Samurai

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Duration-Attack
• Cost: 5
• Effect: Each other player discards down to 3 cards in hand (once). At the start of each of your turns this game, +1 coin.

Rating

A signature Rising Sun card. At cost 5, it combines a Javelin-grade hand attack (once only) with a permanent +1 coin every turn. The early hand-cut takes 3-4 turns of buying power from opponents, and the perpetual coin accumulates into a Province-buying engine.

The strength is that "end of game" duration: once played, a Samurai pays +1 coin every turn for the rest of the game. Two copies stack to +2/turn, three to +3/turn — compound economic growth. The "once only" restriction on the attack hurts, but the initial blow disrupts opponent tempo enough to justify the buy.

Overall A tier. Top priority on the 5-cost slot. On Samurai boards, hit it the moment 5 coin appears.

How to Play

Early: pick up Samurai the moment 5 coin shows. It both builds your economy pre-Province and damages opponent tempo. On 3/4 splits, aim for turn 2 Samurai.

Mid-game: stack multiple Samurai for accumulating +1 coin. They stay in play (not hand-clogging), though they slightly reduce shuffle frequency. Multiple Samurai don't restack the attack but do stack the coin.

End-game: the running coin total feeds Province purchases reliably.

Attack Timing

"Once only" makes purchase timing matter:

1. Just before opponent engines fire (8-9 coin turns).
2. Right before opponents buy a curser (cripple a 4-5 coin turn).
3. Before the Province race kicks in.

Samurai is a Duration card, so the attack triggers on the very next opponent turn after purchase.

Key Combos

Samurai + Daimyo: Daimyo replays Samurai. The attack is one-shot only (no extra hits), and the +1 coin doesn't double per copy. Limited compound use.

Samurai + Throne Room: Same restriction — single attack hit, single coin. Throne for economy is weak.

Samurai + Witch / Sea Hag / Javelin: Stacked attacks devastate opponent economies.

Samurai + Smithy / Library: You draw, opponents stall at 3.

Samurai + University / Craftsman: Skip the coin requirement and gain Samurai directly.

Samurai + Bridge / Inventor / Forge: Cost 5 acquisition synergy.

Synergies

• Daimyo: Replay Samurai (limited compound).
• Witch: Curse + handcut overlap.
• Javelin (Seaside 2): Stacked handcut attacks.
• Smithy / Library: Draw while opponents stall.
• University / Craftsman / Inventor: Cost-5 gain methods.
• Sea Trade (Rising Sun): 5-cost gain + VP conversion.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• 4-player games: "Once only" dilutes against 3 opponents.
• Moat / Lighthouse / Secret Chamber: Reactions block the attack.
• 4/3 splits with no 5: Can't buy turn 1, opponents may grab first.
• Heavy terminals on board: Samurai is terminal — village pressure.
• Quick pile-out games: Compound coin doesn't pay off.

Advanced Tips

Time the Samurai purchase to coincide with when you most want the attack. Buying it before any opponent has 4+ coin in hand wastes the discard.

When holding multiple Samurai, remember that subsequent copies don't trigger additional attacks — they only add to the coin pile. Buy 2-4 for compound economy, more is overkill.

Samurai stays in play permanently, slightly reducing shuffle frequency. This is mostly upside (the duration is preserved) but engine-reload speed dips marginally.

Samurai-BM: Samurai / Silver / Silver / Samurai / Gold → Province. Excellent BM variant since the attack stalls opposing Province purchases.

In a Rising Sun heavy board, Samurai handles "permanent duration economy" while Daimyo and Practice handle action replay, and the Shrines handle Prophecy/Favor management. Role separation works well.