Mastering the Art of Dominion:  Quick Guide to Start Playing Dominion Board Game

My love affair with board games began ages ago, back when every kid on the block had those same worn-out cardboard boxes of Monopoly, Scrabble, Life, Clue, and the thrilling addition of RISK. Our family was all about card games too; Mom was a bridge cmaster, just like her father. And let’s not forget my sister, who seemed to have been born with savant like gaming gifts. Whether it was backgammon, checkers, chess, cribbage, gin rummy, or even Go Fish, she was able to trounce me in every one.
We still play the occasional game —she sometimes even let’s me win!

One of my all time favourite boardgames to play is one called Dominion. It is from popular Rio Grande Games andis one of the most popular modern board games in the world.

Dominion, designed by Donald X. Vaccarino, is deck-building game challenges players to craft their own kingdoms, accumulate wealth, and strategically deploy their resources to gain victory points.

The rules may seem intricate at first, mastering Dominion is an incredibly fun game.  I will try to lay down fundamental basic mechanics of the game and offer strategies that will elevate your Dominion gameplay to new heights.

Understanding the Basics:

1. Setup: Dominion begins with each player receiving a starting deck consisting of seven Copper cards and three Estate cards. Additional cards are laid out in the Supply area, including Treasure cards (Gold, Silver, and Copper), Victory cards (Estate, Duchy, and Province), and Kingdom cards (varied action cards).
2. Turn Structure: A player’s turn in Dominion consists of three phases: Action, Buy, and Cleanup.
   –Action phase, players can play Action cards from their hand, which often provide additional actions and benefits
   –Buy phase, players use their Treasure cards to purchase cards from the Supply.
   – Cleanup phase involves discarding all played cards and drawing a new hand.
3. Deck Building: The core mechanic of Dominion revolves around deck building. Players strategically acquire new cards from the Supply to enhance their decks, aiming to optimize their card combinations and increase their point-scoring potential.

Developing Winning Strategies:

1. Focus on Economy: Efficiently managing your economy is crucial in Dominion. Prioritize acquiring Treasure cards such as Gold and Silver to increase your purchasing power, allowing you to acquire more valuable cards from the Supply.
2. Synergistic Card Combinations: Identify and exploit synergies between Kingdom cards to maximize their effectiveness. Some cards work exceptionally well together, enhancing your ability to draw cards, gain actions, or accumulate wealth.
3. Balanced Deck Composition: Strive for a balanced deck composition that ensures consistent card draw and resource generation. Avoid excessive clutter by thinning your deck of weaker cards through trashing effects, such as Chapel or Remodel.
4. Adaptability: Remain flexible in your strategy based on the available Kingdom cards and your opponents’ actions. Adjust your approach to capitalize on emerging opportunities or counter your opponents’ tactics effectively.
5. Endgame Planning: As the game progresses, shift your focus towards acquiring Victory cards to secure your path to victory. Keep a close eye on the Supply piles, aiming to deplete Province cards before your opponents can amass significant points.

Advanced Techniques:

1. Deck Tracking: Develop the ability to track the contents of your deck and predict future card draws. This skill enables you to make informed decisions and execute complex card combinations with precision.
2. Countering Opponents: Pay attention to your opponents’ strategies and adapt accordingly. Utilize Attack cards to disrupt their plans, deny them resources, or slow down their point accumulation.
3. Risk Management: Assess the risks and rewards associated with each decision, particularly when considering card purchases and deck management. Balancing short-term gains with long-term benefits is essential for success in Dominion.

Suggested set up for 2 Players:

8 of each Victory card and 10 Curse cards, 8 “Province” cards, 8 “Duchy” cards and 8 “Estate” cards .

If more than two players, use 12 of each of those cards instead.
Curse Cards:

• 2 players: 8 of each Victory card and 10 Curse cards
• 3 players: 12 of each Victory card and 20 Curse cards
• 4 players: 12 of each Victory card and 30 Curse cards

In Dominion, some powerful card combinations can help build an effective deck and increase chances of winning.
Here are a few good card combinations ( using base game) to consider:

1. Chapel and Silver: Chapel allows you to trash up to four cards from your hand, helping you thin your deck of weaker cards and increase the efficiency of your draws. Combining Chapel with Silver, which provides reliable buying power, can create a streamlined deck with a higher concentration of valuable cards.
2. Village and Smithy: Village provides +1 Card and +2 Actions, allowing you to draw more cards and play additional Action cards in a single turn. Smithy, on the other hand, provides +3 Cards, further increasing your hand size and enabling you to cycle through your deck more quickly. Together, Village and Smithy create a powerful engine for drawing and playing Action cards.
3. Market and Festival: Market provides +1 Card, +1 Action, +1 Buy, and +1 Coin, Festival provides similar benefits with +2 Actions, +1 Buy, and +2 Coins. Combining Market and Festival allows you to generate significant buying power while maintaining flexibility in your actions.
4. Laboratory and Throne Room: Laboratory provides +2 Cards and +1 Action, helping you draw through deck  and find key cards for your strategy. Throne Room allows you to play another Action card twice, effectively doubling its benefits. Using Throne Room on Laboratory can accelerate your deck cycling and provide a substantial advantage in drawing and playing cards.
5. Witch and Moat: Witch attacks opponents by giving them Curse cards, which clog up their decks and decrease their point-scoring potential. Moat provides a defense against attacks by allowing you to reveal it from your hand to negate the effects of an Attack card. Combining Witch with Moat can neutralize the Curse-giving ability of Witch while allowing you to focus on building your own deck.

There are some excellent sites devoted to Dominion:

PLay Dominion online: https://dominion.games/
Make Dominion labels and dividers: https://domdiv.bgtools.net/

These are really good labels for Dominion storage if using storage binder and trading card sleeves:
https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/166585/ultimate-dominion-labels-by-slowcurl
The person that create these went into huge effort to make!
Avery 8167 or Avery 5267 , Avery Template 5167 ( 1/2″ x 1 3/4 labels, 80 labels per sheet)
Labels

Dominion Randomizer: https://dominionrandomizer.com/sets.html is a fantastic resource.
This site lets you generate and create customized Kingdom sets, based on what expansions you have and cards you prefer or dislike,
It also suggests games set up to play with valuable insights.

All Dominion Rule Books:
https://dominionrandomizer.com/rules.html
Printable Doional Labels