Moat

Basic Info

• Type: Action - Reaction
• Cost: 2
• Effect: +2 Cards / When another player plays an Attack card, you may reveal this from your hand. If you do, you are unaffected by that Attack.

Rating

Dominion's universal Attack defender (Base set). Simple +2 Cards plus an "ignore Attack" reaction. The most basic and universal cost-2 defense.

Defense fully blocks all Attack types — Witch curses, Militia discards, Bandit treasure-trash, all blocked by revealing one Moat. Reveal does not consume the card.

But on attack-less boards, Moat is only a +2-card terminal (weaker than Smithy). Cost-2 priority drops below Chapel and Cellar.

Overall B to A tier (with attacks) / C to D tier (without). On boards with Witch/Militia/Bandit/Pirate Ship, 1-2 Moats earn their cost.

How to Play

Opening 2-coin slot: Moat candidate when attacks present. But Chapel (thinning) usually outpriorities it. Cellar (cycling) also competes.

Mid-game: 1-2 Moats suffice for defense. 3+ is excess. Thinned decks more reliably hold a Moat.

End-game: Attack threat fades (Curse pile empties), Moat becomes pure +2 cards.

Attack Defense Comparisons

Other defenders:

• Secret Chamber (Intrigue, 2): Reaction to redraw reactions. Indirect.
• Horse Traders (Cornucopia, 4): Attack triggers tuck for next-turn +1 card +1 coin.
• Lighthouse (Seaside, 2): Duration with attack defense.
• Champion (Adventures, traveller): Permanent attack defense.
• Guardian (Nocturne, 2/Night): Block + Coin token.

Moat is the most classic and simple defender. The community standard "1 Moat on attack boards" is rooted in Base.

Key Combos

Moat + Chapel: Thin + defend safely.

Moat + Smithy: Both terminal, Village support needed. +2 + +3 draw covers hand.

Moat + Throne Room: TR + Moat = +4 cards. Strong terminal.

Moat + Lab/Market: Non-terminal draw plus reactive defense.

Moat + Lighthouse (Seaside): Duration defender plus reactive.

Synergies

• Chapel: Thin + defend.
• Smithy: Draw boost.
• Throne Room: Doubled draw.
• Laboratory / Market: Non-terminal draw.
• Great Hall (Intrigue): Gardens + draw + defense.
• Militia counter: Hold 5 cards through Militia.
• Witch counter: Block Curse distribution.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Attack-less supplies: Defense useless, Moat is just a +2 terminal.
• Draw-strong supplies: Smithy outclasses Moat.
• Trash-priority supplies: Chapel/Sentry preempt Moat slot.
• Permanent defenders present (Lighthouse): Moat redundant.

Related Defenders

• Secret Chamber (Intrigue, 2): Re-draw reactions.
• Horse Traders (Cornucopia, 4): Tuck on attack.
• Lighthouse (Seaside, 2): Duration defense.
• Watchtower (Prosperity, 3): Defender + topdeck/trash on gain.
• Templeguard (Allies): Block ability.

Moat's "cost 2, full block" simplicity makes it the canonical beginner defender.

Advanced Tips

When Moat hits hand and an attack threatens, reveal it for free. +2 cards still requires Action.

Moat's +2 cards 5→7 hand size. Without attack threat, treat as drawing card.

"Single Moat defense" is statistically unreliable: 20-card deck with 1 Moat = ~25% chance in hand. Need 2 Moats or thinned deck for stable defense.

Skipping Moat is sometimes correct — if attack effect is weak (Bandit) or opponent's deck is slow, use the slot for other cards.