Hideout

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +1 Card / +2 Actions / Trash a card from your hand. If it's a Victory card, gain an Estate.

Rating

Renaissance's "thinning Village." Cost 4: +1 Card +2 Actions (Village+) plus mandatory trash. Combines Village function with Chapel-tier thinning at cost 4.

Biggest strength: thin while gaining Actions. Deck shrinks without losing tempo.

Caveat: trashing a Victory card spawns an Estate (penalty). Trashing Estates yields Estates → no thinning. Coppers, Curses, weak terminals are best.

Overall A tier. Cost-4 thinning + Village is exceptional. Especially strong when you can avoid the Estate penalty.

How to Play

Early: Top cost-4 pick alongside Smithy / Witch / Workshop.

Mid: trash Coppers / Curses every turn while keeping Actions.

Late: Pure Village function once thinning targets dry up.

Estate Penalty Tactics

Avoid the auto-Estate gain:

1. Coppers first (no penalty).
2. Curses (no penalty).
3. Unwanted terminals.
4. Trashing Estates only swaps Estates 1-for-1 — neutral.

Niche: Duke decks can intentionally trash Provinces / Duchies to spawn Estates feeding Duke VP.

Key Combos

Hideout + Chapel: Chapel bulk-thin, Hideout maintains.

Hideout + Witch / Old Witch: Self-Curse-trash + own engine.

Hideout + Smithy: +2 Actions enables terminal-draw.

Hideout + Inventor: Inventor gains Hideout.

Hideout + City Gates: +1 hand size.

Hideout + Throne Room: TR + Hideout = +2 Cards / +4 Actions / 2 trashes.

Synergies

• Chapel: Two-stage thinning.
• Witch / Curser: Curse cleansing.
• Smithy / Council Room: Village frees terminals.
• Inventor / Workshop: Gain chain.
• City Gates Project: +1 hand.
• Throne Room: Doubled.
• Remodel / Improve: Upgrade chain.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Estate-heavy decks: Estate-for-Estate swap = no thinning.
• Duke / Province / Great Hall boards: VP trash triggers Estate penalty.
• Quick-finish: Thinning unused.
• No trash targets: Mandatory trash hurts useful cards.

Advanced Tips

Trash priority: Coppers > Curses > useless terminals > Estate (last resort).

Trash-must rule: Hideout REQUIRES a trash. With only useful cards in hand, don't play it.

Duke abuse: Trash Provinces → spawn Estates → boost Duke VP. Niche optimization.

Hideout + Gardens: Mismatch — Gardens wants bulk, Hideout thins.