Welcome to the 7 Wonders Leaders Game Rules!

With this expansion for 7 Wonders, you’ll have the chance to lead your civilization by adding influential leaders to your city. These 36 new cards will shape the growth of your civilization in unique ways.

While the game play has been slightly altered, the ultimate goal of achieving victory remains the same as in the original 7 Wonders game.

Components

• 1 Wonder board
• 1 Wonder card
• 36 Leader cards
• 4 Guild cards
• 17 value 6 coins
• 1 Courtesan token
• 1 rulebook
• 1 score booklet
• 1 blank Leader card

Game Elements

Wonder Board

Hey there! So, we got this brand new board called Rome and its Colosseum. Sounds exciting, right? Well, the awesome thing is that it comes with some cool effects. You can find out more about them on the last page of this rulebook. Oh, and just a heads up, this board can only be used if you have the Leaders expansion.

Leader Cards

Have you heard of the Leaders? They’re these shiny white cards that make up a whole new card category. They’re not like the Age cards, and you can easily spot them because they have a different back. Now, the cost of these cards is shown in coins, right at the top left corner of each one. Cool, huh?

Blank Leader Card (Semiramis)

In your box, you’ll find a blank Leader card. This card is special because it allows you to create your own unique character and add them to your games.

Guild Cards

We’re adding 4 brand new Guilds (purple cards) to the ones already available in the basic game.

Now, keep in mind, some of these Guilds can only be used if you have the Leaders expansion.

Coins

Don’t forget to include the 17 coins with a value of 6. They should be added to the coins from the base game.

Courtesan Token

Here’s something special for you: a unique token that’s used with one of the new Guilds, the Courtesan’s Guild.

Score Booklet

You’ll find a fresh new score booklet in this box. It’s there to help you keep track of victory points earned by some of the Leaders.

Welcome to the Setup

Alright folks, let’s get this show on the road! We’ve got some exciting new stuff to add to our game. First up, we’re bringing in the new Guilds, which are these cool purple cards. Don’t worry, the basic rules for the Age III deck stay the same, so there won’t be any major changes there. We’re just mixing things up a bit to keep things interesting.

Now, when it comes to starting coins, we’re doubling down. Instead of the usual 3 coins, each player will begin the game with a hefty 6 coins. That’ll give you a nice boost to kickstart your empire!

Time to Play

Alright, let’s dive into the action! We’ve added a brand-new phase to the game called the Leader Phase. This phase will happen right at the start, so get ready!

And that’s not all, folks. We’ve also got a new phase called the Recruitment Phase. This one happens at the beginning of each Age, so don’t forget!

Leader Phase: Unleash Your Power

Here’s where things get really interesting. Each player will be dealt a hand of 4 Leader cards, totally random. Keep those cards hidden and let’s get ready to unleash some serious power.

1. Now, it’s time to make some tough choices. Pick one of those 4 cards and place it face down in front of you. This will be your secret weapon, so choose wisely. Then, pass the remaining 3 cards to the player on your right. Let’s keep the suspense going!

During the Recruitment Phase, each player gets three cards from the player on their left. In secret, I choose one card to keep, then pass the remaining two to the player on my right. This continues until everyone has chosen three cards.

Next, each player takes two cards from the player on their left. Again, secretly, I keep one card and pass the other to the player on my right. We repeat this process until all players have two cards.

Now, I add the card I kept from the player on my left to the three cards I previously chose. This means I have created a hand of four leaders for myself. And with that, Age I can begin!

Now, let me give you an overview of an Age:

1. Recruitment Phase: This is where we get our cards from the players on our left and right.

2. Play the Age: This is the main part of the game where we use our leaders and make strategic decisions.

3. Conflict Resolution: At the end of each Age, conflicts are resolved based on the cards played.

So, as you can see, the game involves careful selection of cards and strategic playing. It’s an exciting adventure that will test our skills and decision-making abilities. Are you ready to begin?

When it’s time, each of us will choose a Leader card to play. We secretly select our cards and then reveal them at the same time.

There are three ways to play the Leader cards:

1. Recruit the Leader.
2. Build a stage of a Wonder.
3. Discard the card to gain 3 coins.

A. Recruit The Leader

If I want to recruit a Leader, I pay the cost in coins (which go back to the bank) and place the Leader card face up next to my Wonder board.

For easier viewing, I recommend placing Hannibal and Caesar next to my red cards, so that all the Shield symbols are displayed together.

In the same way, I’ll put Euclid, Ptolemy, and Pythagoras with my green cards, based on their corresponding symbols.

B. Build A Stage Of A Wonder

To create a stage of Wonder, I use a Leader card as a construction marker, which I place face down. It’s important to note that I need to pay the cost indicated on the Wonder board, not the one on the Leader card.

Remember: This action is rarely possible during the first Recruitment Phase because most cities won’t have the required resources to build the first stage of their Wonder.

C. Gain 3 Coins by Discarding the Card

If I choose to discard the card, I can take 3 coins from the bank and add them to my city’s treasury. The discarded Leader cards are put back in the box face down.

When we reach this point, we have a few Leader cards left in our hands. We don’t need to worry about them just yet because we’ll be using them later in the game. For now, we place them face down under the Leader we’ve already recruited. With that out of the way, we can continue playing the Age according to the regular rules of 7 Wonders.

There’s one special scenario: Before we enter the third and final Age, each player has 2 Leader cards in their possession. Here’s what happens: the first card is played using one of the 3 methods mentioned earlier (a, b, or c). As for the second card, we simply return it to the box face-down. We won’t be needing it anymore.

The End of the Game:

Hey, guess what? The game is over when Age III is finished and we’re done handing out Conflict Tokens. Now comes the fun part – we add up the points for each player’s civilization, and the player with the most points wins! Pretty exciting, right?

The Expert Variant for 2 Players:

If you want to play with just two players, we’ve got a special twist on the rules for you. It’s called the Expert Variant. Here’s how it works:

First, we follow the regular rules for the Recruitment phases. The only change is for the Leaders phase:

Each player gets 4 Leader cards. Keep them face down, though. The Free City doesn’t get a leader card.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Each player looks at their hand of 4 cards and picks one to keep. They hand the remaining 3 cards to their opponent. Then, they pick one card from their opponent’s hand of 3 cards and give it back. They keep going, switching hands and picking cards, until they each end up with 4 Leaders to use in the game.

And that’s it! Once this phase is done, both players will have their 4 Leaders and can start playing the game. Have fun!

When you play the game, it follows certain rules that are designed for two players. These rules also include the Recruitment phases, which are explained in detail.

Leaders and Their Description

Amytis

When the game comes to a close, you can count on Amytis to bring in some serious victory points (VP) for every Wonder stage you’ve constructed. It’s like getting a bonus for all your hard work!

I find it fascinating that Amytis was the spouse of Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient ruler attributed to the creation of the magnificent Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The legend says that he had them built just for her!

Alexander the Great: The Conqueror, the Visionary

When the game comes to a close, I, Alexander, have a special ability that allows me to add 1 Victory Point (VP) to each victory token. This means that the value of the victory tokens increases from 1, 3, and 5 VPs to 2, 4, and 6 VPs. How about that!

Let’s talk about me—Alexander! I am the king of Macedonia and the founder of the ancient Greek empire. In history, I stand alone as the only monarch to have ever built an empire that unites both the Orient and the Occident. Pretty impressive, huh?

Introducing Aristotle

Hey there! Let’s talk about Aristotle, a Greek philosopher who left a remarkable legacy. At the end of the game, he brings a bonus of 3 VP to every set of unique scientific symbols. So instead of just 7 VP, you’ll be getting a sweet 10 VP per set. Nice!

Aristotle was a brilliant mind, known for his vast understanding of arts and sciences. He was like an encyclopedia of wisdom in the ancient Western world. People always looked up to him for guidance and knowledge.

What You Need to Know About Justinian

Let’s talk about Justinian. He’s one of the characters you’ll encounter in the game. When the game is over, Justinian could be worth a lot to you.

Now, let’s understand who Justinian really was. He was an emperor, but not just any emperor – a Byzantine emperor. He’s actually one of the most famous figures from a long time ago, called late Antiquity. Why is he so famous? Well, one of the big reasons is because he tried to bring back the Roman Empire. That’s a big deal!

So, how does Justinian help you in the game? Well, if you have a set of three Age cards – one red, one blue, and one green – in your city, Justinian is going to be very valuable to you. For each of those sets of three cards, he’s worth 3 victory points. That’s pretty good!

Plato

So, at the end of the game, Plato, you know, brings in the big points. Like, seriously big points. We’re talking 7 victory points for each set of 7 Age cards in your city. Brown, gray, blue, yellow, green, red, purple – you name it, and Plato’s got you covered.

Now, let me tell you a little something about this guy. Plato was a Greek philosopher, and oh boy, was he important. Like, seriously important. People still talk about him today. He was just so knowledgeable about everything – politics, justice, science, culture, arts – you name it, and he did it. The guy was a total genius.

The Midas Touch

Hey there! Let’s talk about Midas, the famous King of Phrygia. He’s quite a remarkable character because of the special ability he possesses. When the game ends, Midas is worth one victory point for every three coins in your treasury. Pretty cool, right? But hold on, let me explain it further. These points are added to the points you normally get for your coins. So, for every set of three coins you have, you’ll score a total of two victory points. It’s like having a magical touch!

Midas is well-known for his incredible wealth. There’s a famous myth about him that goes like this: everything he touched turned to gold. Can you imagine that? Talk about an extraordinary power! It’s fascinating to think about what life would be like if everything I touched turned into gold. But hey, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility.

Bilkis

When I step onto the scene, I give you the power to buy any resource with just 1 coin per turn. It’s a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me.

I’m the ruler of the Kingdom of Saba, known far and wide for my wisdom and intelligence. You might have heard stories about my incredible wealth, courtesy of King Solomon.

Meet Maecenas, Your Roman Recruitment Expert

Hey there! Let me introduce you to Maecenas, a remarkable character in the world of politics and culture. When Maecenas takes the stage, he grants his fortunate player the power to recruit Leaders without spending a single coin! That means during the Recruitment Phase, you’ll have the advantage of adding valuable Leaders to your team, completely free of charge.

Maecenas himself is a Roman politician who understood the importance of the arts and literature. Utilizing his wealth and influence, he became a fervent supporter and promoter of creativity. Thanks to his generosity, countless artists, poets, and writers were given the opportunity to pursue their dreams and share their talents with the world.

Ramses: The Powerful Pharaoh

When Ramses steps into the game, you’re in for a treat. Building your Guilds becomes a breeze because you won’t have to spend any resources!

Let me tell you a bit about Ramses. He’s the third Pharaoh of the Twenty-Ninth Dynasty and boy, did he leave his mark. He reigned over Egypt for a long time, leaving behind a wealth of cultural artifacts and remnants.

Tomyris

When I bring Tomyris into the game, something interesting happens during conflict resolution. You see, instead of keeping my Defeat tokens, they go to the victorious city next to me.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Tomyris doesn’t have any effect if my city wins a conflict or if the conflicts happened before she joined the game. She only comes into play during resolutions.

Let me tell you about Tomyris. She’s a legendary queen, the leader of the Massagetae. In ancient myths, she was known for cutting off the head of Cyrus the Great, the King of Persia. She did this to avenge her son, a truly powerful and fearsome act.

Hatshepsut, the Pharaoh-Queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty

When I step into the game, you’ll get a special bonus. If you buy resources from your neighboring players, you’ll receive 1 extra coin from the bank. Pretty cool, huh? Just remember, you can only get 1 coin per neighbor per turn.

Oh, and just to be clear: right after you pay for your purchase, you’ll get that extra coin from the bank. It’s like a little bonus reward!

Now, let me tell you a bit about myself. In ancient Egypt, I ruled as both a pharaoh and a queen. My reign was during the Eighteenth Dynasty, and it’s said that I played a big role in boosting Egypt’s trade networks. Thanks to me, there was a lot of economic prosperity going on.

Xenophon

Hey there! I’m Xenophon, and I’ve got a sweet deal for you. See, here’s the thing – for every cool yellow commercial structure you build from now on, I’ll toss you 2 shiny coins straight from the bank. It’s like a little thank you gift from me to you!

Now, just a quick heads up – this offer only applies to the buildings you construct after I join the game. So, anything you’ve already put together won’t count, unfortunately. But hey, don’t worry, because we’ve still got plenty of opportunities to rack up those coins!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I’m not just some regular dude. I’m a Greek philosopher, historian, and soldier. Pretty fancy, right? In fact, I even wrote this super cool book called the Oeconomicus – the first-ever work on farming and stuff. So, you know you can count on me when it comes to all things smart and strategic!

Solomon

When I come into play, you can choose an Age card from the discard pile and play it without any cost.

I am the King of Israel known for my great wisdom and unwavering commitment to justice. I commanded the construction of Jerusalem’s inaugural temple and established a well-organized governing system for my kingdom.

Hannibal

When Hannibal appears in the game, they bring with them a specific number of protective shields mentioned on their cards.

Hannibal is an extraordinary Carthaginian leader who is widely renowned for being one of the most brilliant military strategists in history. His name evokes Rome’s fears as he famously crossed the Pyrenees mountain range with his impressive army, including a squadron of mighty elephants.

Caesar

When Caesar steps onto the battlefield, he provides shields to his comrades equal to the number shown on his cards.

I’m Caesar, a Roman general, politician, and writer. Rome’s early days wouldn’t have been the same without my tactical genius.

Nero

Hey there! I’m Nero, and I’ve got something special for you. From now on, whenever you earn victory tokens, I’ll give you 2 coins. Pretty cool, right? But wait, there’s a catch – these coins come straight from the bank, so they’re not just freebies.

Just so we’re clear, my powers only apply to victory tokens you earn after I join the game. Anything you earned before I showed up is off-limits, sorry.

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I’m a Roman emperor, known for my quick temper and love of war. I brought a lot of military success to the Empire, and I also did a little something called monetary reform. Basically, I switched up the value of the denarius, our fancy Roman coin.

Vitruvius

Hey there, let me tell you about Vitruvius! When I show up, you get 2 coins every time you build a structure for free by connecting other buildings. These coins come from the bank as soon as the structures are built.

Just so you know: Anything constructed before I join the game won’t be affected by my abilities.

I’m actually an ancient Roman architect. My writings had a huge impact on the arts during the Renaissance, and my book called “De Architectura” is considered a really big deal from back in the day.

Croesus: The Wealthy King

Hey there, when I come into play, I’ll give you 6 coins straight from the bank. Pretty cool, huh?

So, I’m the last king of Lydia. You might have heard of me because I was super rich. I used my crazy fortune to build one of the ancient world’s wonders – the Temple of Artemis. Impressive, right?

Meet Hypatia, Nebuchadnezzar, Phidias, and Varro

When the game ends, these Leaders will award you 1 victory point (VP) for each card of the same color in your city.

• Hypatia is an incredible philosopher and mathematician. She was the daughter of the last director of the Museum of Alexandria. Hypatia is known not only for her intelligence and eloquence, but also for her unparalleled grace and beauty.
• Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful and influential king of Babylon. His kingdom was adorned with numerous magnificent works and monuments, which earned him a reputation for his cultural contributions.
• Phidias, a renowned sculptor, played a key role in shaping the first Greek classic style. Among his notable achievements is being the main architect of the magnificent Athenian Parthenon.
• Varro, a remarkable Roman soldier, scientist, and writer, left a lasting impact. His remarkable work, Rerum Rusticarum, provides one of the most comprehensive insights into agricultural management during the ancient times.

Pericles, Praxiteles, Hiram

When the game comes to an end, I found that these Leaders bring in 2 victory points for every card of the corresponding color in my city.

• Pericles, oh boy! He’s a real powerhouse. Not only is he a brilliant strategist, but he’s also an exceptional Athenian orator and politician. His influence over his troops and his ability to strike fear into his foes during the Peloponnesian war is something to behold.
• Ah, Praxiteles, what an artist! He’s sculptor who belongs to the second Greek classic style. He was the very first artist to represent female nudity in Greek sculpture. Talk about breaking the mold!
• Hiram is quite the handyman. He’s an expert smelter and blacksmith artisan. Back in the day, he played a big role in helping King Solomon build his majestic temple. Quite a talented fellow, if you ask me.

Sappho, Zenobia, Nefertiti, Cleopatra

At the end of the game, these Leaders have a certain number of victory points on their cards. They are important characters from different times in history. Let me tell you about them:

Sappho was a Greek poet who lived in Lesbos. She was a fierce feminist at a time when most people didn’t appreciate women’s rights.

Zenobia was a Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in the third century. She turned her city into a thriving cultural hub and attracted many famous people of that time.

Nefertiti was the royal wife of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. She was beloved by her people, and there were more artistic representations of her than her husband.

Cleopatra is probably the most famous Egyptian ruler. She used her charm and cleverness to keep her country strong despite being conquered by the Romans.

And there are more leaders to discover, like Archimedes, Leonidas, Hammurabi, and Imhotep. They all played important roles in history. So, who will you choose to lead you to victory?

When I step onto the stage, I have the power to construct beautiful Structures in the color that matches my persona (Imhotep’s Wonder stages, to be specific) for a bargain. I get to choose which resource I want to save – it could be a raw material like wood or clay, or a finished product like a tool or weapon.

• Archimedes is like a math genius from ancient Greece. He knows all about the number Pi and how to figure out the mass of an object by putting it in water.
• Leonidas is the brave king of Sparta who fought alongside his 300 soldiers until the very end in the legendary battle of Thermopylae, fighting back the mighty Persian army.
• Hammurabi is an ancient Babylonian king who made history by creating the first written code of laws.

Ancient Masters: Imhotep, Euclid, Ptolemy, and Pythagoras

• Did you know that Imhotep was not just an ancient Egyptian builder? He was also a pioneer in medicine and a religious reformer, making him a true polymath.

Let’s explore the incredible contributions of Euclid, Ptolemy, Pythagoras!

When you become a leader in this game, you are granted a special symbol that represents your scientific prowess. This symbol is added to any scientific structures you have in your city, which are shown as green cards.

Let me tell you about three influential leaders and their unique contributions:

• Euclid was an incredible mathematician from ancient Greece. He focused on geometry and wrote a groundbreaking book called “The Elements.” His work laid the foundation for modern mathematics.
• Ptolemy, also from Greece, was an astronomer and astrologer. His book, the “Amalgest,” had a profound impact on Western thought and greatly influenced the field of astronomy.
• Pythagoras, the first self-proclaimed philosopher, was a remarkable Greek mathematician. He delved into the mysteries of numbers and made significant contributions to the fields of arithmetic, music, and geometry.

Exploring the Guilds

The Gamer’s Guild

When you have a full set of 3 coins in your treasury, you earn 1 victory point. Keep in mind that this gain is in addition to the victory points already granted by the coins. It’s like getting an extra bonus!

Let’s take a closer look at the Courtesan’s Guild:

Hey there! So, when you build the Courtesan’s Guild, you gotta do something super important right away. You take this cool thing called the “Courtesan” Token and put it on one of the Leaders in a nearby city. And guess what? You get all the awesome benefits that come with that Leader and their special powers. How cool is that?

Oh, and just a little side note: if it’s your Leader that gets the “Courtesan” Token, it doesn’t really do anything for you. But hey, no worries!

Now, onto the Diplomat’s Guild…

In the game, you earn one victory point for each Leader card that is present in the cities around you. It’s important to note that only the Leaders you recruit count towards this, not the ones used to build stages of a Wonder.

Now, let’s take a look at the Architect’s Guild.

If you have purple cards in the cities nearby, you can earn 3 victory points for each one. This is a great way to boost your score!