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[Cas Liber]

My wife and I have been playing Dominion for about two years - we generally play with another couple for a four-handed game. I am amazed that someone came up with this great deck-building concept and got it right. We tried Ascension sometime afterwards and didn't like it nearly as much (and stopped playing after a few games). Before this, Cosmic Encounter had our attention as the longest board game we'd been interested in, though Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne have been enjoyable.

We have all dominion expansions and generally prefer longer games, so as a result have a few house rules - we don't count duchies or other victory cards (except province and colony) as supply cards WRT three empty stacks game-end condition. We've left all provinces in, so there are however many have been in all sets (20? 24?). We have played with shelter cards as three starting cards since getting dark ages. We've generally used zack hiwiller's dominion card picker for initial set up, but it hasn't been updated to include guilds  Some games we deal out 10 blue-backed cards to each player and choose two cards each, then come to some consensus for the last two to do some last-minute balancing.

Cas

[scott_pilgrim]

Welcome to the forums!

Also, get ready for a bunch of people to tell you you're playing Dominion wrong.

[KingZog3]

Welcome to the forums!

Most of the people here play 2 player games, so be sure to take that into account if you ever look up strategy articles on cards. Pretty much all of them are focused on 2 player games, sometimes 3 player but essentially never for 4 people.

Also get ready for lots of people telling you to join the forum games.

[sudgy]

You're playing dominion wrong.

Play the forum games!

Also, seriously, any strategy tips on here are not only written for two players like KingZong said, but also to be played with the official rules.  So, take everything here with a grain of salt if you play with house rules (in general).

[markusin]

It turns out that quite a few people enjoy a "4-pile ending" rule modification when playing with 4+ players. You're not alone in wanting to extend the game a bit in 4 players.

[A Drowned Kernel]

It turns out that quite a few people enjoy a "4-pile ending" rule modification when playing with 4+ players. You're not alone in wanting to extend the game a bit in 4 players.

That's actually in the rulebook for 5-6 player games (which I would not recommend playing)

[Awaclus]

Another way to make games longer is having Scheme and Ghost Ship and no villages and no trashing in all kingdoms.

[liopoil]

Another way to make games longer is having Scheme and Ghost Ship and no villages and no trashing in all kingdoms.

Throw in a sea hag while you're at it.

I think a 4-pile rule could even make sense for 3 players.

[markusin]

Another way to make games longer is having Scheme and Ghost Ship and no villages and no trashing in all kingdoms.

Throw in a sea hag while you're at it.

I think a 4-pile rule could even make sense for 3 players.

Better yet, Ambassador.

[KingZog3]

You're playing dominion wrong.

Play the forum games!

Also, seriously, any strategy tips on here are not only written for two players like KingZong said, but also to be played with the official rules.  So, take everything here with a grain of salt if you play with house rules (in general).

Didn't even notice at first that you wrote KingZong.

[AndrewisFTTW]

You're playing dominion wrong.

Play the forum games!

Also, seriously, any strategy tips on here are not only written for two players like KingZong said, but also to be played with the official rules.  So, take everything here with a grain of salt if you play with house rules (in general).

Nice job trying to subtly summon Kingzong.

[Polk5440]

Welcome. You are playing Dominion wrong.

Actually, I think you will find that even with the standard rules, as you get better and players become more aware of how piling out affects the game, 3 and 4 player games will take longer. When I play 3 or 4 player games, it's common to have at least one game in the evening last at least 45 minutes.

Also, remember that a great thing about Dominion is that because the game is over fairly quickly, someone who gets bad luck (or for whatever reason falls way behind) doesn't have to suffer through 30 more minutes of not having a chance to win at all. The game ends, you shuffle up, and play again!

[Polk5440]

Some games we deal out 10 blue-backed cards to each player and choose two cards each, then come to some consensus for the last two to do some last-minute balancing.

Cas

By the way, this is a neat way to pick kingdoms for IRL play.

[Cas Liber]

Some games we deal out 10 blue-backed cards to each player and choose two cards each, then come to some consensus for the last two to do some last-minute balancing.

Cas

By the way, this is a neat way to pick kingdoms for IRL play.

thanks for that - I was intrigued that when I used randomiser certain cards seemed to come up more than others. Doing this way also yields some interesting combos (lots of attack cards!).

[Cas Liber]

Welcome. You are playing Dominion wrong.

Actually, I think you will find that even with the standard rules, as you get better and players become more aware of how piling out affects the game, 3 and 4 player games will take longer. When I play 3 or 4 player games, it's common to have at least one game in the evening last at least 45 minutes.

Also, remember that a great thing about Dominion is that because the game is over fairly quickly, someone who gets bad luck (or for whatever reason falls way behind) doesn't have to suffer through 30 more minutes of not having a chance to win at all. The game ends, you shuffle up, and play again!

We've found that most games take 45 minutes plus as we're generally chatting and drinking tea or wine with nibblies as we go, and sometimes with kids underfoot.

[Cas Liber]

Thanks for all the welcome! I don't think I've ever played a two-player game! I've found four playered game very enjoyable, and 5-6 can be a bit 'busy' and long between turns, while 3 seems a bit quiet somehow.....I found thief quite fun and hadn't realised it would be so much worse in 2 playered game but makes perfect sense......