Contraband

Basic Info

• Type: Treasure
• Cost: 5
• Effect: +$3, +1 Buy. The player to your left names a card; you can't buy that card this turn.

Rating

"+$3 +1 Buy" looks elite, but "left player names a card you can't buy" is brutal. Usually they name Province, ruining your big turn.

Tier C. Useful only when Province isn't your goal (Colony rush, KC stack, etc.).

In multiplayer, multiple Contrabands stack restrictions — disastrous.

How to Play

Early: avoid. Pick Gold/Witch/Mountebank instead.

Mid: only buy if Colony is your endgame, since Province ban doesn't matter.

Late: Province-named = wasted turn.

Exception: 2P metagame around Duchy-naming reads.

When to Pick / Skip

Pick when:

1. Colony games where Colony is the goal.
2. KC/Goons-stack plans.
3. Niche 2P reads.

Skip when:

1. Standard Province games.
2. Multiplayer.
3. Engine plans with no use timing.

1 copy max if any.

Key Combos

Contraband + Colony: Province-named ignored, Colony bought.

Contraband + Haven: Save for non-Province turn.

Contraband + Bridge: Discount mass-buy bypass.

Contraband + Throne Room (anti-combo): Two named cards.

Contraband + Messenger: Distribute Duchies despite Province ban.

Synergies

• Colony: Province-bypass.
• Haven: Timing.
• Duchy plan: Sidestep.
• Baker: Carry $.
• Chapel (post-role): Trash later.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Standard Province games: dead.
• Multiplayer: stacking bans.
• Pure engines: bad timing.
• Throne Room: doubled ban.
• Torturer: hand discard.

Advanced Tips

Province bypass: Duchy-rush + Crossroads VP draw can win without Provinces.

Colony: Cost 11 — Province ban irrelevant.

Haven save: Skip Contraband activation on Province turn.

Bridge stacking: -$1 per Bridge enables mass-buy of cheap stuff.

Mirror: Both ban Province → long game.

KC trap: KC + Contraband = 2 banned cards. Avoid.

3-pile-go: Pile out non-Province piles instead.

Post-role trash: Chapel/Remodel away after Colonies bought.

Veteran rule: usually don't buy Contraband.