Dominare Board Game First Impressions

Dominare is one of the Tempest Series from AEG.

I already like Love Letter and Courtier so what would I think of this?

The City-State of Tempest is a lively metropolis – some say the largest in the world – yet behind the city’s cultured exterior, age-old cabals vie for power, fighting one another for dominance in a society ripe with political and economic turmoil. Led by shadowy figures who command a small cadre of loyal followers, these secret societies work in concert to seize the wealth and power of the fabled City-State of Tempest.

Courtier was a game I liked. It involved playing cards to place influence cubes on individuals to control their area. (Royalty, Ministry, Commerce etc)

Dominare takes this a step further by using Agents to control areas of Tempest.

The game is played over 7 rounds, each round split into 5 rounds (6 in turn 7).

Conspiracy

Each player chooses a card from their hand to add to their ranks. At the start of the game, this Agent will go into Rank 1. Each of the Agent cards has several abilities. Each of these abilities can only be played if they are in a rank equal to or lower than that ability. Example: A Rank 5 ability can be used by an Agent in rank 5, 6 or 7.

In turn order, plays activate any “when played” abilities.

Each of these Agents has an exposure level. You increase your level on the exposure track depending on what that Agents exposure level is. The exposure track is great, it helps balance the game as more powerful Agents have higher exposure but high exposure leads to loss of points and becoming the ‘Scapegoat’ (Explained next) The exposure track also determines turn order.

Agents can give each other a bonus if they are next to another Agent in your ranks with the same class.

Event

The Scapegoat reads aloud the next Event card. This usually has a negative effect on all players and a doubly negative effect on the Scapegoat. It will ask you to remove influence from the board etc As the game progresses you may be resolving 2 or 3 events per Event card.

The Event card does allow the Scapegoat to increase the points value of one District and decrease another.

Canvass

Each player in turn order starts with their rank 1 Agent, collects the Crowns they give and adds the number of influence on the board into the area they influence as determined by their card.

When each player has resolved Rank 1, in turn, order players resolve Rank 2. So, as you can imagine, by the time you are resolving Rank 7 in the last round of the game, it will be the 7th time you have used Rank 1.

Actions x2 (x3 in Round 7)

Again, in turn order, players get 2 actions, 3 in Round 7.

You can use an Agent’s ability, use the ability of a district if you control that district, draw new Agents, reduce exposure, Add influence to the board etc

Scoring

You get Points for controlled Districts. This varies from game to game as the points value of each district is determined by a points track which can be affected by the Event card and Agent abilities.

Some areas of each District have a printed points value of -1 to 3. You get points for each of these you control.

You then lose points for your exposure level. The highest player loses 1 point for every 3 points of exposure they have. The lowest player loses nothing. Everyone else loses 1 point for each 5 exposure they have.

Most points win, and the Tie Break goes to the person with the most Crowns.

Dominare Summary

I like this game, it’s a brain burner but adds to that basic Courtier game that I like. The artwork is the standard AEG ‘Tempest’ artwork and it all looks nice.

The gameplay is simple yet requires a lot of work and planning and the ‘take that’ element that comes with area control is just right.

Dominare is not a game I would like to own but definitely one I would play again.

Jesta ThaRogue