Dominion: A Comprehensive Recipe for Strategic Card Gaming

Ingredients

2-4 Players
500 Cards, including
130 Basic Treasure Cards (60 Copper, 40 Silver, 30 Gold)
48 Basic Victory Cards (24 Estate, 12 Duchy, 12 Province)
30 Curse Cards
252 Kingdom Cards, including 10 each of 25 different kinds (a base set of Dominion includes these: Adventurer, Bureaucrat, Cellar, Chancellor, Chapel, Council Room, Feast, Festival, Gardens, Laboratory, Library, Market, Militia, Mine, Moat, Moneylender, Remodel, Smithy, Spy, Thief, Throne Room, Village, Witch, Woodcutter, Workshop)
1 Trash Card
7 Blank Cards
32 Randomizer Cards (one for each type of Kingdom Card, plus one for each type of Basic Treasure and Victory Card)
1 Rulebook

Steps and instructions

Setup the game by placing the basic Treasure Cards (Copper, Silver, Gold), basic Victory Cards (Estate, Duchy, Province), and the Curse Cards in separate piles in the center of the table.
Choose 10 different sets of Kingdom cards. Each set should contain 10 cards of the same type. Place these sets in separate piles in the center of the table too. This array of cards in the center is known as the Supply.
Each player starts with an identical deck of 10 cards: seven Coppers and three Estates.
Shuffle your deck and draw the top five cards. You are now ready to start the game.
Take turns in clockwise order. Each turn is divided into three phases: Action, Buy, and Clean-up.
During the Action phase, you may play one Action card from your hand.
During the Buy phase, you may buy one card from the Supply by paying its cost in Treasure cards from your hand.
During the Clean-up phase, place all cards you have played and all remaining cards in your hand onto your personal Discard pile, then draw a new hand of five cards.
If your deck is empty and you need to draw a card, shuffle your Discard pile to create a new deck.
The game ends when either the pile of Province cards in the Supply has run out, or when any three piles in the Supply have run out.
Count the number of Victory points in your deck, which come from Victory Cards (Estates, Duchies, Provinces, and possibly others depending on which Kingdom cards are in play). The player with the most Victory points wins.

Tools for making

Cards - The main component of the game, used for gameplay.
Rulebook - Contains the instructions and rules for playing Dominion.

Recipe variations

Use different sets of Kingdom cards from the expansions or customize your own set to create unique gameplay experiences.
Include additional player cards, such as promotional cards or cards from expansions, to add variety and complexity to the game.
Try different deck-building strategies, such as focusing on heavy trashing, engine building, or big money strategies.
Experiment with different card combinations to create interesting interactions and synergies.
Create themed games by selecting Kingdom cards that fit a specific theme, such as knights, pirates, or medieval warfare.
Introduce new rules or house rules to modify gameplay, such as limiting the number of certain types of cards or adding special abilities to certain cards.
Play with different player counts, adjusting the number of Victory cards available in the Supply to balance the game.
Try playing with different starting decks, such as using different combinations of basic Treasure and Victory cards.
Explore fan-made expansions or variants available online to expand the game even further.
Combine Dominion with other deck-building games or create your own hybrid game by merging mechanics from different games.

Recipe overview

Welcome to the exciting world of Dominion, a fast-paced card game that combines strategy and luck in a race for dominance. In Dominion, each player starts with a small deck of cards and must use these to acquire more and better cards as the game progresses, with the goal of amassing the most Victory points. You'll face off against other players to buy useful cards from a shared supply, and balance your resources between acquiring new cards and improving your own deck. With hundreds of cards to choose from and a different array of supply cards each time, no two games of Dominion are the same. So let's dive in and learn how to play!

Common questions

How many players can play Dominion?
2-4 players can play Dominion.
What are the different types of cards in Dominion?
The different types of cards in Dominion are Basic Treasure Cards (Copper, Silver, Gold), Basic Victory Cards (Estate, Duchy, Province), Curse Cards, Kingdom Cards (various types), Trash Card, Blank Cards, and Randomizer Cards.
What is the setup process for Dominion?
The setup process involves placing the basic Treasure, Victory, Curse, and Kingdom Cards in separate piles in the center of the table. Each player starts with an identical deck of 10 cards. The Kingdom cards are chosen in sets of 10 and placed in separate piles in the center as well.
How do you play Dominion?
Players take turns in clockwise order and go through three phases: Action, Buy, and Clean-up. During each phase, players can play Action cards, buy cards from the Supply, and discard and draw new cards. The game ends when certain conditions are met, and the player with the most Victory points wins.
What determines the winner in Dominion?
The winner in Dominion is determined by the player with the most Victory points in their deck at the end of the game. Victory points come from Victory Cards and certain other cards in play.

Serving dishes and utensils

Table or playing surface - You will need a sturdy table or playing surface to set up the game and have enough space for all the cards.
Rulebook - The rulebook provides detailed instructions and explanations for gameplay. Make sure to have it on hand for reference.
Card sleeves - Using card sleeves can help protect the cards from wear and tear, especially if you plan on playing the game frequently.
Storage solution - Having a storage solution like card boxes or organizers can help keep your Dominion cards organized and easily accessible.
Tokens or coins - Some Dominion expansions may introduce additional tokens or coins for gameplay. Make sure to have these on hand if you are playing with expansion sets.

Origin stories

Dominion, a standout in the world of tabletop gaming, is not a culinary delight but an intellectual feast crafted by game designer Donald X. Vaccarino. This innovative card game, which debuted in 2008, was a game changer, literally, as it introduced the "deck-building" genre to the world of board games. In Dominion, the players are monarchs seeking to expand their kingdom. Interestingly, the idea of the game was born when Vaccarino was designing a different game called "Spirit Warriors II." During his quest to simplify the game, he discovered the fun in the deck-building part and decided to design a separate game around it - and thus, Dominion was born. It went on to win the coveted Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 2009 and sparked a whole new genre of tabletop games. So, as you shuffle, draw, and play, remember that you're participating in a piece of tabletop gaming history!

Disclaimer: This recipe was not created by humans and we cannot ensure that it will turn out as expected. We do not guarantee or take any liability for the accuracy of this recipe (including steps, ingredients, nutritional information, and all sections on this page). You should check to make sure you are not allergic to any ingredients and take safety precautions while making this. The images on this page are generated by AI and may not accurately represent the result of making this recipe.