Empires

From DominionStrategy Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Empires
Empires.jpg
Info
Type Expansion
Icon Empires icon.png
Cards 300
242 (24 sets)
24
Other Card(s)
Additional Material(s)  
  • 40 Debt tokens
  • 24 1VP tokens
  • 12 2VP tokens
  • 20 5VP tokens
Theme(s)
Release June 8, 2016
Cover artist Martin Hoffmann and Claus Stephan
Official Rulebook PDF

Empires is the tenth expansion to Dominion. The box contains 24 sets of Kingdom cards. It introduces the Debt mechanic, Split piles, Gathering cards, and Landmarks. It also reintroduces VP tokens and Events.

Contents

[edit] Contents

[edit] Kingdom cards

There are 12 CastlesCastles.jpg (2 copies each of Humble CastleHumble Castle.jpg, Small CastleSmall Castle.jpg, Opulent CastleOpulent Castle.jpg, and King's CastleKing's Castle.jpg; 1 copy each of the rest), 5 copies of each half of each split pile (pairs of cards separated by a slash), and 10 copies each of the rest.

[edit] Events

[edit] Landmarks

21 cards, 1 of each:    

[edit] Additional materials

Tokens

The English releases use metal tokens; some foreign releases provide cardboard tokens instead.

  • 40 D tokens
  • 56 VP tokens:
    • 24 1VP tokens
    • 12 2VP tokens
    • 20 5VP tokens

[edit] Flavor text

The world is big and your kingdom gigantic. It's no longer a kingdom really; it's an empire. Which makes you the emperor. This entitles you to a better chair, plus you can name a salad after yourself. It's not easy being emperor. The day starts early, when you light the sacred flame; then it's hours of committee meetings, trying to establish exactly why the sacred flame keeps going out. Sometimes your armies take over a continent and you just have no idea where to put it. And there's the risk of assassination; you have a food taster, who tastes anything before you eat it, and a dagger tester, who gets stabbed by anything before it stabs you. You've taken to staying at home whenever it's the Ides of anything. Still overall it's a great job. You wouldn't trade it for the world - especially given how much of the world you already have.

[edit] Cards gallery

[edit] Kingdom cards

Engineer.jpgCity Quarter.jpgOverlord.jpgRoyal Blacksmith.jpgEncampment.jpgPlunder.jpgPatrician.jpgEmporium.jpgSettlers.jpgBustling Village.jpgCastles.jpgCatapult.jpgRocks.jpgChariot Race.jpgEnchantress.jpgFarmers' Market.jpgGladiator.jpgFortune.jpgSacrifice.jpgTemple.jpgVilla.jpgArchive.jpgCapital.jpgCharm.jpgCrown.jpgForum.jpgGroundskeeper.jpgLegionary.jpgWild Hunt.jpg

[edit] Castles

Humble Castle.jpgCrumbling Castle.jpgSmall Castle.jpgHaunted Castle.jpgOpulent Castle.jpgSprawling Castle.jpgGrand Castle.jpgKing's Castle.jpg

[edit] Events

Triumph.jpgAnnex.jpgDonate.jpgAdvance.jpgDelve.jpgTax.jpgBanquet.jpgRitual.jpgSalt the Earth.jpgWedding.jpgWindfall.jpgConquest.jpgDominate.jpg

[edit] Landmarks

Aqueduct.jpgArena.jpgBandit Fort.jpgBasilica.jpgBaths.jpgBattlefield.jpgColonnade.jpgDefiled Shrine.jpgFountain.jpgKeep.jpgLabyrinth.jpgMountain Pass.jpgMuseum.jpgObelisk.jpgOrchard.jpgPalace.jpgTomb.jpgTower.jpgTriumphal Arch.jpgWall.jpgWolf Den.jpg

[edit] Impact

Empires was the first "normal-sized" 300-card set since Hinterlands, and yet managed to introduce the most unique cards (and card-like objects) of any set until then, due to Split piles, Events and Landmarks. This, along with its heavy theme of D and VP tokens, makes it probably the most complex set released in Dominion. As Adventures before it was intended as a Seaside sequel, Empires acts as a Prosperity sequel, and like its predecessor, offers a great deal of tools for engines and Alt-VP strategies.

Like the increasingly complex sets that came before it, Empires broke new ground in terms of card effects and properties, such as a few new costs (including a $10 and a $14), a Duration that stays out for three turns, a card that returns you to your Action phase from your Buy phase, a handsize attack that makes you discard down to 2 cards in hand, an Attack that changes how your opponents' cards work, a way to prevent yourself from being able to buy anything for the rest of the game, a way to bid, sources of negative VP other than CursesCurse.jpg, and the first Action-Treasure in the game.

[edit] Debt

The Debt mechanic allows players to buy certain cards and Events earlier than usual, while spreading the cost across future turns. This can shake up openings, though most of the Debt cards are not particularly useful early in the game. They are, however, almost all quite powerful in the mid- to late-game, and players ignore them at their peril.

[edit] Victory tokens

In Prosperity, VP tokens were introduced via three fairly simple cards, but there was still a fair amount of design space left to use with them. Empires takes the idea and runs with it, with almost half the set using VP tokens in one way or another. These cards give players many more options to victory other than simply working towards ProvincesProvince.jpg, adding much more variety to the game than the simple addition of more Kingdom cards.

[edit] Split piles

While the idea of more than one different card in a pile is not new, having been used in Dark Ages, the Knights and Ruins piles were each essentially variations on a single theme. Split piles, with two completely different cards in a pile, adds a new dynamic to the game. Having only 5 copies of a potentially key card adds competition, particularly in games with more than 2 players, and having to get through half the pile before being able to access the typically more powerful bottom cards also livens things up.

[edit] Landmarks

Where Adventures added Events, buyable effects not tied to cards in your deck, Empires adds Landmarks, allowing new scoring rules to be added to the game. While some can be innocuous, simply adding a few VP here and there, others, in particular the penalizing Landmarks, can drastically affect gameplay, and how players choose to go about their strategies.

[edit] Engines

Empires adds quite a lot of cards and Events that are friendly to engines:

  • EngineerEngineer.jpg - gains engine components and can later remove itself
  • City QuarterCity Quarter.jpg - a powerful drawing village
  • OverlordOverlord.jpg - can emulate most engine pieces, and can be acquired early
  • Royal BlacksmithRoyal Blacksmith.jpg - the most powerful static terminal draw in the game
  • EncampmentEncampment.jpg - an incredibly cheap Lost CityLost City.jpg
  • PatricianPatrician.jpg - does well in high-cost engines
  • EmporiumEmporium.jpg - rewards engine building
  • Bustling VillageBustling Village.jpg - gives the highest consistent number of Actions of any village
  • Chariot RaceChariot Race.jpg - does well in high-cost engines
  • FortuneFortune.jpg - arguably the most powerful card in the game, able to double the $ output of an engine
  • SacrificeSacrifice.jpg - a powerful soft terminal trasher
  • TempleTemple.jpg - a good trasher that also gains VP
  • VillaVilla.jpg - allows for all sorts of engine shenanigans
  • ArchiveArchive.jpg - allows an engine to function with little to no trashing
  • CapitalCapital.jpg - allows the early purchasing of expensive engine pieces
  • CharmCharm.jpg - allows the gaining of multiple like-costed engine pieces, particularly ones costing D
  • CrownCrown.jpg - flexible, and allows for multiplying on more boards
  • GroundskeeperGroundskeeper.jpg - functions best within an engine
  • Wild HuntWild Hunt.jpg - decent draw that also gains VP
  • TriumphTriumph.jpg - rewards engines that gain many things per turn
  • DonateDonate.jpg - arguably the most powerful Event in the game, can get an engine going extremely quickly
  • AdvanceAdvance.jpg - allows the early gaining of expensive engine pieces
  • Salt the EarthSalt the Earth.jpg - allows a player that is ahead to end the game quickly
  • WindfallWindfall.jpg - rewards an engine that can draw your entire deck
  • DominateDominate.jpg - only realistically achievable with an engine
  • ColonnadeColonnade.jpg - rewards engines that rely on multiple copies of an Action
  • LabyrinthLabyrinth.jpg - rewards engines that gain more than one card per turn
  • OrchardOrchard.jpg - rewards engines with multiple copies of different Actions
  • TombTomb.jpg - rewards trashing, which is usually essential for an engine
  • TowerTower.jpg - rewards engines that three-pile
  • Triumphal ArchTriumphal Arch.jpg - rewards engines with multiple copies of different Actions

[edit] Big Money

Empires has a few Big Money enablers:

  • PlunderPlunder.jpg - can help a Big Money player get an extra edge in VP
  • CrownCrown.jpg - having $5 in your hand instead of $6 means you have to forgo GoldGold.jpg, but CrownCrown.jpg is never a bad buy for Big Money.
  • LegionaryLegionary.jpg - a brutal Attack that rewards you for having GoldGold.jpg
  • DelveDelve.jpg - makes SilverSilver.jpg easier to get
  • WeddingWedding.jpg - makes Gold easier to get
  • ConquestConquest.jpg - rewards you for getting Silver
  • AqueductAqueduct.jpg - rewards gaining lots of Silver and Gold, then greening early
  • FountainFountain.jpg - rewards having extra CopperCopper.jpg
  • PalacePalace.jpg - rewards having extra Silver and Gold

However, Empires also has a couple Landmarks that actively penalize Big Money strategies:

  • Bandit FortBandit Fort.jpg - penalizes having Silver and Gold
  • WallWall.jpg - penalizes bloated decks that don't trash

[edit] Theme

Empires is in some respects conceived as a sequel to Prosperity and shares many of the same structural themes: like Prosperity, it includes Victory tokens, a large number of Kingdom Treasure cards, several relatively expensive cards, and relatively few Attack cards.

There are also 13 Events:

There are also 21 Landmarks:

[edit] Trivia

Official box art.

Donald X. stated a couple weeks before release that Empires has a Roman flavor in terms of theme. It was the first set to be released in the second edition layout style.

[edit] In other languages

  • Dutch: Keizerrijken
  • Finnish: Keisarikunta (lit. Empire - singular)
  • German: Empires
  • Japanese: 帝国 (pron. teikoku)
  • Polish: Imperium (lit. Empire - singular)
  • Russian: Империи (pron. impyerii)

There are currently no plans to release Empires in French, despite there being French translations for every previous set.

[edit] Roman theme

This expansion has a Roman Empire theme despite the Roman Empire as we think of it not being medieval. It had come up for AdventuresAdventures.jpg, I made a list of themes, and Roman Empire had a lot of good names. I mean that was it; a theme with a lot of good card names. And it seemed like an okay fit otherwise, for the mechanics. So, the set isn't just named Dominion: Rome or whatever, it tries to get in later periods that overlap with medieval times, and also have medieval things, but the Roman stuff I just let be Roman.


I think the ancient Rome stuff sits next to the medieval stuff and doesn't look so out of place. The Roman empire lasted a long time past its heyday, and they weren't so far behind in technology from the dark ages. Modern stuff would clash in a way that Rome didn't.


I think the RenaissanceRenaissance.jpg is the cut off for me for this medieval game; if I had to do e.g. Wild West it would be a spin-off. I don't think it's so bad the other direction, and there's Empires to prove it.


[edit] Pre-teaser

A couple days before the teaser (which itself would come a couple days before actual previews), Donald X. dropped some news on changes in layout of cards.

Well this is unprecedented, but I'm not made of stone. Here are some spoilers about card layout.
  • A bigger font is used on cards that don't have lots of text.
  • "They" is used instead of "he."
  • +'s in the body of text are now in bold.
  • Card texts are more carefully centered than ever before.

[edit] Teasers

Dominion: Empires has:

[edit] Secret history

One evening on a vacation, I paced around, the only one awake, thinking about what the future could possibly hold for Dominion. Was there anything great left to do? I jotted down some notes, then typed it all up when I got home.

Of the stuff I came up with, a few things went together, to make a kind of Prosperity sequel. It would have more VP tokens, those seemed like they had a lot more life in them than just those 3 Prosperity cards. Some "bonus" cards of some sort would award VP at the end of the game, like Kingdom Builder scoring methods. There would be giant expensive cards that you could pay for later. There would be cards that effectively didn't cost a Buy to buy. Special treasures could be a focus again. And there were three or so other ideas that did not actually make it. I like to tell the whole story, but who knows, I might need that stuff someday. Anyway you can only fit so much stuff in an expansion.

Initially the big thing I wanted out of VP tokens was, cards you trash for VP based on the game state. So, they would count things that conventional Victory cards can't, like how many Actions you managed to get into play at once. So I tried several of those and well in the end there's Emporium (which just checks a threshold) and Triumph (an Event). The original concepts didn't work out, but there are a zillion ways to make VP in this set so it was not much of a loss. A key thing was to try to avoid "golden decks" - where you just make points every turn without pushing the game towards ending. So most of the VP token stuff is tied to gaining cards, or trashing cards, or will run out some other way.

I didn't try the "bonus" cards for a while. When I finally got to them, they initially didn't matter enough, but it was easy to make them matter more and that all worked out. I made more and more of them and in the end there are 21. It could have been 20 Landmarks, 12 Events, 2 blanks, but I had the extra cards so in they went.

I had Debt from the start (and it had been in the ideas file for years). The first version though was a word on cards, "Debt," that meant you didn't need the $ to buy the card, but went into Debt. The Debt tokens worked the same way as they do now. One day I thought of using a symbol, and the cards changed to things like "When you gain this during your turn, take [red coin with a 10 on it]." They were like that for a while, before finally I put the symbol into the cost. With Debt a significant concern was that you could just buy the card turn one, and if that was good it seemed like the game could be too scripted. So the big Debt cards always tried to not be good turn one, although it took a while to really get there. Originally the cards could all be bought with $0, and in the end some have $ costs too.

And cards that gave you +1 Buy when bought, I made a couple and then it seemed like, that was plenty.

One day Jeff Boschen complained that one of the Debt cards (an earlier version of City Quarter) was dominating games, that in particular you could always get all the copies you needed, even in a 2-player game. And I thought, hmmm, I could have piles that were only 5 cards. And then from there went immediately to, wait, 5 cards, then 5 of another card. And I tried some cards like that and it seemed pretty cool. You get to tie together the cards somehow. A big issue was making sure you would get through the top 5 often enough; not necessarily every game, but you know, not as some rare thing. So three are cheap cantrips, and Gladiator eats its own pile for you.

I had no plans to have any Duration cards in this set, then somehow tried one, and then a couple more. The original one didn't make it but there are two Duration cards. The objection all these years was the amount of rulebook space Duration cards took in Seaside, but in Adventures that rulebook space was small enough to not seem so bad to repeat.

Dominion is a medieval game; ancient Rome is not medieval. I remained wishy-washy on that issue, not quite wanting to go full-on ancient Rome. In the end the set is called Empires and has a bunch of Roman things. Roman empires were around for a while in various forms, extending into medieval times, so there.

Late in the going, Scott Colcord took it upon himself to get all of the recommended sets played. The recommended sets don't always get much attention and well these ones did make it to a table or two.

Empires started out as a kind of Prosperity sequel. And ended up as one; it has super-spendy cards (though you can pay for them later), more Treasures than other non-Prosperity sets, VP tokens, even a Treasure that makes $6 and an Event that gets you 15VP. One of Prosperity's less-obvious themes is player interaction; it ups the non-attack interaction to cope with having fewer attacks (which in turn was to make sure ColonyColony.jpg was reachable in enough games). Empires has that too. There are again only three attacks, but the 3 Gathering cards are all interactive, plus Chariot Race and Gladiator, plus Castles in that way VP piles can be; the split piles cause more competition for cards; and then some of the Events are interactive and many Landmarks are, and those don't even take up space in the usual 10 Kingdom cards.

I used every good Event idea that I had in Adventures. Still, why not try to make more? VP tokens helped a lot, and I ended up with 13 new Events.

Originally the Landmarks were all "when scoring" except it took a while for me to add the actual words "when scoring" to them. The first "6 VP per player" cards started with 12 VP, and I tried a few at "4 VP per player."

      • Outtakes ***

This time around I'm putting the outtakes in list form instead of paragraph form. I'm skipping some stuff mentioned above, and a few things that seem like I could maybe fix them up if I have to make more cards someday.

Regular card outtakes: - The first card in the file is a WitchWitch.jpg variant that gives you +1 VP if the CurseCurse.jpgs have run out. That sounded nifty enough that it hung around for most of testing, though later versions triggered on buying a card. If you somehow got +1 Buy and then played it and bought two things, yeeha. Eventually the trigger started to seem bad, and then the whole card fell apart. And I replaced it with EnchantressEnchantress.jpg, hooray, a happy ending.

- VillageVillage.jpg, you may trash this for +1VP per 2 Actions in play;

- and +2 Cards, you may trash this for +1VP per 2 cards in your hand. I liked the idea of cards you cashed in for VP, but well, you would generally like to hold onto the card until the last minute, and we've already had that experience with Mining VillageMining Village.jpg. They seemed like a good direction and then I fiddled with them and then they died.

- Right and a third one, a treasure worth $1, may trash it to pay any amount of $ for +VPVP.jpg. That one you cashed in of course, since you didn't want the big CopperCopper.jpg. There were a couple versions; they were dominating and didn't seem worth pursuing.

- I tried several cards that cost a lot but let you go into D, that tried to look impressive and in the end were too impressive. First up, a new extra-turn card. I also had double your $ in Fortune, and I felt like, double your $, with +1 Buy, was like an extra turn but way way faster to resolve.

- One of the most significant outtakes was a treasure that gave +1 Buy and produced $1 per Buy you had. So by default it made $2 and a Buy. But with other sources of +Buys it made more $. You could just play multiple copies of it and build up. If you think about it, it's like BridgeBridge.jpg, but gives you the $ up front to divide how you want, instead of assigning $1 per purchase. It turns out that's strong. For a long time the card seemed on the edge of acceptable; gradually I got sick of it. I put it in the PlunderPlunder.jpg slot and then killed it.

- There was a Witch that gave everyone else a CurseCurse.jpg and +1VP. It seemed cute; it's like giving them a Ruined VillageRuined Village.jpg, but they end up ahead a VPVP.jpg if they trash the CurseCurse.jpg. So do you still even want to give them these CurseCurse.jpgs? Yes, you still do, but not as much as usual. I still like the idea but well it wasn't popular. Tower can give you that "CurseCurse.jpgs are just blank" feeling.

- A KnightKnights.jpg-like attack trashed from the Supply if it missed. I decided Salt the EarthSalt the Earth.jpg was enough of that. Yes and GladiatorGladiator.jpg.

- A couple attacks played around with playing cards you bought that turn; then I had a village that let you play a card from your hand when you gained it, and then I figured out how to do VillaVilla.jpg.

- I tried a Reaction that gave you +VP when attacked. Man. You load up on them and then hope they attack you. Even at once per round I wasn't happy with it.

- I tried giving other players VP as a penalty. It's not pretty-looking but was around for a while.

- +1 Action, get the SilverSilver.jpgs and another card from the top 4. Also you got +1VP per SilverSilver.jpg in play when you gained it (then, +1VPVP.jpg per 2 SilverSilver.jpgs, then no VP). The top was crazy. I thought the bottom would survive somewhere in some form but it did not.

- Here's a VentureVenture.jpg variant, discard N cards to play the treasures from your top N cards. I have a very vague memory of trying this.

- There was a card that made each card you bought come with a SilverSilver.jpg. For a while I thought there would be a sub-theme of cards doing things when you bought other cards. Also I thought there would be a sub-theme of making SilverSilver.jpg more exciting.

- Treasure, name a card, worth $1 per copy of it you have in play (cost $5). A super-CoppersmithCoppersmith.jpg; if you name CopperCopper.jpg it's a CoppersmithCoppersmith.jpg treasure, but you can name something else instead. It looked classic and got a lot of chances.

- Treasure version of King's CourtKing's Court.jpg, with D. A dud.

- A cantrip super-RemodelRemodel.jpg (up to +$5) that had you take D equal to the amount you RemodelRemodel.jpg'd up. D and RemodelRemodel.jpgs are a poor combination, but I tried it multiple times anyway.

- MineMine.jpg 3 times, with a D cost. Then, trash a treasure to gain a treasure to hand - the same if you went CopperCopper.jpg to PlatinumPlatinum.jpg, but usually weaker. It thought it had a shot, and spent some time in split piles.

- RemodelRemodel.jpg 3 times, with a D cost. Debt? That's okay, I'm not going to be buying any more cards.

- In the same vein as Farmers' MarketFarmers' Market.jpg, I tried a WarehouseWarehouse.jpg. You draw N cards then discard N, N being the number of tokens on the pile. And could optionally trash it to take the VP. Farmers' MarketFarmers' Market.jpg made the concept work.

- There were a bunch of treasures I tried briefly for split pile slots. A treasure version of VaultVault.jpg. A treasure that gained you a copy of a treasure in play. A treasure that played the CopperCopper.jpgs from your 3 top cards. A treasure that made cards the previous player had gained cheaper. A treasure (worth $2) you could put on your deck ala TreasuryTreasury.jpg. A treasure worth $1 per other differently named treasure you had in play. A treasure that let you trash a card when gaining or trashing it. A treasure you cashed in for two $3's when you played it (that one goes back to Prosperity). A double HaremHarem.jpg - $4 and 4VP for $10. You know it wouldn't have been embarrassing, but when its pile died I didn't miss it.

- There was a bigger WharfWharf.jpg with D cost - +3 Cards this turn and next.

- Here's a Wishing WellWishing Well.jpg where you just need to get the type right, not the card name. Man I don't remember trying this. And next to it a version that could get 2 cards if they both matched.

- There were cards called Barbarian, don't think there weren't. Here's one where they name a card, then trash their top card if it costs $3+ and isn't what they named. Then immediately a version where they revealed two cards; revealing one has worked on a few attacks but tends to be too random. My memory is this attack just never hits.

- I tried another permanent duration; +$2 each turn with the first Action card you play, with a D cost. It was in the running for a big debt slot, it seemed potentially balanceable but was not as fun as the competition.

- I tried a few things in the SettlersSettlers.jpg slot, maybe not all in the file, but here's a 2-card CartographerCartographer.jpg.

- Each other player reveals 2 cards from their hand, trashes one you choose, gains a replacement to their hand with the same cost, also your choice. Attacks are hard.

- Ah yes, so many cards tried out for EngineerEngineer.jpg's slot. Here's an ExpandExpand.jpg with on-use D that tried to dodge RemodelRemodel.jpg/Debt issues by doing something different if you had any D. A +$1 RemodelRemodel.jpg that had you draw 2 cards when you gained or trashed it; I still like the idea of a RemodelRemodel.jpg that does something when gained/trashed. A +$5 Remodel that, when trashed, gave you a $5. Yowza. Another one of these, gaining you a copy of a card in play with some limits to try not to go nuts. Another one with different limits, man. Okay here are 3 that involve putting VP on the pile. One is just a WorkshopWorkshop.jpg that accumulates VP you can trash it to get; one counts down, it's reset to 5VP when a copy is gained, and when played gains a card for the number of VP on the pile and then gives you a VP from the pile, that was fun to try; and a WorkshopWorkshop.jpg that adds or takes VP based on how much the card you gained cost. Finally, the one that held the slot for the longest out of these, a WorkshopWorkshop.jpg that turns into RemodelRemodel.jpg if a pile is empty. That seemed okay and like I could live with it if I couldn't do better, but I like EngineerEngineer.jpg better.

Landmarks outtakes:

- 1VP per card costing $4 wasn't very interesting;

- ditto 1VP per card costing $6+.

- 2VP per Attack seemed okay for a while but didn't survive. I then tried 2VP per card with 2+ types. It feels like ObeliskObelisk.jpg covers "this random pile is worth points."

- 10VP if you have at least 3 CurseCurse.jpgs; not the best way to use CurseCurse.jpgs.

- 5VP if the game ended on your turn; that looks interesting but isn't really and could cause a stalemate.

- -1VP per DuchyDuchy.jpg -2VP per ProvinceProvince.jpg; what is there to say.

- If the ProvinceProvince.jpgs are empty, 2VP per EstateEstate.jpg; that's a classic thing that didn't work out in Victory card form or here either.

- In a similar vein, 1VP per empty Supply pile per ProvinceProvince.jpg you have.

- When "1VP per $6" didn't work out I tried "take 2VP from here when you gain GoldGold.jpg."

- There's one that gave you 2VP for shuffling; it just doesn't make a difference.

- One gave +1VP for starting your Buy phase with 6+ cards in hand.

- I tried a few versions of "At the start of your turn, you may gain a CopperCopper.jpg, to take 2VP from here." It's kind of interesting, but some players just always take the CopperCopper.jpg, and sometimes you forget to take the CopperCopper.jpg and are unhappy. I tried it with CurseCurse.jpg; I tried it triggering on buying Treasures.

- When any player buys a Victory card, each player may discard a Victory card for +1VP. Random and not so meaningful.

- When you buy a Victory card, reveal hand for +1VP per Victory card. Grand CastleGrand Castle.jpgs everywhere.

- -1VP per copy you have after the first of each card. Then, -1VP per copy after the 2nd. Then non-Victory cards only. The card to do was Wolf DenWolf Den.jpg but I wasn't there yet.

- Reveal a hand of no duplicates at turn start to take 2VP. Very easy to forget.

- At start of buy phase, if more Actions in play than VP tokens, +2VP. You want more and more Actions. Not bad, except wait, it's no good in a game with any other way to make VP tokens, and I was making a whole expansion of those.

Events outtakes:

- Pick your next hand. It turns out that's pretty good and also repetitive.

- A couple versions of, ExpandExpand.jpg your top card.

- SummonSummon.jpg! It always was hoping to be a promo but was in the set for a bit.

- A SchemeScheme.jpg variant. It's tricky to make it useful and not automatic.

- A MoatMoat.jpg-in-advance. It's tricky to make it useful and not stop people from buying attacks.

- Various versions of, the player to your left gains an EstateEstate.jpg and you get +3VP. I couldn't give everyone an EstateEstate.jpg and didn't want anything political.

- A few versions of a hot potato - you pay to give it to the player to your left, and it punishes whoever has it (the Event, sitting in front of them). Again politics was an issue, but also it just wasn't creating good times.

- A few HagglerHaggler.jpg variants that were too hard to get value out of.

- A few versions of, trash a card, get VP if the trash didn't have it yet (phrased to not be FortressFortress.jpg tricks).

- It seemed like I could do "make anything a NoblesNobles.jpg/HaremHarem.jpg" and it would be reasonable. Pay $6, gain a card costing up to $4, get +2VP. I could make it be worth doing, but entertainment-wise it was a dud.

- I tried giving DuchyDuchy.jpg an ability. It had to be a buy phase ability but that was fine; I tried +1 Buy +$1 (but +2 Buys because you bought the Event). Discard a DuchyDuchy.jpg, get that stuff, cost $0. It sounded interesting and was supposed to make me consider getting a DuchyDuchy.jpg for the +Buy. It did sometimes, but didn't add enough to make the grade.

- Trying to make other giant Events like DonateDonate.jpg and DominateDominate.jpg, I briefly tried "gain all Actions from a pile" and "gain the trash."


[edit] Recommended sets of 10

[edit] Empires only

Basic Intro [images]
Castles Chariot Race City Quarter Engineer Farmers' Market
Castles.jpg Chariot Race.jpg City Quarter.jpg Engineer.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg
Forum.jpg Legionary.jpg Patrician.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Villa.jpg
Forum Legionary Patrician Sacrifice Villa
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Wedding Tower
Wedding.jpg Tower.jpg
Advanced Intro [images]
Archive Capital Catapult Crown Enchantress
Archive.jpg Capital.jpg Catapult.jpg Crown.jpg Enchantress.jpg
Gladiator.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Royal Blacksmith.jpg Settlers.jpg Temple.jpg
Gladiator Groundskeeper Royal Blacksmith Settlers Temple
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Arena Triumphal Arch
Arena.jpg Triumphal Arch.jpg

[edit] Empires & Dominion

Everything in Moderation [images]
Enchantress Forum Legionary Overlord Temple
Enchantress.jpg Forum.jpg Legionary.jpg Overlord.jpg Temple.jpg
Cellar.jpg Library.jpg Remodel.jpg Village.jpg Workshop.jpg
Cellar Library Remodel Village Workshop
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Windfall Orchard
Windfall.jpg Orchard.jpg
Silver Bullets [images]
Catapult Charm Farmers' Market Groundskeeper Patrician
Catapult.jpg Charm.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Patrician.jpg
Bureaucrat.jpg Gardens.jpg Laboratory.jpg Market.jpg Moneylender.jpg
Bureaucrat Gardens Laboratory Market Moneylender
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Conquest Aqueduct
Conquest.jpg Aqueduct.jpg

[edit] Empires & Intrigue

Delicious Torture [images]
Castles Crown Enchantress Sacrifice Settlers
Castles.jpg Crown.jpg Enchantress.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Settlers.jpg
Baron.jpg Bridge.jpg Harem.jpg Ironworks.jpg Torturer.jpg
Baron Bridge Harem Ironworks Torturer
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Banquet Arena
Banquet.jpg Arena.jpg
Buddy System [images]
Archive Capital Catapult Engineer Forum
Archive.jpg Capital.jpg Catapult.jpg Engineer.jpg Forum.jpg
Masquerade.jpg Mining Village.jpg Nobles.jpg Pawn.jpg Trading Post.jpg
Masquerade Mining Village Nobles Pawn Trading Post
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Salt the Earth Wolf Den
Salt the Earth.jpg Wolf Den.jpg

[edit] Empires & Seaside

Boxed In [images]
Salvager Smugglers Tactician Warehouse Wharf
Salvager.jpg Smugglers.jpg Tactician.jpg Warehouse.jpg Wharf.jpg
Castles.jpg Chariot Race.jpg Encampment.jpg Enchantress.jpg Gladiator.jpg
Castles Chariot Race Encampment Enchantress Gladiator
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Tax Wall
Tax.jpg Wall.jpg
King of the Sea [images]
Corsair Haven Native Village Pirate Sea Witch
Corsair.jpg Haven.jpg Native Village.jpg Pirate.jpg Sea Witch.jpg
Archive.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg Overlord.jpg Temple.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
Archive Farmers' Market Overlord Temple Wild Hunt
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Delve Fountain
Delve.jpg Fountain.jpg

[edit] Empires & Alchemy

Collectors [images]
City Quarter Crown Encampment Enchantress Farmers' Market
City Quarter.jpg Crown.jpg Encampment.jpg Enchantress.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg
Apothecary.jpg Apprentice.jpg Herbalist.jpg Transmute.jpg University.jpg
Apothecary Apprentice Herbalist Transmute University
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Potion Colonnade Museum
Potion.jpg Colonnade.jpg Museum.jpg

[edit] Empires & Prosperity

Big Time [images]
Capital Gladiator Patrician Royal Blacksmith Villa
Capital.jpg Gladiator.jpg Patrician.jpg Royal Blacksmith.jpg Villa.jpg
Bank.jpg Forge.jpg Grand Market.jpg Investment.jpg Tiara.jpg
Bank Forge Grand Market Investment Tiara
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Platinum Colony Dominate Obelisk
Platinum.jpg Colony.jpg Dominate.jpg Obelisk.jpg
Gilded Gates [images]
Chariot Race City Quarter Encampment Groundskeeper Wild Hunt
Chariot Race.jpg City Quarter.jpg Encampment.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
Anvil.jpg Collection.jpg Mint.jpg Peddler.jpg War Chest.jpg
Anvil Collection Mint Peddler War Chest
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Platinum Colony Basilica Palace
Platinum.jpg Colony.jpg Basilica.jpg Palace.jpg

[edit] Empires & Cornucopia

Zookeepers [images]
Overlord Sacrifice Settlers Villa Wild Hunt
Overlord.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Settlers.jpg Villa.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
Fairgrounds.jpg Horse Traders.jpg Menagerie.jpg Jester.jpg Tournament.jpg
Fairgrounds Horse Traders Menagerie Jester Tournament
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Annex Colonnade
Annex.jpg Colonnade.jpg

[edit] Empires & Hinterlands

Simple Plans [images]
Catapult Forum Patrician Temple Villa
Catapult.jpg Forum.jpg Patrician.jpg Temple.jpg Villa.jpg
Border Village.jpg Cauldron.jpg Haggler.jpg Stables.jpg Wheelwright.jpg
Border Village Cauldron Haggler Stables Wheelwright
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Donate Labyrinth
Donate.jpg Labyrinth.jpg
Expansion [images]
Castles Charm Encampment Engineer Legionary
Castles.jpg Charm.jpg Encampment.jpg Engineer.jpg Legionary.jpg
Farmland.jpg Oasis.jpg Spice Merchant.jpg Stables.jpg Tunnel.jpg
Farmland Oasis Spice Merchant Stables Tunnel
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Battlefield Fountain
Battlefield.jpg Fountain.jpg

[edit] Empires & Dark Ages

Tomb of the Rat King [images]
Castles Chariot Race City Quarter Legionary Sacrifice
Castles.jpg Chariot Race.jpg City Quarter.jpg Legionary.jpg Sacrifice.jpg
Death Cart.jpg Fortress.jpg Pillage.jpg Rats.jpg Storeroom.jpg
Death Cart Fortress Pillage Rats Storeroom
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Ruins Shelters Advance Tomb
Abandoned Mine.jpg Shelters.jpg Advance.jpg Tomb.jpg
Triumph of the Bandit King [images]
Capital Charm Engineer Groundskeeper Legionary
Capital.jpg Charm.jpg Engineer.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Legionary.jpg
Bandit Camp.jpg Catacombs.jpg Hunting Grounds.jpg Market Square.jpg Procession.jpg
Bandit Camp Catacombs Hunting Grounds Market Square Procession
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Shelters Triumph Defiled Shrine
Shelters.jpg Triumph.jpg Defiled Shrine.jpg
The Squire's Ritual [images]
Archive Catapult Crown Patrician Settlers
Archive.jpg Catapult.jpg Crown.jpg Patrician.jpg Settlers.jpg
Feodum.jpg Hermit.jpg Ironmonger.jpg Rogue.jpg Squire.jpg
Feodum Hermit Ironmonger Rogue Squire
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Shelters Ritual Museum
Shelters.jpg Ritual.jpg Museum.jpg

[edit] Empires & Guilds

Cash Flow [images]
Castles City Quarter Engineer Gladiator Royal Blacksmith
Castles.jpg City Quarter.jpg Engineer.jpg Gladiator.jpg Royal Blacksmith.jpg
Baker.jpg Butcher.jpg Doctor.jpg Herald.jpg Soothsayer.jpg
Baker Butcher Doctor Herald Soothsayer
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Baths Mountain Pass
Baths.jpg Mountain Pass.jpg

[edit] Empires & Adventures

Area Control [images]
Capital Catapult Charm Crown Farmers' Market
Capital.jpg Catapult.jpg Charm.jpg Crown.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg
Coin of the Realm.jpg Page.jpg Relic.jpg Treasure Trove.jpg Wine Merchant.jpg
Coin of the Realm Page Relic Treasure Trove Wine Merchant
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Banquet Keep
Banquet.jpg Keep.jpg
No Money No Problems [images]
Archive Encampment Royal Blacksmith Temple Villa
Archive.jpg Encampment.jpg Royal Blacksmith.jpg Temple.jpg Villa.jpg
Dungeon.jpg Duplicate.jpg Hireling.jpg Peasant.jpg Transmogrify.jpg
Dungeon Duplicate Hireling Peasant Transmogrify
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Mission Bandit Fort
Mission.jpg Bandit Fort.jpg

[edit] Empires & Nocturne

Luftschloss [images]
Cemetery Changeling Exorcist Fool Shepherd
Cemetery.jpg Changeling.jpg Exorcist.jpg Fool.jpg Shepherd.jpg
Archive.jpg Castles.jpg Catapult.jpg Engineer.jpg Temple.jpg
Archive Castles Catapult Engineer Temple
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Boons Tomb
Boon-back.jpg Tomb.jpg
Pooka Pranks [images]
Faithful Hound Ghost Town Pixie Pooka Skulk
Faithful Hound.jpg Ghost Town.jpg Pixie.jpg Pooka.jpg Skulk.jpg
Chariot Race.jpg Forum.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Settlers.jpg
Chariot Race Forum Groundskeeper Sacrifice Settlers
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Boons Hexes Banquet
Boon-back.jpg Hex-back.jpg Banquet.jpg

[edit] Empires & Renaissance

Exploring the City [images]
Cargo Ship Experiment Mountain Village Priest Sculptor
Cargo Ship.jpg Experiment.jpg Mountain Village.jpg Priest.jpg Sculptor.jpg
City Quarter.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
City Quarter Farmers' Market Groundskeeper Sacrifice Wild Hunt
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Exploration Battlefield
Exploration.jpg Battlefield.jpg
Navigating the Sewers [images]
Acting Troupe Flag Bearer Improve Old Witch Scepter
Acting Troupe.jpg Flag Bearer.jpg Improve.jpg Old Witch.jpg Scepter.jpg
Chariot Race.jpg Enchantress.jpg Gladiator.jpg Patrician.jpg Villa.jpg
Chariot Race Enchantress Gladiator Patrician Villa
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Ritual Sewers
Ritual.jpg Sewers.jpg

[edit] Empires & Menagerie

No Money Down [images]
Animal Fair Cavalry Sleigh Stockpile Wayfarer
Animal Fair.jpg Cavalry.jpg Sleigh.jpg Stockpile.jpg Wayfarer.jpg
Catapult.jpg City Quarter.jpg Crown.jpg Engineer.jpg Villa.jpg
Catapult City Quarter Crown Engineer Villa
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Advance Way of the Pig
Advance.jpg Way of the Pig.jpg
Detours and Shortcuts [images]
Camel Train Fisherman Gatekeeper Sanctuary Snowy Village
Camel Train.jpg Fisherman.jpg Gatekeeper.jpg Sanctuary.jpg Snowy Village.jpg
Enchantress.jpg Overlord.jpg Sacrifice.jpg Settlers.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
Enchantress Overlord Sacrifice Settlers Wild Hunt
Landscapes and Additional Cards
transport Triumphal Arch
Transport.jpg Triumphal Arch.jpg

[edit] Empires & Allies

Island Empire [images]
Contract Forts Specialist Swap Sycophant
Contract.jpg Forts.jpg Specialist.jpg Swap.jpg Sycophant.jpg
City Quarter.jpg Enchantress.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg Settlers.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
City Quarter Enchantress Farmers' Market Settlers Wild Hunt
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Orchard Island Folk
Orchard.jpg Island Folk.jpg
Castle Wars [images]
Capital City Carpenter Clashes Hunter Importer
Capital City.jpg Carpenter.jpg Clashes.jpg Hunter.jpg Importer.jpg
Castles.jpg Catapult.jpg Charm.jpg Crown.jpg Patrician.jpg
Castles Catapult Charm Crown Patrician
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Triumph Trappers' Lodge
Triumph.jpg Trappers' Lodge.jpg

[edit] Empires & Plunder

City Builders [images]
Abundance Crucible Frigate Taskmaster Tools
Abundance.jpg Crucible.jpg Frigate.jpg Taskmaster.jpg Tools.jpg
City Quarter.jpg Farmers' Market.jpg Groundskeeper.jpg Patrician.jpg Wild Hunt.jpg
City Quarter Farmers' Market Groundskeeper Patrician Wild Hunt
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Trait for Patrician
Nearby
Museum
Nearby.jpg Museum.jpg
Plenty [images]
Figurine Landing Party Mining Road Rope Wealthy Village
Figurine.jpg Landing Party.jpg Mining Road.jpg Rope.jpg Wealthy Village.jpg
Charm.jpg Crown.jpg Enchantress.jpg Gladiator.jpg Sacrifice.jpg
Charm Crown Enchantress Gladiator Sacrifice
Landscapes and Additional Cards
Trait for Figurine
Friendly
Prosper
Friendly.jpg Prosper.jpg


Empires
Cards 4D EngineerEngineer.jpg 8D City QuarterCity Quarter.jpgOverlordOverlord.jpgRoyal BlacksmithRoyal Blacksmith.jpg $2 EncampmentEncampment.jpg/PlunderPlunder.jpgPatricianPatrician.jpg/EmporiumEmporium.jpgSettlersSettlers.jpg/Bustling VillageBustling Village.jpg $3 Castles (HumbleHumble Castle.jpgCrumblingCrumbling Castle.jpgSmallSmall Castle.jpgHauntedHaunted Castle.jpgOpulentOpulent Castle.jpgSprawlingSprawling Castle.jpgGrandGrand Castle.jpgKing'sKing's Castle.jpg) • CatapultCatapult.jpg/RocksRocks.jpgChariot RaceChariot Race.jpgEnchantressEnchantress.jpgFarmers' MarketFarmers' Market.jpgGladiatorGladiator.jpg/FortuneFortune.jpg $4 SacrificeSacrifice.jpgTempleTemple.jpgVillaVilla.jpg $5 ArchiveArchive.jpgCapitalCapital.jpgCharmCharm.jpgCrownCrown.jpgForumForum.jpgGroundskeeperGroundskeeper.jpgLegionaryLegionary.jpgWild HuntWild Hunt.jpg
Events 5D TriumphTriumph.jpg 8D AnnexAnnex.jpgDonateDonate.jpg $0 AdvanceAdvance.jpg $2 DelveDelve.jpgTaxTax.jpg $3 BanquetBanquet.jpg $4 RitualRitual.jpgSalt the EarthSalt the Earth.jpg $43D WeddingWedding.jpg $5 WindfallWindfall.jpg $6 ConquestConquest.jpg $14 DominateDominate.jpg
Landmarks AqueductAqueduct.jpgArenaArena.jpgBandit FortBandit Fort.jpgBasilicaBasilica.jpgBathsBaths.jpgBattlefieldBattlefield.jpgColonnadeColonnade.jpgDefiled ShrineDefiled Shrine.jpgFountainFountain.jpgKeepKeep.jpgLabyrinthLabyrinth.jpgMountain PassMountain Pass.jpgMuseumMuseum.jpgObeliskObelisk.jpgOrchardOrchard.jpgPalacePalace.jpgTombTomb.jpgTowerTower.jpgTriumphal ArchTriumphal Arch.jpgWallWall.jpgWolf DenWolf Den.jpg
Combos and Counters Capital/HerbalistCapital/MandarinDonate/Market Square
Other concepts DebtGatheringSplit pilesVictory tokens
Dominion Products
Sets DominionIntrigueSeasideAlchemyProsperityCornucopia & GuildsHinterlandsDark AgesAdventures • EmpiresNocturneRenaissanceMenagerieAlliesPlunderRising SunPromo
Collections Big BoxSpecial Edition (German) • Alchemy & Cornucopia (Japanese, German, Dutch)
Accessories Base CardsUpdate PacksPlay Mat • Base Cards MatCollectors CaseDominion Chest
Retired Products CornucopiaGuilds
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Views
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox