Dominion (base game)

Dominion (base game)

(Base game)

by Donald X. Vaccarino
Publisher: Rio Grande Games
Games
Current Retail Price: $44.95
Not in stock

Please note that this item may not be shipped using USPS Media mail.

In Dominion, each player starts with an identical, very small deck of cards. In the center of the table is a selection of other cards the players can "buy" as they can afford them. Through their selection of cards to buy, and how they play their hands as they draw them, the players construct their deck on the fly, striving for the most efficient path to the precious victory points by game end.

From the Back of the Box:

You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes and dreams! You want a bigger and more pleasant kingdom, with more rivers and a wider variety of trees. You want a Dominion! In all directions lie fiefs, freeholds, and feodums. All are small bits of land, controlled by petty lords and verging on anarchy. You will bring civilization to these people, uniting them under your banner.

But wait! It must be something in the air; several other monarchs have had the exact same idea. You must race to get as much of the unclaimed land as possible, fending them off along the way. To do this you will hire minions, construct buildings, spruce up your castle, and fill the coffers of your treasury. Your parents wouldn’t be proud, but your grandparents on your mother's side would be delighted.

Contains:

  • 500 Cards
  • Storage Tray
  • Rule booklet

Full review of Dominion

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  A Beautiful, Fun Game!
HappyHomemaker of Oregon, 7/8/2011
Alright, if you've ever watched this game be played, it LOOKS a lot more complicated than it really it.
Basically, you want to buy land (victory points, the only way to win), but you need money. In order to get enough money in your hand at one time (you pick of 5 cards each turn) you need action cards. Each turn you get one 'action', and one 'buy'... unless you have a card that gives you more of both! It's a great combination of strategy and chance, since you need certain cards to really get ahead, and YOU are the one buys what you want. BUT, you don't always draw the "perfect" hand every time, so you have to be flexible and maximize every opportunity.
Because there are over 20 different action cards that come with the game, and each game only uses 10, this has a dozen different versions, all in one box! It's fun to experiment with different card combinations, and as long as your having fun, there's no wrong way! You can add the competitive cards, like the thief or spy, or you can stick with the village and smithy... your choice.
I'll admit, one of my favorite things about this game is how BEAUTIFUL the cards are. No blocky, wacky cartoons; they are lovely paintings.
A great game for a wide range of ages (you kind of need to be able to read) and abilities.
  Deck-building Game
Matt Winckler of WA, 3/2/2011
A game with interesting possibilities and a very high amount of variation/replayability, but sometimes it feels like your fate is too determined by the luck of the draw. This helps even out player inequalities, but will leave strategy gamers mildly frustrated. We find it is most fun in short bursts.
  Fantastic Game!
Joseph Forster of Oregon, 10/12/2010
This deserves a full five stars! The goal is property, but the land is useless until the very end of the game. The challenge is to build your deck through the game so that you will have enough money near the end to buy enough land before the game is over.

The game consists entirely of cards (500), but isn't nerdy like many "card games." You start with a base hand of cards, and buy more treasure and action cards to add to your deck that you recycle through your hand throughout the game.

There are 25 "action cards," but only 10 are used in a game. There are 5 recommended sets to be used, and you are free to make your own combinations of cards, which makes the game extremely variable! With every new combination of cards, you have to remake your strategy. It seems impossible to wear this game out. Highly recommended!

The set-up and clean-up time is very minimal, and you can play a game in 30-45 minutes. This means you can play two or three rounds in an evening and "tweak" your strategy that failed last game...

This game works great with 4 people, and just as well with 2 or 3. The only downside to this game is that you can't really play with more than four people unless you invest in one of the expansions (Intrigue, Prosperity) which lets you play with six players. Both guys and girls seem to enjoy this game equally.