# Dominion: Envoy Promo Card

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2008
- **BGG Rating**: 7.2
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 3)
- **Duration**: 30 min
- **Weight**: 2.20 / 5
- **Designers**: Donald X. Vaccarino
- **Artists**: Matthias Catrein
- **Publishers**: 999 Games, Albi, Bard Centrum Gier, Filosofia Éditions, Giochi Uniti, Hans im Glück, Hobby Japan, Korea Boardgames, Lautapelit.fi, Rio Grande Games, Stiftung Spielen in Österreich, Stupor Mundi
- **Categories**: Card Game, Expansion for Base-game, Medieval
- **Mechanics**: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, Open Drafting

## Verdict
If you love Dominion and want a tiny bit of extra interaction, Envoy is a neat add‑on.Fun social interactionEasy to rememberFits any deckJust a single cardLimited impactRECOMMENDED

## Description
The Envoy promo card debuted as a giveaway at the 2008 Gameplay Festival in Vienna, becoming the first exclusive addition to the German edition of Dominion. It was later distributed by the BGG Store in early 2009 alongside the famous Black Market promo. For 4 coins, the player reveals the top five cards of their own deck; the player to their left then chooses one card to discard, while the remaining cards go straight into the player's hand. A 2017 wording update clarified the action but kept the core effect unchanged. If the deck lacks enough cards, the discard pile is shuffled to finish the reveal, ensuring up to five options (or as many as possible). This reveal‑and‑choose mechanic injects a social twist into Dominion's classic deck‑building loop, forcing players to think about what to lose and what to keep. The card fits squarely within the Dominion family, tagged as a Card Game, Expansion for Base‑game, and Medieval theme, and it employs Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, and Open Drafting mechanics. Although it’s just a single card, it can shift the tempo of a game, especially in decks that rely on tight card synergies. Perfect for seasoned Dominion players who want a bite‑sized variation without buying a full expansion. Its low complexity (2.2 weight) and short playtime (about 30 minutes) mean the Envoy slides into a session smoothly, adding a dash of extra strategy while keeping the game’s brisk pace. In short, it’s a collectible giveaway that also offers a neat tactical tweak for fans of the series.

## FAQ
### How many players can use Envoy?
It works in games of 2 to 4 players, just like the base Dominion.

### Does it change the game length?
The average playtime stays around 30 minutes, as the card adds little extra time.

### Do I need the German edition to use Envoy?
No, the promo can be shuffled into any Dominion set regardless of language.

### Does Envoy increase game complexity?
The effect is straightforward, so the game’s weight remains low (2.2).

### Can I use Envoy in official tournaments?
Being a promo card, its legality depends on the event’s rules; usually it’s allowed only in casual play.

### Does the card have special artwork?
Yes, it features unique artwork created for the Vienna promotion, making it a collector’s item.

### Is there a Portuguese version of the card?
The original was German; an English version was later released by BGG Store, but no official Portuguese version exists.