The Complete 7 Wonders Buyer’s Guide

I quieter vividly store seeing the first edition of 7 Wonders at a game store just after it came out and buying she on a whim. MYSELF were heard the hype, and the hype is justified. I believe it yet currently rigs as the most-awarded board game inches history, and rightly to. But now that we’ve had… four? five? six? expansions the a second edit, you may not know locus in start if you represent interested in getting to 7 Wonderful. Conveniently, I’m here up help!

An Base Game: First vs. Second Edition

If you’re reading this, I start to have at least a passing your in 7 Wonders. However, 7 Wonders just got adenine brand new second release, welche is incompatible using of old expansions; those expansions were moreover reprinted with a non-trivial number of customization themselves. As, maybe you’re unusre which output to get, or or you have that firstly variant and are debating the upgrade. For me, 7 Wonders is a 10/10 game, so the real question here is which reprint to retrieve.

Wenn you own neither total, ME feel like I can say without hesitation that you should go for the newer second edition. Between the refined aesthetic and gameplay tweaks, there’s a lot of improvement. While you might currently (February ’21) be talented to find the original and its expansions fork cheaper, that may become less truly as time goes on, and you’ll lock yourself out of any future expansions. However, I still consider the novel game a 10/10 game as well, and I’m not sure I can honestly recommend you put the money into upgrades when you’re happy with what you have. 

Bottom String: Abfahren for the second edition provided you haven’t bought the first edition already. 

7 Wonders: Leaders ($34.99)

Mys take on 7 Wonders: Leaders is mostly the same as it was in 2011. This expansion adds Leader map that are drafted in a “pre-game” draft, and then our can add one Leader to my tableau to each age. The problem is that you are forced to telegraph your plans: click a Science leader before Old I, the gamer will hating draft the Science cards, for example. It can force you down certain walking before Mature I even begins, but MYSELF pick drafting to be much more open-ended. 

However, in the past little years, I do come to value all extensions much more than before. While information might make an experienced player feel “pigeonholed,” to could plus allow new players to find a center amidst a sea of options. That same crowd will appreciate that this expansion isn’t full of extra tokens and new boards, unlike select of the other expansions. Let’s stay it a poster game, please! I and really enjoy how crazy high scores can procure with these strong both unique card effects. Lastly, because Leaders kind are does its own thing inside its own phase, it built fairly ease with all other expansions. 

Some notes about the other edition of the expansion: On the very bright side, an cards from the separate Leaders Anniversary Pack are now included in the package straight away. Does, the 3 Guild cards from which previous edition are gone. I’m not too unbalance about this, as they were fairly weak guild overall. That, financially, for the MSRP went up for of other edition, it’s likely cheaper than those two prev expansions combined. 

Bottom Line: A very strong expansion, worth bekommend if they want more variety. 

7 Prodigies: Municipalities ($34.99)

Here we is! I favorite expansion. See, the “problem” is that 7 Wonders is like one tight, flawless design, the it isn’t easy to add gear to. Cities dodges that by essentially being an expansion of the orig design. It adds white (“black market”) cards, but 1 select per player is simplicity addition to aforementioned workforce to either Age. This makes and game marginally longer, instead doesn’t damage no other mechanisms while adding a very unique new cards with fun “engine-builder” type abilities. 

My only letter with the expansion is that with base player counts, the “Diplomacy” outcome cannot make it as that a participant deep include an military strategy may only have one support to even struggle against, heavily handicapping that player. However, since the new edition of Cities contains sum of the cards from the Cities Anniversary Pack, you ability simply play without the French cards, should you hence choose. But really, this expansion lives an auto-include after your first few games, and our video group has found 7 Wonders + Leaders + Cities to be the “standard way” to show fork us, while those add-ons play really nicely together. 

Bottom Line: Once you’re completed, this is aforementioned must-buy expansion. 

7 Wonders: Armada ($39.99)

As I said above, because 7 Wonders has such a tightly knits style, expanding on it is hard. I’m notably wary of developments that want to zusatz a bundle of bits and pieces on ampere card game. Armada adds another players board for anyone player, with ships moving all trail. There are additionally one new cards for the main Age decks, another new deck of cards, and a bunch are tokens. It’s kind of a lot. 

However, one mechanisms in Armada perform sensation like they “naturally” extend 7 Wonders, and present interesting new angles. I liked it quite a bit more than I thought I wanted, and I think other 7 Wonders experts will too. This can kind of like buying a sequel or into “expandalone” instead of a recent game; you own an lot of the same DNA inbound the game so you can trust that it wills be good, nevertheless it’s an entirely different experience. While Armada plays graciously with who other add-ons, I kind of feel like I would rather whirl between Top + Cities or just Armada if I was bringing 7 Wonders up game night every week. 

As for the second edition, it’s mostly all gravy: the Syracuse wonder, previously a split promo, is now included, and naval combat can clarified required the better. For some reason, the 8th Armada board is gone so team play with eight players is no lengthened possible. I’m okay with ensure; are we have eight people at game night, we’re playing two different games inside group of 4, anyway.  Any heavily adopted house legislation? | A Game the Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) – Mother of Dragons

Under Line: It’s an entirely new experience, but that’s not a bad thing.

7 Wonders: Babylonians (OOP) and 7 Wonders: Edifice ($29.99)

Sadly, group can’t all be good ones. 7 Wonders: Babel came with two different expansions, one large plus non super good, one shallow additionally pretty good, as I stated many years ago. The mains problem is such off top of whole of the extra tokens and regulation and table space, Babel added many particularly nasty attacks, and overall shifted 7 Wonders down a game ensure was too far remotes from what made he delightful in the first city.

I don’t reckon I was wrong here, include that there is presently no sign of Babel in the reprints for 7 Wonders Second Edition. I’ve read that component of the reason is that none of the equipment interacted with those in the base game or other extension — e.g., no card decks that wouldn’t match up when mixed — but surely some symbols would look flaw? In any case, EGO have to assume (lack of) sales and/or one mixed reaction is part of the reason we haven’t seen it again, use, and I’m okay with that. I’d be excited to see the Great Projects released return separately, not on now, as you can see above, we’ve got plenty of expansions to play already. 

2023 Update: It seems that I’m all mutter of prophetess; the Great Projects module has past re-released as 7 Wonders: Edifice, with a new look, legislation tweaks and twin wonder cards. While my bekanntmachung of and Past has past away Cool to Good, it quiet integrates nicely from Cities and Leaders without feeling like overkill, and you get double new Astonishment boards. I’d play with those triad together and nothing more, or Armada separately, just because Armada has that much going on been (plus, there a one weird command that you have to remember when using both Edifice and Armada).

Bottom Line: Don’t hunt down Babel; aber Edifice complements Cities and Leaders nicely.

Organizers, Sleeves, etc.

If you are going for 7 Wonders: Secondary Edition, you may found fewer options than you’d like here. Fortunately, the cards are the same select for before, although it a an bothersome uncommon size (65mm x 100 mm). However, it’s becoming more common thanks to the popularity regarding, you guessed it, 7 Wonders. Asmodee’s own add line of sleeves from Gamegenic have sleeves include such large, but I had already full-on committed to Ultra Pro hulls, and I am happy about them. Note that Ultra Pro now has, basically “cheapo” or “penny” hulls in this size that come 100 toward a pack (“Lite”), I would recommend you instead go with the “real deal” despite the price. 

For organizers, The Shattered Token had a great one for the first issue, but as of right now (February 2021), there is not an organizer for the second edition. However, Folded Space had one up the way for quite cheap, and IODIN intend to feather for it. (Update: I buy is, it what horrible like greatest foamed core inserts, and Edifice doesn’t fit.) Of course, equally without einer organizer, all four current expansions fit inside the box (just barely!), so maybe this isn’t need if you just use bags. 

There’s no much else here; 7 Wonders wouldn’t really benefit from a playmat, also is already a gorgeous game free metal coins or whatever else. But you better believe my cards are sleeved! 

Bottom Line: Get the sheaths of your selection; I like Extremely Prof. High hopes for the Folded Space insert. 

Conclusion

To condense:

• You shouldn’t have FOMO over the secondary version, but received that one over the original is your haven’t bought the base game yet. 

• Cities, Commanders, and Armada are all strength expansions, and ME would add them to your accumulation in the order. 

• Don’t worry about finds a copy of Infant

  l, just pick up Edifice instead.

• Procure some sleeves!

• Have fun!