Lords of Waterdeep

2012

Lords of Waterdeep is a gripping 2-5 player board game. As a masked Lord, recruit adventurers, construct buildings, and strategically outmaneuver your opponents to control the vibrant city of Waterdeep!

120
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium

About the game

Lords of Waterdeep is a compelling board game set in the city of Waterdeep, the most resplendent jewel in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. As one of the secret rulers of the city, your influence and machinations will shape the fate of this thriving metropolis.

In this game, players take on the roles of masked Lords of Waterdeep, influential nobles vying for control of this great city. The game’s rich setting immerses players in a world of political intrigue, where cunning strategies and underhanded tactics can make you the ultimate power broker.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The Lords of Waterdeep board game includes the following components:

1. Game Board

The game board is the primary playing surface for Lords of Waterdeep. It depicts the city of Waterdeep and its various locations. Players will place their agents on these locations to collect resources and complete quests.

2. Rulebook

The rulebook provides all the instructions for how to play the game. It includes setup instructions, gameplay rules, and explanations of the different game components.

3. Player Mats

Each player receives a player mat, which serves as their base of operations. It’s where players keep their collected resources, completed quests, and other important game information. Each mat also includes a unique ability for the player’s Lord of Waterdeep.

4. Agents

Agents are the player pieces that are placed on the game board. Each player starts with a certain number of agents, and they can gain more throughout the game. Agents are used to claim resources and complete quests.

5. Quest Cards

Quest cards represent the various missions that players can complete to earn points. Each quest requires certain resources to complete. When a player completes a quest, they keep the card to tally their score at the end of the game.

6. Intrigue Cards

Intrigue cards add an element of unpredictability to the game. When played, they can provide players with extra resources, allow them to play additional agents, or even interfere with other players.

7. Lord Cards

Each player is secretly assigned a Lord card at the start of the game. This card gives the player a unique goal to work towards, such as completing certain types of quests or accumulating specific resources. At the end of the game, players reveal their Lord card and gain extra points based on how well they fulfilled their Lord’s goal.

8. Building Tiles

Building tiles represent additional locations that can be added to the city of Waterdeep. Players can purchase these buildings to gain more resources and open up new actions on the game board.

9. Resource Cubes

These cubes represent the four types of resources in the game: clerics (white), fighters (orange), rogues (black), and wizards (purple). Players collect these resources by placing their agents on certain locations on the game board.

10. Victory Point Tokens

These tokens represent the points players earn throughout the game by completing quests and fulfilling their Lord’s goals. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner.

11. Gold Coins

Gold coins are another type of resource in the game. They can be used to purchase buildings, complete certain quests, and play intrigue cards.

Each of these components plays a vital role in the gameplay of Lords of Waterdeep, contributing to the game’s strategic depth and replayability.

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

Follow this comprehensive guide to correctly set up the board game, Lords of Waterdeep. This guide will walk you through player roles, board placement, distribution of initial resources, and introduction of random elements.

Step 1: Unfold the Game Board

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the playing area. The game board represents the city of Waterdeep, with spaces for buildings, quests, and other areas of interest.

Step 2: Shuffle and Place Quest Cards

Shuffle the quest cards and place them, face down, next to the Quest Deck space on the game board. Turn over the top five cards from the deck and place them, face up, in the spaces next to Cliffwatch Inn.

Step 3: Shuffle and Place Intrigue Cards

Shuffle the intrigue cards and place them, face down, next to the Intrigue Deck space on the game board.

Step 4: Sort Building Tiles

Sort the building tiles by the cost displayed on them and place them in piles next to the game board. The Builder’s Hall area on the game board should be filled with three buildings from the pile of buildings that cost 4 gold.

Step 5: Prepare Victory Point Tokens and Gold

Place the victory point tokens and gold coins in piles next to the game board. These will be used throughout the game to track players’ progress and wealth.

Step 6: Distribute Player Components

Each player should choose a color and take the corresponding player mat, agent figures, and score marker. Place the score markers on the ‘0’ space of the scoring track on the game board. Give each player two face-down intrigue cards, two face-down quest cards, and 4 gold coins.

Step 7: Distribute Random Elements

Shuffle the Lord of Waterdeep cards and give one, face down, to each player. This card remains a secret from other players and represents the role of the player in the game. It provides certain advantages and influences the player’s strategy.

Step 8: Determine First Player

The player who most recently visited another city goes first. Give that player the First Player marker. The game is now ready to begin.

Game flow Round and round we go

Lords of Waterdeep is a strategy board game set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. The game is divided into 8 rounds, each with multiple phases. Here is a detailed explanation of each round and phase:

1. Beginning of the Round

Agent Phase: In this phase, players take turns placing their agents on the game board. This represents the players sending their agents out into the city to accomplish tasks. The main actions during this phase are:
- Assigning Agents: Players place their agent on an unoccupied action space and immediately perform the action of that space.
- Completing Quests: If a player has collected the required resources for a quest they have, they may complete it, returning the required resources to the supply and scoring the rewards indicated on the Quest card.

2. End of the Round

Reset Phase: After all players have played all of their agents, the round ends and the reset phase begins. The actions during this phase are:
- Returning Agents: All agents are returned to the players’ pools.
- Removing Buildings: All buildings in the Builder’s Hall are discarded and replaced with new ones from the stack.
- Resetting Quests: The quests on the Cliffwatch Inn are discarded and replaced with new ones.

3. End of the Game

Scoring Phase: At the end of the 8th round, the game ends and final scoring takes place. The actions during this phase are:
- Scoring Uncompleted Quests: Players score points for any uncompleted quests they have.
- Scoring Secret Lords: Each player reveals their assigned Lord of Waterdeep card and scores bonus points based on the Lord’s preferences.

The player with the highest score after the Scoring Phase is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most leftover resources (gold and adventurers) wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the strategic board game ‘Lords of Waterdeep’, players take on the role of secret rulers of the city. Each turn is structured and involves a series of actions which can significantly affect the gameplay. During each turn, a player can perform the following actions:

1. Assign an Agent

Each player starts the game with a certain number of Agents, or workers. On your turn, you can assign one of your unassigned Agents to an unoccupied Building on the board. The Building you choose determines the reward you receive, such as collecting resources (like Clerics, Fighters, Rogues, and Wizards), drawing Intrigue cards, constructing new Buildings, or completing Quests.

2. Play an Intrigue Card

If you have an Intrigue card in your hand and you place your Agent in Waterdeep Harbor, you may play one of your Intrigue cards. These cards allow you to manipulate the game in various ways, such as taking additional resources, forcing other players to give up resources, or giving yourself an advantage in future rounds.

3. Complete a Quest

Completing Quests is the primary way to earn Victory Points. If you have collected the necessary resources for one of your Quest cards (shown in the top left corner of the card), you can turn in those resources at the end of your turn to complete the Quest. This often provides a substantial number of Victory Points and sometimes other benefits as well.

4. Buy a Building

If you place your Agent on the Builder’s Hall, you can buy one of the available Buildings. Each Building provides a new space where Agents can be placed in future rounds, and the owner of the Building will receive a benefit whenever another player uses that Building.

Each of these actions involves strategic choices. For example:

Choosing where to place your Agents can block other players from taking those actions, and certain Buildings are more useful at different stages of the game.
Deciding when to play Intrigue cards can disrupt other players’ plans or give you a crucial advantage.
Selecting which Quests to complete and in what order can affect your resource management and your scoring opportunities.
Investing in Buildings can provide ongoing benefits, but also costs valuable resources and takes up an Agent’s action for the turn.

In conclusion, each turn in ‘Lords of Waterdeep’ involves careful decision-making and strategic planning, as each action can significantly affect the gameplay and the final outcome.

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

Lords of Waterdeep is a strategic board game where players aim to gain the most points by completing quests, constructing buildings, and playing Intrigue cards. The game ends after the completion of the 8th round. The final scoring then takes place, which includes the following steps:

Players reveal the identity of their Lord of Waterdeep cards. Each Lord has a special scoring condition that provides bonus points for specific types of quests that a player has completed during the game.
Players count the amount of points they earn from the quests they have completed. Different quests provide different amounts of points.
Players calculate the points they receive from their constructed buildings. Some buildings provide bonus points.
Each player adds up the total number of points from their completed quests, constructed buildings, and their Lord’s bonus.
The player with the most coins also earns bonus points. For every 2 coins a player owns, they receive 1 point. These points are added to the player’s total score.

After all these scores have been calculated and added together, the player with the highest total is declared the winner of the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most remaining coins wins. If there is still a tie, then the player who played later in the turn order is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game Lords of Waterdeep, players score points by completing quests and building structures, as well as through certain lord bonuses and other means. The scoring system is an integral part of the game’s strategy and is outlined in detail below.

Scoring During the Game:

Completing Quests: Each quest has a specific point value attached to it. When a player completes a quest, they are awarded the depicted number of points immediately.
Building Structures: Some structures, once built, provide a one-time instant reward of victory points.

Scoring at the End of the Game:

Completed Quests: Players add up the point values of all their completed quests.
Structures: Each player scores the points depicted on any buildings they have built.
Money: For every 2 gold a player has at the end of the game, they receive 1 victory point. Gold is rounded down when calculating points.
Lord Bonuses: Each player reveals their lord card and scores bonus points according to its conditions. This typically involves gaining extra points for certain types of completed quests.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If two or more players have the same number of points at the end of the game, the tie is broken in the following order:

The player with the most remaining money wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most total completed quests wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most buildings wins.
If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Lords of Waterdeep is a strategic board game that takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, where players take on the roles of hidden rulers of the city. The game involves intricate rules and mechanics, including a few rare or special rules and exceptions. Here are some of the most notable ones:

Building Ownership: In Lords of Waterdeep, players can purchase buildings to gain benefits. However, it is important to note that once a building is purchased, the ownership does not change throughout the game. Even if another player uses the building, the owner still receives the benefits.

Assigning Agents: According to the standard rules, players can only assign their agents to unoccupied buildings or action spaces. However, the exception to this rule is the use of certain plot quests or buildings that explicitly allow multiple agents.

Quest Limit: There is no limit to the number of quests a player can complete in one round. Provided they have the necessary resources, a player can complete multiple quests in a single go. The only exception to this is during the final round of play, where players may only complete one mandatory quest.

Mandatory Quests: These are special quests that other players can assign to you. They must be completed before any other quest and only provide minimal rewards. However, there is a limit of one mandatory quest per player, per round.

Agent Return: At the end of each round, all agents return to their respective players. However, in the case of the Lieutenant (an agent obtained from a quest), this agent returns to the player’s pool only if it was used in that round. Otherwise, it stays on the board.

Scoring: In the event of a tie score at the end of the game, the player with the most remaining resources (gold and adventurers) is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who played later in the turn order wins.
Intrigue Cards: These cards provide players with special actions that can disrupt the plans of others. Some intrigue cards require the player to choose an opponent – this opponent must be different for each intrigue card played in the same round.
Quest Types: There are four types of quests – Arcana, Warfare, Piety, and Skullduggery. Each type corresponds to a specific strategy, and some lords get bonus points for completing certain types of quests. However, remember that these bonus points are added only at the end of the game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Focus on completing quests that complement your lord’s abilities. This not only helps you score more points but also ensures that you are not wasting resources on quests that are not as valuable to your overall strategy.
Keep an eye on your opponents’ strategies. If you notice that they are heavily investing in a specific type of quest, consider trying to monopolize the buildings that produce the needed resources.
Plan your moves in advance. The game is played over eight rounds, which means you have a limited number of actions. Make sure every action counts and is working towards your overall strategy.

Beginner Tips:

Try to complete as many quests as possible. Each completed quest not only earns you victory points but also provides other bonuses that can help you in future rounds.
Don’t forget about intrigue cards. These can provide a big boost to your strategy or disrupt your opponents’ plans.
Make use of your agents wisely. They are your most valuable resource and should be used to maximum effect.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Don’t ignore your lord’s abilities. Each lord has unique abilities that can greatly impact your strategy. Ignoring these abilities can put you at a significant disadvantage.
Avoid focusing too much on one type of quest. A balanced strategy is often more effective, as it allows you to adapt to changing circumstances.
Don’t forget about the importance of buildings. Owning a building not only provides you with resources but also gives you victory points at the end of the game.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Try to anticipate your opponents’ moves. This can allow you to block them from getting resources they need or to take advantage of openings they leave.
Keep track of the quests that have been completed. This can give you an idea of what resources your opponents may be going after in the future.
Use your intrigue cards strategically. They can be a game changer if used at the right time.