Lords of Waterdeep Strategy & How-to-Play Guide

Introduction

Lords of Waterdeep is a strategy board game set in the high fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by Wizards of the Coast in 2012. The game is named after the city of Waterdeep, a bustling metropolis within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons. In this game, players take on the roles of secret rulers, or “Lords”, of this city, and use their influence and resources to control the city and achieve their own hidden agendas.

The game is played with a game board, player mats, cards, tokens, and wooden pieces representing adventurers. The game board depicts the city of Waterdeep and its various locations. Player mats are used to track resources and completed quests. Cards represent quests, intrigue, and the secret Lords of Waterdeep. Tokens are used as currency, and the wooden pieces represent adventurers of different classes: clerics, fighters, rogues, and wizards.

Rules for playing Lords of Waterdeep

The official rules for Lords of Waterdeep are designed to create a balanced and strategic game. The game is played over eight rounds, and each round consists of players taking turns to assign their agents to various locations in the city. These locations allow players to recruit adventurers, collect gold, purchase buildings, draw cards, and complete quests.

Each player starts the game with a secret Lord card, which provides bonus points at the end of the game for completing certain types of quests or owning certain buildings. Players also start with two quest cards and two intrigue cards. Quest cards represent tasks that the Lords want to be completed, and intrigue cards provide special actions that can be used to gain an advantage or disrupt other players.

While the official rules provide a solid framework for the game, some players like to introduce ‘house rules’ to add variety or increase the challenge. For example, a common house rule is to play with open Lord cards, which makes the game more competitive as players can directly interfere with each other’s strategies.

How do you play Lords of Waterdeep

1. Setup: Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding player mat, agents, and score marker. The game board is placed in the center of the table, and the buildings, tokens, and cards are sorted and placed in their respective areas on the board. Each player is dealt a secret Lord card, two quest cards, and two intrigue cards.
2. Gameplay: Players take turns to assign their agents to locations on the board. The available actions depend on the location, but generally include recruiting adventurers, collecting gold, purchasing buildings, drawing cards, and completing quests. Players can also play intrigue cards at certain locations to gain an advantage or disrupt other players. After all agents have been assigned, players can complete quests by spending the required adventurers and gold. Completed quests provide points and sometimes other benefits.
3. End of the Game: The game ends after eight rounds. Players reveal their secret Lord cards and add any bonus points to their score. The player with the most points is the winner.

How to Win at Lords of Waterdeep

Winning at Lords of Waterdeep requires a combination of strategic planning, resource management, and a bit of luck. Here are some strategies that can help you win the game:

1. Focus on Your Lord’s Strengths: Each Lord provides bonus points for completing certain types of quests or owning certain buildings. Focusing on these areas can provide a significant boost to your score.
2. Manage Your Resources Wisely: Adventurers and gold are the main resources in the game. You need to balance your need for these resources with your ability to complete quests and build buildings.
3. Use Intrigue Cards Strategically: Intrigue cards can provide a significant advantage if used correctly. They can allow you to recruit more adventurers, collect more gold, disrupt other players, or even complete quests more easily.
4. Build Buildings: Buildings provide ongoing benefits and can also provide bonus points at the end of the game. However, they require a significant investment of gold, so you need to choose carefully which buildings to build.
5. Complete Quests: Completing quests is the main way to score points in the game. However, not all quests are created equal. You need to choose your quests carefully based on their rewards, the resources required, and your Lord’s preferences.

I have found that a combination of these strategies, along with a bit of adaptability, can lead to victory in Lords of Waterdeep.

Best Strategies for playing Lords of Waterdeep game

While the strategies mentioned above can help you win the game, there are also some more advanced strategies that can give you an edge over your opponents:

1. Control Key Locations: Some locations on the board are more valuable than others. Controlling these locations can give you a significant advantage.
2. Block Other Players: If you notice that another player is about to complete a valuable quest or build a valuable building, you can assign your agent to the required location to block them.
3. Plan Ahead: The game is played over eight rounds, and you need to plan your actions carefully to make the most of each round. This includes planning your resource collection, quest completion, and building purchases.
4. Adapt to the Game: The game can change quickly due to the actions of other players or the draw of the cards. You need to be able to adapt your strategy to the changing game conditions.

Scenarios for Lords of Waterdeep

Here are some common scenarios that you might encounter in Lords of Waterdeep, and how you can turn them to your advantage:

1. Shortage of Resources: If there is a shortage of a particular resource, you can focus on collecting that resource and then use it to complete valuable quests or build valuable buildings.
2. Competition for Locations: If there is competition for a particular location, you can try to control that location or find alternative locations that provide similar benefits.
3. Disruption by Other Players: If another player is disrupting your plans, you can try to block them, use intrigue cards to counter their actions, or adapt your strategy to avoid their disruption.
4. Bad Draw of Cards: If you draw bad quest or intrigue cards, you can try to draw more cards to improve your hand, or focus on other aspects of the game such as building buildings or controlling locations.

Frequently Asked Questions about playing Lords of Waterdeep game</h2