A – Action phase

You may play an Action card from your hand. Follow the instructions on the card. See 8. Playing a card.

After you have fully resolved an Action card, you may play another Action card, but only if you have an unused Action remaining. (Some cards give more Actions.)

B – Buy phase

First, you may play as many Treasure cards as you like from your hand, in any order. For each card, follow the instructions on the card. Treasures produce coins, but may also do other things. See 8. Playing a card.

After you have played your Treasure cards, you may buy a card by using the coins you have produced this turn. The card can cost no more than the unused coins you have left, but may cost less. A card costing 0 coins can be bought even when no coins were produced.

You may only buy a card that is available in the Supply (see 4). You then gain it, see 12. Gaining a card.

If you have more Buys, you may buy more cards, for the unused coins you have left. (Some cards give more Buys.)

C – Clean-up phase

Discard all the cards in your play area and all the cards left in your hand. These are all discarded at once. See 13. Discarding cards.

Then draw a new hand of 5 cards from your deck. Each card is added to your hand as you draw it, and you may look at it (link). See 14. Getting cards from your deck.

9.1 Different abilities, and the dividing line

A set of instructions on a card that happens at a given time is here referred to as an ability. Some abilities on certain cards aren't triggered when you play it; these are always found beneath a dividing line (link, link). The ability above the line happens when you play the card, the other ability happens at other times. For instance, Reaction cards have an ability that only apply to reacting with the card, see 11. Reaction cards. Other examples: Alchemist lets you do something when you discard it from play. Embargo says what happens when a player buys a card from a certain Supply pile. Goons has an ability that resolves when the card is in play and you buy a card. See also 19. Timing rules.

9.2 Playing a card multiple times

King's Court and Throne Room let you play an Action card multiple times. Only the ability that happens when you play the card (i.e. above the dividing line), happens multiple times.

9.3 Setting up a later ability

Some cards, when you play them, set up an ability to happen later (like Scheme, Possession and Duration cards). When played with King's Court or Throne Room they set up that ability multiple times (link). (The German versions of Duration cards have a dividing line between the immediate ability and the next turn ability, which is strictly wrong, since these effects are set up when you play the card; link)

10.1 Effects are immediate

Abilities that produce things like Actions, Buys and coins (see 16. Terms used on cards), do this immediately, and the amount produced doesn't change if the card is moved somewhere else (like to the Trash or to discard) or other conditions are changed. The same goes for abilities that do something based on certain conditions (e.g. playing a City, which lets you draw a number of cards).

If the resolution of an ability triggers another ability, resolve this other ability before continuing. See also 19. Timing rules.

10.2 Do as much as you can

You may trigger an ability (such as playing a card) even though you're not able to carry out all the instructions. Likewise, if there's a choice between several options, you can pick any option, even one you're not able to carry out fully. But when the ability is giving you a non-optional instruction, you must do as much of it as you can. (For instance, draw as many cards as you can even though you can't draw the full amount instructed to; or gain the cards you can even though you can't gain all the cards instructed to). See also 12. Gaining a card, second paragraph.

10.3 Effects contingent on other effects

Effects contingent on other effects don't happen if you didn't do the first effect. For instance, if you're not able to trash two cards with Trading Post, you don't get a Silver, because the instruction says "if you do". Feast's second instruction, on the other hand, is not contingent on the first. So even if you can't trash Feast (because it's already trashed), you gain a card.

If an effect refers to a card that isn't defined, then that effect can't be carried out. For instance, if you're not able to trash a card with Remodel or Upgrade, then you can't gain a card. A "gained card" that wasn't gained after all (due to a when-would-gain ability like Trader's or Possession's, see 19.2), is similarly not defined (link, link, link).

10.4 Several instructions in one sentence

"Do A and B" means "do A, then do B". A and B are two effects that happen after each other. Similarly "gain A and B" means "gain A, then gain B." Examples: "Set this and another card aside" (Island), "he gains a Curse and a Copper" (Mountebank), "gains a Curse and discards down to 3 cards in hand" (Followers), "gain two Coppers" (Cache; link).

11.1 The Reaction ability

Reaction cards have an ability that you may resolve if certain conditions are met, as described on the card. You can react with a Reaction card even when it's not your turn. Resolving the Reaction ability does not count as playing the card. See also 10. Resolving card abilities.

Some Reaction cards are also Action cards. The Action ability is triggered when playing the card as normal, and is separate from the Reaction ability.

11.2 Revealing Reactions

The Reaction ability is most often resolved by revealing the card. See 15. Revealing or looking at cards. For Reactions to other players playing a card, such as an Attack card, see 19.3 When another player plays a card, and also 19.7 – Steps of playing a card.

11.3 Resolving Reactions and timing

Triggering a Reaction (e.g. by revealing it) means you immediately resolve it. If the event that grants you the option of triggering the Reaction, also triggers other abilities (including other Reactions), you don't trigger the Reaction before you actually want to resolve it. See 19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities. This means that when a Witch is played, the first player reveals and resolves his Reactions, then the next player, etc. It also means you can reveal Secret Chamber and draw a Moat, and after completely resolving Secret Chamber, reveal the Moat (link).

11.4 A Reaction can be revealed several times from your hand

There's a special rule for Reactions revealed from your hand, which is that you may reveal the same Reaction card several times to the same event (link, link, link). You may do so before and after resolving other abilities (such as other Reactions) that happen on your turn at the same time, see 19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities.

17.1 Setting up later effects

When you play a Duration card, it sets up effects to happen later, usually after your current turn. See 9.3 Setting up a later ability. When you get to the Clean-up phase, leave the card in play instead of discarding it if the effects haven't been resolved yet at that point (link.) Usually a Duration will be discarded your next turn.

17.2 Modifying a Duration card

If you modify a Duration with another card, leave the other card in play with the Duration. As of now this pertains to Throne Room and King's Court. Only cards that directly modify a Duration stay in play. For instance if you play a Throne Room on a Throne Room, and play that Throne Room on a Duration and then on another Duration, only the second Throne Room stays in play since that was the card that directly played the two Durations. (link, link)

17.3 When do you discard a Duration?

Most Durations set up an ability to happen after your current turn. If that doesn't happen when you play the card (such as a Tactician played when you're unable to discard any cards) it doesn't stay in play beyond the current turn. If you play a Throne Room on a Tactician, you can't discard any cards the second time, so the Throne Room gets discarded in Clean-up this turn, since it's not modifying the Tactician after this. However, If you play a Throne Room on an Outpost, or play two Outposts, leave both cards in play, since both plays cause you to draw only 3 cards in Clean-up (and drawing a new hand comes after discarding, so Outpost effects aren't resolved yet), and furthermore you're given an extra turn both times. (The number of consecutive turns is only checked when the extra turn ability is resolved.)
(link, link, link.)

19.1 "When"

An ability that happens when an event occurs (such as when you gain a card), always happens after the event has occurred (so you have already gained the card when the ability happens).

19.2 "When would"

An ability that happens when an event would occur (such as when you would gain a card), happens before the event actually occurs (before you gain the card). Note however that this ability can only happen if the event would have otherwise occurred, i.e. if the event would have occurred if no when-would abilities had interfered (so you cannot for instance trigger a when-would-gain ability when "trying" to gain a card that's not available in Supply; link). See also 19.7 – Steps of gaining a card.

19.3 When another player plays a card

An ability that happens when another player plays a card (such as an Attack card), happens after the card is placed in the play area, but before any of the card instructions are resolved.

19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities

When an ability or several abilities happen at the same time to different players, the abilities are resolved in turn order starting with the current player. Between turns, the player who last had a turn is considered to be the current player. When several abilities happen at the same time to the same player, he chooses the order of the abilities. (link, link)

19.5 Resolving several concurrent abilities

When several abilities happen at the same time, resolve all of them (in a certain order, see 19.4), even if the condition that triggered an ability changes before that ability is resolved (link). However, an effect can't be carried out if it refers to a card that isn't defined (see 10.3 Effects contingent on other effects), and a card can't be moved if it's not where it's expected to be (see 20. The "lose track" rule).

19.6 Abilities with several effect for each player

An ability like "each player does A and based on that B happens" means that each player does A and then B happens for that player, before the next player starts with A (link). (See Thief, Spy, Swindler, Saboteur, Jester, etc.) This timing usually only matters for the sake of tactical decisions.

19.7 Steps of playing, gaining and buying a card

1. The card is bought.
2. When-buy abilities happen.
3. (The card is gained – continue to Steps of gaining a card, step 1).

Black Market

• From description: Set-up: You can select the Kingdom cards for the Black Market deck however you want. Before the game begins all players can see the cards. Then shuffle them into a face-down deck.
• From rules: Set-up: If any card requiring special set-up (see 2. Set-up) is in the Black Market deck, do this set-up.
• From description: You can play any Treasures before buying from the Black Market deck, even if you don't buy anything.

Border Village

• See Watchtower.

Chancellor

• Erratum: The description says "discard your deck", but should instead say "put your deck in your discard pile". Discarding the deck would trigger when-discard abilities, which Chancellor does not do (link).

Conspirator:

• Each time you've played an Action card this turn counts as having played an Action, regardless of whether those Action cards are still in play. Playing an Action card twice with Throne Room is two played Actions, plus one for the Throne Room.

Develop

• Clarification: Each card is put on top of your deck as you gain it (see 12. Gaining a card).
• See also 20. The "lose track" rule, example 2.

Duchess

• From description: The meaning is: "When this is in Supply, when you gain a Duchy, you may gain a Duchess" (link).

Embassy

• Erratum: The description says to deal out Silvers in turn order, starting with the player to the left of the player who gained Embassy. This is only correct if the current player gained Embassy. When another player gains Embassy, the current player gains a Silver first, then the next player, etc, skipping the player who gained Embassy. (See 18.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities.) This mistake is also made on page 4 of the Hinterlands rule book. (link)

Farming Village

• From description: Reveal until you hit a card which is an Action or a Treasure.

Fortune Teller

• From description: Each player reveals until he hits a card which is a Victory or a Curse.

Haven

• Clarification: Set-aside cards are returned to your deck at the end of the game (link).

Ill-Gotten Gains

• Erratum: The description says to deal out Curses in turn order, starting with the player to the left of the player who gained Ill-Gotten Gains. This is only correct if the current player gained Ill-Gotten Gains. When another player gains Ill-Gotten Gains, the current player gains a Curse first, then the next player, etc, skipping the player who gained Ill-Gotten Gains. (See 19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities.) (link)

Inn

• Clarification: The text "(including this)" in the card text only applies when Inn is gained to discard as normal. If it's gained to somewhere else, it doesn't apply (link).
• Clarification: If you shuffle zero cards into your deck when gaining Inn, you still shuffle (link).
• See also Watchtower.
• See also 20. The "lose track" rule, example 2.

Ironworks

• Clarification: "It" refers to the gained card. So if you didn't gain the card, you don't get anything from the second part of Ironworks (see 10.3 Effects contingent on other effects; link).

King's Court

• Everything that applies to Throne Room in this FAQ also applies to King's Court (except the note below under "Mine" about a card text flaw).

Mine, Moneylender, Throne Room

• These card texts have a flaw in that they don't follow the usual Dominion maxim of "keeping you honest". When playing the card, you're only allowed to not do the instruction if you don't have a Treasure/Copper/Action (respectively) in your hand. The cards should either have told you to reveal your hand to confirm this, or should have been optional ("you may..."). Like all cards they are nevertheless to be played as written, so players either have to trust each other not to make mistakes or cheat, or have an impartial judge look at the players' hands. (link, link)

Mining Village

• Clarification: When Throne Roomed: see 20. The "lose track" rule, example 1.
• Clarification: When Throne Roomed in a turn when you're Possessed (with Possession), if trashed the first time, Mining Village is set aside (per the Possession rules). Although Throne Room has lost track of it, it can now be trashed since it's not already in Trash. But Mining Village has now lost track of itself. It tries to trash itself from play, but since it's not in play the second time, it can't trash itself (link, link).

Moneylender

• See Mine.

Nomad Camp

• From description: This card is gained directly to your deck, so this is not strictly a when-gain ability (link).

Outpost

• Clarification: See 17.3 When do you discard a Duration?.
• If you play Outpost, you only draw 3 cards in Clean-up, even if you didn't get an extra turn.
• See Possession for more rules.

Pawn

• From description: Choose the two options before doing them.
• From description: You can do the options in any order, unlike with Trusty Steed.

Peddler

• Counts Action cards in play, regardless of how many times you've played a specific Action card (such as with Throne Room).

Possession

• The player being Possessed is the one taking the extra turn.
• The extra turn from Possession or Outpost is the player's "next turn" after his previous turn, so "next turn" abilities from Duration cards happen now.
• Playing a Possession only lets you possess one turn; Outpost or Possession played on the Possessed player's turn gives an extra turn just as if that player weren't Possessed.
• From description: Outpost doesn't give you an extra turn if you already played two consecutive turns, including turns where you were Possessed. But it doesn't prevent Possession from giving you more turns.
• Clarification: If Outpost or Possession is played on a Possession turn, and another turn is in queue to happen (from a card played before this turn), follow 19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities. As stated there, in between turns the player who last had a turn is considered to be the current player, but if that player was Possessed on that turn, the Possessor still makes decisions for that player between turns (such as whether to play an Outpost turn or Possession turn first; link).
• After being Possessed, and any resulting extra turns from Outposts or more Possessions, you in any case get your regular turn.
• Clarification: When Throne Roomed: see 9.3 Setting up a later ability.
• See also Mining Village and Trader. See also 10.3 Effects contingent on other effects.

Salvager

• From rules (Alchemy): The meaning is: "+Coins equal to its cost in coins".

Scheme

• Clarification: When Throne Roomed: see 9.3 Setting up a later ability.

Smugglers

• Clarification: Looks at the current cost of cards (link).

Stash

• Clarification: The meaning is: "When you shuffle this in your deck, you may put it anywhere in your deck" (link).

Tactician

• Clarification: See 17.3 When do you discard a Duration?.

Thief

• Clarification: "They" is used here as a singular pronoun, and should actually have been "he" to be consistent with all other cards. The meaning is that the cards are revealed (and one Treasure possibly trashed) for each player in turn, and then at the end you may gain any of them from the Trash (link).

Throne Room

• See 9.2 Playing a card multiple times and 9.3 Setting up a later ability.
• See 17.2 Modifying a Duration card.
• See also Mine and Mining Village.

Tournament

• From rules: Set-up: Include a pile with the 5 Prizes.
• From description: Players reveal any Provinces first, before you decide what Prize to gain (if you revealed one). This is different from the timing of cards like Spy, see 19.6 Cards with several effect for each player.
• From description: When you gain a Prize, you gain whichever you want from the Prize pile.
• From description: Gaining a Duchy and gaining a Prize are two options you can choose between. (See 10.2 Do as much as you can; link.)

Trader

• Clarification: The card you would have gained isn't replaced with a Silver, rather you gain a Silver instead of gaining the card (link). This means anything contingent on the first gain doesn't happen (see 10.3 Effects contingent on other effects).
• When revealed in a turn when you're Possessed (with Possession): The Possessor chooses which to resolve first: Possession's when-would-gain ability or Trader's. (See 19.4 Timing of several concurrent abilities; link, link.)

Trusty Steed

• From description: Choose the two options before doing them.
• From description: You must do the options in the order listed, unlike with Pawn.

Tunnel

• Clarification: See 13. Discarding cards.

Watchtower

• See 20. The "lose track" rule, example 2.
• Clarification: This pertains to the "lose track" rule: If you have Watchtower in your hand when you gain a Border Village, you can choose to resolve Border Village's when-gain ability first. You then gain another card (placing it atop the Border Village in the discard), and can reveal Watchtower to put it on your deck. You then may reveal Watchtower to put the Border Village on your deck, even though it was previously covered up by the other card (link, link).
• Clarification: If you gain an Inn and choose to shuffle some cards into your deck, but leave the Inn on top of your discard pile, you can reveal Watchtower to put the Inn on top of your deck. (link)