Estate
| Estate | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Info | |
| Cost |
 |
| Type(s) | Victory |
| Kingdom card? | No |
| Set |
Base |
| Illustrator(s) | Martin Hoffmann |
| Card text | |
1  | |
Estate is a basic Victory card included in all games of Dominion. At 
, Estate is the cheapest Victory card in the Game and (at 1 
) is the one worth the least number of victory points. In a typical game a player will not want to buy too many Estates, as the VP gained is often not worth the space in your deck.
Impact of Estate During The Game
Early Game
Because of Estate's low VP value and inability to contribute to buying power, Estates are typically a liability during the early phase of the game. Managing this factor is a key part of strategy in the early game.
Trashing
Estates are typically the main target for trashing during the early game. Fast trashing allows you to quickly ramp up your buying power by removing the unproductive Estates from your deck. The added buying power is usually enough to overcome the loss of your starting 3VP. It is because of this that strong trashers such as Chapel, Remake, and Ambassador are regarded as powerful cards.
Sifting
A slightly less attractive option (compared to trashing) is sifting. Cards such as Cellar, Warehouse, or even Oasis will typically allow the player to replace the Estates in their hand with more useful cards. Sifters also allow you to cycle your deck a little faster, allowing you to access your more powerful 
cards or Gold more often.
Gaining Estates
There are a few cases where you might actually want an Estate in your deck early in the game, possibly even gaining an Estate or two.
- Rush Strategies - It is common to see Estates gained quite early during Gardens or Silk Road rushes. Because the player anticipates the game will end soon, each VP gained is valuable. Additionally, a player's deck in a rush strategy often becomes bloated and unfocused anyway, so the drawback of having an extra Estate is not as critical.
- Baron - Baron often acts as a 'slingshot' card, allowing the player to quickly increase their buying power to the
-
range. To achieve this a Baron needs to connect with an Estate. Even with heavy trashing available, players will occasionally choose to keep some/all starting Estates so that their Baron can remain productive. - Trade Route, Hoard - Though it is not always a productive play, players will occasionally purchase an early game Estate to either power up their Trade Route or to gain a Gold if they have Hoard in play.
Late Game
Estates low VP value means that they typically take a back seat to Provinces and Duchies for late game purchases. Estates are typically at their most valuable when they are able to act as tiebreaking points.
+Buy and Gainers
Having spare buys or a way to gain extra cards allows you to grab an extra point that could serve as the tiebreaker. Additionally, the extra Estate can occasionally help a trailing player catch up to the leader.
3 Pile Endings
For fast games ending on 3 piles, it is fairly common to see the ending score sit at 4-3 or 1-0. If it seems like piles are emptying quickly, consider picking up an Estate or two so that you have points in your deck should the game end in the near future.
Cards Which Interact With Estate
Direct Interactions
- Baron - Baron allows you the option to discard an Estate from your hand. If you do, you get +
. If not, you gain an Estate. - Followers - Playing a Followers gains you an Estate.
- Hunting Grounds - Trashing a Hunting Grounds allows you the option of gaining 3 [[Estate]Estates]].
Indirect Interactions
- Ambassador, Bureaucrat, Fortune Teller, Jester, Rabble - These attack cards will typically target Estates in their efforts to slow an opponent's deck.
- Crossroads, Hoard, Scout, Trade Route, Transmute - Estate's Victory card type allows you to trigger or increase the benefits of these cards.
