Minimum dominion?

[Saxon]

So nations that can blood saccing can pursue a pure dominion strategy, but everyone else has to do the military/build strategy. The military solution is also easier to defend against. If you know there are no blood sacc nations in your game, would it then suggest you could then risk a lower dominion in your pretender design?

[Twan]

I think the size / start positions of the map decides it.

On big maps or maps with spaced fixed positions I'd use even dom 3 or 4.

On typical random 15 or less prov/player maps where capitols may be only 3 provinces away I'd rather take 5 minimum, and usually 6-8 if my pretender isn't awake.

Also scales are a thing to consider. Taking good scales is a waste when your dominion is too low.

[Sombre]

I'd say dominion kill, if you see it coming, is extremely easy to defend against. Unless they own so much of the map that you can't build enough priests to preach in your home province and stay alive. In which case they could probably have outmuscled you more easily militarily.

As far as I'm concerned there is no 'pure dominion strategy'. If you pursue one you will lose horribly.