Treasurer
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Treasurer (Renaissance)

Cost: $5

Type: Action

Text: +$3\nChoose one: Trash a Treasure from your hand; or gain a Treasure from the trash to your hand; or take the Key.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Treasurer:

Treasurer Strategy Guide

Overview

Treasurer is a versatile $5-cost Action card from Renaissance that provides both economic benefit and utility through its three distinct options. Its flexibility makes it valuable in many strategies, though its effectiveness varies based on the kingdom context and your chosen approach.

Basic Functions

1. Economic Value

  • Provides +$3, making it equivalent to Gold in terms of money production
  • Unlike Gold, it's an Action card, requiring an Action to play
  • Generally more flexible than Gold due to its additional options

2. Three Choices

Each time you play Treasurer, you choose one of: a) Trash a Treasure from your hand b) Gain a Treasure from the trash to your hand c) Take the Key

Core Strategic Uses

As an Economy Card

Treasurer's primary function is often as an economy card: - Provides the same coin value as Gold for the same cost - Can be drawn by card-drawing Actions - Benefits from Action multipliers like Throne Room - Vulnerable to Attack cards that affect Actions but not Treasures

Comparison to Gold

Pros: - More flexible due to additional options - Can be drawn by cards like Laboratory - Works with Action multipliers

Cons: - Requires an Action to play - Vulnerable to Action-specific attacks - Can't be played with other Treasures in Buy phase

As a Trasher

The ability to trash Treasures serves several purposes: 1. Deck thinning (removing Coppers) 2. Treasure upgrading strategies 3. Setting up trash-for-benefit effects

Best practices: - Prioritize trashing Coppers early game - Consider keeping some Coppers if you need cheap Treasures for certain strategies - Be strategic about trashing higher-value Treasures - ensure you have a plan

As a Treasure Retriever

Gaining Treasures from the trash can be powerful: - Recover previously trashed valuable Treasures - Part of specific engine combinations - Counter opponent's trashing strategies

The Key Option

The Key gives +$1 at the start of your turn when you have it: - Only one player can have it at a time - Provides consistent economy boost - Often best taken early in the game

Advanced Strategies

Engine Building

Treasurer can support engine strategies in several ways:

  1. Early Game
  2. Use as economy while building engine pieces
  3. Trash Coppers to streamline deck

  4. Consider taking Key for reliable income

  5. Mid Game

  6. Can serve as primary economy source
  7. Useful for recovering key Treasures

  8. May want to avoid Key to focus on other options

  9. Late Game

  10. Can help recover trashed Treasures for big money turns
  11. May want to deny Key to opponent
  12. Consider trashing valuable Treasures to deny opponent gains

Treasure-Based Strategies

Treasurer particularly shines in kingdoms with Treasure synergies:

With Bank

  • Carefully manage Treasure density
  • Can trash/recover Treasures to optimize Bank value
  • Key provides extra Treasure for Bank calculations

With Merchant Guild

  • +$3 triggers coin token gain
  • Can manipulate Treasure count through trashing/gaining
  • Key provides additional income without diluting deck

With Hoard

  • Can trash gained Golds to maintain deck efficiency
  • Recover trashed Golds when needed for big turns
  • Key provides consistent income without Gold bloat

Combo Potential

With Trash-For-Benefit Cards

  1. Governor
  2. Trash Copper, upgrade other cards

  3. Recover valuable Treasures when needed

  4. Salvager

  5. Trash expensive Treasures for huge buying power

  6. Recover them later when needed

  7. Trading Post

  8. Treasurer can recover valuable Treasures after Trading Post trashing
  9. Creates powerful cycling opportunities

With Treasure Gainers

  1. Mine
  2. Treasurer can recover previously upgraded Treasures

  3. Creates flexibility in Treasure management

  4. Mint

  5. Copy valuable Treasures
  6. Treasurer can recover originals if needed

With Action Multipliers

  1. Throne Room/King's Court
  2. Multiple +$3 gains
  3. Multiple trashing opportunities
  4. Multiple chances to recover Treasures
  5. Only one Key gain possible

Counter-Play

Playing Against Treasurer

  1. Deny Important Treasures
  2. Keep valuable Treasures out of trash

  3. Consider trashing your own Treasures to prevent recovery

  4. Key Competition

  5. Take Key early if beneficial

  6. Force opponent to choose between Key and other options

  7. Attack Considerations

  8. Action attackers like Militia affect Treasurer
  9. Treasurer is resistant to trashing attacks

Kingdom Considerations

Treasurer's value varies significantly based on kingdom context:

Strong With

  1. Trash-for-benefit cards
  2. Treasure synergy cards
  3. Action multipliers
  4. Card draw engines
  5. Kingdoms where Key income is valuable

Weak With

  1. Big Money strategies (Gold often better)
  2. Kingdoms with strong $5 alternatives
  3. Fast engines that don't need economy
  4. Kingdoms where Actions are heavily constrained

Timing and Opportunity Cost

Early Game Decisions

The $5 price point presents important tradeoffs: - Competing with other vital $5 cards - Initial Treasurer often better than initial Gold - Key consideration important early

Priority Order (typically): 1. Essential engine pieces 2. Treasurer if fitting strategy 3. Alternative economy cards

Mid-Game Considerations

Evaluate based on current needs: - Deck thinning still valuable? - Need Treasure recovery? - Key still worth taking?

Late Game Uses

Flexibility becomes key: - Treasure recovery for big turns - Denying opponents valuable Treasures - Key less important unless game extending

Kingdom-Specific Strategies

In Slog Kingdoms

  • Key becomes more valuable
  • Treasurer provides reliable income
  • Treasure management important

In Engine Kingdoms

  • Focus on deck thinning early
  • May want multiple Treasurers
  • Key less important

In Rush Kingdoms

  • Maybe skip Treasurer
  • If bought, focus on immediate value
  • Key might be too slow

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Overvaluing Key
  2. Don't take Key when other options more valuable

  3. Consider opportunity cost of alternative plays

  4. Poor Treasure Management

  5. Trashing Treasures without recovery plan

  6. Not considering opponent's needs

  7. Inflexible Strategy

  8. Sticking to one use case

  9. Not adapting to game state

  10. Action Management

  11. Overbuying Treasurers in Action-constrained decks
  12. Not considering Action opportunity cost

Conclusion

Treasurer is a flexible card that requires careful consideration of: - Kingdom context - Game state - Opponent's strategy - Available combos - Opportunity costs

Success with Treasurer comes from: - Clear strategic planning - Adaptable tactical choices - Understanding timing windows - Recognizing synergies

While not always essential, Treasurer's versatility makes it a valuable addition to many strategies when used thoughtfully and appropriately.

Quick Reference

Buy Priority

  • High: With Treasure synergies, trash-for-benefit effects
  • Medium: General engine support, economic need
  • Low: Big Money, strong $5 alternatives present

Key Taking Priority

  • High: Early game, slog kingdoms
  • Medium: Mid game, balanced kingdoms
  • Low: Late game, fast kingdoms

Trashing Priority

  • High: Early Coppers, setting up combos
  • Medium: Mid-game optimization
  • Low: Late game (unless denial important)

Treasure Recovery Priority

  • High: Combo pieces, high-value Treasures
  • Medium: General optimization
  • Low: Early game, alternative gains available

This guide should help players maximize Treasurer's potential while avoiding common pitfalls and recognizing key decision points throughout the game.