Die Sieben Weisen

About this board game

Die Sieben Weisen is a negotiation and card game for 3–5 players, with games lasting about 90 minutes. In this 2002 title, players form shifting alliances and compete to collect Crystals, with the player who obtains the most during the game winning.

Each turn, the game’s seven roles are arranged in a hierarchy. Every player then chooses a role, determining which cards they may use when competing for Crystals later in the round. Players may play cards matching their chosen role, along with wild cards.

Before cards are played, the negotiation begins. Players can form teams through secret or open discussions, reveal cards, and make strategic agreements. Once an alliance is established, its members may freely swap cards among themselves, creating opportunities to combine strengths and adapt to the current hierarchy.

Alliances then play their cards, and the alliance with the highest total value wins the Crystals. However, winning the card contest does not decide everything: the choicest Crystals go to the player with the highest-ranking role that turn, not necessarily the player who contributed the most or strongest cards.

• Choose one of seven ranked roles each turn.
• Negotiate openly or secretly to create alliances.
• Exchange cards within your alliance before playing.
• Use role cards and wild cards to compete for Crystals.
• Give losing alliance members a chance to draw spell cards.

Members of the losing alliance draw spell cards, which can affect the outcome of a round. After the turn ends, players draw new cards and begin another contest. With its changing partnerships, role-based card play, and rank-sensitive rewards, Die Sieben Weisen offers an unusually fluid struggle for control. It is the third game in the Alea small box series.