Mill

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Victory
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +1 Card / +1 Action. You may discard 2 cards: if you do, +$2. At end of game, 1 VP.

Rating

Intrigue's cantrip-Victory hybrid. +1 Card / +1 Action cantrip + 1 VP + optional "discard 2 for +$2" economy. Cost-4 multi-function.

Defining trait: cantrip + VP + optional economy. A Great Hall ($3, +1 Card / +1 Action / +1 VP) plus the discard-for-coin option.

Tier B+ to A. Engine VP staple. BM-inferior to Silver but doesn't bloat function (cantrip).

How to Play

Early: $4 buy candidate. Competing with Great Hall ($3) + Silver ($3).

Mid: Draw Mill for cantrip + VP. Discard Estates / Coppers for +$2 to accelerate.

End: Mill VP + Province VP combine for the finish.

Discard Choice

"Discard 2 or not":

1. Estate + Copper: Weak cards out for +$2 (Province support).
2. Don't discard strong cards: Hold Gold / key Actions.
3. Pure cantrip: Skip discard.
4. Emergency economy: At $6 needing $8, discard.

Key Combos

Mill + Great Hall: Both cantrip-VP. Double engine VP source.

Mill + Chapel: Thinning + cantrip stability.

Mill + Masquerade: Thinning + draw.

Mill + Smithy: Smithy terminal + Mill cantrip.

Mill + Market: Universal +1 Buy / +1 Action support.

Mill + Festival: Economy.

Mill + King's Court (Prosperity): KC + Mill = +3 Cards / +3 Actions / discard 6 for +$6.

Mill + Throne Room: TR + Mill = +2 Cards / +2 Actions / discard 4 for +$4.

Mill + Cellar: Cellar discards, redraw with Mill VP retained.

Synergies

• Great Hall: VP + cantrip.
• Chapel: Thinning.
• Masquerade: Thin + draw.
• Smithy: Draw support.
• Market: Universal.
• Festival: Economy.
• King's Court: Triples.
• Throne Room: Doubles.
• Cellar: Discard-cycle.
• Duke: $5 frequency.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Pure Province engines: VP cards bloat (Mill is cantrip, mitigated).
• No trashing: Mills bulk deck.
• Militia: Hand-strip breaks cantrip.
• Strong $4 alternatives: Ironworks / Bridge / Minion ($5) compete.

Advanced Tips

"Discard last": See hand → discard for $8, hold otherwise.

Multi-Mill: 3-4 stacked = stable VP source. Engine core.

KC + Mill: KC + Mill = +3 Cards / +3 Actions / 6-discard for +$6. 1-turn explosion.

3-pile-out: Mill 10 + Estate 8 + 1 pile.

Duke synergy: Mill $5-frequent (discard for +$2 + Copper = $5) → Duchy/Duke.

Mill VP count: 5 Mills = 5 VP. Province-tier VP for engines.

"Nothing to discard": Strong-card hand only → skip discard, cantrip mode.