Dominion: Alchemy
Dominion: Alchemy Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
150 cards
122 Kingdom cards, 10 each of: Alchemist, Apothecary, Apprentice, Familiar, Golem, Herbalist, Philosopher's Stone, Possession, Scrying Pool, Transmute, and University; and 12 of: Vineyard.
16 Basic cards, all Potion (a basic Treasure card).
12 Randomizer cards, one for each Kingdom card (card back shown for Kingdom and Basic cards).
Printed card text
The printed cost, type and text of each of Alchemy's 12 Kingdom cards, as it appears on the card itself. Each cost is written as coins and, where the card shows it, a Potion.
Alchemist -- Cost 3 coins and a Potion. Action. +2 Cards, +1 Action. When you discard this from play, if you have a Potion in play, you may put this on top of your deck.
Apothecary -- Cost 2 coins and a Potion. Action. +1 Card, +1 Action. Reveal the top 4 cards of your deck. Put the revealed Coppers and Potions into your hand. Put the other cards back on top of your deck in any order.
Apprentice -- Cost 5 coins. Action. +1 Action. Trash a card from your hand. +1 Card per coin it costs. +2 Cards if it has a Potion in its cost.
Familiar -- Cost 3 coins and a Potion. Action - Attack. +1 Card, +1 Action. Each other player gains a Curse.
Golem -- Cost 4 coins and a Potion. Action. Reveal cards from your deck until revealing 2 Action cards other than Golems. Discard the other cards, then play the Action cards in either order.
Herbalist -- Cost 2 coins. Action. +1 Buy, +1 coin. When you discard this from play, you may put one of your Treasures from play on top of your deck.
Philosopher's Stone -- Cost 3 coins. Treasure. When you play this, count your deck and discard pile. Worth 1 coin per 5 cards total between them (rounded down).
Possession -- Cost 6 coins and a Potion. Action. The player to your left takes an extra turn after this one, in which you can see all cards he can and make all decisions for him. Any cards he would gain on that turn, you gain instead; any cards of his that are trashed are set aside and returned to his discard pile at end of turn.
Scrying Pool -- Cost 2 coins and a Potion. Action - Attack. +1 Action. Each player (including you) reveals the top card of his deck and either discards it or puts it back, your choice. Then reveal cards from the top of your deck until revealing one that isn't an Action. Put all of your revealed cards into your hand.
Transmute -- Cost a Potion (0 coins). Action. Trash a card from your hand. If it is an... Action card, gain a Duchy; Treasure card, gain a Transmute; Victory card, gain a Gold.
University -- Cost 2 coins and a Potion. Action. +2 Actions. You may gain an Action card costing up to 5 coins.
Vineyard -- Cost a Potion (0 coins). Victory. Worth 1 VP for every 3 Action cards in your deck (rounded down).
Potion -- Cost 4 coins. Treasure (Basic). Produces a Potion rather than coins; see Playing the Game.
Preparation
After you choose 10 Kingdom cards for the Supply, if any of them have a Potion in the cost, add the Potion pile to the Supply. Also add the Potion pile if you are using the promotional card Black Market, and the Black Market deck includes at least one card with a Potion in the cost. If you don't have any cards with a Potion in the cost in the Supply or in the Black Market deck, do not use the Potion pile in this game.
When you have a Potion pile, put all 16 Potions in it, no matter how many players there are. In games using this pile, if the pile becomes empty, that will count towards the game ending condition, like any other Supply pile.
You can play Dominion using any number of Kingdom cards from Alchemy, but we especially recommend playing with 3 - 5 Alchemy cards at once.
Alchemy includes 12 randomizer cards (one for each Kingdom card in Alchemy). You will need the Treasure cards, Victory cards, Curse cards, and Trash card from either Dominion or a standalone expansion like Dominion: Intrigue to play with this expansion. As with previous Dominion games, players must choose 10 sets of Kingdom cards for each game. If players choose the random approach for choosing sets, they may shuffle the randomizer cards from this expansion with those of any other Dominion games they choose to play with or take a few from each set of randomizer cards.
Playing the Game
Potion is a new Basic Treasure card. It costs 4 coins, and when played produces a Potion rather than coins. A Potion has no equivalent in coins. To buy a card with a Potion in the cost, a player needs a Potion.
Buying cards using Potions works just like buying cards with coins. If a player has a Potion and 4 coins, he could buy a card costing a Potion and 4 coins, or a card costing 4 coins, and so on. If he has a Potion, 5 coins and an extra Buy, he could buy a card costing a Potion and a card costing 5 coins, or a card costing a Potion and 2 coins and a card costing 3 coins, and so on. He could not buy two cards costing a Potion and 2 coins, because he has only one Potion. He needs a Potion per card he wants to buy that has a Potion in the cost.
Some cards refer to how much a card costs. Generally, adding a Potion to a cost gives a player a higher cost: a Potion and 3 coins is more than 3 coins. More specifically:
- References to cards costing "up to" some cost only include a Potion if a Potion is in the given cost. If a Potion is in the cost, a player can drop the Potion and it is still "up to," but a player cannot add a Potion if it is not there.
- If a card only costs a Potion (Vineyard, Transmute), the number of coins in that card's cost is 0.
Example: when a player uses University to Gain an action card costing up to 5 coins, the player may not gain a card with a Potion in the cost. A card costing a Potion and 3 coins does not cost 5 coins or less. It is just like Buying a card - if a player just has 5 coins, he cannot buy a card with a Potion in the cost. However if a player uses Remodel to trash a card costing a Potion and 2 coins, he could gain a card costing a Potion and 4 coins or a card costing 4 coins, as those are both "up to" a Potion and 4 coins.
- Adding coins to a cost doesn't affect a Potion being in the cost or not. If a Potion was in the cost, it still is; if it wasn't, it still isn't. Same with subtracting coins from a cost.
Example: Remodel allows a player to gain a card costing up to 2 coins more than the trashed card. Trashing a card that costs 2 coins would not let the player gain a card costing a Potion and 4 coins using Remodel. However, a player could use Remodel to trash a card costing a Potion and 2 coins to gain a card costing a Potion and 4 coins. A player could also trash a card costing a Potion and 2 coins to gain a card costing 4 coins (with no Potion). Bridge makes cards cost 1 coin less this turn. This lowers the cost of a card costing a Potion and 4 coins to a Potion and 3 coins. It does nothing to the cost of a card costing just a Potion.
- References to cards costing some number of coins "or more" include cards with or without a Potion in the cost.
Example: since Saboteur trashes a card costing at least 3 coins, it could trash a card with a Potion in the cost. A card costing 5 coins costs at least 3 coins. A card costing a Potion and 4 coins also costs 3 coins or more. A card costing a Potion and 2 coins does not cost "3 coins or more" because it does not have at least 3 coins in the cost.
- References to a cost range in coins does not include cards with a Potion in the cost.
Example: a card that refers to cards costing "from 3 to 6" would mean cards costing exactly 3, 4, 5, or 6 coins. No cards published so far use this phrasing, but if one does in a later expansion, the range will not include cards with a Potion in the cost.
- Cards which convert a cost into a number do not do anything with a Potion.
Example: Salvager trashes a card, and produces an amount of coins equal to the cost of the card. If a player trashes a card costing a Potion and 3 coins, he will just get 3 coins.
- Cards which check if two costs are the same include a Potion if it is there.
Example: Swindler trashes a card, and has the player who lost it gain a card with the same cost. If a player trashes a card costing a Potion and 3 coins with Swindler, that player will gain a card costing exactly a Potion and 3 coins.
General Rules Notes
"In play" -- Action cards and Treasure cards played face-up to a play area are in play until they are moved somewhere else--usually until they are discarded during a Clean-up phase. Only played cards are in play; set aside cards, trashed cards, cards in the Supply, and cards in hands, decks, and discard piles are not in play. Reaction abilities like Moat's do not put those cards into play.
Alchemy includes a Treasure card with rules: Philosopher's Stone. Philosopher's Stone is in the Supply if it is selected as one of the 10 Kingdom cards for the game; it is not part of the Basic Supply. It is just like a normal Treasure, but has special abilities. Philosopher's Stone is played during the Buy phase like a normal Treasure. It can be stolen by a Thief and so on. During the Buy phase, all Treasures are played before a player buys any cards, even if he has +Buys. A player may not play Treasures after Buying a card. This is important for Philosopher's Stone.
When a player discards cards from play, he may discard them in any order. This normally does not matter, but is important for Alchemist and Herbalist.
Players can play Dominion with any set of 10 Kingdom cards, but these sets are intended to highlight some interesting card interactions and game strategies.
Alchemy & Dominion:
- Forbidden Arts: Apprentice, Familiar, Possession, University, Cellar, Council Room, Gardens, Laboratory, Thief, and Throne Room
- Potion Mixers: Alchemist, Apothecary, Golem, Herbalist, Transmute, Cellar, Chancellor, Festival, Militia, and Smithy
- Chemistry Lesson: Alchemist, Golem, Philosopher's Stone, University, Bureaucrat, Market, Moat, Remodel, Witch, and Woodcutter
Alchemy & Intrigue:
- Servants: Golem, Possession, Scrying Pool, Transmute, Vineyard, Conspirator, Great Hall, Minion, Pawn, and Steward
- Secret Research: Familiar, Herbalist, Philosopher's Stone, University, Bridge, Masquerade, Minion, Nobles, Shanty Town, and Torturer
- Pools, Tools, and Fools: Apothecary, Apprentice, Golem, Scrying Pool, Baron, Coppersmith, Ironworks, Nobles, Trading Post, and Wishing Well
Turn Example
Tracy has Possession, Potion, Philosopher's Stone, and two Coppers in her hand at the start of her turn. During her Action phase, she plays Possession. She does not use Possession's ability to direct Tyler's extra turn (her left hand player) in the middle of her own turn. She finishes her Action phase, Buy phase, and Cleanup phase before "possessing" Tyler.
As she is out of Actions, she starts her Buy phase. First, she plays Philosopher's Stone to her play area. She immediately counts her deck (11 cards) and her discard pile (6 cards), but does not include the cards in her hand or the cards in her play area. The total, 17 cards, is worth 3 coins. She then adds Potion and the Coppers from her hand to her play area. Tracy has 1 Potion and 5 coins to spend. Tracy Buys a Familiar and adds it to her Discard pile. She has 2 coins left to spend, but no more Buys, so she's done. She discards the cards in her play area and draws 5 new cards for her next turn.
Before Tyler can take his normal turn, he first has an extra turn where Tracy "possesses" him and gets to make all of his decisions for him. Tracy looks at his hand and sees that he has Apprentice, Herbalist, Potion, and two Silvers. Tracy tells Tyler to play his Apprentice. Tracy chooses to have Tyler trash a Silver so that Tyler draws 3 more cards for her to work with. The trashed Silver is set aside; it is not put in the Trash pile. Tyler draws 1 Gold and 2 Coppers. Tracy has Tyler play the Herbalist.
In Tyler's Buy phase, she has Tyler play his Potion, Gold, 2 Coppers, and the remaining Silver (he started with 2) to the play area. Combined with the Herbalist, Tyler has 1 Potion and 8 coins for Tracy to spend and 2 Buys. Tracy has Tyler buy Province, which Tracy gains instead. With the remaining Potion, Tracy has Tyler buy Vineyard, which Tracy also gains instead. Tyler now discards the cards in his play area. Tracy chooses to put Copper on top of Tyler's deck, using Herbalist's ability. Then Tyler draws 5 new cards for his normal turn. As the Cleanup phase is a part of the "possessed" turn, Tracy takes a peek at Tyler's new hand before sitting back and enjoying her new riches. Finally, Tyler puts the Silver that was trashed into his discard pile, and takes his normal turn.
Kingdom Card Description
Alchemist - When you play this, you draw two cards and may play an additional Action card this turn. In the Clean-up Phase, when you discard this, if you have at least one Potion card in play, you may put Alchemist on top of your deck. This is optional and happens before drawing your new hand. If you have no cards in your deck when you do this, Alchemist becomes the only card in your deck. If you have multiple Alchemists and a Potion, you can put any or all of the Alchemists on top of your deck. You don't have to have used the Potion to buy anything, you only need to have played it.
Apothecary - You draw a card first. Then reveal the top four cards, put the Coppers and Potions into your hand, and put the rest back on top of your deck. If there aren't four cards left in your deck, reveal what you can and shuffle to get the rest. If there still aren't enough cards, just reveal what there is. Any cards that are not Copper and are not Potion go back on top of your deck in an order you choose. You cannot choose not to take all of the Coppers and Potions. If after revealing four cards there are no cards left in your deck, the cards you put back will become the only cards in your deck.
Apprentice - If you do not have any cards left in hand to trash, you do not draw any cards. If you trash a card costing 0 coins, such as Curse or Copper, you do not draw any cards. Otherwise you draw a card per coin the card you trashed cost, and another two cards if it had a Potion in its cost. For example, if you trash a Golem, which costs a Potion and 4 coins, you draw 6 cards.
Familiar - If there aren't enough Curses left to go around when you play Familiar, you deal them out in turn order, starting with the player to your left. If you play Familiar with no Curses remaining, you will still get +1 Card and +1 Action. A player gaining a Curse puts it face-up into his Discard pile.
Golem - Reveal cards from the top of your deck, one at a time, until you have revealed two Action cards that are not Golem. If you run out of cards before revealing two non-Golem Actions, shuffle your discard pile (but not the revealed cards) and continue. If you run out and have no discard pile left either, you just get the Actions you found. Discard all of the revealed cards except for the non-Golem Actions you found. If you did not find any, you're done. If you found one, play it. If you found two, play them both, in either order. You cannot choose not to play one of them. These Action cards are not in your hand and so are unaffected by things that look for cards in your hand. For example, if one of them is Throne Room (from Dominion), you cannot use it on the other one.
Herbalist - When you play this, you get an extra coin to spend this turn, and may buy an additional card in your Buy phase. When you discard this from play (usually during Clean-up), you may choose a Treasure card you have in play, and put that card on your deck. If you have no cards in your deck, that Treasure will become the only card in your deck. You choose what order to discard cards during Clean-up; so, for example, if you have Herbalist, Potion, and Alchemist in play, you could choose to discard Alchemist first, putting it on top of your deck, then discard Herbalist, and put Potion on top of your deck. If you have multiple Herbalists in play, each one will let you put another Treasure from play onto your deck when you discard it.
Philosopher's Stone - This is a Treasure card. It is a Kingdom card; it will only be in games where it is randomly dealt out as one of the 10 Kingdom cards, or otherwise selected to be one of them. It is played during your Buy phase, like other Treasure cards. When you play it, count the number of cards in your deck and discard pile combined, divide by 5, and round down. That is how many coins this produces for you. Once played, the amount of coins you get does not change even if the number of cards changes later in the turn. The next time you play it, count again. If you play multiple copies, obviously the number will be the same for all of them. It does not matter what order your discard pile is in, but the order your deck is in matters. Do not change that order while counting! You will get to look through your discard pile as you count it. You only count your deck and discard pile, not your hand or cards in play or set aside cards. You cannot play more Treasures after buying something in your buy phase; so for example you cannot buy a card, then play Philosopher's Stone, then buy another card.
Possession - You are not taking a turn with the deck of the player to your left; that player is taking a turn, with you making the decisions and gaining the cards. This is a crucial difference to keep in mind when considering card interactions -- the "you" in all cards still refers to the player being Possessed, not the player doing the Possessing. Possession has several pieces to it:
- You can see the Possessed player's cards for the entire turn, which means you will see his next hand during Clean-up. You will also see any cards he is entitled to see due to card rules; for example, you can look at cards he has set aside with Native Village (from Seaside). You can count any cards he can count.
- You make all decisions for the Possessed player, including what cards to play, decisions those cards provide, and what cards to buy.
- Any cards the Possessed player would have gained in any way, you gain instead; this includes cards bought, as well as cards gained due to Actions. The cards you gain this way go to your discard pile, even if they would have gone to that player's hand or the top of his deck or somewhere else. You only gain cards he would have; you do not gain tokens he would have (for example from the Dominion: Seaside card Pirate Ship).
- During the Possessed turn, whenever one of that player's cards is trashed, set it aside, and that player puts it into his discard pile at the end of the turn, after Clean-up. This counts as the card being trashed, so, for example, you could trash a Mining Village (from Dominion: Intrigue) and get the 2 coins. Getting those cards back at end of turn does not count as those cards being gained (so for example, you won't get them). Other players' cards that are trashed during that turn are not returned.
- Cards passed with Masquerade (from Dominion: Intrigue) are not being gained or trashed, and so are passed normally. Cards returned to the Supply with Ambassador (from Dominion: Seaside) are also not being trashed, and so return to the Supply normally.
- If you make another player play an Attack via Possession, that Attack will hit you like it would normally. If you want to use a Reaction in response to that Attack (such as Secret Chamber from Dominion: Intrigue), you would be the one revealing the Reaction, not the player being Possessed.
- Possession causes an extra turn to be played, like the card Outpost does (from Dominion: Seaside). The extra turn happens only after this turn is completely over - you will have discarded everything and drawn your next hand. Outpost only prevents itself from giving a player two consecutive turns, it does not prevent other cards or the rules from doing so. So, for example, if you play Possession in a two-player game, then after the Possession turn, that player still gets his normal turn. If he played Outpost during that turn though, it would not give him an extra turn. If you play both Outpost and Possession in the same turn, the Outpost turn happens first. If you make someone play Outpost during a turn in which you Possessed them, that player will get the extra turn and make decisions during it and so forth, not you; if you make someone play Possession during a turn in which you Possessed them, that will make that player Possess the player to his left, rather than you getting to Possess anyone further. Possession turns (and other extra turns) do not count for the tiebreaker. Once the game ends, no further turns are played, including extra turns from Possession and Outpost.
Potion - This is a basic Treasure card. It costs 4 coins and produces a Potion. It is not a Kingdom card; see the Preparation rules.
Scrying Pool - First you reveal the top card of each player's deck, and either have them discard it or have them put it back. If people care about the order, go clockwise, starting with yourself. You make a separate decision for each player. After you finish making those decisions, reveal cards from the top of your deck until you reveal a card that isn't an Action card. If you run out of cards without revealing a non-Action card, shuffle your discard pile and keep going. If you have no discard pile left either, stop there. Put all of the revealed Action cards into your hand, plus that first non-Action you revealed. If the very first card you revealed was not an Action, that card goes into your hand. Cards with multiple types, one of which is Action, are Actions. The only cards that go into your hand are the ones revealed as part of revealing cards until finding a non-Action; you do not get discarded cards from the first part of what Scrying Pool did, or cards from other players' decks.
Transmute - If you have no cards left in hand to trash, you do not get anything. If you trash a Curse to this, you do not get anything -- Curse is not an Action card or Victory card or Treasure card. If you trash a card with more than one type, you get each applicable thing. For example, if you trash an Action-Victory card (such as Nobles, from Dominion: Intrigue), you gain both a Duchy and a Gold. Gained cards come from the Supply and go to your discard pile. If there are no appropriate cards left to gain, you don't gain those cards.
University - Gaining an Action card is optional. If you choose to gain one, it comes from the Supply, must cost no more than 5 coins, and goes to your discard pile. Cards with multiple types, one of which is Action, are Actions and can be gained this way. Cards with a Potion in their cost can't be gained by this.
Vineyard - This Kingdom card is a Victory card, not an Action card. It does nothing until the end of the game, when it is worth 1 victory point per 3 Action cards in your Deck (counting all of your cards - your Discard pile and hand are part of your Deck at that point). Round down; if you have 11 Action cards, Vineyard is worth 3 victory points. During set-up, put all 12 Vineyards in the Supply for a game with 3 or more players, but only 8 in the Supply for a 2-player game. Cards with multiple types, one of which is Action, are Actions and so are counted by Vineyard.