Flag Bearer

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +$2 / When you gain or trash this, take the Flag. While you have the Flag, at the start of each of your turns, +1 Card +1 Buy.

Rating

Renaissance's Flag-artifact contention card. Cost 4, +$2 (slightly above Silver) plus a permanent Flag effect: while held, every turn-start grants +1 Card +1 Buy.

Biggest strength: persistent Flag buff. +1 Card +1 Buy looks modest, but cumulative across many turns. +1 Buy enables multi-Province in engines.

The Flag goes to "whoever last gained / trashed Flag Bearer," so opponents can steal it. Buy-wars erupt on contested boards.

Overall B+ tier. Strong if you can hold Flag uncontested; reduced when Flag-fights occur.

How to Play

Early: 4-coin candidate alongside Silver / Workshop.

Mid: hold Flag; counter-buy if opponent grabs it.

Late: terminal +$2 contributing to Province buys.

Flag Token

Flag basics:

1. Held by last player to gain / trash a Flag Bearer.
2. +1 Card +1 Buy at each turn-start.
3. One Flag total (multiple Flag Bearers don't stack).
4. Movable; opponents can steal.

Flag tactics:

• Late-game grab to enable extra Provinces.
• Trash gives Flag too (combos with Chapel).

Key Combos

Flag Bearer + Chapel: Trash Flag Bearer → still hold Flag.

Flag Bearer + Witch: +$2 funds Witch.

Flag Bearer + Bridge: +1 Buys stack for multi-Province.

Flag Bearer + City Gates: +1 hand, easier to draw.

Flag Bearer + Inventor: Inventor gain → Flag.

Flag Bearer + Throne Room: TR + Flag Bearer = +$4; Flag unchanged.

Synergies

• Chapel / trasher: Trash gives Flag.
• Witch / curser: +$2 support.
• Bridge: +1 Buy stacking.
• City Gates Project: +1 hand.
• Inventor / Workshop: Gain chain.
• Throne Room: Doubled.
• Remodel / Improve: Gain Flag Bearer = Flag.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• 4-player: Flag-fights chaotic.
• Quick-finish: Long-term Flag value lost.
• Terminal-heavy boards: Collisions.
• Mirror Flag-Bearer strategies: Splits the Flag value.

Advanced Tips

Flag-fighting: Counter-buy whenever opponent steals; cost-4 reinvestment to reclaim permanent +1 Card +1 Buy.

Trash-Flag: Trashing Flag Bearer (Chapel / Remodel) still grants the Flag — thinning while holding.

Multiple copies: 2-3 maintain Flag dominance. BM strategies benefit too.

Note: turn-start +1 Card +1 Buy is separate from clean-up draw — effectively 6-card opening hand.