Welcome to Lords of Waterdeep

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a lord or lady, then Lords of Waterdeep is the game for you! It’s a strategy game that may seem deceiving at first, but it’s actually quite clever. In this game, you’ll have the chance to take control of the city of Waterdeep and shape its future. But beware, because there are other players vying for power too. It’s a game of politics, intrigue, and strategic maneuvering. Let the battle for control begin!

The First Steps

Let’s get started with the setup. First, you’ll need to choose a color that represents you. Once you’ve done that, you’ll receive a player mat and agents in your chosen color. These agents will be placed on your player mat. Now it’s time to place one of your agents on the fifth space of the rounds rack. This will determine the play order for the first round. Finally, place your score marker on the first place of the scoring track. You’re all set and ready to begin your quest for power!

When I play this game, I start by shuffling the building tiles. I draw three of them and place them in the spaces of the Builder’s Hall. The other tiles go in a pile next to the Hall. Then, I divide the adventurer cubes and put them within reach of all the players. But here’s the catch – we can only hire as many adventurers as there are in the piles.

Next, I shuffle the Lord cards and deal one to each player. It’s important to keep your card hidden from the other players so they don’t know what you have. Then, I shuffle the Quest cards and put one in each space of the Cliffwatch Inn. The rest of the cards go beside the Inn. Lastly, I deal two intrigue cards to each player, making sure to keep them hidden as well.

Hey there! I’m excited to tell you about this cool game! So, here’s the deal: the player who was in another city last gets to go first. We each start with some gold – the first player gets four pieces, and each subsequent player gets one more than the person before them. You’ll keep your gold in your Tavern on your player mat. If any decks run out of cards, don’t worry – just shuffle the discard pile and put it back where it belongs. Okay, now we’re ready to start!

Let the Game Begin!

The game has eight rounds. In each round, we’ll take turns going around the group, starting from the left. Each of us will give our Agents different tasks to do. At the start of each round, we’ll take the Victory Points from the round tracker and put a token on each building in the Hall.

When you start a new round in the game, there are a lot of things that can happen at the beginning, depending on the buildings and cards you have. These actions happen before anything else, and then the round can continue as usual. When it’s your turn, you have the option to assign an agent and/or complete a quest, but only if you have enough agents. If you have an agent, you can’t skip your turn. To assign an agent, simply put them in an empty space of a building, making sure there’s no agent already there. Then, you can do the actions listed on that space.

When I select an agent, I can embark on a Quest. Each Quest has a certain number of adventures that I need to complete it. I have the option to skip a quest if I want, but I can only finish one Quest per turn. Once I choose to take on a Quest, I will use up my adventures and gold from my tavern, putting them back into the supply.

During the Quest, I have to fulfill the requirements stated on the Quest card. Some Quests are mandatory, and I can play them on other players to limit their actions. If that happens, I must complete these Quests before I can finish any other Quests. There are also Plot Quests that are crucial for my success in running Waterdeep. Completing these Plot Quests will give me lasting effects that can help me along the way.

When all of the Agents have been reassigned, the round comes to a close. You and the other players will gather your Agents and return them to your pools. If I have the First Player Marker, I will start the next round. We’ll keep playing like this for eight rounds.

The End of the Game

The game finishes after eight rounds of gameplay. Once the final round is complete, we’ll do our final scoring. I’ll count up my Victory Points and move my score marker if necessary. For every adventurer in my Tavern and every two gold, I’ll earn one Victory Point. I’ll also receive a set number of Victory Points based on my Lord card. You can find the exact number on the card.

Once the players finish counting their points, it’s time to determine the winner. The player with the highest number of Victory Points is declared the winner! But what happens if there is a tie? Well, in that case, the player with the most gold will be crowned the victor!

Hey there, my name’s Ellie! I live in the beautiful Northeast Tennessee. I adore animals of all shapes and sizes, lose myself in the pages of fantasy fiction novels, and revel in the great outdoors. Lucky me, I have an incredible husband who loves me just as much as our two fur babies. It’s a delight to be part of this amazing community we’ve got here.

Yo, I’m Ellie! I’m from Northeast Tennessee. I absolutely love animals, from the tiniest critters to the majestic giants. Fantasy fiction novels? Oh, they sweep me away to magical realms! And I’m all about soaking up nature’s beauty whenever I can. Guess what? I’m blessed with an amazing husband who adores me as much as our two furry darlings. This incredible community we’re a part of is the absolute best!