Lost City

Basic Info

Type: Action
Cost: 5
Effect: +2 Cards / +2 Actions / When you gain this, each other player draws a card.

Rating

One of Dominion's strongest "Village-type" cards. +2 cards and +2 actions equals "Village + Smithy" compressed onto one card — extremely efficient engine fuel. At cost $5, on par with Port and Inn — best-in-class for villages.

The only drawback is the on-gain "opponents draw" downside. However, this neither pollutes their deck nor matters as much as people fear; the tempo boost is temporary, nowhere near enough to neutralize Lost City's own value.

Community consensus: strongest cost-5 Village, top-3 village across all Dominion. Tier S.

How to Play

On any $5, top priority. Picks Lost City over Smithy or Gold whenever you're going for engines.

Mid-game: 3-4 Lost Cities provide +6-8 cards / +6-8 actions per turn — village problems solved completely.

Even with heavy terminals (Remodel, Minion etc.), Lost City carries the action chain.

The opponent-draw effect is most painful in 4-player (3 opponents draw), least in 2-player.

Key Combos

Lost City + Smithy: Hard draw. +2 +3 = +5 extra cards in one turn.

Lost City + King's Court: +4 cards / +4 actions.

Lost City + Witch: Free curse spreading without losing actions.

Lost City + Remodel: Late-game Estate-to-Duchy, Copper-to-Estate.

Synergies

Smithy / Council Room: heavy draw.
King's Court: doubling.
Witch / cursers: support.
Remodel / Expand: no terminal collisions.
Market / Spice Merchant: +Buy.

Counters & Bad Matchups

4-player: opponents drawing 3x is real tempo cost.
Short-end boards: no time to assemble Lost Cities.
Strong alt villages on board: Border Village's gain effect substitutes well.

Advanced Tips

Time the gain carefully — gaining when opponents are 1 card away from $5 helps them buy something significant.

If an opponent is one card away from Province, gaining Lost City could let them grab it.

3-4 copies is enough. 5+ thins value.

Mirror match: race for early Lost Cities; first-mover advantage.