Scholar

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 5
• Effect: Discard your hand. +7 Cards.

Rating

Renaissance's "draw king." Cost 5 with +7 Cards — more than double Smithy. Massive burst, but discards your existing hand.

Biggest strength: overwhelming draw. Beats Smithy (+3) and Council Room (+4); +7 from one card.

Caveat: hand-discard penalty. Best to deplete your hand of useful cards before playing Scholar. Burn Actions / Treasures first.

Overall A tier. Engine core; thinned decks soften the discard penalty.

How to Play

Auto-buy at 5 coins.

Mid: play all Actions, all Treasures, then Scholar for +7 fresh cards into Province economy.

Late: chain Province + Scholar buys to monopolize Provinces.

Hand-Discard Penalty

Mitigations:

1. Burn hand fully before Scholar.
2. Thinned decks have fewer cards to discard.
3. Trash before Scholar (Chapel, etc.).
4. Best when Scholar lands as last play.

Key Combos

Scholar + Chapel: Chapel thins; Scholar deck-cycles.

Scholar + Smithy: Terminal collisions; Villages required.

Scholar + Acting Troupe / Lackeys: Villagers fire Scholar.

Scholar + City Gates: +1 hand, easier draw.

Scholar + Inventor: Gain chain.

Scholar + Throne Room: TR + Scholar = +14 Cards (discard happens once).

Synergies

• Chapel: Thin softens penalty.
• Acting Troupe / Lackeys: Villagers for firing.
• Throne Room: Doubled to +14.
• City Gates Project: +1 hand.
• Cargo Ship: Massive hand + stash.
• Inventor / Workshop: Gain chain.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Unthinned decks: Heavy Copper-discard loss.
• Terminal-heavy: Can't fire Scholar.
• Pure Big Money: Risks discarding Silvers.
• Quick-finish: No payoff time.

Advanced Tips

Timing: deplete hand first; play Actions, then Treasures, then Scholar last.

Multiple Scholars: 2-3 sustain Province turns; +7 to +14 per turn.

Note: hand-discard hits everything — including unwanted Curses / Estates. Not a thinning effect.