What is the objective of the game Dominion: Seaside?

Dominion: Seaside is an expansion to the popular deck-building card game Dominion, designed by Donald X. Vaccarino and published by Rio Grande Games. The objective of Dominion: Seaside remains the same as the base game – to amass the most victory points by building an efficient deck of cards – but the expansion introduces new mechanics and cards that add depth and variety to the gameplay.

In Dominion: Seaside, players take on the roles of monarchs seeking to expand their kingdom and earn victory points. The game uses a deck-building mechanic where players start with a small deck of basic cards and gradually improve it by acquiring more powerful cards from the supply.

The core set of Dominion provides the base cards necessary to play, but Dominion: Seaside expands the game with additional cards, including new kingdom cards, treasure cards, and victory cards. One of the expansion's key features is the introduction of Duration cards.

Duration cards are played and resolved over two turns. After playing a Duration card, it remains in play until the beginning of the player's next turn, providing a beneficial effect or bonus on both turns. This mechanic adds strategic depth to the game as players must plan ahead to make the most of their Duration cards.

The primary objective of Dominion: Seaside remains the same as the base game: to collect victory points. Victory points are represented by victory cards, and players aim to accumulate these cards throughout the game. However, Dominion: Seaside introduces new ways to earn victory points and gain an advantage over opponents.

The kingdom cards provided by the expansion offer various abilities that allow players to interact with the game in unique ways. Some cards provide extra actions, allowing players to play more cards on their turn and increase their options. Other cards grant additional buys, letting players purchase more cards from the supply in a single turn. Additionally, some cards offer bonus coins, which provide more purchasing power to buy expensive kingdom cards.

One of the new features introduced in Dominion: Seaside is the concept of Embargo tokens. When players purchase certain kingdom cards, they have the option to place an Embargo token on the card's pile in the supply. Embargo tokens create a penalty for other players who wish to buy cards from that pile, discouraging them from doing so.

Another prominent mechanic in Dominion: Seaside is the concept of Pirate Ships. Pirate Ship cards allow players to attack other players' coin piles, potentially gaining coins for themselves and causing losses for their opponents.

To win Dominion: Seaside, players need to manage their deck efficiently and build a synergistic combination of cards that work well together. They must balance the need for victory points with the desire to improve their deck's overall performance.

At the end of the game, players count their victory points, including those from both their victory cards and certain kingdom cards. The player with the most victory points is declared the winner.

Overall, the objective of Dominion: Seaside is to strategically build a powerful deck, optimize card combinations, and gather the most victory points. The expansion adds exciting new gameplay elements, making it a must-have for fans of Dominion who seek fresh challenges and a diverse array of cards to enhance their gaming experience.