7 Wonders (Second Edition)

2020

Experience 7 Wonders, the award-winning game of strategy and civilization building. Craft your city through 3 ages, wage wars, and accumulate victory points to win.

30
minutes

3 - 7
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the wonderful world of 7 Wonders (Second Edition), a strategic and immersive board game that transports you back in time to the epoch of the great civilizations of the Antiquity. You are about to become the leader of one of the seven greatest cities of the Ancient World and your mission is the development of your city through three ages.

The game’s setting is incredibly immersive, with each player taking control of a unique city – from the grandeur of Rome to the mystique of Babylon. Each city has its own unique “wonder” – a grand architectural masterpiece for the ages, like the Pyramids of Egypt or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The detailed artwork on the board and cards truly brings the theme to life, and helps immerse players in the ancient world.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

In ‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’, each game component plays a critical role in the gameplay. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each component:

1. Game Board:

There are 7 different game boards in ‘7 Wonders’, each representing one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Each player receives one game board at the start of the game. The game board displays the resources produced by the wonder, the stages of construction, and the benefits gained from each stage.

2. Cards:

The game includes a deck of 126 cards, divided into three Ages. Each Age has its own deck. The cards represent various types of structures (like military buildings, commercial buildings, guilds, etc.) that players can construct. Each card has a resource cost and provides a certain benefit (resources, military power, victory points, etc.).

3. Coins:

There are a total of 40 coins, which represent the currency in the game. Coins are used to purchase resources from neighbours, construct certain buildings, or discarded for 3 coins.

4. Conflict Tokens:

These 24 tokens are used to keep track of military conflicts between players. At the end of each Age, players compare their military strength with their neighbours and gain or lose conflict tokens accordingly.

5. Age Progress Tokens:

These 3 tokens are used to keep track of the current Age. At the end of each Age, the corresponding token is removed from the game.

6. Wonder Cards:

There are 7 Wonder cards, each corresponding to one of the game boards. At the start of the game, players draw a Wonder card to determine which game board they receive.

7. Leader Cards:

Included in the second edition, these 42 cards represent historical figures that players can recruit to gain various benefits. Each Leader has a cost and a unique ability.

8. Military Tokens:

These 10 tokens are used to represent the military strength of each player’s civilization. Players earn these by constructing military buildings or winning military conflicts.

9. Diplomacy Tokens:

These 2 tokens are used in certain situations to avoid military conflicts.

10. Construction Markers:

These 49 pieces are used to mark the progress of a player’s Wonder construction. Each Wonder has multiple stages, and each stage requires a certain number of resources to complete.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’ is a card drafting game where players are leaders of one of the seven great cities of the Ancient World. The goal is to build the greatest civilization through three ages, represented by three rounds. Here, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game.

Step 1: Distributing Wonder Boards

Firstly, each player picks a ‘Wonder Board’ randomly. This board represents the city they rule and provides various bonuses and abilities throughout the game. The Wonder Boards are double-sided, with each side offering different benefits, so players should choose which side they want to use.

Step 2: Initial Resources

Each player’s Wonder Board also shows their city’s starting resource. This resource is automatically generated every turn and does not need to be spent to use it.

Step 3: Setting up the Age Decks

The game is played over three ‘Ages’. Each Age has its own deck of cards. Shuffle each Age deck separately. The number of cards in each Age deck depends on the number of players. For example, in a four-player game, remove three cards of each value from the Age I, Age II, and Age III decks.

Step 4: Dealing the Age I Cards

Deal seven cards from the Age I deck to each player. Place the remaining Age I cards back in the box; they will not be used this game.

Step 5: Coins and Military Tokens

Each player starts with three coins. Place the remaining coins and all the Military Conflict tokens within reach of all players.

Step 6: Random Elements

Each Age introduces new cards, and the order in which these cards are drawn introduces a random element to the game. This helps ensure that every game of ‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’ is unique.

Step 7: Starting the Game

Once the setup is complete, the game can begin. The player with the most impressive Wonder Board, as decided by the group, plays first. Play proceeds clockwise from there.

Game flow Round and round we go

7 Wonders (Second Edition) is a strategy board game where players take on the role of leaders of the ancient civilizations and aim to build an architectural wonder which will transcend future times. The game is played over three ages, with each age divided into six game turns.

Here is the detailed structure of the game:

1. Setup:

Each player receives a Wonder board, representing one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
The cards are sorted by age and shuffled separately. Each player is then dealt seven cards from the Age I deck.
Three Military tokens (one of each value: -1, 0, +1) are placed in the middle of the table within reach of all players.
Players read their boards and prepare for the first age.

2. Game Play:

Each age is divided into six game turns. Each turn follows this structure:

Card Selection: All players simultaneously select a card from their hand that they wish to play and place it face down in front of them.
Card Revelation: Once all players have selected a card, they simultaneously reveal their chosen card.
Action Execution: After revealing the cards, players take actions based on the type of card they have chosen. There are three possible actions:
- Build the structure on the card by paying its cost.
- Discard the card to gain 3 coins from the bank.
- Use the card to construct a stage of their wonder by paying the construction cost indicated on their Wonder board.
Card Passing: After taking action, players pass the remaining cards in their hand to the player on their left (for Ages I and III) or right (for Age II). The direction alternates each Age.
End of Turn: The process repeats until each player has played six cards. The last card in each player’s hand is discarded.
Military Conflicts: At the end of each age, military conflicts are resolved between neighbors based on the number of Shield symbols on their played cards. Players compare their military strength with their two neighboring cities (players to their immediate left and right). Victory or defeat tokens are given based on the result of the comparisons.

3. End of the Game:

The game ends at the completion of the third age, after which players add up their points from various categories like military victories, treasury contents, wonder construction, civilian structures, scientific structures, and commercial structures. The player with the highest score wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game ‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’ is a strategic board game where players lead one of the seven great cities of the Ancient world. Players gather resources, develop commercial routes, and affirm their military supremacy in order to build their city and erect an architectural wonder. The game is played over three ages, and within each age, players have six turns. Here is a structured breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn.

1. Draft a Card:

Each player begins the age with a hand of seven cards, passed from their neighbor. On their turn, a player will choose one of these cards to play, then pass the remaining cards to their neighbor. The direction of the pass changes with each age.

2. Play a Card:

The player has three options for playing their chosen card:

Build the structure: The player can decide to build the structure depicted on the card by paying its cost and placing it in their city. Structures provide players with resources, military power, scientific symbols, commercial advantages, civic structures, and guilds. They influence not only a player’s current strategies but also their future possibilities.
Discard the card to gain 3 coins: If a player cannot or does not want to build the structure on their card, they can discard it to gain 3 coins from the bank. This is often a strategic choice if the player needs money or if they want to deny another player the opportunity to get that card.
Use the card to construct a stage of their wonder: Lastly, a player can use their card as a construction marker for a stage of their wonder by paying the construction cost listed on the wonder board. Building stages of their wonder provides special benefits and a lot of victory points.

3. Pass the Hand:

After playing a card, the player passes their remaining hand of cards to the player on their left or right, depending on the age. This continues until each player has played six cards, leaving the last card of the age unplayed and discarded.

4. Resolve Military Conflicts:

At the end of each age, military conflicts are resolved. Players compare the number of shield symbols on their military structures with the number of shields on the military structures of the two neighboring cities. If a player has a higher total of shields than a neighbor, they score victory points.

Through a balance of strategy and opportunity, players must make the most of their cards, their neighbors’ actions, and the available resources to develop their city and complete their wonder. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’ ends after the third Age is completed. This occurs when all players have either played or discarded the last card from their hand in the third Age.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before finalizing the scores, players must take the following actions:

Calculate the victory points of their military conflicts from all three Ages.
Add the victory points granted by their civilization’s wonders.
Count the victory points on their blue civilian buildings.
Add the victory points from their yellow commercial buildings, if applicable.
Calculate the victory points from their green scientific structures, using the formula: (number of identical symbols squared) + (set of 3 different symbols x 7).
Include the victory points from their purple guild structures, if applicable.

Victory Conditions:

The victory conditions in ‘7 Wonders (Second Edition)’ are based on the accumulation of victory points in various categories. The player with the highest total score after all points are calculated is declared the winner. The categories for scoring are:

Military Conflicts: Each Age, a player can earn or lose points based on their military strength in comparison to their neighboring players.
Wonders: Points are granted based on the stages of their wonder that the player has completed.
Civilian Buildings: Each blue civilian building card has a certain number of victory points on it.
Commercial Buildings: Some yellow commercial buildings grant victory points.
Scientific Structures: Green scientific structures earn points based on sets of identical symbols and sets of 3 different symbols.
Guilds: Purple guild cards grant points based on various conditions, such as the structures present in neighboring cities.

In the event of a tie, the player with the most coins in their possession wins. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In 7 Wonders (Second Edition), the scoring system is diverse and structured around various categories. Players can earn points through military conflicts, civilian structures, scientific achievements, commercial structures, guilds, and wonders.

Military Conflicts:

At the end of each age, players compare their military strength with their immediate neighbors. If a player has more shields than a neighbor, they score victory points. In the first age, the victor gains 1 point, in the second age, the victor gains 3 points, and in the third age, the victor gains 5 points. If the player has fewer or an equal number of shields, they score nothing for that conflict.

Civilian Structures:

These structures, represented by blue cards, provide a set number of victory points indicated on the card. These points are directly added to the player’s final score.

Scientific Achievements:

Green cards represent scientific achievements. For each set of three different scientific symbols a player has, they score 7 points. Additionally, for each type of scientific symbol, the player squares the number of that symbol they have and adds that to their score.

Commercial Structures:

Yellow cards (Commercial Structures) do not directly contribute to the final score. However, some of these cards provide a coin value. At the end of the game, every 3 coins a player has is worth 1 victory point.

Guilds:

Purple cards represent guilds. These cards provide points based on specific conditions outlined on the card. Examples can include gaining points for the number of brown cards your neighbor has, or the number of stages of the wonder you have built.

Wonders:

Each stage of a player’s wonder provides a set number of points indicated on their wonder board.

The player with the highest total of victory points at the end of the game is the winner. If there is a tie, the player with the most coins remaining breaks the tie and is the winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

1. Free Construction Rule:

In 7 Wonders (Second Edition), players can construct a building for free if they have built the structure in a previous age that is depicted in the top left corner of the card. This rule is often overlooked by beginners but can significantly influence the strategy of the game.

2. Trading Rule:

Players are allowed to buy resources from their neighboring cities (left or right player) for the cost of 2 coins per resource. However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t prevent the neighbor from using the resource on the same turn, as the trade does not represent a transfer of resources, but rather the ability to use the production facilities of the neighboring city.

3. Military Conflicts Rule:

At the end of each age, military conflicts are resolved. Players do not directly attack other players, but instead, they compare their military strength with their neighboring cities (left and right player). It is also worth mentioning that military conflicts are not optional and must be resolved.

4. Card Limitations Rule:

Each player can only construct one of each type of building. If a player has built a structure, they cannot build another of the same name. This rule does not apply to the black cards (guilds).

5. Use of Coins Rule:

Coins in the game are not considered as resources. They cannot be bought or sold to neighbors and are not lost when spent. They are used for trading, building, and some card effects, but they are primarily a source of victory points at the end of the game.

6. Three-player Game Rule:

In a three-player game, each player plays two leaders instead of one. This is an exception to the general rule and is designed to maintain the balance of the game.

7. Wonder Construction Rule:

Each player can construct a wonder by discarding a card from their hand and paying the construction cost. A player can only construct each stage of their wonder once. Also, unlike buildings, wonders can’t be constructed for free using the chain building rule.