>GETTING THE GAME
It is available on Gamersgate and Steam. Keys from either Desura or Gamersgate should work on Steam. It goes on sale from time to time, frequently on steam for 50% off and sometimes 75% off but don’t count on it.
If you like it, please consider buying it. Each player in a multiplayer game must have a unique CD key, which means only one player per game can use the pirate copy. The pirate slot is usually taken quickly, so buy the game.


>MULTIPLAYER
>Multiplayer is played in two forms: Play by email (PBEM) games hosted on http://www.llamaserver.net/ which typically progress at a rate of one or two turns per day and can be joined either through the thread or steam group discussions, and blitzes hosted through the game client and typically played to completion in one or two sessions. Blitzes can be joined through the steamgroup chat, and require the port and IP of the host.

>Steamgroup
Join the steamgroup for multiplayer, though there are also anonymous games.
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/vanheimageofvidya

>Group chatroom
Copy the URL to join the chat group directly.
steam://friends/joinchat/103582791434709795

>Play by email guide:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=202096551

>Blitz Guide:
-Join chat.
-Select the ‘Connect to a Dominions Server’ under the ‘Network’ option in the main Dominions menu.
-Ask in chat for the IP and port for the blitz.


>RESOURCES

>Dom4 Inspector
This is a community resource that has every unit, spell, item, and event in the game in an accessible database. If you have any question about an item, unit, or spell, check the Inspector.
http://larzm42.github.io/dom4inspector/

>Dom4 Manual
Download the manual and search it before asking basic questions in thread. Note that the manual includes comprehensive spell descriptions beyond those found in game or on the inspector. However it also has some things which are no longer correct, and some which have never been correct.
http://jaffa.illwinter.com/dom4/manual_dom4.pdf

>Our work-in-progress wiki
If you can’t find something here, ask in the thread then post the replies into the wiki.
http://dom4.wikia.com/wiki/Dominions_4_Wiki

>Custom battle creator
Can be used to quickly test out battles.
http://maxwilson.github.io/DomSetup/

>Magic booster guide
Required reading. Useful reference.
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/dom4-magic-path-booster-guide-by-telos

>Simple spellcasting fatigue calculator
Useful for planning out communions so you don’t kill your slaves.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OlzLT2bHI-Ldk5N8js4KoAPB1yof8G3FgXJEkaxNSoM/edit#gid=0


>MAPS
Most maps can be downloaded either from the llamaserver or found on:
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/board/undiscovered-door-maps-cartography
In particular, grab the “Elmokki Dom3 Collection” which includes a lot of commonly played maps.
To add maps, unzip the files and place the .tga and .map file together in the user maps folder:
C:\Users\’Username’\AppData\Roaming\Dominions4\maps
This can also be accessed from the main menu in game under ‘Game Tools >Open User Data Directory’.

>UI
A kind anon created and uploaded various interface mods.
They can be downloaded here:
https://mega.nz/#F!slcSECKR!3w21BNllKxxEZOXgC--41g

>MODS
Mods are installed in the same way as maps. The mod is unzipped, and the mod folder and .dm file are placed together in:
C:\Users\’Username’\AppData\Roaming\Dominions4\mods
Which can also be accessed from the in game menu in the same way.
The mods can then be enabled from the ‘Mods’ option in the main menu. This is only needed when creating games and they will be automatically enabled and disabled for unrunning games.

>Debug Mod
Essential tool for testing things.
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/debug-mod

>Worthy Heroes
The most widely used mod. Adds more heroes to some nations and tweaks other heroes. Is well made and low impact. Has split into a newer version made by Olhman and the older version without his updates. Someone from DOMG also made a version of Olhman’s with the tag (NN) meaning no nerfs, so if a game has that on llamaserver you know what it means.
Olhman (5.5)
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showtopic=2749
Main thread:
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/worthy-heroes
Current version:
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showtopic=2358&st=0&#entry22124951

Sum1won’s Submod
The newest attempt to balance Dominions, based on winrate stats gathered and feedback in thread. He’s usually about the thread so if you have concerns or suggestions do voice them.
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showtopic=2764

>Old /domg/ balance mod. Aka ‘cronemod’.
General balance mod. Apparently had/was “Widespread usage and generally well liked, but not to everyone’s tastes”. Recently taken over by new modder whom also left.
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/domg-balance-mod-v105
Original version, with >crossbows, available here
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/domg-balance-mod

>UW Expanded
Mod that aims to fix some the issues with underwater nation balance and increase the level of interaction between UW and land nations. Makes sweeping changes, some of which effect balance in significant ways. Good concept with great ideas mixed in with more questionable ones. Olhman again.
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showtopic=2113&st=0

>Chocolate Thrones
Mod that both tries to increase the power level of thrones, and bring the balance of thrones more in line with each other. Good for games where you want the thrones to be major points of contention. Apparently there is a version in the works that aims to balance the thrones without increasing the power level.
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/chocolate-thrones

>Pretenders Rebalanced
Dubious attempt at rebalancing the pretender chassis. Not very commonly used.
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showtopic=2126

>Nationgen
Pretty amazing mod that generates random nations. Has been used to good effect in some recent and ongoing games. Is not used like a typical mod. Read the thread.
http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/thread/nationgen-for-dominions-4

>Mod Nations
There are a lot of mod nations out there, but games that allow them are pretty rare due to balance issues. Probably the most commonly used are the various Warhammer nation mods, which tend to have their own games, and the various CoE nations, which are balanced such as to be somewhere close to vanilla nations or weaker. There is also a highly prolific /domg/ user who creates a lot of nations. Some recent examples are LA Sssla, EA Alee, and EA Neritia.


>THE BASICS
>How to start
Start by downloading the manual and doing the tutorial presented in the manual, ignore the fact the pretender it asks you to make isn’t possible anymore.
If you can you should then read the rest of the manual.
Play a few games against the AI. Familiarize yourself with the mechanics and understand that the AI has no real idea how to play the game. Check the inspector and the manual a lot.
Now, the next section is old advice and has been challenged about how good it is, but it’s not BAD per se so...

Use the single player games to focus primarily on getting good at expansion. You should be aiming to have around 12+ provinces and a second fort finished or close to completion at the end of the first year. There is not really much point in practicing anything further then that against the AI.
At that point you might as well dive into multiplayer. No matter what the initial jump to multiplayer is going to be tough, putting it off to play more single player won’t really help.
>What nations should I learn with?
Human nations with a lot of magic diversity and mundane troops: T'ien Ch'i (any age), Arcoscephale (any age), EA Ermor, LA Bogarus.
Giant nations: Niefelheim, Fomoria, Ashdod
Heavy infantry nations with simple magic: MA Ulm, Abysia.
Necromancy: C'tis (any age), Sceleria, Ermor, Asphodel, Lemuria
Blood: Xibalba (any age, but moreso EA and LA), Mictlan (any age, but moreso EA and LA), Jotunheim (MA)
Strategic Flexibility: Fomoria (EA)
It’s worth trying out each of these playstyles at least once.

Newer advice about starting includes a bit more SP (formations, learning how the AI reacts to PD and armies because EVERY game someone goes AI, and learning the basic lesson of MAGIC=GOOD), that some of the ‘easier’ nations such as Ma Ulm, Abysia and Niefelhiem lack late-mid to endgame without extensive planning and so aren’t that newbie friendly as going from doing well early but then getting stomped to having an endgame with them is a fair leap, and that MA Ermor plays differently from any other nation.

>TIPS
>Use "?" in any screen to display a full list of hotkeys, learning the hotkeys is essential to keep the micro under control, and there are a number of commands that can only be performed through hotkeys.
>Try and have a concrete plan for your pretender. Remember that they can only do one thing at a time, so having them good at lots of things is not a great idea. Generally good options are awake Dragons with dominion 9 for Awe, and imprisoned immobile pretender with a major bless and good scales. Try to avoid ‘rainbow’ pretender or other multipurpose designs until you really know what you are doing.
>Always be recruiting mages everywhere you can. Recruit commanders from indie provinces. Mages and research win games.
>Try and figure out concrete research targets for your nation.
>Don’t focus on spells that kill things. Buffs and debuffs are the real game changers. Unless the spell kills EVERYTHING, then it’s the buffs that make your troops not also go up in smoke that help.
>Pay more attention to combat magic then ritual magic. Yes reread that sentence because on first glance it reads incorrectly.
>Read the manual, yes even the wrong bits.
>Remove Elves, Bats, Burds, Skeletons, Ragha, etc.