Let’s start the game by placing one of our scoring markers on the “20” space of the gold track at the bottom of the board. The player to my right, going clockwise, will receive 21 gold. As we continue clockwise, each player will receive one more gold than the player to their right.

Look at the red ribbons next to the track numbers.

Okay, here’s what you need to do. Take the 14 remaining privilege cards and give them a good shuffle. But hold on! Before you continue, set aside 4 of those cards. Don’t peek at them – we won’t be using them in this game.

Now, take the 10 remaining privilege cards and shuffle them up. Next, place those cards on top of the 2 special “Last Round” privilege cards. And now, onto the event cards!

You’ve got 10 of those as well. Shuffle ’em up, but remember to remove 4 of them from the game – keep them out of sight. The remaining 6 event cards go face-down on the event card field in the upper corner of the game board.

Okay, so let’s talk about how to set up the resource cubes on the game board. This part is important because it determines where we’ll find different types of resources later on.

First, we need to place the cubes on the resource fields. We’ve got three types of resources: stone, wood, and sand. Stone cubes are gray, wood cubes are brown, and sand cubes are white.

To keep things organized, let’s put the stone cubes in the quarry. And the wood cubes? Yep, you guessed it – they go in the forest. Finally, the sand cubes should be placed in the gravel pit.

By doing this, we’re making sure that when we need a specific resource, we know exactly where to find it. It’s like creating a map of the game board that’ll help us later on. Makes sense, right?

Okay, let’s do this. Grab four stone cubes, four wood cubes, and four sand cubes. Now, find the spots on the resource market that have specific numbers next to them: “2,” “3,” and “4.” On the spaces with a “2,” put the sand cubes. On the spaces with a “3,” place the wood cubes. And finally, on the spaces with a “4,” place the stone cubes.

Hey there! Let me show you how to set up a fun game called King’s Court. It’s really simple, so don’t worry if you’ve never played before.

First, grab one of those metal cubes, the blue one specifically. Place it on the King’s Court, which is the big tent right between those smaller blue tents. Easy enough, right?

Now, take the rest of the metal cubes and set them beside the game board. We’ll need those cubes later on.

That’s it! You’re all set up and ready to start playing King’s Court. Have fun!

Hey there! Let me show you how to play the game. First things first, you need to place the 4 gray workers over at the Shiring Castle area.

Let’s talk about the black worker piece in the game. For now, just put it beside the game board. It only comes into play when you use a privilege card.

When it comes to setting up the cost track, you want to start by placing the black cost marker on the “7” field. This step is important because it helps us keep track of costs throughout the game.

Here’s what you need to do: Take the 5 remaining pieces of the cathedral and put them next to the board. Make sure to keep the die nearby too.

Now we’re ready to continue.

Objective of the Game

The goal is simple: score victory points. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins. These points are earned by contributing materials and labor to the construction of the cathedral.

How to Play

The game spans 6 rounds, each representing about ten years. By the end of the game, the cathedral will be complete.

Each round follows the same structure, consisting of three game phases:

1. Choosing resource cards and craftsman cards
2. Assigning a master builder
3. Taking actions on the game board (clockwise)

When I play the game, the decision-making part happens in phases I and II. Phase III is quick and easy. At first, it looks like Phase III has a lot of steps. But if you stick to the outline, things will go smoothly and you’ll avoid most problems.

Starting a New Round

When we start the game, I reveal the top 2 cards from the stack of privilege cards and put them face up on the Kingsbridge fields on the game board.

Next, I take the first-round stack from the craftsman cards and reveal the top 2 cards from it. I place these 2 craftsmen face up on the game board in Shiring.

Now, I put the 2 remaining craftsmen face up near the bottom edge of the game board, following the suggested spots for the cards along that edge.

Alright, here’s what you need to do: draw the top 7 resource cards and sort them by type. Place them face up next to the 2 craftsman cards. Take the 2 remaining resource cards and set them aside – you won’t be able to use them in this round. The 2 craftsman and 7 resource cards make up the 9-card pool for the first round of the game.

When we begin playing, I get to pick a card from the card pool first. Then, everyone else takes turns picking cards in a clockwise direction. This continues until all the cards have been taken or until everyone has decided to pass.

If I choose to pass and not take a card, the player next to me can then take one. But, if I pass, I can’t take any more cards for the rest of this phase.

Once all nine cards are taken or if all players have passed, Phase I is over. Any cards that haven’t been taken are set aside.

Now, let’s talk about taking a card. There are different types of cards that we can choose from. Quarries give us stone, forests give us wood, and gravel pits provide us with sand. Each resource has three cards associated with it, and each card shows either 2, 3, or 4 units of that resource. In each round, seven of these nine resource cards are available in the card pool, along with two craftsman cards.

When you want to take a resource card, just put it in front of you with its face up (right below your craftsman card row). And don’t forget to assign the necessary number of workers to the corresponding work area on the board, whether it’s the quarry, the forest, or the gravel pit.

The amount of workers required is indicated by the small white number in the top left corner of the resource card. It can range from 2 (for a small gravel pit) to 10 (for a large quarry). You won’t be able to take a card if you don’t have enough workers available to meet the worker requirement specified on the card.

When you decide to choose a craftsman card, you need to take it from the available options and put it in front of you with your other craftsmen. But keep in mind that taking a craftsman requires you to spend some gold. The cost of the card is indicated by the number inside the gold coin in the upper left corner of the card.

Make sure to decrease your gold scoring marker by the exact amount mentioned on the card. Remember, if you don’t have enough gold to pay for a craftsman card, you won’t be able to take it.

Note: As the game progresses, the cost of craftsman cards increases. However, their skills and ability to earn victory points also improve.

Hey there! Did you know that you only have 5 “cottages” for your craftsmen? That means you can only have a maximum of 5 craftsmen in play at any given time. At the start of the game, three of these cottages are already occupied.

If you want to add a new craftsman to your team but you already have 5 craftsmen, you’ll have to make some space. One option is to discard one of your current craftsmen. Alternatively, you can pay for and discard a craftsman card to prevent another player from getting their hands on them. Remember, any discarded craftsmen are taken out of the game.

By the way: Some starting craftsmen give you special access to market resources and ways to earn victory points. Keep an eye out for them!

If you have any workers left over after completing Phase I, make sure to assign them to the wool mill. This will result in getting gold later on.

Note: If you decide not to collect many or any resource cards during a round, you will have more workers available for the wool mill. This balancing aspect allows you to earn extra gold, which is crucial since gold is limited in the game. This strategy can be useful at certain times.

Phase II: Assigning Tasks as the Master Builder

Once you’ve handed out the resource cards and craftsmen, it’s time to get started. I’ll grab the storage bag, which has 3 master builders for each player.

Now, I’ll randomly pick the first master builder from the bag and place it next to the black cost marker. The player who owns this master builder can choose to use it or pass.

But here’s a twist: once every round, I can choose to put the drawn master builder back in the bag and pick another one (even if it ends up being the same color/piece).

There are different spots where a master builder can be placed:

In the game, there are several important locations that you should know about. These locations provide various benefits and opportunities to help you succeed. Here are some of them:

• The Archbishop’s Office offers protection from events.
• Kingsbridge allows you to take a privilege card.
• Kingsbridge Priory provides victory points.
• King’s Court grants tax exemption or metal.
• Shiring enables you to take a craftsman.
• Shiring Castle allows you to take 2 workers for the next round.
• Kingsbridge Resource Market allows you to buy and sell resources.
• The Cathedral determines the next starting player.

To begin the game, place your master builders on the round, silver master builder fields on the game board in each respective area. Each space on the board can only be occupied by one master builder, so make sure you choose wisely.

Keep in mind that some areas, like Shiring Castle, can only be occupied by one master builder at a time, while other areas, like the priory, can accommodate multiple builders simultaneously.

When it’s my turn to be the first drawn master builder, I have an important decision to make. Placing my master builder on the game board will cost me 7 gold, which is shown by the position of the cost marker on the cost track.

If I decide to place my master builder, I have to pay the 7 gold. However, if I don’t want to or can’t pay the gold, I have another option. I can choose to temporarily pass on my placement. If I do this, I’ll place my master builder on the spot determined by the current cost on the cost track.

Every time you put down a master builder or skip a turn, the cost to place a builder decreases by 1. This means that the first builder you place will cost 7 gold, the second will cost 6 gold, the third will cost 5 gold, and so on. Once you reach the seventh placement, it will only cost 1 gold.

Don’t forget: You only pay the cost when you actually place a master builder!

Once the current player has drawn the seventh master builder, all subsequent placements are free!

Pay attention: In a game with only 2 players, set the cost marker to “0” after you draw all 6 master builders.

If you want to put one of your master builders in a location, you have to pay the displayed cost on the cost track. The cost is 7 gold for the first placement in a round. After you place the master builder or decide to pass, the cost marker on the track goes down by 1. This means the next placement will be cheaper. Then, take the next master builder out of the storage bag. If your master builder is drawn from the bag, you can choose to place it on the board for the current cost, or you can pass.

If you decide to pass on the placement of your drawn master builder, you have to place it on the cost track above the current value.

Example: Let’s say the Red player decides to pass when the cost is 7 gold. The cost marker gets moved down to “6” and the red master builder is placed on the “7” field on the cost track.

When I’m playing this game, I always make sure to do one important thing before I start: drawing all the master builders from the bag. It’s a crucial step because it sets the foundation for my strategy.

Now, here’s what I do next: I take those master builders that were “passed” and place them on specific board locations. And guess what? I don’t have to pay anything for it! It’s like getting a free bonus that helps me in the game.

But there’s a trick to it. I don’t just randomly place the master builders anywhere. I have to be smart about it. I start by putting the master builder who was passed the most times on the far left of the cost track. This is because they are the most valuable and deserve that prime spot. Then, I move on to the next master builder who was passed, and so on. I want to make sure I’m using them in the most strategic way possible.

Example: I want to share a game with you. The game is called “Master Builders.” The Red player goes first, then the Blue player, and then the Red player again. After that, it’s Red’s turn to place his master builder without needing to pay anything. Then it’s Blue’s turn, and then Red goes again.

Listen up: Sometimes, there’s a special card that says we can only play two master builders of each color. If that happens, we put the extra master builder next to the game board and draw another one.

Step Three: Actions on the Game Board

Now, let’s talk about what we do on the game board. Each area on the board has a number. We do the actions in order, starting with number one and going around the board. Whenever we finish an action, we put the master builders back in the bag.

1. The First Action: Event Card Time

Greetings, my fellow master builders! Now that we’re in Phase II and all our magnificent creations have been placed, it’s time for a new twist in our game. I, as the starting player, will draw the top event card and share its contents with all of you. Prepare for a delightful surprise!

These event cards come in two varieties: positive events, marked with a special seal, and negative events, lacking said seal. They typically affect all players, so brace yourselves!

However, there is an exception. If you’ve had the foresight to place a master builder in the Archbishop’s Office this round, you may choose to be immune from the effects of a negative event. Smart move, my friend!

Oh, and do pay attention to this important note: one particular event card demands that each player pay 4 gold. In case you’re short on cash, fret not! Pay as much as you can. But keep in mind that for every 2 gold pieces you’re unable to pay, you’ll lose 1 victory point. If you find yourself short an odd amount of gold, don’t worry! We’ll round down the victory points lost in your favor.

2. Archbishop’s Office: Protection from events

If you had a skilled architect by your side, you could shield yourself from a bad event this turn or, no matter what event is drawn, take a resource from the resource market (not the resource fields on the game board!).

Keep in mind: If an event card causes you to lose a craftsman, that craftsman is gone for good.

Now, let’s move on to the third step: Collecting Income at the Wool Mill.

When the game reaches this phase, it’s time for each player to collect their wool mill earnings. But how much will you get? Well, for every worker you placed in the wool mill, you’ll receive 1 gold. It’s time to cash in! You can move your gold scoring marker accordingly, feeling the rush of victory as you watch it climb. And don’t forget to put those hard-working employees back into your reserve, ready for their next task.

Just a little heads up: there’s a limit to how much gold you can have. Unfortunately, you can’t have more than 30 gold. It’s a bit of a bummer, but rules are rules. So if you earn more than 30 gold, you’ll have to say goodbye to the extra. It’s like losing money in a magical game world, but hey, that’s life.

4. Kingsbridge: Take a Privilege Card

When I put my master builder in Kingsbridge, I get to take a privilege card. It’s like a special card that gives me an advantage in the game.

If there are two master builders in Kingsbridge, then both players get to take a privilege card. But if there are no master builders in Kingsbridge, then I have to get rid of my privilege card.

5. Kingsbridge Priory: Victory Points

When I place a master builder in the Priory, I get 2 Victory Points. If I place it on the second field, I get 1 Victory Point. I need to adjust the victory point track accordingly.

6-8. Getting Resources

The workers in the quarries, forests, and gravel pits are now producing resources. I receive 2-4 resources, as indicated on my resource cards.

I should take the resources from the appropriate resource fields on the board, not from the market, and add them to my own supply. I can discard the resource cards and add them to the leftover cards from Phase I.

These resources are ready to be used in the next round. I can put my workers back into my reserve for the next round.

Hey there! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up about some important details you should know. So, there are these special privilege cards – one for wood, one for stone, and one for sand. Each card allows you to get an extra 1 of that specific resource from the resource fields. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, here’s something really rare: sometimes you might produce resources, but there won’t be any available in the supply. Don’t worry! Just make a note of the resources you’re owed and use them when you need them. But remember, you shouldn’t take them from the market!

Alright, let’s talk about the King’s Court.

Have you heard about the King’s Court? It’s actually pretty awesome. This place gives you a nice perk – a tax exemption plus some extra metal. Metal is always handy, right?

Hey there! Did you know that the King loves taxes? Well, he does! And in this game, you’ll have to pay up!

So, here’s how it goes. At the start of each round, the first player rolls the die. Whatever number comes up on the die is the amount of tax you’ll have to pay that round. It could be anywhere from 2 to 5.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Taxes are no fun! But hey, it’s all part of the game, right? So get ready to fork over those coins and keep the King happy!

When it’s time to pay taxes in the game, you have to give up some of your gold. The amount you have to pay is determined by the current round and can be anywhere from 2 to 5 gold. This means that the more rounds have passed, the higher the taxes will be.

Now, there’s an interesting exception to the tax rule. If you were clever enough to place one of your master builders in the King’s Court, you don’t have to pay any taxes this round! That’s a pretty sweet deal, isn’t it? You get to keep all your gold, while everyone else has to give some away.

So, be mindful of the taxes when it’s your turn to pay. And remember, if you managed to secure a spot in the King’s Court, you’ll be exempt from paying taxes this time. Happy gaming!

When you, as a player, place a master builder in the King’s Court, which is the field beside the metal cube, you are rewarded! You receive a metal resource for free, and you don’t have to pay any taxes. It’s quite the benefit! Take the metal from the board and place it in front of you, where it will be waiting for you to use.

But there’s an important point to note: if you find yourself unable to pay your taxes, don’t worry! You can still cover the difference with your victory points. Here’s how it works: for every 2 gold you owe in unpaid taxes, you subtract 1 victory point. And don’t worry about uneven amounts of gold. In those cases, the calculation is in your favor. Round down to your advantage.

10. Shiring: Time to Hire a Craftsman

When I place a master builder on Shiring, I get to take the craftsman card that goes with it. I add the craftsman to my row where I keep all my other craftsmen. But here’s the cool part – I don’t have to pay for it! It’s like a freebie.

At the end of the round, any craftsmen that are still on Shiring get removed from the game. So I better make sure I use them while I can!

11. Shiring Castle: Get workers for the next round

When I’m at Shiring Castle, there’s this neat trick that gives me 2 gray workers. It’s like getting an extra hand to help me out.

The best part is, these extra workers stick around for the next round too. I can use them to fulfill resource card needs or help out at the wool mill. And don’t worry, I’ll return them to the supply at the end of the next round.

12. Kingsbridge Resource Market: Buying and selling resources

In the sequence (fields 1 to 4) where master builders were assigned to the resource market, we can take actions. We continue taking actions as long as we want or until everyone passes.

With a single master builder, we can take multiple actions at the resource market!

An action could be buying or selling a resource. When buying, we choose how much of a specific resource we want from the market and add it to our supply. Remember, we can only have a maximum of 4 cubes of each resource per round. We pay immediately by moving our gold marker down by the amount purchased. Stone costs 4 gold, wood costs 3 gold, and sand costs 2 gold.

Important: Metal cannot be purchased at the resource market!

When you have resources to sell, you can sell a bunch of the same type at once. Just take them from your stash and add them to the correct resource spot. But remember, don’t put them in the market! Each resource you sell earns you some gold. The amount depends on the type: metal gets you 5 gold, stone gets you 4, wood gets you 3, and sand is worth 2 gold. So, choose wisely to make the most money!

Now, if it’s your turn and you don’t feel like taking any action, that’s totally fine. Just put your master builder back in the bag for the next round. No pressure!

Imagine this: I’m the Green player and I really need some wood. But I only have 7 gold, so I can’t buy a lot. I decide to buy 2 wood, which costs me 6 gold, and that leaves me with only 1 gold. Now it’s Red’s turn, and she also needs some gold. She only has 2 gold, so she decides to sell 1 stone, which gives her 4 gold.

It’s back to me and I realize I need more gold, so I sell 1 metal for 5 gold. Now I have enough gold to buy more resources. Red decides to buy 2 wood for 6 gold, which means there’s no more wood left to buy.

Since there are no more wood, I decide to buy 3 sand for my remaining 6 gold. Red doesn’t need anything else, so she passes and removes her master builder from the market. I also decide to pass.

Remember: If no one puts their master builder at the resource market, you can’t buy or sell any resources.

Also: You can’t buy and sell the same type of resource in the same round so that other players can’t buy it before you.

13. Cathedral: The Points You Get from Craftsmen

When a round ends, we all have a chance to help in building the cathedral.

Here’s how it works: our craftsmen use resources to earn victory points. Starting with the first player, we each take turns doing the same in clockwise order.

The number and type of resources that can be converted into victory points depend on our craftsmen and their skills. You can find more information on the craftsmen in the right-hand column.

First, we need to decide which resources we want to use for the cathedral this round. Then, we score victory points by moving our marker on the victory point track based on how well our craftsmen perform. Finally, we return all the resources we used for the cathedral back to the resource fields.

If the victory track doesn’t reach the top at the end of the game, don’t worry! Just keep going around the corner and add 60 points to your final score.

Remember: You can’t carry over more than 5 resources to the next round. Any extra resources you have must be discarded without any effect.

To finish the round, the player who started puts a cathedral piece on the construction site.

Once all six pieces are placed, a beautiful cathedral will grace the game board!

14. Change Who Starts

If I place a master builder at the cathedral, I become the new starting player. If the master builder field is empty, the starting player rotates one seat clockwise. Then, I take the next cathedral building block.

Remember: Being the starting player has its perks. I have the advantage in choosing resource and craftsman cards. I can also put one drawn master builder back into the bag once per round, maybe delaying its appearance.

The Privilege Cards

There are three types of privilege cards that we can get in Kingsbridge. They’re usually easy to understand:

Let me tell you about the different types of cards in the game, “The Pillars of the Earth.” There are three categories of cards that you should know about.

First, we have the Patron Cards. These cards stay in effect throughout the entire game, and they represent the support you receive from various patrons. For example, one card might give you an extra wood production each round. You should place each of these cards in front of you and use them until the game ends.

Next, we have the Action Cards. These cards can only be used once during the game, and you get to decide when to use them. They have special effects that can be beneficial to you. For instance, one card might allow you to skip paying taxes for one round. These cards should stay in front of you until you use them, and then they are removed from the game.

Lastly, we have the Immediate Cards. These cards must be used right away and are then discarded. They usually give you an immediate reward. For example, one card might give you 8 gold right away.

So to summarize, in “The Pillars of the Earth” game, there are three types of cards: Patron Cards that stay in effect throughout the game, Action Cards that can be used once at your discretion, and Immediate Cards that are used immediately and then discarded.

Hey there!

I’ve got an important tip for you!

Before we get to the final round, there are a couple of privilege cards that you need to know about. They go in the Kingsbridge spot.

One privilege card gives you an instant boost of 1 metal. The other card is a real treat – you’ll get 1 stone and 1 wood right away!

Make sure you remember this golden nugget of information when you’re playing. It’s a game-changer!



Before we start the next round, let’s go over what needs to be done. Here are the tasks you need to complete:

1. Make sure to restock the resource market. It should have 4 stones, 4 wood, and 4 sand.

2. If there isn’t already one there, place a metal at the King’s Court.

3. Return any 2 gray workers that were purchased in the previous round to Shiring Castle.

4. Move the cost marker on the cost track back to the “7” space.

5. Place 2 new privilege cards face up on Kingsbridge.

6. For the next round, we need to have 4 craftsmen in place. Randomly choose and place 2 by the materials, and place the other 2 face up at Shiring.

7. Shuffle the 9 resource cards and combine them with the 2 craftsman cards. Then, place them at the bottom board edge.

Now that we’ve taken care of all these tasks, we can move on to the next round. Good luck!

When the game is over, you can consider these steps complete.



Hey there! So, let me explain how this game works. We play a total of six rounds, and after that, it’s all over. The player with the most victory points is the one who takes home the prize! But what happens if there’s a tie? Well, in that case, the player who has the most gold will be the ultimate winner. But if no one has more gold than the others, then it’s a tie game, my friend. Simple as that!