Goons

Basic Info

Type: Action - Attack
Cost: 6
Effect: +1 Buy / +2 Coin. Each other player discards down to 3 cards. While this is in play, when you gain a card, +1 VP token.

Rating

One of the strongest VP-output cards in all of Dominion. Goons offers a unique win condition where buys = points, decoupled from Provinces. The attack (hand-size to 3) is also potent, doubling as a draw attack.

Goons + Bridge can score 10-15 VP per turn through chained low-cost buys. With multiple Bridges and Goons, you generate unlimited buys at near-zero cost; each buy is +1 VP token.

Overall S tier. Behind King's Court (cost 7) on the cost-6 ladder. "Goons + Bridge lock" is one of Dominion's most decisive win patterns.

How to Play

Reaching 6 coin is hard early; bridge through 5 (Gold) or stack Silvers. After buying first Goons, the +1 Buy and +2 Coin help fund the second Goons.

Mid-game: Goons attacks shrink opponents to 3-card hands; you buy Bridges, Provinces, Duchies; each buy = 1 VP token.

End-game: Multiple Bridges + multiple Goons = "infinite-buy" lock; theoretical 20+ VP per turn.

Goons + Bridge Lock

2x Goons + 2x Bridges + draw engine:

Play 2 Goons → +2 Buy / +4 Coin / opponents discard to 3.
Play 2 Bridges → -2 cost / +2 Buy.
Buy Coppers at 1 coin (each = +1 VP).
Single turn: 15-20 VP.

Opponents stuck at 3-card hands can't respond. Once Goons stack on the table, the game's basically over.

Key Combos

Goons + Bridge: The lock.

Goons + King's Court: Triple = +3 Buy / +6 Coin / 3 VP / 3 attacks.

Goons + Throne Room: Doubled.

Goons + Grand Market: Buy stacking.

Goons + Smithy: Reliable Goons-drawing.

Goons + Fishing Village/Wharf: Duration villages avoid terminal collisions.

Goons + Mint: Mint to clone Coppers; Goons VP per buy. Mint also gives +0-cost gains.

Synergies

Bridge / Bridge Troll: Cost-reduction + Buy.
King's Court / Throne Room: Doubled effect.
Smithy / Library: Reliable drawing.
Fishing Village / Wharf: Duration enablers.
Grand Market / Black Market: +Buy access.
Mint: Cheap multi-gains.
Vineyard: Action-VP synergy.
Lottery / Workshop: Cheap multi-gains.

Counters & Bad Matchups

Reactions (Moat, Lighthouse): Block hand-attack but +1 Buy / +2 Coin still apply.
Pure BM with no engine: Goons VP wasted without Bridges/draw.
Boards where 6 coin is rare: No way to acquire Goons reliably.
4-player games: Attack diluted, lock harder to set up.

Advanced Tips

Second Goons priority depends on engine completion. 1 Goons may suffice; lock plays want 2-3.

Without Bridge, get +1 Buy via Grand Market / Black Market / Festival. Even 1 Goons + 1 Buy converts each Copper into 1 VP.

3-pile ending: Empty Coppers via Goons-buying; Province + Duchy + Coppers gone = end.

KCKC + Goons + Bridge: The legendary "30+ VP per turn" lock. Boards with all three pieces are usually decided as soon as both pieces are picked up.