Salvager

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 4
• Effect: +1 Buy. Trash a card from your hand. +$1 per $1 it costs.

Rating

Seaside's premier trash-for-coin. +1 Buy + trash → +$ equal to cost. Estate (cost 2) → +$2; Copper → +$0 (just thinning); Silver (cost 3) → +$3 (mediocre).

Defining trait: trash a $5 → +$5 → Province turn. Salvager + Smithy trash = +$4. Massive 1-turn Province power.

Tier B+ to A. Trasher + economy combo. Strong on Province turns. Terminal.

How to Play

Early: $4 buy = Salvager. Trash Estate/Copper.

Mid: Trash $5 cards → +$5 → Province.

End: Trash excess actions for Province coins.

Trash Target Priority

Economy:

1. $5 cards (Smithy, Council Room) → +$5.
2. Estate → +$2 (thin + coin).
3. Copper → +$0 (thin only).
4. $6+ (Artisan, Jeweler) → +$6+, instant Province.

Thinning:

1. Curse → +$0 thin.
2. Copper → thin only.
3. Excess actions → coin convert.

Key Combos

Salvager + Smithy: Trash Smithy → +$4.

Salvager + Council Room: Trash Council Room → +$5 → instant Province.

Salvager + King's Court: KC + Salvager = trash 3 cards / triple coin.

Salvager + Throne Room: TR + Salvager = trash 2 / double.

Salvager + Chapel: Premier thinning duo.

Salvager + Island: Trash Estate + Island = 5 VP.

Salvager + Festival: Trash excess actions → coin.

Synergies

• King's Court: Triple trash + coin.
• Throne Room: Doubles.
• Chapel: Thinning duo.
• Island: Estate trash + 5 VP.
• Festival: Excess action conversion.
• Smithy: Trash → +$4.
• Council Room: Trash → +$5.
• Masquerade: Thin + coin.
• Trader (Dark Ages): Thin + gain.
• Expand (Intrigue): Trash chain.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• No trash targets: Already-thin deck.
• Pure BM: Silver-trash hurts economy.
• Short games: Thinning unhelpful.
• Heavy attacks: Terminal collision.
• Final turn: Trashing offers no VP.

Advanced Tips

"First Salvager": Early = trash Estate/Copper. Mid = trash $5 for Province support.

"Trash → Province": Salvager + $5 trash + $3 hand = $8 → Province. 1-turn play.

KC + Salvager: KC + Salvager 3x = trash 3 / triple coin. Massive 1-turn economic conversion.

3-pile-out: Salvager 10 + 2 piles.

"Salvager vs Chapel": Chapel (Base, $2, trash 4) vs Salvager ($4, +1 Buy / trash 1 + coin). Chapel = mass thinning, Salvager = econ. Main thinner = Chapel; Salvager = backup + econ.

Salvager buying: 1-2 early, 1-2 mid. Max 3-4 sufficient.

Salvager mirror: Both thin + econ. Province race.

Duke strategy: Salvager + Estate trash + $5 econ supports Duchy.

VP value: 0 VP plain Action. Don't overbuy late.