Familiar

Basic Info

• Type: Action-Attack
• Cost: 3+P (requires Potion)
• Effect: +1 Card / +1 Action / Each other player gains a Curse.

Rating

One of Dominion's strongest cursing attacks. Cantrip + curse-everyone makes terminal collisions a non-issue. Compared to Witch (5 / +2 Cards / curse), Familiar trades 1 draw for non-terminality and 2-cost reduction.

Biggest strength: cantrip cursing. No Village support needed. Multiple Familiars fire every turn, blasting through the Curse pile (10 × players − 1) in 3-4 turns.

Tier S+. On Alchemy boards with Familiar, falling behind in the curse race is often game-losing. "If Familiar is on the board, buy Familiar" is core Dominion theory.

How to Play

Opening: P / 4 split is ideal. Potion + Silver → Familiar by turn 3-4.

Aim for 2 Familiars minimum, 3-4 ideal. One Familiar loses the curse race.

Fire Familiar every turn — cantrip, no downside.

The Curse-Spreading Race

Familiar boards = curse race. First to empty the Curse pile usually wins.

2-player: 10 Curses → ideally hand out 5, take 5 (or better split).

3+ players: 20+ Curses, prolonged race. Multiples mandatory.

Once Curses are gone, Familiar reverts to bare cantrip — pivot to Provinces.

Key Combos

Familiar + Alchemist: The Potion-axis dream combo. Alchemist draws Familiars, Familiars chain into more draw, Alchemist topdecks for stable next turn.

Familiar + Vineyard: Action density (Familiars are Actions) boosts Vineyard score.

Familiar + Scrying Pool: Action-heavy deck pairs perfectly.

Familiar + Chapel / Masquerade: Self-clean received Curses.

Familiar + Smithy: +3 cards increases odds of drawing Familiars.

Familiar + Market / Throne Room: +Buy or doubled curse-spread.

Synergies

• Potion: Required.
• Alchemist: Same expansion draw base.
• Vineyard: Action-count VP.
• Scrying Pool: Massive Action draw.
• Chapel: Trash own Curses.
• Masquerade: Pass and trash Curses.
• University: Gains cost-5 Actions.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Trash-poor supplies: Can't clean self-received Curses, suffer in mirror.
• Falling behind in Familiar race: Hard to catch up if opponent buys 2 first.
• No room for terminal attacks: Cantrip-only structure makes engine self-contained.

Advanced Tips

P/4 opening: Watch shuffle order so Potion + 4-coin hand land for the turn-3 buy.

Get the second Familiar fast. One Familiar is half the cursing power.

Last 3-4 Curses: If your Familiars can hit the rest, win race; otherwise, slow-play (3-pile end-game).

When Chapel / Masquerade / Remodel can trash Curses, Familiar is even stronger — asymmetric advantage explodes.

Familiar vs. Witch comparison: Familiar more stable (cantrip), Witch faster initial pace (+2 cards). Choose by supply.

Heavy curser boards: standard package = 3 Familiars + 2 Alchemists + 1-2 Potions.