By Rick Teverbaugh
The Herald Bulletin
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"Dominion" continues to be one of the few big runaway success stories in the board game world.
The game was created by Donald X and is published by Rio Grande Games.
After the first or base edition of the game was released two years ago, there have been three additions to the game and a fourth is on the horizon.
"Dominion" and the first expansion, "Intrigue," can be played right out of the box with everything needed to play included. The next two expansions, "Seaside" and "Alchemy," were meant to supplement either of those first two editions. Any of the four or all four can be easily mixed for a game, which normally lasts 30 to 45 minutes.
The newest expansion is "Alchemy." Like "Seaside" before it, there is a unique aspect to this set of additional cards. There is a potion card that must be added to your deck in order to add most of the other cards from this set to your deck.
“The people who do especially like 'Alchemy' probably like it for the cards that push heavy action strategies, or just the potion premise itself,” said Donald X. “Some people may just especially like certain cards, or may just be eager to play with different cards from the ones they're used to.”
The typical way that cards are selected for each game of "Dominion" is by randomly drawing a set of 10 from all of the cards in a person’s collection. That could lead to just one or two cards from "Alchemy" being included in any specific game. Since only "Alchemy" cards need potions, it creates a decision for the player about whether or not to add a potion card to the deck.
“I knew that this premise meant that if you just shuffled the cards into your randomizer, you might only get one card from 'Alchemy,' and that this would bother some people,” said Donald X. “I tried to make all of the cards attractive enough that it wouldn't be a problem, and if you still don't like that you can deal out three to five cards from 'Alchemy' whenever you decide to play with it.”
The card art is full of the "Alchemy" theme and helps bring the flavor of the set alive. Next up for "Dominion" is a brand-new set that might first be available at GenCon in Indianapolis in early August.
“It's called 'Prosperity,' it's 300 cards plus some bits, it has a treasure/wealth theme,” said Donald X. “I don't know if it will actually come out at GenCon; probably Jay (Rio Grande president Tummelson) won't know until quite close to the date. Then if it shows up at GenCon those might just be a few air-shipped pallets, with the rest arriving more slowly by boat.”
Whenever "Prosperity" arrives it seems certain to be yet another popular release for this outstanding game.
