Trade Route

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 3
• Effect: +1 Buy / Trash a card from your hand / +$1 per Coin token on the Trade Route mat.
• Setup: Add a Coin token to each Victory Supply pile; move that token to the mat when a card is gained from the pile.

Rating

A trasher-cum-money support that scales with VP-pile depletion. Unique scaling — late-game payouts grow as Victory cards leave their piles.

Early it's a $0 cantrip-like trash with +1 Buy. Not a top-tier trasher (Chapel, Steward, Bishop are better) but it doubles as a buy enabler.

Tier B overall. Pairs well with mid-speed BM that buys Duchies and Provinces; rarely a centerpiece.

How to Play

Early: Buy at $3, trash Estates. One Estate per turn until clean.

Mid: Once Duchies start moving, Trade Route earns money. The +1 Buy enables Province + Duchy turns.

Late: With 4-6 tokens on the mat, it's a $4-6 Treasure-equivalent supporting Province acquisition.

Beware: once trashing targets are exhausted, each play costs you a card. Keep a couple of Coppers as dummy trash, or pair with another trasher.

When to Pick / Skip

Pick when:

1. No strong trasher exists (no Chapel/Bishop).
2. Mid-speed BM-leaning board.
3. No other source of +1 Buy.
4. Duchies are realistic targets.

Skip when:

1. Chapel/Bishop saturate trashing.
2. Short games where late-game scaling never arrives.
3. Pure engines where running out of trash targets becomes a liability.

1-2 copies typical. 3+ is overkill.

Key Combos

Trade Route + Chapel: Chapel handles cleanup; Trade Route delivers +1 Buy and scaling money.

Trade Route + Mining Village: Mining Village converts itself to $2; Trade Route's +1 Buy turns Province turns into Province + Duchy.

Trade Route + King's Court: KC-Trade Route triples mat-based money in the lategame.

Trade Route + Sea Hag: Curse rush forces VP-pile depletion as players catch up; Trade Route benefits.

Trade Route + Crossroads: Crossroads draws VP, Trade Route trashes Estates and adds +1 Buy.

Trade Route + Margrave: Buy duplication and handsize attack accelerate VP pile drain.

Trade Route + Messenger: Messenger gives Duchies away, mass-tokenizing the mat.

Synergies

• Chapel: Cleanup partner.
• Bishop: Synergy in role overlap.
• Spice Merchant: Buy duplication, draw boost.
• King's Court: Triples late-game punch.
• Smithy: Draw to find Trade Route.
• Mid-speed BM: Late scaling pays off.
• Crossroads: Hand-VP draw + buy.
• Sea Hag / Witch: Indirect token boost.
• Messenger: Duchy spread.
• Harbor Village: Stacking +Buys.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Strong trashers (Chapel, Steward): Trade Route's trash role overlaps.
• Pure engines: self-trash damage when no targets left.
• Short games (Witch race): Mat never matures.
• Workshop variants: Estates flood the deck but trashing them wastes Workshops.

Advanced Tips

Token math: 8 Provinces + 8 Duchies + 12 Estates = up to 28 tokens. Realistic 8-12 in practice.

Trash priority: Estates first, then Coppers if engine demands. Avoid trashing past dead weight if Trade Route is your only repeat.

Buy timing: Province + Duchy turns at $11-12 with Trade Route active.

Mirror: Both players running Trade Route — first Duchy gainer feeds both mats. Pace your Duchy buys.

Gain trigger: Any gain from a VP pile counts (Workshop, Messenger, etc.). Not just buys.

Run-out damage: After empty trash, each play loses a card. Keep some Coppers as fodder, or stop playing it.

Crossroads cycle: Crossroads draws Estate, Trade Route trashes it, +1 Buy converts to Duchy.

Single-shot late-game: With 6+ tokens, secure Province turns at $6 hand.