Editing Alchemy

{{Infobox Set
|name = Alchemy
|type = Small Expansion

|kingdomcards = 122
|kingdomsets = 12
|basiccards = 16
|randomizers = 12

|theme = 
* [[Action#Action cards|Action cards]]
* {{Card|Potion|Potion}}

|release = May 2010
|coverartist = [[Claus Stefan]]
|rulebook = http://www.riograndegames.com/uploads/Game/Game_356_gameRules.pdf
}}

'''Alchemy''' is the third expansion to [[Dominion (Base Set)|Base Dominion]] by [[Donald X. Vaccarino]], released in 2010 by publisher Rio Grande Games. The box contains 12 sets of [[Kingdom card|Kingdom cards]], and 1 [[Basic cards|basic card]]. The main themes of the set are {{Card|Potion|Potions}} and [[Action|Actions]], featuring the only cards in the game with {{Cost|P}} in their cost, and many cards encouraging decks filled with Action cards.

== Contents ==
=== Basic Supply cards ===
* {{Cost|4}}: {{Card|Potion}}

=== Kingdom cards ===
* {{Cost|P}}: {{Card|Transmute}}, {{Card|Vineyard}}
* {{Cost|2}}: {{Card|Herbalist}}
* {{Cost|2P}}: {{Card|Apothecary}}, {{Card|Scrying Pool}}, {{Card|University}}
* {{Cost|3P}}: {{Card|Alchemist}}, {{Card|Familiar}}, {{Card|Philosopher's Stone}}
* {{Cost|4P}}: {{Card|Golem}}
* {{Cost|5}}: {{Card|Apprentice}}
* {{Cost|6P}}: {{Card|Possession}}

== Additional rules ==
=== Preparation ===
* After you choose 10 Kingdom cards for the Supply, if any of them have {{Cost|P}} in the cost, add the Potion pile to the Supply. Also add the Potion pile if you are using the [[promo]]tional card {{Card|Black Market}}, and the Black Market deck includes at least one card with {{Cost|P}} in the cost. If you don't have any cards with {{Cost|P}} in the cost in the [[Supply]] or in the Black Market deck, do not use the {{Card|Potion}} pile in this game.
* When you have a {{Card|Potion}} pile, put all 16 {{Card|Potion|Potions}} in it, no matter how many players there are. In games using this pile, if the pile becomes empty, that will count towards the game ending condition, like any other Supply pile.

=== Potion ===
* Potion is a new [[Basic cards|Basic]] [[Treasure]] card. It costs {{Cost|4}}, and when played produces {{Cost|P}} rather than {{Cost}}. {{Cost|P}} is a new resource, with no equivalent in {{Cost}}. You get a single {{Cost|P}} per {{Card|Potion}} played.
* To buy a card with {{Cost|P}} in the cost, you need {{Cost|P}}. For example to buy an {{Card|Alchemist}}, which costs {{Cost|3P}}, you need both {{Cost|3}} and {{Cost|P}}. You could play a {{Card|Gold}} and a {{Card|Potion}}, then buy {{Card|Alchemist}} with the {{Cost|3}} and {{Cost|P}} they produced. To buy two {{Card|Alchemist|Alchemists}} in one turn, you need {{Cost|6}} and two {{Cost|P}} (and a [[+Buy]]). As with {{Cost}}, any unspent {{Cost|P}} is lost at end of turn (but you will still have the {{Card|Potion}} itself to replay for {{Cost|P}} on future turns).
* Some cards refer to how much a card costs. Adding {{Cost|P}} to a cost gives you a higher cost; {{Cost|3P}} is more than {{Cost|3}}. More specifically:
** References to cards costing “up to” some cost only include {{Cost|P}} if {{Cost|P}} is in the given cost. If {{Cost|P}} is in the cost, you can drop the {{Cost|P}} and that is still "up to", but you cannot add {{Cost|P}} if it is not there.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|University}} gains an [[Action]] card costing up to {{Cost|5}}; it cannot gain a card with {{Cost|P}} in the cost. However if you use {{Card|Remodel}} to trash a card costing {{Cost|2P}}, you gain a card costing up to {{Cost|4P}}, which could be a card costing {{Cost|4P}}, {{Cost|4}}, {{Cost|3P}}, {{Cost|3}}, and on down to {{Cost|0}}.
** Adding coins to a cost does not affect {{Cost|P}} being in the cost or not. If {{Cost|P}} was in the cost, it still is; if it was not, it still is not. Same with subtracting coins from a cost.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|Remodel}} allows you to gain a card costing up to {{Cost|2}} more than the trashed card. Trashing a card that costs {{Cost|2}} would not let you gain a card costing {{Cost|4P}} using {{Card|Remodel}}. {{Card|Bridge}} makes cards cost {{Cost|1}} less this turn. This lowers the cost of a card costing {{Cost|4P}} to {{Cost|3P}}. It does nothing to the cost of a card costing just {{Cost|P}}.
** References to cards costing some number of {{Cost}} “or more” include cards with or without {{Cost|P}} in the cost.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|Patrician}} (from {{Set|Empires|Dominion: Empires}}) checks to see if a card costs {{Cost|5}} or more. {{Card|Apothecary}} costs {{Cost|2P}} and so does not, since it doesn't have at least {{Cost|5}} in its cost, but {{Card|Possession}} costs {{Cost|6P}} and so does cost {{Cost|5}} or more.
** References to a cost range in {{Cost|}} does not include cards with {{Cost|P}} in the cost.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|Rogue}} (from {{Set|Dark Ages|Dominion: Dark Ages}}) can trash a card costing from {{Cost|3}} to {{Cost|6}}. That means cards costing exactly {{Cost|3}}, {{Cost|4}}, {{Cost|5}}, or {{Cost|6}}. None of those have {{Cost|P}} in the cost.
** Cards which look at the cost of a card in {{Cost}} do not do anything with {{Cost|P}}.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|Salvager}} (from {{Set|Seaside|Dominion: Seaside}}) trashes a card, and produces +{{Cost|1}} per {{Cost|1}} the card cost. If you trash a card costing {{Cost|3P}}, you will just get +{{Cost|3}}.
** Cards which check if two costs are the same include {{Cost|P}} if it is there.
*** '''Example:''' {{Card|Swindler}} (from {{Set|Intrigue|Dominion: Intrigue}}) trashes a card, and has the player who lost it gain a card with the same cost. If {{Card|Swindler}} trashes a card costing {{Cost|3P}}, that player will gain another card costing exactly {{Cost|3P}}.

== Flavor ==
{{Quote|
 |Text=There are strange things going on in your basement laboratories. They keep calling up for more barrels of quicksilver, or bits of your hair. It's all in the name of progress. They're looking for a way to turn lead into gold, or at least into something better than lead. That lead had just been too good of a bargain to pass up; you didn't think where you would put all the lead or what you will do with the lead. Well that will all be sorted out. They're also looking for a universal solvent. If they manage that one, you will take whatever they use to hold it in and build a castle out of it. A castle that can't be dissolved! Now that's progress.
 |Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
 |Source=[http://riograndegames.com/Game/356-Dominion-Alchemy the Alchemy rulebook]
}}

== Mechanics ==
{{Quote|
 |Text=This is the 3rd expansion to Dominion. It adds 12 new [[Kingdom]] cards to Dominion, plus a new resource, {{Card|Potion|Potions}}.
 |Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
 |Source=[http://riograndegames.com/Game/356-Dominion-Alchemy the Alchemy rulebook]
}}

== Cards gallery ==
=== Basic cards ===
{{CardImage|Potion}}
=== Kingdom cards ===
{{CardImage|Transmute}}{{CardImage|Vineyard}}{{CardImage|Herbalist}}{{CardImage|Apothecary}}{{CardImage|Scrying Pool}}{{CardImage|University}}{{CardImage|Alchemist}}{{CardImage|Familiar}}{{CardImage|Philosopher's Stone}}{{CardImage|Golem}}{{CardImage|Apprentice}}{{CardImage|Possession}}

== Theme ==
Game designer [[Donald X.]] offered some insight into some themes of the set [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=1818.msg28889#msg28889 here].
* 12 {{Card|Potion}}-related: {{Card|Apprentice}} cares if it's in the [[cost]] and {{Card|Herbalist}} can put a {{Card|Potion}} on your deck for reuse, so, the whole set.
* 5 [[Action]]s theme: {{Card|Transmute}}, {{Card|Vineyard}}, {{Card|Scrying Pool}}, {{Card|University}}, {{Card|Golem}}
* 10 useful in multiples: Everything but {{Card|Herbalist}} and {{Card|Possession}}

== Impact ==
Due to the [[Action]]s theme of this set, most of these cards are excellent for [[engine]]s. That said, the awkwardness of the {{Card|Potion}} [[cost]] can discourage some players from pursuing strategies with Alchemy cards. Because of this awkwardness, players often choose Alchemy as their least favorite expansion, and [[Donald X.]] has stated that it's highly unlikely he'll revisit {{Card|Potion|Potions}} as a mechanic, mainly for this very reason. However, the set does have supporters, and once actually in your deck, most of the cards are quite powerful and fun to play with.

=== Engines ===
* {{Card|Vineyard}} - Not an engine part, but greatly rewards engine players, as engine decks tend to consist of mostly Actions
* {{Card|Apothecary}} - Clears out {{Card|Copper|Coppers}} and {{Card|Potion|Potions}} from the top of your deck, making your engine more efficient
* {{Card|Scrying Pool}} - The ultimate engine card, one of these can draw your entire deck in the right circumstances
* {{Card|University}} - Good for quickly gaining engine pieces, though it becomes much less useful in the endgame, barring Vineyards
* {{Card|Alchemist}} - A {{Card|Laboratory}} that can be {{Card|Scheme|Schemed}} every turn - an engine unto itself
* {{Card|Familiar}} - A [[cantrip]] [[curser]]
* {{Card|Golem}} - A [[Throne Room variant]] that seeks out Actions to play in your deck
* {{Card|Apprentice}} - An excellent [[trasher]]; trashing and non-terminal card draw are always good for an engine

=== Potion ===
The addition of the {{Card|Potion}} cost has notable effects:
* Slightly longer games if all players go for {{Card|Potion}}-based strategies
* Potion strategies can be easily thwarted by [[trashing attack]]s or {{Card|Embargo}} - if your Potion is trashed, or the Potion-cost card is Embargoed, you may have to change your strategy
* Interesting interactions with cost-caring cards

=== Possession ===
{{Card|Possession}} is (if you take {{Cost|P}} to be worth a little more than {{Cost|2}}) the most expensive Action card in the game, and the card with the longest FAQ to date. It gives an extra turn like {{Card|Outpost}}, but the only limitation on the number of turns you get is how many times you can play {{Card|Possession}}, rather than the artificial cap Outpost has. It features often in [[combo]]s, and is one of the more hated cards in the game, mostly due to the fact that it allows another player to use your deck.

== Trivia ==
Alchemy introduced the smallest number of different Kingdom cards of any set, containing only 12.  It is also the smallest set to introduce a [[Basic card]].
=== In other languages ===
* Chinese: 煉金術士 (pron. ''liànjīn shùshì'', lit. ''alchemist'')
* Czech: Alchymie
* Dutch: De Alchemisten (lit. ''the alchemists'')
* Finnish: Alkemia
* French: Alchimie
* German: Die Alchemisten (lit. ''the alchemists'')
* Italian: Alchimia
* Japanese: 錬金術 (pron. ''renkinjutsu'')
* Russian: Алхимия (pron. ''alkhimiya'')
* Spanish: Alquimia

=== Secret history ===
{{Quote
|Text=At first there were just a bunch of cards. One day I decided, okay, these are the main set, these are the first expansion, these are the second expansion. I divided everything up based on mechanical themes. This much, you know.

Then I made some other games. My friends just wanted to play Dominion though. Okay; I could make some more expansions. I made a 3rd, then a 4th, then a 5th. That's where things stood when I showed the game to Jay at Origins. During development of the main set I made some more cards, and reconfigured everything I had into 8 smaller sets. Then I rereconfigured them into 6 large sets. The original 2nd set ended up as two full sets (it had two themes and I split them up). The original 5th set ended up 6th.

After we finished working on {{Set|Seaside}}, we moved on to the 3rd set. We finished that up, or so we thought, and were soon to begin work on the 4th set.

Meanwhile, people were clamoring for smaller sets. And when I say people I don't mean players, although maybe they were too; I mean, some of the publishers of the game wanted smaller sets. They talked to Jay and Jay talked to me; maybe we should do some small sets here too. Not that we wouldn't keep doing the large ones. But you know. Give the people something that's not the full price of the main game. And the ideal timing would be, next. It would squeeze ahead of the now-misnumbered 3rd expansion.

Since we had just finished the set that was due, shortly before it was due, there wasn't much time. In order to have something that was as polished as possible, as soon as possible, it had to be a subset of one of the existing large sets. Only the 6th set leant itself to this. It had a theme that was just the right size and could stand by itself, and a sub-theme that could be expanded for another small set. And the set was missing some cards, due to stealing them for earlier sets, so it didn't feel like I was breaking up something finished.

So I broke up the 6th set. The {{Card|Potion|Potions}} part went into this set, Alchemy. I did actually get some advance warning, and started working on it before Essen; then at Essen we worked out that it was in fact going to happen, and that I could have it ready about when they wanted it, although not quite that fast. I demanded an extra month, and then when the time came I got 10 more days, although that last stretch was just spent working on the rulebook and deciding which {{Card|Herbalist}} to use.

In its original 5th-set form, Alchemy was 20 cards (7 with {{Card|potion}} in the cost). It went down to 16 when everything did, and up to 25 (but unfinished) when I went to 6 sets. When I broke it up, at first it was 10 cards plus {{Card|Potion}}, but the number of printed cards was going to be 100 or 150, so it went up to 12 cards plus {{Card|Potion}}, since going up was way better than going down.

Two cards in the set do not have {{Card|Potion}} in the cost (besides {{Card|Potion}} itself). In games using lots of cards from Alchemy, you will not always have a card at any particular cost. The most important cost is {{Cost|5}}. So the set has a {{Cost|5}}. Then it has a {{Cost|2}} because it's nice to have one of those. At {{Cost|3}} and {{Cost|4}} you have Silver and Potion, and if there are a lot of Alchemy cards then people will be pulled in that direction anyway (though obviously sometimes some other start will be better).

"Has a {{Card|potion}} in its cost" is not actually a huge connection functionally, so I supplemented the main theme with a "cares about [[action]]s" sub-theme.

When I came up with Dominion, I figured it would have multiple resources. When I actually made it, I went with one resource, because it was simpler. I could always add another resource in an expansion. With Alchemy I finally got around to doing that. Originally I was thinking it would be Reagents or Mandrake or something. I didn't find a good enough picture to use for such a card, so I went with {{Card|Potion|Potions}}. That's how these decisions get made.

The second copy of Dominion was Kelly Bailey's (cheepicus on these forums). He renamed some of the cards, redid all the graphics, changed a few cards, and added some of his own. He took most of the cards from all of the expansions I had, but did not take the cards with {{Card|Potion}} in the cost from Alchemy. He figured, he was shuffling everything together, and some games he would just turn over one card with {{Card|Potion}} in the cost. Do you buy {{Card|Potion}} just to get that one card? He thought not.

So I always knew this was an issue. The cards had to be worth buying multiple copies of. They had to be compelling. With just one out, you had to still consider buying {{Card|Potion}} to get it. So that's why the set has so many +1 action cards, and then a [[victory]] card and a [[treasure]]; it's all stuff you want as much of as you can get.

And what, if you want you can just guarantee that you always have a few of them at once - say, once you've dealt out 8 cards from your [[randomizer]] deck, if you have any Alchemy cards, make sure the next two are also from Alchemy (by digging for them), and if you don't, make sure the next two also aren't Alchemy cards. Put the cards you skip over back on top of the randomizer deck. This way you see everything just as often as you would have (in the long run), but the Alchemy cards end up clumped together. Or if, like me, you don't manage to carry every expansion to the place you're playing, you can just specifically play with 3 cards from Alchemy on the nights that you bring it. Or whatever. There are lots of ways to manage this. I realize some BGG people are hung up on this point and well it's not hard. If you don't want to just see one card with {{Card|potion}} in the cost out, and also want to see Alchemy cards as often as everything else, determined randomly, you can do it.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=118.0 The Secret History of the Alchemy Cards]
}}

=== Retrospective ===
{{Quote|
|Text=The first big thing is that, I knew some people wouldn't appreciate the {{Card|potion}} resource concept, so I put the expansion last. Then it was bumped up as the only thing I could get out quickly as a small set. I would put it last. This would simplify all of those threads where people ask what order to buy the expansions.

The next big thing is that, I knew some people wouldn't appreciate the {{Card|potion}} concept, but did not realize that some people would find the set to be too slow. It has an [[action]]-chaining sub-theme, in order to make individual {{Card|potion}}-costing cards good in games where there's only one card to buy with {{Card|Potion|potions}}, and well this leads to longer games. I could potentially have put in two [[victory]] cards or [[treasure]]s or both though, as those are cards you can buy multiples of (another solution to the problem that action-chaining was solving), and tweaked the card mix other ways to reduce either slowness or the perception of slowness.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=3179.msg56362#msg56362 What Donald X. Might Do With a Dominion Time Machine]
}}

== Recommended sets of 10 ==
=== Alchemy & [[Dominion (Base Set)|Dominion]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Familiar|Possession|University|Bandit|Cellar|Council Room|Gardens|Laboratory|Throne Room|imgwidth = 150|title = Forbidden Arts}}
{{Kingdom|Alchemist|Apothecary|Golem|Herbalist|Transmute|Cellar|Festival|Militia|Poacher|Smithy|imgwidth = 150|title = Potion Mixers}}
{{Kingdom|Alchemist|Golem|Philosopher's Stone|University|Bureaucrat|Market|Moat|Remodel|Vassal|Witch|imgwidth = 150|title = Chemistry Lesson}}

=== Alchemy & [[Intrigue]] ===
{{Kingdom|Golem|Possession|Scrying Pool|Transmute|Vineyard|Conspirator|Mill|Minion|Pawn|Steward|imgwidth = 150|title = Servants}}
{{Kingdom|Familiar|Herbalist|Philosopher's Stone|University|Bridge|Masquerade|Minion|Nobles|Shanty Town|Torturer|imgwidth = 150|title = Secret Research}}
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Apprentice|Golem|Scrying Pool|Baron|Ironworks|Lurker|Nobles|Trading Post|Wishing Well|imgwidth = 150|title = Pools, Tools, and Fools|id = poolstoolsfools}}
=== Alchemy & [[Seaside]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Golem|Possession|Scrying Pool|Transmute|Cutpurse|Embargo|Ghost Ship|Native Village|Treasure Map|imgwidth = 150|title = Forewarned}}
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Familiar|Herbalist|Philosopher's Stone|Vineyard|Ambassador|Haven|Sea Hag|Smugglers|Warehouse|imgwidth = 150|title = Gummed Up}}
=== Alchemy & [[Prosperity]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Golem|Herbalist|Philosopher's Stone|Bank|Counting House|Goons|Hoard|Rabble|Quarry|imgwidth = 150|title = Counting Contest}}
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Familiar|University|Vineyard|Bishop|Mint|Peddler|Talisman|Worker's Village|Vault|imgwidth = 150|title = Lower Learning}}
=== Alchemy & [[Cornucopia]] ===
{{Kingdom|Alchemist|Familiar|Golem|Philosopher's Stone|University|Harvest|Horse Traders|Jester|Menagerie|Remake|imgwidth = 150|title = Clown College}}
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Apprentice|Scrying Pool|Transmute|Vineyard|Fairgrounds|Hamlet|Horn of Plenty|Hunting Party|Young Witch|bane=Herbalist|imgwidth = 150|id = kingdom_wineanddine|title = Wine & Dine}}
=== Alchemy & [[Hinterlands]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Apprentice|Herbalist|Philosopher's Stone|Transmute|Duchess|Fool's Gold|Ill-Gotten Gains|Jack of All Trades|Scheme|imgwidth = 150|title = Schemes and Dreams}}
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Familiar|Golem|University|Vineyard|Crossroads|Farmland|Haggler|Highway|Nomad Camp|imgwidth = 150|title = Wine Country}}
=== Alchemy & [[Dark Ages]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Scrying Pool|Transmute|Vineyard|Armory|Cultist|Feodum|Market Square|Rats|Wandering Minstrel|imgwidth = 150|title = Infestations}}
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Golem|Herbalist|University|Beggar|Catacombs|Counterfeit|Forager|Ironmonger|Pillage|imgwidth = 150|title = Lamentations}}
=== Alchemy & [[Guilds]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Golem|Philosopher's Stone|Scrying Pool|University|Butcher|Herald|Masterpiece|Merchant Guild|Stonemason|imgwidth = 150|title = Illuminati}}
{{Kingdom|Alchemist|Familiar|Herbalist|Transmute|Vineyard|Baker|Candlestick Maker|Doctor|Plaza|Soothsayer|imgwidth = 150|id=kingdom_tonicsandtoxins|title = Tonics & Toxins}}
=== Alchemy & [[Adventures]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apprentice|Scrying Pool|Transmute|University|Vineyard|Magpie|Messenger|Port|Royal Carriage|Treasure Trove|event1 = Plan|imgwidth = 150|title = Haste Potion}}
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Familiar|Golem|Herbalist|Philosopher's Stone|Amulet|Bridge Troll|Caravan Guard|Peasant|Ratcatcher|event1 = Save|event2 = Trade|imgwidth = 150|title = Cursecatchers}}
=== Alchemy & [[Empires]] ===
{{Kingdom|Apothecary|Apprentice|Herbalist|Transmute|University|City Quarter|Crown|Encampment|Enchantress|Farmers' Market|landmark1 = Colonnade|landmark2 = Museum|imgwidth = 150|title = Collectors}}
=== Alchemy & [[Nocturne]] ===
{{Kingdom|Alchemist|Apprentice|Transmute|Vineyard|Bard|Blessed Village|Cemetery|Sacred Grove|Skulk|Tracker|imgwidth = 150|title = Nightmare Fuel}}
=== Alchemy & [[Renaissance]] ===
{{Kingdom|Cargo Ship|Improve|Lackeys|Patron|Sculptor|Silk Merchant|Alchemist|Apothecary|Golem|Scrying Pool|project1 = Cathedral|imgwidth = 150|title = Peek-a-boo}}

{{Navbox Alchemy}}
{{Navbox expansions}}