A Beginner's Guide To Dominion (for Magic: The Gathering Players)

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Dominion is often cited as a great game for magic the gathering players, and with good reason. It's a deck building game, and it scratches the same itch as deck building in magic: given these cards, what's the best deck I can build? What synergies and combos are present, and how do I deal with my opponent's plan? Dominion wraps the experience up into a repeatable game, where you start with a basic deck and cycle through it, adding and removing cards, until you can buy expensive victory cards or find some other win condition. Dominion has spawned dozens of imitators, but it remains the king of deck building games, with more depth and balance than the rest.
Much like with Magic, cards have a name at the top, below that some art, and then a text box with what the card does. At the bottom center is the card type, in this case Action, and in the bottom right is a set symbol. The bottom left is the card's cost, the number of coins required to buy it.
Treasure cards are the basic source of money, somewhat analogous to lands, although you use money to buy cards rather than to play them. In the bottom left is the cost, and then somewhat confusing the amount of money produced is duplicated in the center, top left, and top right. This silver costs 3 coins, and produces two coins when played.
Victory cards are how you get victory points, and whoever has the most victory points wins the game. Once again the cost is in the bottom left, and the victory points given is in the laurel wreath in the center. Victory cards do nothing at all during the game and provide some dead weight you have to work around.

[@Reciomane]

dominion: a game that teaches you how to shuffle

[@jespoketheepic]

Seeing those first edition treasure cards really makes me appreciate how second edition has much more distinct art for Copper, Silver and Gold.

[@YikesBikes]

Best explanation of game play on KZbin I’ve found for Dominion, even though I have no point of reference for Magic the Gathering. Great visuals and a clear, concise narrative are great. There’s a lot to be said for not talking as fast as you can like some How to Play videos because you need time to process instructions. Kudos!

[@RecklessFables]

I watched several Dominion videos but this is the first one that ever made me feel like the game might actually be fun

[@TolarianCommunityCollege]

Game is super fun and super great!

[@artemperebyinis2926]

Hey Professor! Are you going to do a video about From the Vault: Lore ?

[@ryanruzicka6944]

I love Dominion and I lose every goddamn time!

[@si2foo]

dominion is like the standard for deck builders it is like vanilla ice cream with the expansions different sauces you put on top of them but there are many other deck builders out there all with different themes different rules and goals

[@revimfadli4666]

​@@si2foo some good modern counterparts that offer quite different formulas would be Dale of Merchants and Fort

[@MichaelBrown-ir9kl]

Prof, as a manager at an LGS I love to see something like this on your page. I always reference your videos when trying to help MTG'ers pick the product that works best for them and I would love to be able to add this type of video as yet another reason to come here. Keep up the great work you do for this community and hope to see future content like this!

[@michaelreppenhagen736]

Thanks, Professor! My wife just bought me this for my birthday yesterday. Excited to try it out!

[@michaelyoakam2268]

Excellent video. I love MtG, and your contribution to the community. Excited to see you branch out to similar games, bringing the high level of video production quality to the board game realm. Thanks for the video!

[@ValosarX]

this is the best explanation of dominion I've seen so far! I very much enjoy your attitude and presentation style!

[@rocknrollnerd3]

Great video, prof! I just got this game a few weeks ago and I think most people who play Magic would definitely enjoy it. It's so different every game and really challenges players' creativity and evaluation on the fly.

[@Hrafnskald]

Great video. I'm happy to see you expanding into board games, and I think this fits the Community College model well. For a next game, I'd suggest Carcassonne, which has a very basic and easy to learn start, but can lead to some fiendishly clever strategy (especially with the expansions).

[@DanAbsalonson]

You’re good at this. Thanks for helping me brush up on this. Friends brought it over and we played but now we own our own box and are excited to play with others.

[@TolarianCommunityCollege]

Glad I could help!

[@perchipy7900]

It sounds super fun. Just ordered my big box and I can't wait to play this!

[@josevelajr]

Since I started my tabletop journey late last year and devouring your MTG videos, I discovered the joy of deckbuilding games like Star Realms and Ascension. I'm now sad that I slept on this game for so long after playing it for the first time this weekend. It's addicting and has fast become a favorite. I'm going to put the base set through its paces and slowly acquire the expansions.

[@ninjaskickmajorass]

Hey Professor, Thanks for this video! My roommate and I love this Game. I'm going to show this video to my stubborn Magic playing friends and hopefully they will play it as well!

[@dlfrazier3]

Thank you for branching out. Extremely enjoyable. I would love to see your take on 7 Wonders and it's drafting mechanic. Great job!

[@adamloomos]

Love Dominion. I've been playing it longer than Magic and it's one of my favorites. Thanks for drawing more attention to a great game!

[@natec9386]

Awesome video, this was my gateway game into true becoming tabletop gamer which led me to Magic I hope others try it and enjoy it as much as I do

[@toniONice]

Bought it last week at my LGS and now a video! aweseome!

[@trojan403]

Great explanation! I'll finally get to play this soon (had it on my shelf for almost a year!)

[@danielshaw8648]

This looks pretty good, I've got a couple of friends that will definitely be into this.

[@TeamRaptorna]

i like that you are branching out a bit. i think there is only so much to talk about in magic, and will take nerdy content in the same genre

[@ThisIsVisser]

Hey professor! I know your channel is mainly a Magic the Gathering channel but I really feel like you should do more board game videos as the audience is often overlapping. Keep up your great videos!

[@Deminz]

Could you cover one of the more unknown formats in magic such as star, emperor, or big deck? I think they're a blast

[@Cosper79]

Best Dominion explain video out there!

[@MightyMjl]

Very helpful video, professor! May I suggest a guide to 7 Wonders? I purchased both games because of your recommendation last year and I love them :)

[@WrenAkula]

When I first heard about Dominion I spent an hour googling, trying to figure out what you do with your decks once they're built.

[@thehermeticgnostic66]

pls make more videos like this ^^ good video as always :D

[@tdogtom]

This is the game that got me back into MTG and board games. I love it! It’s the first and the best deck builder. I like others but this game is played all the time in our group.

[@werothegreat]

Nice video, though I am concerned that you are putting Treasure you play directly into your discard pile. This is incorrect; they are not discarded until your Clean-up phase. This matters when you get to cards like Venture, Herbalist or Villa, or cards with when-gain effects, like Inn or Annex.

[@BigGuyLC]

this is a fun game. my family plays this a lot. this was actually one of my first deck building games and it got me hooked.

[@NameEntry]

This game sounds awesome and I thank you for introducing it, Prof!

[@PattPlays]

I'd love to hear him describe efficient strategies for stratego

[@JakesShadow]

Sweet, this game is awesome! Love playing it, glad to see a video on it.

[@TheFleeingPhoenix]

Tyvm, you got me to try Dominion!

[@itsjustj6205]

love this video idea prof great work

[@ByloBand]

I own Dominion and all of the expansions, and it is a great game. Despite the cards being slightly too tall I recommend you sleeve them all up (it gets pricey, but is worth it). Your coppers and estates will see a LOT of use and will wear out, and unlike Magic where singles can be purchased, Dominion sets are all-inclusive, so if a card wears out you are kind of out of luck, so take care of them and put them in sleeves.

[@GreenestTrampler]

You know, I finally broke down to find out what the hype of this game was, and it just so happened one of my favorite none board game channels covers it. Amazing

[@joshhensley5581]

thanks for the info was always curious about the game

[@LukesVideoLounge]

Hey Professor, Thanks for this video, I really want to get into boardgames i think they are so good and I feel like boardgames like this are quite underrated and ushered aside really. I definitely want to get into boardgames at somepoint though, so I'll definitely look into this specific game. Thanks :)

[@666voyager666]

As much as I love magic, this is very refreshing! What about a miniature based game next? A song of blades and heroes is a great start.

[@larryjoe9633]

Love this game. Love this channel

[@twichnitr0]

A strategy I enjoy and implement whenever I can is one where I out pace my opponents with extra buys empty 2 piles snag an early province and empty the last pile when I can. It can work quite well if some one is trying to build an engine, because they will probably be emptying the same piles you are emptying. If luck turns against you and your opponent gets the money for a province too you can always switch strategy quite easily and go from emptying piles to something more useful. As long as you remember to keep your VP high enough so your opponent cannot end the game. This ends up in quite the "province war" but because you have more buys you can usually pull both points and gas.

[@COROSSIVE14]

Wouldn't mind seeing a video like this that covers Force of Will.

[@ericofire]

This new magic set looks pretty sweet!

[@Pinhou9]

That intro theme is so satisfing

[@13eetle13omber]

Love the Calvin Ball reference.

[@michaelpalmer3521]

So it's like Ascension, got it! (I'm sure dominion came first, love hearing those comparisons) Keep showing off other games you enjoy! Great video.

[@djsassenrath7142]

that really helped, and i have never played before!

[@icarusgames2393]

Love Dominion. Great guide! Could you cover Mysterium?

[@LuisBarrim]

Cover 7 Wonders next! Drafting like a emperor!

[@erikmiller11]

I would like to see a video on Thunderstone Advance, seeing as it's similar to Dominion but with a combat mechanic, bringing it a little closer to Magic in the eyes of a Magic player. Plus an explanation of the rules and such would help with visualising the game, seeing as the rule book (at least for my copy of Thunderstone; Worlds Collide) is very vague on some of the rules and gameplay. Fantastic video though Professor, I'm surprised that Dominion isn't played more at my LGS.

[@Vantanova.]

Hey professor can you make a beginners guide for planes chase?

[@moritzgeusen3818]

I loved that video even though I already know how to play. Could you maybe also do a video with some strategies or fun combinations?

[@HFOfficial]

Guide to Dominion: -Buy Villages -Big Money -??? -Victory

[@RamatiKat]

Accurate.

[@Gahanun]

Just play without Villages. :D

[@HyraxSyriacus]

Big money is generally a pretty beatable strategy... check out these suggestions for starters: boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/681/how-can-i-beat-big-money-in-dominion

[@HFOfficial]

Oh, yeah, I know. I find that big money a good metric to stack your strategy up against, if you're playing solo, for instance. Just said it for the sake of a joke.

[@bashfulpanda2596]

If you only play the base set it is a lot harder to beat. Big Money is still one of the 4 major deck types and on some boards will be the most effective strategy, but it is up to the player to analyze the board beforehand and determine that.

[@namelessfire]

If you've played Battlecon I'd love to see it covered. Brilliant game!

[@loganboehnlein8545]

Hey Professor! You should do Catan at some point. I love the game but I can never could figure out how to actually teach my friends how to play it. A video like this for Catan would be great for my play group

[@Gdude1231]

I think you'd like Android: Netrunner Professor. It's a really fun LCG

[@Awesomeslayer3]

He talked about it in a past video

[@jaggerbyte]

ooo which video was that!!!

[@si2foo]

grant android: moneysink costs too much that unless your willing to fork out tons of money it isn't worth it

[@davidbrent2069]

si2foo like mtg isn't a money sink? Lol

[@JarvisJensen]

Great vid, prof! We love Dominion. Which expansions are your favorites?

[@felipimacedo]

I simply love all these Dominion-based games, like (itself, of course) Ascension (especially the Realms Unraveled set), Star Realms, Shadowrun Crossfire, and Mage Knight (it is a big game but features a 'slow version' of deck building in it). Other non-collectible card games that I find amazing are 7 Wonders, Mottainai, Race for the Galaxy, San Juan, Android: Netrunner, Lord of the Rings and Sentinels of the Multiverse. I like how all of them have some very similar elements, but in general are completely different beasts.

[@VAB0L0]

Ahhh, yes, Dominion, the game where almost every set has a Manamorphose! :P It is hella sweet, though, especially if you have access to a bunch of expansions, since you can create countless different metagames. I managed to draw my entire (then ~40-50 card) deck and buy half of the remaining Provinces in a turn in one game, and played a controlly Ghost Ship deck in another game. The card-buying mechanic kinda feels like drafting, but is certainly a different beast, especially when you start involving Travellers, Magpies and the madness-inducing Rats!

[@jj-dub-ya1403]

Very helpful 👍👍 thanks

[@sasak369]

This actually looks really fun. I'm interested in magic the gathering, but I don't have anyone I could play with, nor the money to spend on building a deck. This, however, looks like something I could get friends on board with easily. Thanks for introducing me to it!

[@billable1861]

Hey Sasa if you have a computer download X-Mage or Cockatrice until you do. They are both free to use programs that most people use to deck build and play test. I like it because you can try out your ideas before you buy.

[@loganguitar121]

if youre interested in magic, look up EPIC. its another living card game made by mtg pros and its 20 bucks and pkays ALOT like magic

[@mathew2801]

Congrats for your first youtube play button Prof.... :D

[@edmin4gui]

love this game, play it every time after a couple battles when playing Magic with my friends

[@edmin4gui]

And Smash Ups too

[@billable1861]

+APX ASSASSIN smash up is very fun 4 player

[@Tuxedoian]

As an addendum to this, you might want to cover other deck-building games, like Tanto Cuore, that take the basic ideas that Dominion had, and expand on them to create a different gameplay feel. Or take a deckbuilder like Legendary Encounters: Alien or Xenoshyft and compare the different approaches that deckbuilding games can take.

[@dreytonton]

Thank you for the video.

[@JarlLightsworn]

Just bought this game to try out with some friends. The first response I got is, “let’s play again.” I think this game is a keeper for my game nights :)

[@acicon]

Did anyone else catch the Calvin Ball reference? Love ya, Prof!

[@eirikastokes9652]

I think it would be really fun for you to do a guide to Lords of Waterdeep, or Forgotten Sands!

[@mattandretuason2253]

Cover 7 Wonders next! Fun drafting game. The strategies in the game drastically changes depending on the number of players.

[@jttwiggs9751]

It would be cool to see a video similar to this on either Settlers of Catan, or, if possible, One Hit Kill.

[@vgftw3809]

OMG I have the dominion intrigue deck! I'll say nothing more than hoarding great halls. (think of a fluctuate effect) cycling through you're whole library for value

[@Billchu13]

I own all the expansion's and I play online. Jumped from magic, to this, to Dice Masters! Dice masters next please!

[@jakefernandez6623]

LIKED SHARED AND SUBSCRIBED my good sir. Long time lurker in your videos. But finally you did a video on one of the best boardgames out there that has cross appeal with MTG. I'm a boardgamer so I love this. Will think of good boardgames for you to make a video of :)

[@jameshamilton7929]

There's a new great game called Mystic Vale that you should check out! It's a card-building game where you actually change the cards in your deck as you go. Thanks for what you do!

[@b.w.6919]

Thanks for this.

[@SmugLookingBarrel]

Ever heard of a game called Dominant species? Seems like it would be up your alley.

[@imjustajanitorbut2399]

Hey Prof what about doing more deck strategies for this game and maybe talking about the expansions as well. I suspect their is going to be some interest for these coming very soon.

[@saxfreak853]

Sentinals of the multiverse is a great co-operative card game that I highly recommend.

[@hugoeriksson6524]

amazing video professor! please try and do on of these for settlers of catan - i bought it months ago and haven't played it since note - the description says that this video features league of legends...?

[@alicemoore2036]

I love this game! How about covering Cryptozoic's DC Deck Heroes or Upper Deck Legendary Marvel Heroes?

[@avizueta]

I found that the dc deck building game is great at getting new players to understand what deck building is, then legendary if they enjoy themselves

[@silentwyvern]

+avizueta DC's game is more streamlined. Simpler, but not necessarily any worse. Though I prefer Marvel's Legendary. Ascension is also basically the same thing.

[@fidsan958]

You sir, have got a new subscriber.

[@Mirozel694]

I personally like Mice and Mystics, it's a great game to play for those who might not know all the rules of X.X version of D&D that their friends currently run, so all generally get what they want. I know my friends really love it.

[@rmbee5412]

Great Video. I suggest Carcassonne as another game to discuss.

[@endgame]

They just came out with Dominion 2.0, which changes some of the cards up. However, you can still use the later expansions (e.g. Empires)

[@GoodRogue]

Neuroshima Hex! needs to be heard about. It's great.

[@danielblanchette8593]

Ascension of the godslayer, It has many similarity with that game, but is online and less known, you should try, it's fun

[@jakefernandez6623]

So Professor, I gave it some thought, and here are the 3 boardgames I thought you should do a review of. These are cardgames that in one way or another have elements of MTG in them, but are different enough IMHO. 1) Android Netrunner - This one was pretty obvious. It's also a Richard Garfield design. I think Fantasy Flight Games has done a marvelous job of fleshing out this game. Great assymetrical 2 player competitive card game. One player plays a corporation and builds a defensive fortress with facedown cards (think morph), and the runner/hacker has to set himself up to run through these morph cards with various setup cards of his own. Really unique game with lots of bluffing and misdirection. 2) Libertalia - Great little role selection/bluffing/combo game. It challenges you to think of the best sequence of playing your card while at the same time considering what others might do with the same cards. You see everybody starts with the same exact hand. But you then you react on the fly as more information becomes available (what did the others play first?). It's actually got that "play your hand the best way you can" aspect of MTG. 3) Smash Up - A great albeit silly card game where players put together two small decks to make a big deck (kinda like clash packs). Each of the small decks will have a theme, like graveyard, or bounce, combat tricks or weenies -- and they correspond to a faction, in this case zombies, aliens, ninjas and robots. When you put them together, you get either weenies with graveyard recursion (zombie robots), or bounces with combat tricks (ninja aliens). So the fun part is putting together these small decks in weird combinations, and trying to win with them. It's really fun stuff. Hope you pick up on one of these. Looking forward to a review. Thanks!

[@OsirisLocke]

Deckbuilders are a fun genre. MTG players who still want stronger theme and art should consider ASCENSION, DC Deckbuilder, or Legendary.

[@giantsalt]

Am I the only one who got the Calvin Ball reference? Professor, you just got +26% more respect from me

[@krymsonkyng5573]

could you cover Android netrunner please? you've got an excellent presentation style and I've yet to find a simple walkthrough I can follow

[@MetalChillSpine]

If u do more deckbuilding explanations, do one for Ascension or Xenoshyft :)

[@musicfighter282]

Please do a Netrunner video Professor!

[@Brawler_1337]

The first time I played Dominion, I found my experience in Yugioh to be more useful because actions don't have physical resources. My first game had, among other cards in the pool, Alchemist and Laboratory. I looked at those and thought, "Well, Pot of Greed is busted in Yugioh, so perhaps the same applies here, especially with one that's more or less strictly better (Alchemist)." I bought a Potion early, picked up numerous Alchemists and a Laboratory, and went to town. I got to the point where I was buying a Province just about every turn, and I only ever failed to find my lone Potion once. It was not a close game at all.

[@maynardmadsen8712]

I love dominion! My wife plays it with me! And we even have our 7 year old playing now.

[@angelthemute1670]

immediately liked this video just because its not mtg. don't get me wrong, i fucking love your mtg videos. its just great to see you expand and review other games.

[@thatspyguy839]

Love this game!

[@bobbycorwen]

This game reignited my MTG obsession back in 2011. If I had never played this game back then, I probably wouldn't be playing magic now

[@thesvengallideck]

I would love to see you cover Android Netrunner. It's an LCG based on corporations controlling the world while the opponent trys to shut down the corporation. Both decks play very differently and the roles switch every game. Would love to see your impression of the game.

[@daviskrell9737]

Zombicide is my go to game. I highly recommend you look at it if you have not Proffessor! :)