Pickaxe

Basic Info

• Type: Treasure
• Cost: 5
• Effect: +$1 / Trash a card from your hand. If it costs $3 or more, gain a Loot to your hand.

Rating

A Plunder "trash + Loot gain" Treasure. Cost 5, +$1 + trash + Loot gain — multi-function. Mid-game, trashing Estate/Copper/Silver is awkward (Estate too cheap to trigger), but Silver trash unlocks the Loot.

Defining feature: "Loot to hand" = playable that turn. Loot pile contains 12 random strong Treasures (Pendant, Figurine, Jewelled Egg, Endless Chalice, etc.), each ~$2-4 worth.

Weakness: forced trashing. To trigger Loot, you must trash $3+. Silver trash drains economy. Without $3+ targets, Pickaxe is just a worse Silver.

Overall B-A tier. Strong with deck synergy.

How to Play

Early: hard to gain (cost 5). Mid-game: trash a Silver → Loot gain.

Loot includes Pendant, Figurine, Jewelled Egg, Endless Chalice, Hammer, Doubloons, etc. — average value Silver to Gold.

Trash Target Selection

1. Cost 3-4 weak cards: Silver is hard to spare; Village (cost 3) is ideal.
2. Cost 5+ weak Action: Trade up for Loot.
3. Emergency Silver trash: When Loot exceeds Silver value.

Key Combos

Pickaxe + Chapel: Mass trash + Loot gain.

Pickaxe + Travelling Fair: Cost 3 trash candidate.

Pickaxe + King's Cache: Pickaxe ×3 = 3 Loot.

Pickaxe + Pendant: Trigger Pendant's named-Treasure count.

Pickaxe + Looting: Loot-gain engine.

Synergies

• Chapel: Mass trash + Loot.
• Travelling Fair: Cost 3 trash.
• King's Cache: Pickaxe ×3.
• Pendant: Named-Treasure count.
• Remodel: Trash-gain chain.
• Throne Room: N/A — Pickaxe is Treasure, not Action.
• Looting: Loot trigger.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• No trash targets: Silver/Copper/Estate only → Loot doesn't fire.
• Thinned decks: Less to trash → Pickaxe degrades.
• Heavy attacks: Disrupts trash setup.

Advanced Tips

Pickaxe trash is mandatory if possible: But you can't always trigger Loot. Loot only fires on $3+ trash.

Loot variance: Loot pile is random. Pendant/Endless Chalice (Duration) vs. Figurine/Egg (one-shot) — luck factor.

Second Pickaxe: One usually suffices. Two stabilizes "trash + Loot every turn" engine.

Pickaxe-BM: Pickaxe + Silver/Gold BM hits Province line. Loot accelerates.