Aristocrat

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 3
• Effect: If the number of Aristocrats you have in play is: 1 or 5: +3 Actions; 2 or 6: +3 Cards; 3 or 7: +$3; 4 or 8: +3 Buys.

Rating

A cost-3 super-efficient multi-tool. The effect varies by count: first +3 Actions, second +3 Cards, third +$3, fourth +3 Buys. Each copy unlocks a different bonus.

Best feature: 2 Aristocrats = Village + Lab. 3 = Village + Lab + Festival. 4 = full toolkit. Insane scaling for cost 3.

Overall A tier. Strong from copy 1, peaks at 4.

How to Play

Early: must-buy at 3 coin. First copy is already a strong Village.

Mid-game: buy 2-4 Aristocrats. 4 copies at cost 3 is achievable mid-game.

End-game: 4 in play = +3 Actions / +3 Cards / +$3 / +3 Buys all-in-one engine. Multi-Province turns trivial.

Stack Strategy

Copy 1 (+3 Actions): Strong village solo, enables 4 terminals.

Copy 2 (+3 Cards): Add draw, Village + Lab.

Copy 3 (+$3): Add coin, Village + Lab + Festival.

Copy 4 (+3 Buys): Multi-Province endgame.

Copies 5+ wrap back to +3 Actions (massive terminal capacity).

Key Combos

Aristocrat + Aristocrat: Stack for full effect.

Aristocrat + Daimyo: Doubled effect.

Aristocrat + Smithy: Drawing for extra terminals.

Aristocrat + Bridge: +3 Buys synergy.

Synergies

• Daimyo: Doubled.
• Smithy / Lab: First copy +3 Actions enables 4 draws.
• Bridge: +3 Buys synergy.
• Remodel / Craftsman: Cost-3 gain methods.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• 4/3 splits at no 3 coin: Hard to start.
• Trashers (Rice Broker): Trashed before stacking 4.
• Quick games: 4-stack mid-late, slow ramp.

Advanced Tips

Goal: stack to 4 Aristocrats. Cost 3 makes mid-game 4-stack feasible.

3 stacked = +3 Actions + +3 Cards + +$3 = very strong Province-buying turn.

Copies 5+ revert to +3 Actions, useful for many-terminal engines.