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[Ichimaru Gin]

I own every dominion expansion except cornucopia, dark ages, and guilds.
I'd say that I'm a fair player--but I can really only afford one expansion right now.
I don't know whether I'm sold on guilds yet, it seems like it adds some more advanced mechanics.
I know that dark ages is huge, but I'm kinda thinking of picking up cornucopia first.
Any thoughts about which one you think I should get would be greatly appreciated.

[sudgy]

Cornucopia is just a nice happy expansion, if you don't feel like drastically changing the game, get it.

Dark Ages is a crazy expansion with lots of crazy cards that do crazy things.  If you like craziness, get it.

Guilds is also a nice happy expansion, but it's cards require more skill (especially coin tokens).  If you like more strategical/tactical decisions, get it.

[liopoil]

I'd say that dark ages is more complicated than guilds. Dark ages is by far the cheapest per new kingdom card...

I own dark ages and cornucopia, and I'd say that the average cornucopia card is better* than the average dark ages card.

*better meaning that I enjoy playing with it more. Cornucopia may actually have stronger cards as well, but I'm not sure and that's not the point.

[sudgy]

I'd say that dark ages is more complicated than guilds. Dark ages is by far the cheapest per new kingdom card...

Dark Ages requires skill, but in a different way than Guilds.  Guilds you see it coming, Dark Ages it's more "What the heck does this do?"

[ehunt]

Complicatedness:
Dark Ages >>>>> Guilds> Cornucopia

My personal preference:
Guilds>> Dark Ages >> Cornucopia

I thought a lot about how many > signs to put into those two lines.

[Ichimaru Gin]

From what you guys are saying. I don't think I'm ready for Dark Ages yet. Prosperity was a pretty big game-changer for me, and I don't think I've played it enough to handle Dark Ages.
Both Guilds and Cornucopia are smaller-size expansions, but I agree--cornucopia seems a lot less complicated to me.

I think I'll be going with Cornucopia then. Also, I think it's kind of nice to get the expansions in roughly the order they came out. I skipped Cornucopia in favor of Hinterlands, but it sounds like Cornucopia has a lot of really good cards that make things more interesting without being too much for a mid/lower-level player.

[Beyond Awesome]

Cornucopia is nice. It has a lot of favorite cards.

However, Dark Ages has to be my favorite expansion. Although, I didn't like it for a long time. It grew on me, but I feel that it offers the most strategy out of all the expansions, by far. But, since you aren't quite looking for that, Cornucopia is fine. However, I do think Guilds is pretty straightforward. When people talk about the complexity of Guilds, it isn't so much in relation to the cards but figuring out when to use coin tokens or make certain tactical decisions. Dark Ages on the other hand can make you really think.

[pingpongsam]

Dark Ages is my favorite expansion of them all. I like it even as a standalone game.

[Morgrim7]

Go for Guilds.

[Ichimaru Gin]

I'm definitely going to be picking those up eventually. I just don't think I'm ready for them yet. In that past, I've jumped the gun on some complicated expansions, and I don't want to do it again.
There's a part of me that just wants to complete my collection all at once though.I mean, all 3 would only be what like $70 right?
I've never been too good at putting off purchases until later. . .
This Christmas, who knows

[terminalCopper]

You WILL buy them all; so just do it. Thinking about the right order is wasting precious time you could spend playing dominion.

[brokoli]

Cornucopia.

[Polk5440]

I agree with your choice of Cornucopia. Especially if you like Hinterlands. They seem to go well together.

[werothegreat]

Dark Ages is more complicated in terms of actual card mechanics.  Guilds is more complicated in terms of metagame.

[AJD]

Dark Ages is more complicated in terms of actual card mechanics.  Guilds is more complicated in terms of metagame.

I'm not sure what you mean by "metagame".

[florrat]

How I see it:
Dark Ages has more complicated mechanics (it is harder to understand what exactly happens when you do something), while Guilds has more complicated decisions (it is harder to decide what is the best thing you can do).

Of course Dark Ages also has complicated decisions, but the amount of possibilities coin tokens and overpaying gives is huge, and it is hard to pick the best option.

[Ichimaru Gin]

Just an update:
Cornucopia is on it's way
And I'm sure I'll be picking up at least one more expansion for Christmas.
Just couldn't resist getting Cornucopia for thanksgiving though. Too perfect!

[Asper]

Dark ages is odd. It brings so many new things, including new (and different) junk cards, piles with different cards or more then 10, Shelters, and a lot of cards that are very tricky or combo-dependant. Rats, where you never want to get too many of, Band of Misfits which confuses people whenever it is throneroomed, Procession (which makes BoM even weirder and also is odd with Durations), Graverobber and that other one (my english fails me) which is basically Graverobber meets Knights... And then there is Rebuild.

I was very exited for Dark Ages, but i don't know whether it's me or Dominion, but i don't like it as much as i expected to.

[Ichimaru Gin]

That's a very good point that you make.
I haven't played with Dark Ages yet, but from the Rulebook, I feel certain misgivings about the additional complexity: shelters, ruins, and the other things you mentioned.
And from what I have read on here, it sounds like Dark Ages gives a completely different feeling to the game--not one that everyone finds pleasant.
I'm thinking I'll eventually pick it up, just cause there are some cards that I would want. But I think I will get Guilds first, as it is less complex--while still adding two completely new mechanics to the game.

[ftl]

Dark Ages is an experts' expansion. If you are comfortable with all the dominion cards to date, the wierdness of Dark Ages isn't much more on top of all the weird combinations that can already exist. (If you've gotten all the other Dominion cards and still want more, that in itself is evidence that you'll handle it fine and probably like it!)

But there's no particular reason to get it early. If "this expansion is weird and has all these new things!" sounds daunting rather than exciting, get some other one first.

[Ichimaru Gin]

In that case, I'm definitely going to wait on buying it--as I certainly don't feel comfortable with all of the Dominion cards in the expansions I own--at least not to that level.
I think that it will be nice to put it off until I've, really played a lot more games with all the sets I have. Then I think I will have more appreciation for the additional complexity it introduces.
And it will be something to look forward to as well.
On the other hand, I feel like Guilds introduces a more manageable complexity. And the fact that it is small set--particularly compared to the hugeness of Dark Ages.

[Beyond Awesome]

The expansion to buy next is called Goko. It provides the ultimate gaming experience. And, by that, I mean it includes such amazing tactical decisions such as whether or not to punch your computer monitor and scream obscenities at a game that goes nowhere.

[werothegreat]

Dark Ages is more complicated in terms of actual card mechanics.  Guilds is more complicated in terms of metagame.

I'm not sure what you mean by "metagame".

Decisions and tactics involving anything beyond just how to effectively play cards - managing your coin tokens, which cards to buy in what quantity, keeping track of score, etc.  The game of playing the game.

[AJD]

Dark Ages is more complicated in terms of actual card mechanics.  Guilds is more complicated in terms of metagame.

I'm not sure what you mean by "metagame".

Decisions and tactics involving anything beyond just how to effectively play cards - managing your coin tokens, which cards to buy in what quantity, keeping track of score, etc.  The game of playing the game.

Oh, see, I would have used "metagame" for decisions like which card to veto in veto mode, or which player to sit to the left of in a Possession game, or collecting information on what types of strategies your opponents favor so you'll be prepared to play against them or, I dunno, psyching them out so they make bad decisions—things that are done outside the confines of gameplay itself that might help your chances of winning.

[Grujah]

Dark Ages is more complicated in terms of actual card mechanics.  Guilds is more complicated in terms of metagame.

I'm not sure what you mean by "metagame".

Decisions and tactics involving anything beyond just how to effectively play cards - managing your coin tokens, which cards to buy in what quantity, keeping track of score, etc.  The game of playing the game.

That's not metagame. (Except maybe point tracking).

AJD's examples are metagame. As wiki says "In simple terms, it is the use of out-of-game information or resources to affect one's in-game decisions." Menaging tokens and buying cards are well within the game.