Editing Attack

[[Image:Militia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Militia]], an Attack card.]]

'''Attack''' is a [[card type]]. An Attack is a card intended to hinder the player's opponent(s), either by making their next turn worse in some way, or otherwise weakening their deck. However, not all Attacks are equal, and while some can be quite devastating, others can range from mildly annoying to borderline beneficial to other players, depending on the circumstances. Most Attack cards are [[Action]] cards.  There are no special rules relating to Attack cards; they are simply a useful label to have so that other cards (mostly [[Reaction|Reactions]]) can refer to them.



== List of Attack cards sorted by expansion ==
Cards in italics have been [[Removed cards|removed]].
* [[Dominion (Base Set)|Dominion]]: {{Card|Bureaucrat}}, {{Card|Militia}}, ''{{Card|Spy}}'', ''{{Card|Thief}}'', {{Card|Bandit}}, {{Card|Witch}}
* [[Intrigue]]: {{Card|Swindler}}, {{Card|Minion}}, {{card|Replace}}, ''{{Card|Saboteur}}'', {{Card|Torturer}}
* [[Seaside]]: ''{{Card|Ambassador}}'', {{card|Blockade}}, {{Card|Cutpurse}}, ''{{Card|Pirate Ship}}'', ''{{Card|Sea Hag}}'', {{card|Corsair}}, ''{{Card|Ghost Ship}}'', {{card|Sea Witch}}
* [[Alchemy]]: {{Card|Scrying Pool}}, {{Card|Familiar}}
* [[Prosperity]]: {{card|Clerk}}, {{card|Charlatan}}, ''{{Card|Mountebank}}'', {{Card|Rabble}}, ''{{Card|Goons}}''
* [[Cornucopia]]: ''{{Card|Fortune Teller}}'', {{Card|Young Witch}}, {{Card|Jester}}, ''{{Card|Followers}}''
* [[Hinterlands]]: ''{{Card|Oracle}}'', ''{{Card|Noble Brigand}}'', {{card|Berserker}}, {{card|Cauldron}}, {{Card|Margrave}}, {{card|Witch's Hut}}
* [[Dark Ages]]: {{Card|Urchin}}, {{Card|Mercenary}}, {{Card|Marauder}}, {{Card|Cultist}}, {{Card|Knights}}, {{Card|Pillage}}, {{Card|Rogue}}
* [[Guilds]]: ''{{Card|Taxman}}'', {{Card|Soothsayer}}
* [[Guilds & Cornucopia]]: {{card|Footpad}}
* [[Adventures]]: {{Card|Warrior}}, {{Card|Soldier}}, {{Card|Bridge Troll}}, {{Card|Giant}}, {{Card|Haunted Woods}}, {{Card|Swamp Hag}}, {{Card|Relic}}
* [[Empires]]: {{Card|Catapult}}, {{Card|Enchantress}}, {{Card|Legionary}}
* [[Nocturne]]: {{Card|Skulk}}, {{Card|Idol}}, {{Card|Tormentor}}, {{Card|Vampire}}, {{Card|Werewolf}}, {{Card|Raider}}
* [[Renaissance]]: {{Card|Old Witch}}, {{Card|Villain}}
* [[Menagerie (expansion)|Menagerie]]: {{Card|Black Cat}}, {{Card|Cardinal}}, {{Card|Coven}}, {{Card|Gatekeeper}}
* [[Allies]]: {{card|Archer}}, {{card|Barbarian}}, {{card|Highwayman}}, {{card|Skirmisher}}, {{card|Sorcerer}}, {{card|Sorceress}}, {{card|Warlord}}
* [[Plunder (expansion)|Plunder]]: {{Card|Cutthroat}}, {{Card|Frigate}}, {{card|Siren}}, {{card|Sword}}, {{Card|Trickster}}

== Overview ==
Attacks are often a crucial component of an [[engine]] strategy: an engine deck can take longer to build than an unimpeded [[Big Money]] deck; but an engine that frequently plays Attack cards can slow down an opponent's deck-building enough to make engine construction competitive. However, since they attack the opponent, strong Attack cards often have relatively weak (or even no) direct benefits to their owner's deck, slowing down deck-building from that direction as well.

Not every play of every Attack card will adversely affect (or even affect at all) an opponent, and some cards which can be used to hurt an opponent, such as {{Card|Masquerade}}, {{Card|Possession}} and {{Card|Ill-Gotten Gains}}, are not Attacks. The fact that "Attack" is a [[card type]] becomes relevant in that certain cards have specified interactions with Attacks. Most of these are [[Reaction]] cards that can be revealed when an opponent plays an Attack to have some effect that usually mitigates or counters the adverse effect of the Attack. Other cards that have specific interactions with the Attack type include {{Card|Squire}}, {{card|Urchin}}, and {{card|Battle Plan}}.

All Dominion expansions have at least two Attack cards. The greatest density of Attack cards is found in the first edition of [[Cornucopia]], which contains three Attack cards out of 13 Kingdom cards, as well as {{Card|Followers}}, an Attack–[[Prize]]. As of the [[second editions]], The lowest density of Attack cards is in [[Renaissance]], which has only two Attacks out of 25 Kingdom cards. As of the [[second edition]]s, which removed two Attacks from Cornucopia, the greatest density of Attacks can be found in {{set|Allies}}, in which six out of 31 Kingdom card piles contain Attacks (some of which are [[split pile]]s), and {{set|Adventures}}, in which there are seven Attacks (some of them [[Traveller]]s not in the [[supply]]) compared to 30 Kingdom card piles;

== Kinds of Attacks ==
There are 6 basic kinds of Attacks; some Attack cards belong to two of these categories. [[Donald X. Vaccarino]] explained 4 of them [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=82.0 here] in depth, including how to defend against them; the other two were speculated on [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=125.0 here].

Some Attack cards from [[Nocturne]], such as {{card|Skulk}}, invoke [[Hex]]es. The Hexes themselves are not Attacks (since they are not cards) but the [[Doom]] cards that invoke them against opponents are. Hexes have a range of possible effects, so an Attack such as Skulk may belong to different ones of these classes on different occasions.

=== Handsize attacks ===
[[Handsize attack|Handsize attacks]] reduce the number of cards you have in hand on your next turn, thus reducing the range of options available to you on that turn. The majority of these make you discard down to 3 cards, and the victim chooses which cards to discard; thus multiple plays of such handsize attacks don't hurt the victim more than the first one. These include cards like {{Card|Militia}}. A few, like {{Card|Clerk}}, instead force opponents to [[topdeck]] cards from their hand. Some only hit players above a certain handsize, such as {{Card|Pillage}}. Some handsize attacks can make victims continue discarding cards on multiple plays, such as {{Card|Torturer}}.

The strongest counters to most handsize attacks include {{Card|Menagerie}}, which is more likely to grant +3 cards in smaller hands, {{Card|Horse Traders}}, which increases your handsize again once your next turn starts, and draw-to-X cards like {{Card|Cursed Village}}.

=== Attacks that trash your cards ===
[[Trashing attack|Trashing attacks]] usually trash one of the top two cards of the opponents' decks, directly combating their deck-building efforts. [[Donald X. Vaccarino]] has described it as challenging to create trashing attacks that aren't too random in their degree of effectiveness and don't totally ruin players' enjoyment of the game. This is accomplished in various ways: trashing can be restricted to [[Treasure]] cards, as in {{card|Bandit}}, or to a certain price range, as with {{Card|Knights}}, or the Attack can offer the victim a replacement for the trashed card, as with {{Card|Swindler}}. {{card|Cardinal}} [[exile]]s opponents' cards instead of trashing them, which makes it possible for the victim to restore the lost cards to their deck by gaining another copy. 

Trashing attacks can often be countered with [[gainer]]s.

=== Attacks that give you junk ===
[[Junking attack|Attacks that add undesirable cards]] to opponents' decks hurt an opponent by weakening the turns on which they draw those "junk" cards, and by slowing their deck [[cycling]]. The majority of these, like {{Card|Witch}}, distribute {{Card|Curse}} cards and therefore are referred to as [[curser|cursers]]; the on-gain effect of {{Card|Ill-Gotten Gains}} has the same function as these Attacks, though it is not itself an Attack card. {{Set|Dark Ages}} does not contain cursers; instead, its junking attacks are [[Looter|Looters]] which distribute [[Ruins]]. A few junkers, like {{Card|Noble Brigand}}, can distribute {{Card|Copper}}. Some, such as {{Card|Ambassador}}, distribute a variety of junk cards, including Curses under some circumstances.

Junkers are usually countered by [[trasher]]s, particularly {{Card|Watchtower}}, which can trash cards when you first gain them.

=== Attacks that muck with your deck order ===
[[Deck order attack|Deck order attacks]] attempt to ensure that weak cards are left on top of an opponent's deck, or strong cards are discarded, weakening their upcoming hands and denying them opportunities to play their best cards. Cards like {{Card|Bureaucrat}} specifically try to put bad cards on the opponent's deck; cards like {{Card|Rabble}} can make them discard whatever good cards are there while leaving bad cards behind.

Trashers and [[cycling|cyclers]] can help mitigate these Attacks, as can cards that fish cards out of your discard pile, like {{Card|Harbinger}}, or [[deck inspector]]s, like {{Card|Cartographer}}.

=== Attacks that make other players' turns worse ===
[[Turn-worsening attack|Turn-worsening attacks]], though not addressed in his Guide to Beating Attacks, were mentioned by Donald X. in his [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=125.0 Seaside preview].  Until Adventures, there weren't really any Attacks that fit this category and not any others (obviously, a handsize Attack usually makes a player's turn worse).  Attack-[[Duration|Durations]] and [[Adventures tokens|tokens]] make this category possible.

The main examples here are {{Card|Bridge Troll}} and {{Card|Enchantress}}; they don't make players discard, trash their cards, or give them junk, and they do nothing to their deck, but they certainly makes their turns worse.  {{Card|Relic}} also fits here (as well as {{Event|Raid}}, though it is not an Attack); rather than making a player discard directly, it prevents players from drawing in the first place.  This can either make their current turn worse if they have [[draw]] cards, or their next turn if they do not.

=== Attacks that lower other players' score ===
The only Attacks that consistently lower opponents' scores in Dominion are cursers, though their effect as junking attacks is usually more important than the fact that Curses are worth negative victory points. Trashing attacks can lower scores if they hit a [[Victory]] card.  One Hex ({{card|Misery}}) lowers scores directly, and Attack-[[Doom]] cards will eventually hit that one. {{card|Coven}} effectively just reduces other players' scores    by 1VP per play unless/until the Curse pile empties.
Donald X. has said he's tried cards that lower scores directly, e.g. like a reverse {{Card|Monument}}, but they "fluctuated between being too weak, too strong, and too much work to deal with."

== Defending against Attacks ==
The most direct way to defend against an Attack is with a card that simply grants you [[attack immunity|immunity from attacks]], if one is available. However, those cards are not always the most efficient way to protect yourself, and there sometimes exist other ways to mitigate the effects of certain types of attack. Handsize attacks can be handily combated by {{card|Menagerie}} or a [[draw-to-X]] card, junkers can be thwarted by a heavy-duty [[trasher]] or a protective {{Card|Watchtower}}, trashing Attacks can be countered with [[gainer|gainers]], and deck-order attacks can be mitigated by [[sifter|sifters]].  All of these are embodied in {{Card|Jack of all Trades}}, which Donald X. has revealed he designed as an "after-the-fact Moat."  A number of different [[counter|counters]] to specific Attacks have also been found.

== Card gallery ==
{{CardImage|Archer}}{{CardImage|Bandit}}{{CardImage|Barbarian}}{{CardImage|Berserker}}{{CardImage|Black Cat}}{{CardImage|Blockade}}{{CardImage|Bridge Troll}}{{CardImage|Bureaucrat}}{{CardImage|Cardinal}}{{CardImage|Catapult}}{{CardImage|Cauldron}}{{CardImage|Charlatan}}{{CardImage|Clerk}}{{CardImage|Corsair}}{{CardImage|Coven}}{{CardImage|Cultist}}{{CardImage|Cutpurse}}{{CardImage|Cutthroat}}{{CardImage|Dame Anna}}{{CardImage|Dame Josephine}}{{CardImage|Dame Natalie}}{{CardImage|Dame Molly}}{{CardImage|Dame Sylvia}}{{CardImage|Enchantress}}{{CardImage|Familiar}}{{CardImage|Followers}}{{CardImage|Fortune Teller}}{{CardImage|Frigate}}{{CardImage|Gatekeeper}}{{CardImage|Giant}}{{CardImage|Haunted Woods}}{{CardImage|Highwayman}}{{CardImage|Idol}}{{CardImage|Jester}}{{CardImage|Legionary}}{{CardImage|Marauder}}{{CardImage|Margrave}}{{CardImage|Mercenary}}{{CardImage|Militia}}{{CardImage|Minion}}{{CardImage|Old Witch}}{{CardImage|Pillage}}{{CardImage|Rabble}}{{CardImage|Raider}}{{CardImage|Relic}}{{CardImage|Replace}}{{CardImage|Rogue}}{{CardImage|Sea Witch}}{{CardImage|Scrying Pool}}{{CardImage|Siren}}{{CardImage|Sir Bailey}}{{CardImage|Sir Destry}}{{CardImage|Sir Martin}}{{CardImage|Sir Michael}}{{CardImage|Sir Vander}}{{CardImage|Skirmisher}}{{CardImage|Skulk}}{{CardImage|Soldier}}{{CardImage|Soothsayer}}{{CardImage|Sorcerer}}{{CardImage|Sorceress}}{{CardImage|Swamp Hag}}{{CardImage|Swindler}}{{CardImage|Sword}}{{CardImage|Taxman}}{{CardImage|Tormentor}}{{CardImage|Torturer}}{{CardImage|Trickster}}{{CardImage|Urchin}}{{CardImage|Vampire}}{{CardImage|Villain}}{{CardImage|Warlord}}{{CardImage|Warrior}}{{CardImage|Werewolf}}{{CardImage|Witch}}{{CardImage|Witch's Hut}}{{CardImage|Young Witch}}

=== Removed cards ===
{{CardImage|Spy}}{{CardImage|Thief}}{{CardImage|Saboteur}}{{CardImage|Ambassador}}{{CardImage|Ghost Ship}}{{CardImage|Goons}}{{CardImage|Mountebank}}{{CardImage|Noble Brigand}}{{CardImage|Oracle}}{{CardImage|Pirate Ship}}{{CardImage|Sea Hag}}

== Trivia ==
=== In other languages ===
* Czech: Útok
* Dutch: Aanval
* Finnish: Hyökkäys
* German: Angriff
* Polish: Atak
* Russian: Атака (pron. ''ataka'')
=== Why is Attack a type? ===
{{Quote
|Text=
The point to "attack" was to let {{Card|Moat}} refer to it. This is an old trick. If the original game didn't have "attack" and at some point I wanted to add {{Card|Moat}}, it would be messy. You can cobble something together but it's not great. Probably I would just do it over multiple cards instead - {{Card|Watchtower}} for {{Card|Curse|Cursing}} although it also covers discard although not by letting you not discard, {{Card|Market Square}} for trashing, after-the-fact stuff like {{Card|Mystic}} for {{Card|Spy}}. But if I stick on this label "attack," suddenly I can just say, bam, stop attacks. And I wanted {{Card|Moat}}. So I did that.

It has to be timed for when they play the card, before it does anything, because man, who knows what complex things that card will do. This means that cards that have attacking as an option, e.g. {{Card|Pirate Ship}}, end up letting you {{Card|Moat}} them before they decide, and they may not even end up doing anything to you. Which is different from if I say {{Card|Watchtower}} a {{Card|Curse}} you're giving me. But that seemed like something I could live with.

It has to be clear what happens when you Moat. This ruled out putting "attack" on {{Card|Masquerade}}.

And finally some things can hurt another player but don't have much spirit of attacking to them, like {{Card|Council Room}}. I always say, {{Card|Moat}} doesn't have a responsibility to stop every bad thing possible from happening to you. It doesn't stop them from buying {{Card|Province}}, that's a big one. So {{Card|Council Room}} is not an attack. It would look weird, and would slow down the game, as you thought, hmm is there some reason not to draw the card this time. {{Card|Tribute}} meanwhile refers to the top cards for information; it has to get that information to be playable, we can't have someone {{Card|Moat|Moating}} it. It might feel like {{Card|Moat|Moating}} a {{Card|Spy}} to you, but to the guy with {{Card|Tribute}} it's like you {{Card|Moat|Moated}} his {{Card|Gold}}.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4819.msg113139#msg113139 Attack definition]
}}
{{Quote
|Text=
It's nice when e.g. {{Card|Black Cat}} gets to be {{Card|Moat|Moatable}}; if I were making the game from scratch I might end with "attack" embedded in text such that you could {{Card|Moat}} e.g. {{Card|Ill-Gotten Gains|IGG}}. But {{Card|Masquerade}}, it so doesn't need that tag.

I haven't done the work, and don't have to, but I imagine e.g. {{Card|Militia}} being "+{{Cost|2}}. Attack: Each other player discards down to 3 cards in hand." And so on. {{Card|Ill-Gotten Gains|IGG}} would be "When you gain this, Attack: Each other player gains a {{Card|Curse}}." And then you know, {{Card|Moat}} would be phrased to stop attacks, which would be these bits of embedded text.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[https://discord.com/channels/212660788786102272/691472354609463327/708197781658927115 Dominion Discord, 2020]
}}
=== Countering attacks ===
{{Quote
|Text=It's not some specific concern to focus on. We play games with the cards, if they're too strong or too weak I change them, unless they're early cards and I didn't know better, or later cards where I just blew it. It's fine by me if say draw-to-X is good against Militias. It's a problem if an attack is too often shut out; I try to avoid that.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=5799.msg762330#msg762330 Interview with Donald X.]
}}
=== Strong attacks getting removed ===
{{Quote
|Text=
The game has plenty of strong attacks still. There's strong, and then there's {{Card|Mountebank}}.

I got a lot of data from players when making the decisions as to what to cut. The best players did in fact like the strong attacks more than other players. Mic Qsenoch for example - who has won the league many times - defended the strong attacks and did not want them to go. He does not dislike slogs. (And I personally like slogs more than most players.)

For competitive players, the game is more interactive than it is for casual players; just, any set of 10 cards, right away, it's more interactive. There is no respect in which they are trying to cut down on player interaction; that's an absurd idea.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=21261.msg892444#msg892444 Seaside and Prosperity 2nd Editions]
}}
=== Power level ===
{{Quote
|Text=
Well I mean. Dominion in fact has fewer centralizing attacks. That change happened years ago at this point, but has swept to second editions.

I think it's important that attacks aren't all down there with {{Card|Raider}} and {{Card|Gatekeeper}}. There is a tendency in this direction; a big thing is, I prefer attacks to not be draw, because you'll buy them just to draw and then oh look you're attacking. So then they're usually payload cards that then it's easier not to buy. And well I don't want to err on the side of too strong with attacks. But, there are players who adore them.

Me personally, I don't mind slogs, and love the game feeling much different; that doesn't mean I need attacks to provide that feeling though. I need attacks for people who like attacks though, and to make sure I have enough interaction in each set.

{{Card|Mountebank}}, {{Card|Ghost Ship}}, and (in multiplayer) {{Card|Ambassador}} were the "you don't get to see any of your cards" attacks. It's great that we're not sellng those to new players anymore. {{Card|Sea Hag}} wasn't strong; it's just a card with a high hate-to-love ratio.
|Name=[[Donald X. Vaccarino]]
|Source=[https://discord.com/channels/212660788786102272/1013572993043153007/1063938099463340083 Dominion Discord, 2023]
}}
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