[Saxon]

Like so many things in Dominions, it depends on what you want to do. If I am C’tis with Miasma, I go for a high dominion to ensure my power is felt. If I am playing a nation for which dominion is not a big deal, I go lower. If I have invested the points in Miasma and then do not take advantage of it with a higher dominion, my chances of survial are lower than other nations with less dominion.

Also, on the bigger maps I go with a lower value. Building fifteen temples on the world map is not a big deal, but building fifteen on a map with only 30 provinces is a huge issue.

I know you are looking at the minimum survivable, but it really depends on what your plan is and how you intend to deal with the low dominion.