My All-Time Favorite Expansion for Dominion! (Overview and Some of My Favorite Cards!)

Now, I know what you're probably thinking: "Isn't Dominion that old game from 2008? I don't want to play something that ancient! I want to play Bitoku and Boonlake and Moonrakers and all the newest, hottest games!" Okay, hold on there, whippersnapper. The Empires expansion came out in 2016 so it's really not that old at all, and it adds SO much to the game!
I bought the Empires expansion for Dominion back in March of 2021 and I'm so glad I did! I've already played with it a lot and shown it to many Dominion fans who were all impressed with what the expansion offers. Let me know what you think of this expansion or what your current favorite Dominion expansion is in the comments down below!
Play Dominion online for free here: dominion.games/
Check out the Wiki article for the Empires expansion here: wiki.dominionstrategy.com/inde...
In this video:
00:00 Intro
01:14 What's in the Box?
01:48 Debt
02:42 Split Decks
03:49 Gathering Cards
04:19 Landmarks
05:18 Events
06:40 Some of my Favorite Cards
10:44 Overview
11:20 Outtakes
Follow me on Instagram at / board_game_dave
Email me at [e-mail]
#dominion #expansion #empires
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[@PAXgames1]

We bought the empires expansion! It is incredible! We love the channel!

[@BoardGameDave]

I'm so glad you're enjoying Empires! I still think it's the best expansion although I've got to try some of these new expansions now! (Especially Allies and Plunder-I've heard good things!) ☺️ Thank you for your comment!

[@darklord2626]

Super interesting explanation! Also - just wanna acknowledge the work put in this video! Well organized and great editing

[@BoardGameDave]

Wow, thank you so much for your comment, Alex! It means a lot that you appreciated the editing; it takes a lot of time to make a video like this but I'm glad that you enjoyed it! 😊

[@BillyIndiana]

Thanks for this overview and review! I have many expansions but have been thinking about adding either Empires or Adventures. You sold me on Empires!

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you for the comment, Billy! What's your favorite expansion that you own already? Adventures is a lot of fun (I especially like the way the page and peasant can upgrade to a champion and teacher!) but the tokens don't look very nice and Empires has almost everything Adventures has but more! And metal point and debt tokens! Nothing wrong with Adventures at all, in fact, it'd be one of my top picks, but Empires just adds SO much to the game! You'll have to let me know what you think of it when you get a chance! There's so much I couldn't cover in just this video! ☺

[@BillyIndiana]

@@BoardGameDave sounds like I'll probably get Adventures too, but now have a priority list😉 I love Prosperity & Seaside is really good. Menagerie adds some cool ideas too.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@BillyIndiana I'm sure every expansion is worth having for different reasons! The endless expansion potential is one of the best things about Dominion! 🤩 Seaside has some really fun (the Treasure Map always comes to mind) and Prosperity is one of the most popular expansions out there! If I played Dominion more, I would definitely get that and Adventures. I'm looking at the Menagerie Wiki right now and that looks like a lot of fun, too!

[@redmageviewer]

This review actually helped me pick this up. And I got to say it's probably my top expansion now. I really love the castles, crown, royal blacksmith, split piles and landmarks that are in here. There are some cool events here too but we really only play with a few of them. I only had base and Intrigue which is good as a first expansion, doesn't deviate too far from the base game while still having some new things like more victory cards that do stuff and cards that give you plenty of options to pick from.

[@BoardGameDave]

I'm so glad you went for it and that you've been enjoying it so much! Like you said, there's just SO much to explore in this expansion and you'll never play the same game twice, especially when you add in those events and landmarks! ☺️ Glad I was able to give you a solid recommendation!

[@obscurereference8798]

Empire is great and I finally remembered to add it to my Miniature Market wishlist thanks to this vid!

[@BoardGameDave]

Haha, I’m so glad it’s on your wishlist now! What other expansions do you enjoy? (I’ve got Brass: Birmingham coming from Miniature Market any day now!) 👍🏼

[@obscurereference8798]

@@BoardGameDave I've only played a few but before playing Empire Prosperity was probably my favorite and Seaside is good too.

[@BoardGameDave]

​@@obscurereference8798 Prosperity's a great one! I've been talking to someone on Instagram about the Prosperity expansion and while I don't have it, I have the Platinum and Colony cards from the Base Box so I can have that big money/big points experience without needing that expansion, which is pretty cool! And Seaside is so much fun! I love the Pirate Ship and the Treasure Map! The Smuggler is a really fun card, too!

[@geekchic8]

Catan and Dominion got me into the hobby as well! Too funny! I haven’t played them all, and especially not the recent ones. I have a ton of catching up to do!

[@BoardGameDave]

Catan and Dominion are both great games... and really fantastic as gateways into the hobby for sure! ☺️ There are many Dominion expansions I haven't played in real life but the online implementation is a good way to check out some of the expansions! (At least it used to be!)

[@mike9139]

YOU ARE AWESOME! ❤❤❤

[@BoardGameDave]

THANK YOU!! ☺️

[@adamdark1147]

Great video. Don’t have empires yet but it’s on my list. Empires has been described as a sequel of sorts to the prosperity expansion, if you don’t have that one you should get that one next.

[@BoardGameDave]

Hey there, Adam! I don’t have the Prosperity expansion but I’ve only heard good things! That’s probably the most popular of all the expansions from everything I’ve seen/read! I do have the Colonies and Platinum from the Base Cards box so I can always use those if I want to! I’m thinking Renaissance for my next expansion but maybe Prosperity after that? I’m not sure! I appreciate the recommendation and the comment, though! (Have you looked into the new Allies expansion at all?)

[@adamdark1147]

@@BoardGameDave Renaissance is also a solid expansion, I have that one. I’ve done a little bit of digging into allies, but I don’t have that one yet either, I’ve heard really good things about it though. If not you’re very next expansion, I would definitely get prosperity shortly there after.

[@BoardGameDave]

Yeah, the Renaissance expansion is interesting to me because it adds villagers, projects, artifacts, and brings back coffers! I like when they add new elements to the base game like that which is why Empires is my favorite expansion! I’ll probably end up getting Prosperity at some point; it seems like a must-have, really! 👍🏼 I watched the Dice Tower review of Allies and it looks intriguing for sure! A friend posted on Instagram about it and mentioned that it allows for variable player powers, which I somehow didn’t get from the video! Really cool stuff!

[@adude20]

This looks like it adds a lot to Dominion, and some of those Landmarks and Events especially can encourage doing something other than just collecting silver/gold and buying provinces as my one friend always did (and he usually won). If I buy another expansions this will be top of my list.

[@BoardGameDave]

I’ve heard the critique that you can just focus on money and totally ignore the action cards but yeah, I would think the Landmarks and Events (and maybe some of those point cards too) could deter that strategy for sure! What other expansions do you have?

[@adude20]

@@BoardGameDave I have most of the older expansions, Intrigue, Seaside, Prosperity, Alchemy, and Dark Ages.

[@BoardGameDave]

That’s great! (Do you ever play with Alchemy? That one does feel like a bit of a dud compared to the others!) Seaside has some really fun cards, though! I especially like the Treasure Map and Pirate Ships! 🏴‍☠️

[@adude20]

@@BoardGameDave Yeah, Alchemy is by far the worst of the expansions. I don't have those randomizer cards mixed in with the rest of them, and rarely play with it. To play it you need at least 4 or 5 cards from the Alchemy expansion to make it worthwhile, and they are still usually not the best.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@adude20 You're definitely right. Typically I'll only get Alchemy to the table if someone knows Dominion (and a few other expansions as well) already and I just want to show them something new. I don't typically combine it with anything else either (just 10 Alchemy kingdom cards) and sometimes potions still won't get bought! It probably made more sense when it was only the third expansion out there but at this point it almost seems obsolete! By the way, I think I know what my next expansion is going to be: Renaissance. It looks like it adds a whole lot of new elements just like Empires does!

[@bushibayushi]

Empires + Dark Ages + Menagerie and you have a truly wonderful "gamer's set" ;).

[@BoardGameDave]

That does sound like a really great combo! What's your favorite part of Dark Ages and Menagerie? 🙂

[@bushibayushi]

@@BoardGameDave Menagerie - Exile and new Events ;). Exile allows you to manage your deck in a very fresh way. Dark Ages - trashing cards. I love the new and interesting ways of interacting with the trash pile ;). And I love the grim setting

[@BoardGameDave]

I think I’ve used the Exile ability when I played online! That is a creative concept! And I remember the way you can uniquely interact with the trash pile in Dark Ages… that is really cool! (Plus the knights are really cool!) That is a thematically dark expansion for sure, though! Beggars, death carts, rats, ruins… ☠️

[@daniellebackus819]

That Empires expansion is bad ass. Hmmmm

[@BoardGameDave]

It’s the one I recommend to everyone! Adds SO much to the base game! 👑

[@BigOllieSpin]

Great video! Have you tried out the newer ones, like Allies and Plunder?

[@BoardGameDave]

I haven’t, unfortunately! They both seem really interesting, though! ☺️ Have you?

[@josda1000]

Yes. Delve. I need to delve. Get off my back about it!

[@BoardGameDave]

Haha! 🤣 I had forgotten about that blooper until you mentioned it! Delve into the Empires expansion-you won't regret it!

[@cardinalcopia2762]

Nice Video. Thats my Favorite Game. Love this, you Are very Sympathetic. Greetings from Germany :)

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you for your comment! Dominion is such a fantastic game; I still find myself wanting to play it after so many years! What's your favorite expansion? 😊

[@cardinalcopia2762]

@@BoardGameDave Shame on me but i Love Nocturne :D But all of them Are great. Allies is great too. The rotations are so cool!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@cardinalcopia2762 What do you mean, shame on you? I've never tried Nocturne but I bet there's so much I would like about it! 🌙 And I'm looking forward to giving Allies a try although I don't know anyone who has a copy! Hopefully I'll get a chance before too long!

[@cardinalcopia2762]

@@BoardGameDave the Most Fans here in Germany don‘t like Nocturne because of the extra Material and extra rules. I Love all of them, the greatest Games Are with all Expansions in my opinion

[@BoardGameDave]

@@cardinalcopia2762 Nocturne does seem to add a lot more to the original Dominion experience but the more the merrier, right? Do you own all of the expansions?

[@ha2nah19]

When discussing the Dominate card, I see you grabbed 11 points instead of 9. I call shenanigans!! 😜

[@BoardGameDave]

You’ve got a pair of eagle eyes! 🔍 I just grabbed a handful of point tokens and I didn’t have time to count them during that shot so I just quickly hid them behind the Event card! I’m impressed you caught that! Can’t get anything past you! 😉

[@dimmok8344]

To be fair I think Delving broke him

[@BoardGameDave]

@@dimmok8344 Dude, that Delve card changed me. 😂

[@daniellebackus819]

I’ve never seen those coin cards before. After seeing the same ones for 15 years, it throws me off every time they come on camera, haha. (Just bought a couple update packs for the base game and seaside expansions).

[@BoardGameDave]

Haha, I can imagine! It’s the same for me when I see the older design style! 🤣 (Art by Ryan Laukat on those coins, by the way!)

[@daniellebackus819]

@@BoardGameDave I adore Ryan Laukat’s art! Now I’m so torn, haha.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@daniellebackus819 They are really nice! But certainly not essential! 🤣

[@masonstuart-hill4670]

Hey, so I have a question on the catapult/Rocks card. I thought I understood until i read the rule book. "If it is another player's turn, then it is not your Buy phase, so the Silver goes to your hand." What on earth does this mean??...You cant gain or trash a card on someone else's turn??? I originally thought you gain a silver to hand if you trash a card in your action phase. And gain a silver to your deck when you gain rocks in your buy phase? Its when you gain or trash, so not when you play it...this is very confusing and no one explains this.

[@BoardGameDave]

Hey there, Mason! I’m looking at the card right now and I think I can help you out! You’re right that gaining Rocks during your action phase would cause a silver to go into your hand. But there are game effects (at least in other expansions) that could cause you to gain (or I think even trash) a card from your hand during someone else’s turn so in that case you would also gain a silver into your hand! 🪨

[@Cons2911]

I only have the base game, is it ok to buy empires alone (with no other expansion)? I’m commenting early, so, sorry if this is addressed in the video

[@BoardGameDave]

Yes, you definitely can! Base game + Empires is a great way to go! 🙌🏼

[@orrknaan5459]

I’m debating between this and Prosperity, I think this may be too heavy for my family, how is the expansion in terms of weight, especially compared to Prosperity?

[@BoardGameDave]

Those are two great expansions, although I think Empires definitely has a lot more to offer! The great thing about the Dominion expansions is that you can mix and match whatever supply cards you want to add so you don't have to add in the split decks, debt cards, landmarks, and/or events, but you can if you want to! ☺️ For what it's worth, BGG has Prosperity at a 2.48/5 for complexity and Empires at 2.80/5. (The base game is 2.35/5.) Hope that helps!

[@fightingkitchen7960]

This expansion looks interesting, but how well does it play at 2 players (I mostly play with 2 players)? How well do split piles, gathering cards, & castles work with 2 players?

[@BoardGameDave]

I love playing this expansion at two players! The gathering cards are really tense because it’s just you or the other player vying for those tokens and the castles scale from 12 to 8 just like the other estate cards. You’ll have to work a little harder with the split piles to get to the bottom half of the pile, although you could house rule that to be a 4/4 split instead of 5/5 if you were concerned about that aspect!

[@fightingkitchen7960]

@@BoardGameDave Oh, that was easier than I thought… Thank you for the info!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@fightingkitchen7960 You're very welcome! Happy to help! 🙂

[@fightingkitchen7960]

@@BoardGameDave 👍

[@Hocoino]

Trying to be the King but the Ace is back!

[@BoardGameDave]

The Ace? How about the joker? 🃏

[@Hocoino]

@@BoardGameDave I was trying to make a gangster rap reference…. Two different worlds collide. Lol 🤷‍♂️

[@BoardGameDave]

Hahaha, oh my word… from Still D.R.E.! That went TOTALLY over my head! 😂 I’m so sorry, without any context I had no idea what that was supposed to mean!

[@MortimerFolchert]

Empires is a great addition to the game for sure. Although I must say my favourite expansions are Seaside & Guilds. Seaside has also lots of cool mechanics like the Pirateship, Islands and especially Embargo. Guilds I really like for its balance. (and the fact you can overpay cards to get benefits.) My least favourite (to be polite) is Alchemy. Great Expansion, but unplayable. You need Potions as a currency and ONLY within THIS expansion. If you really shuffle your Card Piles for your Game as you're supposed to (or use a shuffle-app) you have to ban Alchemy from it. because if you get only 1 or 2 cards to require Potions in your set-up, nobody will go buy them. It's not worth the time. If you want to play Alchemy you have to do it (almost) exclusively and it kinda sucks :/ (Yes, depending on your set-up you could get cards which lets you bypass purchasing requirements like exchanging 1 card for another and the like, but it's quite unlikely) Empires for example can be used with everything. Every mechanic can be used easily with just a single card from this expansion showing up during shuffling. If you could use potions for ANYTHING else then purchasing Alchemy Cards it would be somewhat viable. (e.g. make a Potion say [2 Coin / 1 Potion] so it acts as either a Potion OR a Silver. You have to choose. Provides more flexibility especially when you have more then 1 Potion in hand)

[@BoardGameDave]

Hey there, Mortimer! I agree that Seaside is fantastic! I especially like the Treasure Maps in that game and there are lots of other thematic cards, too. I've got to get that expansion out more but I've been having so much fun exploring the Empires expansion! (I've only played Guilds online but I do like that overpaying mechanism!) Yes, the Alchemy expansion became virtually obsolete after so many other expansions came out, at least if you're shuffling the randomizer cards from a bunch of expansion to create your supply piles! You could play with just the Alchemy expansion of course (I did that recently just to show a Dominion fan some of the cards), or maybe just use the cards that don't cost a potion... oh, wait. All of the kingdom cards either cost a potion in their cost or in their effect besides the Herbalist. I suppose they didn't think they'd create so many expansions after Alchemy! (So glad that they have, though!) Your idea of a potion being used as either two coins or the potion is interesting! Something that's probably worth experimenting with, at least! ☺

[@tatuisotalo5041]

I have Alchemy + Guilds + Cornucopia + Prosperity and I now think I should buy this instead of Intrigue and dark ages.

[@BoardGameDave]

Wow! Four expansions already! Sounds like you're a bona fide Dominion fan and with that being the case I would highly encourage you to consider Empires for your next expansion! It adds SO much novelty and variety to the game; I think you'd really like it! 👑

[@enfynet]

Dark Ages is one of my favorites. The three smaller sets are less interesting to me, except the crazy stuff Alchemy can do.

[@BoardGameDave]

I’ve played with Dark Ages; I think my friend had that expansion back in the day! And Alchemy gets a lot of flak, but it does have some really cool cards! (Especially Possession!)

[@tatuisotalo5041]

@@BoardGameDave I bought Empires and don't regret it! Awesome set!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@tatuisotalo5041 Right?? I’m so glad you’re enjoying it, too! 🛡️

[@fconicella1979]

I want to play Dominion with you.

[@BoardGameDave]

Dude, I'm happy to play Dominion with you any time! Let's make it happen! I'm telling you, this expansion is awesome! I could also show you Seaside and Alchemy, too! 🙌

[@ShadowcasterZero]

It's Prosperity. I just saved you 11 minutes of your life.

[@BoardGameDave]

Prosperity does get good reviews! Have you played with Empires? Or the two newer ones, Allies or Plunder? ☺️

[@Swaderz9]

You get a dislike just for that ending. That was INSANELY ANNOYING

[@BoardGameDave]

You didn’t/don’t have to watch the outtakes! ☺️

[@BigOllieSpin]

Stop hating