Dominion (Second Edition)

2016

Experience strategic deck-building in Dominion, a game of monarchs vying for control. Construct your deck, expand your kingdom, and outwit your rivals to claim victory.

30
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the world of Dominion (Second Edition), a standout game of strategy and cunning, set within the immersive medieval period. The primary theme of the game revolves around monarchy and dominion, where each player takes on the role of a monarch, seeking to expand their kingdom with the most valuable lands.

Dominion is unique in its core mechanics which are centered around deck-building. Unlike traditional board games, where the gameplay unfolds on a static board, the ‘board’ in Dominion is dynamic and changes as players purchase cards from a common pool. This pool contains various types of cards, including action cards, treasure cards, and victory point cards, each having a unique effect on the gameplay.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

In the game of ‘Dominion (Second Edition)’, there are a variety of components, each with its own specific role and interaction with the game. Here is a detailed description of each component:

500 Cards: The cards form the major part of the game and are divided into different types.
- Treasure Cards (Copper, Silver, Gold): These are the currency cards used to buy other cards. Copper is worth 1, Silver 2, and Gold 3.
- Victory Cards (Estate, Duchy, Province): These cards are essential for winning the game as they give Victory Points. An Estate is worth 1 point, Duchy 3, and Province 6.
- Curse Cards: These cards deduct points from players’ scores. Each Curse card is worth -1 Victory Point.
- Kingdom Cards: There are 26 sets of these cards. Each set has a unique effect which can give players advantages or disrupt opponents.
Trash Mat: This is used to hold the cards that players have chosen to discard permanently from their deck during the game.
Storage Tray: This component is used to organize and store the different types of cards.
Rule Book: This contains the game rules and instructions.

The game of Dominion is centered around the concept of deck-building. Players start with a small deck of cards (7 Coppers and 3 Estates) and use these to acquire more cards, aiming to amass the most Victory Points by the end. The interaction between the different card types and the strategic choices players make create a dynamic game with high replayability.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Dominion (Second Edition) is a deck-building card game where 2-4 players compete to acquire the most victory points. The setup of the game can be quite complex due to its many different elements. Here is a step-by-step guide to aid you:

Step 1: Card Setup

Firstly, shuffle the randomizer cards and draw 10. These 10 cards will determine which Kingdom cards will be used in this game. Place 10 cards of each selected Kingdom card in separate piles, organized in an array for easy access. Place the Curse cards, Treasure cards (Copper, Silver, and Gold), and Victory cards (Estate, Duchy, and Province) into separate piles as well. The number of Curse and Victory cards you use will depend on the number of players.

Step 2: Player Setup

Each player begins with an identical, very small deck of cards. In the original set, this consists of seven Copper cards and three Estate cards. The players shuffle their own deck and draw a hand of five cards from it. Players take turns in clockwise order.

Step 3: Setting up the Trash Pile

Place an area for a trash pile within reach of all players. Any card that gets trashed will go here, and it’s important to keep it separate from the supply decks.

Step 4: Arranging the Supply

The supply consists of all the cards that players can gain during the game. Arrange the Kingdom cards, the basic Treasure cards, and the Victory cards in the center of the table where all players can reach them. Also include the Curse cards if using any Kingdom cards that give out Curses.

Random Elements:

The main random element in Dominion is the card draw. Since your deck is shuffled each time you cycle through it, you can never be sure which combination of cards will end up in your hand. This randomness can be mitigated with strategic deck building, but it adds an element of unpredictability that keeps the game interesting.

Another random element is the Kingdom card selection. Since you randomly select 10 Kingdom cards each game, the available strategies can change dramatically from game to game.

Game flow Round and round we go

Dominion (Second Edition) is a strategy-based card game that requires players to build their own deck and gain the most victory points to win. The game is divided into rounds, each of which consists of several phases.

The overall structure of the game is as follows:

Setup: In the beginning of the game, each player starts with an identical small deck of cards and a pool of supply cards are placed in the center of the table. The supply cards include a variety of Kingdom cards, Treasure cards, Victory cards and Curse cards.
Draw Phase: At the start of each turn, the player draws five cards from their personal deck. If their deck is empty, they shuffle their discard pile to form a new deck.
Action Phase: During this phase, a player may play one Action card from their hand. Action cards can provide a variety of benefits, such as additional actions, additional cards, additional buys, or other special abilities.
Buy Phase: Following the action phase, the player can buy one card from the supply by paying its cost in Treasure cards from their hand. The purchased card goes to the player’s discard pile.
Clean-up Phase: After buying, the player moves all of their played and unplayed cards from their hand to their discard pile and draws a new hand of five cards.
End of Game: The game ends when either the stack of Province cards in the supply is empty or any three supply stacks are empty. Players count the victory points in their deck and the player with the most points wins.

Each player’s turn follows this structure and the game continues in rounds until the end conditions are met. Players must strategically choose and play their cards to acquire the most beneficial cards from the supply and earn the most victory points.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Dominion (Second Edition) is a strategy card game where players aim to amass the most victory points by the game’s end. Each player’s turn in the game is broken down into three phases: the Action phase, the Buy phase, and the Clean-up phase.

The Action Phase:

During the Action phase, players can play one Action card from their hand. The effects of these cards can vary greatly and may allow players to perform additional actions, draw more cards, or even affect other players.

Additional Actions: Some Action cards grant the player extra actions. This allows the player to play more Action cards during their turn, enabling powerful combinations of effects.
Card Drawing: Many Action cards allow the player to draw additional cards into their hand. This can be beneficial for gaining access to more resources during a turn.
Interaction: Some Action cards can cause effects that impact other players, such as forcing them to discard cards or skip actions. These can be strategically used to disrupt an opponent’s plans.

The Buy Phase:

In the Buy phase, players can purchase one card from the supply using the Treasure cards in their hand. The card they buy is then placed in the player’s discard pile and will be shuffled into their deck when it runs out. The strategic choices in this phase revolve around deciding which type of card to buy: Action, Treasure, or Victory.

Action Cards: Buying Action cards can add new abilities to a player’s deck, allowing them to perform more complex strategies in future turns.
Treasure Cards: These cards provide the currency for buying other cards. Purchasing higher-value Treasure cards can enable the acquisition of more expensive (and typically more powerful) cards later.
Victory Cards: These are the primary means of scoring points in Dominion. While they’re crucial for winning the game, they don’t provide any immediate benefits and can even clog up the player’s hand, so timing their purchase is a key strategic decision.

The Clean-up Phase:

The last phase, the Clean-up phase, involves the player placing all the cards they have played, as well as the remaining cards in their hand, into their discard pile. They then draw a new hand of five cards. This phase prepares the player for their next turn and is an important time to plan future actions based on the new hand.

Understanding the strategic choices available during each of these phases is key to mastering Dominion. Decisions made during one turn can have far-reaching impacts on future turns, adding depth and complexity to this engaging game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of Dominion (Second Edition) ends under two specific conditions. These conditions serve as triggers for the end of the game, initiating the final scoring process to determine the winner.

1. Province Card Pile Exhaustion:

The first condition that can trigger the end of the game is when the Province card pile in the Supply is exhausted. The Province cards are the highest value Victory cards in the game, and they play a significant role in determining the winner.

2. Three Supply Piles Exhaustion:

The second condition that can end the game is when any three Supply piles in the Supply are exhausted. This condition can occur regardless of which card piles are exhausted. It could be any combination of Kingdom card piles, Treasure card piles, or Victory card piles.

When either of these conditions is met, the current player finishes their turn, including their Buy and Clean-up phases, and then the game ends immediately. No further actions or turns are taken.

Once the game has ended, players proceed to the final scoring. Each player counts the total number of Victory Points in their entire deck, which includes their hand, their discard pile, and their deck. Victory Points are provided by three types of cards:

Victory Cards: These are the green cards, and they include Estate, Duchy, and Province cards. Their respective values are 1, 3, and 6 Victory Points.
Curse Cards: These are negative Victory Point cards, deducting 1 Victory Point from the player’s total.
Certain Kingdom Cards: Some Kingdom cards, like Gardens or Fairgrounds, also contribute Victory Points based on certain conditions.

The player with the highest total of Victory Points in their deck is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player who had the fewest turns over the course of the game wins. If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Dominion (Second Edition), the objective of the game is to achieve the highest score by the end of the game. The scoring system is mainly based on the acquisition of specific cards that award victory points (VPs).

Victory Card Points

Estates: These cards are worth 1 VP each.
Duchies: These cards are worth 3 VPs each.
Provinces: These cards are worth 6 VPs each.

Special Card Points

Curse: These cards subtract 1 VP from the player’s total score.
Some Kingdom cards: Certain Kingdom cards, such as Gardens, Fairgrounds, and Vineyards, have variable VP values based on certain conditions.

At the end of the game, players count up the total VPs they have acquired through their deck of cards. The player with the most VPs wins the game.

Tie-breaking Rules

In the event of a tie, the tie-breaking rules of Dominion come into effect:

The player who has taken fewer turns during the game is the winner.
If there is still a tie, then all tied players share in the victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Dominion (Second Edition) is a deck-building card game with a variety of rules and exceptions. Here are some of the rare or special rules and important rule clarifications:

Action Phase: During your action phase, you can only play one action card unless you have cards that explicitly allow you to play more. For example, the Village card allows you to play two additional actions.

Buy Phase: Similar to the action phase, you only get one buy phase unless you have cards that give you additional buys. Note that you can still buy only one card per buy phase, regardless of how many coins you have.

Trashing Cards: When a card tells you to “trash” a card, you remove that card from your deck and place it in the trash pile. Trashed cards are not returned to your deck unless a card specifically instructs you to do so.
Reaction Cards: Some cards have a Reaction effect that can be used when certain conditions are met, even if it’s not your turn. For example, the Moat card can be revealed from your hand to avoid an Attack card’s effect.
Setup Variations: Depending on the number of players, the number of certain cards in the Supply can vary. For example, in a 2-player game, there are only 8 Province cards, while in a 3 or 4-player game, there are 12.

End of Game: The game ends at the end of any player’s turn when the Supply pile of Province cards is empty or when any three Supply piles are empty. It’s important to note that the game ends immediately when these conditions are met, even if players have additional actions or buys left.

Empty Province Pile: The game ends at the end of the player’s turn when the Province pile in the Supply is empty. This is true regardless of the number of players in the game.
Three Empty Supply Piles: The game also ends at the end of the player’s turn when any three Supply piles are empty. This can be any combination of Kingdom and basic Supply piles.

In case of a tie, the player who had fewer turns wins the game. If there is still a tie, the players rejoice in their shared victory.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Dominion (Second Edition) is a strategic deck-building game where players aim to acquire the most victory points. Mastering the game involves understanding the different card combinations, managing your deck, and adapting your strategy based on the available cards and actions of other players.

Advanced Strategies:

Deck Thinning: A common advanced strategy in Dominion is to thin your deck. This involves removing less useful cards (like Copper and Estate cards) from your deck to increase the chances of drawing your more powerful cards.
Action Chains: Try to create chains of actions. Some cards allow you to draw more cards and take additional actions in a single turn, which can lead to powerful combinations and high-value turns.
React to Opponents: Keep an eye on your opponents’ strategies and adjust yours accordingly. For example, if an opponent is buying a lot of attack cards, it might be worth investing in reaction cards to defend yourself.

Beginner Tips:

Don’t forget about victory points. It’s easy to get caught up in the action and forget that the ultimate goal of the game is to have the most victory points.
Buy action cards early in the game. They can provide valuable abilities and will become more useful as the game progresses.
Remember to reshuffle your discard pile. Once your deck runs out, reshuffle your discard pile and continue drawing. This means that new cards bought will be available after the reshuffle.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overloading on Treasure: While treasure cards like Gold and Silver are tempting, overloading your deck with them can limit your ability to draw action or victory cards.
Ignoring the Kingdom cards: Each kingdom card offers unique abilities that can greatly influence the game. Ignoring them can result in missed opportunities for powerful combos.
Not Adapting Strategy: Dominion’s gameplay can change dramatically based on the available cards. Sticking rigidly to one strategy without considering the current game state can lead to downfall.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Balance Your Deck: A balanced deck with a mix of action, treasure, and victory cards is typically more effective than a deck skewed heavily towards one type.
Use Action Cards Wisely: Make the most of your action cards by using them in combinations that maximize their benefits.
Plan for the End Game: As the game nears its end and the supply piles start to run out, shift your focus towards acquiring victory points.