Silk Merchant

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +2 Cards / +1 Buy / When you gain or trash this, +1 Coffers, +1 Villager.

Rating

Renaissance's all-rounder. Cost 4: +2 Cards + +1 Buy + gain/trash +1 Coffers +1 Villager. Four functions in one card — draw + buy + token economy.

Biggest strength: tokens on gain. Just buying adds +1 Coffers +1 Villager. Multiple copies snowball the token economy. Plus solid Action stats.

Overall A tier. Top-tier cost-4 card, engine core.

How to Play

Auto-buy at 4 coins.

Mid: stockpile copies, accumulate tokens.

Late: +1 Buy fuels multi-Province, Villagers fire terminals.

Gain-Token Triggers

• Normal buy: +1 Coffers +1 Villager.
• Workshop / Inventor gain: triggers.
• Remodel gain: triggers.
• Trash: Chapel-trash also gives tokens.

Multiple gain mechanisms cascade tokens.

Key Combos

Silk Merchant + Inventor: Gain via Inventor → Coffers + Villager + cost-down.

Silk Merchant + Chapel: Trash gives tokens too.

Silk Merchant + City Gates: +1 hand size.

Silk Merchant + Cargo Ship: Gain → stash + tokens.

Silk Merchant + Guildhall: Stacked Coffers economy.

Silk Merchant + Throne Room: TR + SM = +4 Cards / +2 Buys.

Synergies

• Inventor / Workshop: Gain chain for tokens.
• Chapel: Trash also tokens.
• City Gates Project: +1 hand.
• Cargo Ship: Instant utility.
• Guildhall: Token economy.
• Throne Room: Doubled.
• Remodel / Improve: Chain.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Quick-finish: Token bank wasted.
• Pure Big Money: Compound effects underused.
• Terminal-heavy: Collisions.
• Pure thinning only: Tokens / draw wasted.

Advanced Tips

Multiple buys: 2-3 copies = +2-3 Coffers and Villagers immediately.

Gain chain: Workshop → Silk Merchant → tokens; Remodel → Silk Merchant → same. Stack gain effects.

Trash also: Chapel/Recruiter trashing Silk Merchant still grants tokens. Thinning + tokens combo.

Province turn: Banked Coffers + Villagers + +1 Buy enables multi-Province.