Masquerade + Throne Room: TR + Masquerade = +4 cards / 2 passes / 2 trashes.

Masquerade + Bridge: +1 Buy from Bridge enables multi-Province while cleaning deck.

Masquerade + Great Hall (Intrigue): Pass Estates while keeping Great Hall (VP + cantrip).

Masquerade + Chapel: Two-stage thinning. Chapel for bulk-trash, Masquerade for ongoing maintenance.

Synergies

• Chapel: Two-stage thinning.
• Smithy: Draw boost.
• Throne Room: Doubled draw + thinning.
• Witch: Self-curse-cleansing while opponents suffer.
• Bridge: +1 Buy + thinning combo.
• Great Hall (Intrigue): VP + draw combo.
• Remodel: Trash + gain chain.
• Ambassador (Seaside): Pass-back analog.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Trash-empty decks: Cards to trash run out → trash effect whiffs.
• Heavy terminal collisions: Masquerade is terminal — Villages required.
• 4-player games: 3 receive-passes pile up; you receive a lot more.
• Opposing engines with strong cards: Risk of receiving good cards (rare; usually Estates).

Advanced Tips

When playing Masquerade, decide last what to pass — keep crucial cards (Silver, key actions). Pass dead cards (Estates, Curses).

"Hot potato" Curse: pass received Curse left. Opposing curse-spreaders rarely benefit since their curse may return to them via this loop.

Second Masquerade: One usually suffices. Two for guaranteed every-turn trigger. 3+ excess.

Masquerade-BM: Silver / Masquerade → Silver → Masquerade trash + pass → Gold → Province. One of Dominion's fastest BM variants.

On curser boards, Masquerade's value explodes — you self-cleanse while spreading received Curses around the table.