7 Wonders Duel Board Game: Rules and Instructions for How to Play

Objective of 7 Wonders Duel

The objective of 7 Wonders Duel is to create a more successful city than your opponent to achieve victory through military supremacy, scientific supremacy, or civilian victory.

Setup for 7 Wonders Duel

Place the board between the two players. The board should be placed on one side of the playing area.
Place the conflict pawn on the center space of the board.
One of the players places the Military tokens on the corresponding spaces on the gameboard.
Shuffle the Progress tokens and randomly place five of them face up on the top of the board. The rest of the Progress tokens are returned to the box.

Each player receives coins worth seven from the bank.
Sort the Age cards by their backs/ages. Randomly remove three cards from each deck.
Randomly choose three Guild cards and add them to the Age III deck (without looking at them). The rest of the Guild cards are returned to the box.

Picking Wonder Cards

The players will then determine their Wonder cards for the game.

Choose one player to start the selection process.
Shuffle all of the Wonder cards together.
Place the top four Wonder cards face up between the players.
The first player chooses one of the Wonder cards for themselves.
The second player then chooses two of the remaining Wonder cards for themselves.
The last remaining Wonder card goes to the first player.
Reveal the next four Wonder cards. The second player gets to choose a Wonder card first. The first player then chooses two cards with the second player getting the remaining card. The rest of the Wonder cards are returned to the box.
Players should place their Wonder cards face up on the table to the side of their play area.

Choosing Your Wonder Cards — The first player will get to choose one of these four Wonder cards. The second player then gets to choose two of the remaining cards. The first player will then take the final remaining Wonder card.

For your first game the game recommends the following Wonder cards for each player:

Player 1

The Pyramids
The Great Lighthouse
The Temple of Artemis
The Statue of Zeus

Player 2

Circus Maximus
Piraeus
The Appian Way
The Colossus

Choosing Wonder Cards in 7 Wonders Duel — With the two preset groups of Wonder cards, the players will decide which will take each set of cards.

The Cards of 7 Wonders Duel

Guild and Age Cards

Each Guild and Age card has three main areas.

The card’s name is along the bottom of the card. It tells you what you are constructing if you decide to build the card.

Along the top of Guild and Age cards is the Effect section. This section shows what benefits the card will provide you if you decide to build it. There are seven different types of Buildings with each providing different benefits to players:

Brown cards produce raw materials such as wood, stone or clay.
Grey buildings produce resources such as papyrus and glass.
Blue cards provide victory points at the end of the game.
Green buildings give you scientific symbols.
Yellow cards give you coins, produce resources, change the trading rules, and/or are worth victory points.
Red buildings increase your military power.
Purple cards give you an ability to score points in unique ways if you meet certain criteria.

Below the Effect section is the cost area of the cards. To construct the card you need to have all of the resources pictured in this area.

Age Card in 7 Wonders Duel — This Workshop Age card is a green/scientific card. If built it will provide the player the scientific symbol at the top of the card as well as one victory point. To build the Workshop you need to have one papyrus.

Guild Cards

Builders Guild – The card is worth two points for each Wonder in the city that has the most Wonders.

Moneylenders Guild – You will score one victory point for each three coins held by the richest city at the end of the game.

Scientists Guild – Count the number of green cards in each city when you construct the card. You will receive one coin for each green card in the city with more green cards. At the end of the game the card is worth one point for each green card in the city with the most green cards.

Shipowners Guild – Count the number of brown and grey cards in each city when you construct the card. You receive one coin for each brown and grey card in the city which has the most of those cards. At the end of the game the card is worth one victory point for each gray and brown card in the city with the most of them. You need to use the same city for both brown and grey cards.

Traders/Merchants Guild – When you construct the card, you receive one coin for each yellow card in the city with more yellow cards. At the end of the game you receive one victory point for each yellow card in the city with more yellow cards.

Magistrates Guild – When you construct the card, you receive one coin for each blue card in the city with more blue cards. At the end of the game you receive one victory point for each blue card in the city with more blue cards.

Tacticians Guild – When you build the card you receive one coin for each red card in the city with more red cards. At the end of the game you receive one victory point for each red card in the city with the most red cards.

Wonder Cards

Each Wonder card has three main sections.

Along the bottom of the card is the Wonders name.

The left side of the card shows the cost to build the wonder. To build the Wonder you need to acquire the corresponding resources.

The right side of the card shows the Wonder’s effect. This section shows what resources and other benefits the Wonder will provide to you once you construct it.

Specific Wonders

Appian Way – Take three coins from the Bank and your opponents loses three coins. You immediately get to take another turn. At the end of the game the Wonder is worth three points.

Circus Maximus – Choose one of the grey cards constructed by your opponent and add it to the discard pile. The card also gives you one Shield and three victory points at the end of the game.

The Colossus – Receive two Shields when you construct it. The Colossus is worth three victory points at the end of the game.

The Great Library – Randomly draw three Progress tokens from those discarded at the beginning of the game. Choose one to keep and return the other two to the box. The Wonder is worth four points at the end of the game.

Great Lighthouse – This Wonder produces one of the resources pictured each turn. It is worth four victory points at the end of the game.

Hanging Gardens – Immediately take six coins from the Bank. You also get to take a second turn. At the end of the game the Wonder is worth three victory points.

The Mausoleum – Choose one of the cards that have been discarded (not during initial setup). You will construct the card you choose for free. You will score two points for the Mausoleum at the end of the game.

Piraeus – The Wonder produces one of the two resources for you each turn. You also get to immediately take a second turn. At the end of the game the Wonder is worth two points.

The Pyramids – The Pyramids are worth nine victory points at the end of the game.

The Sphinx – Immediately take a second tun. You will score six points from the Wonder at the end of the game.

The Statue of Zeus – Choose one brown card constructed by your opponent and add it to the discard pile. The Wonder also gives you one Shield. It is worth three victory points at the end of the game.

The Temple of Artemis – Immediately take twelve coins from the Bank. Then take a second turn.

Playing 7 Wonders Duel

The game begins in Age I, followed by Age II, and finally ends in Age III.

When you begin each Age you will construct the structure for that age. See the pictures below to see how you construct each Age.

Age 1 Card Setup in 7 Wonders Duel — Age 1 Setup

Age 2 Card Setup in 7 Wonders Duel — Setup for Age 2

Age 3 Cards Setup in 7 Wonders Duel — Age 3 Setup

The first player starts Age I. Each player takes turns until all of the Age cards have been taken from the current Age.

You will then begin the next Age. Setup up the next Age’s card structure. The player with the weakest military (the Conflict pawn is on your side of the track) gets to choose who starts the next Age. If the marker is in the middle of the track, the player who took the last turn chooses who will start the next Age.

Player’s Turn

On your turn you will take two actions.

Choosing A Card

You will begin your turn by choosing one of the Age cards to use this turn. You can choose any of the Age cards currently in the card structure that are accessible. For a card to be accessible, it cannot have another card on top of it.

Choosing An Age Card — The current player can choose one of the six cards at the bottom of the picture. These are the only cards that are available because they are face up and don’t have another card on top of them.

After you choose a card you must reveal any cards that are face down that no longer have cards on top of them.

Revealing A New Age Card in 7 Wonders Duel — The cards that were previously on top of the middle card in the second row have been taken. As there are no cards on it anymore, the card will be flipped over.

Revealing An Age Card — The workshop card was revealed. The current player can now choose to take any of the face up cards at the bottom, or the workshop card.

Using the Card

You will then choose what you want to do with the card. There are three different ways that you can use the card.

First you can construct the building. To construct the building you have to pay the corresponding cost with resources/coins/etc. See the Constructing in 7 Wonders Duel section below for more details. When you construct buildings you should sort them by color to make it easier to find information in the future.

Your second option for your chosen card is to discard it. If you choose to discard your chosen card you will receive two coins from the bank. You will receive one additional coin for each yellow card in your city. You will set the discarded cards aside, but players can always look at these cards.

Discarding A Card in 7 Wonders Duel — This player has decided to discard the card in the top right corner. Normally they would receive two coins for the card. Since the player previously built a yellow card though, they will receive an extra coin for a total of three coins.

Finally you can choose to construct one of your four Wonders. Constructing a Wonder is mostly the same as any other Building. You will place the card you chose this round face down below the Wonder card to show that the Wonder has been built.

Using A Card to Build a Wonder — This player decided to use the card from this round in order to build a Wonder.

Once the players have built seven Wonders, the remaining Wonder not yet built is returned to the box.

End of Turn

Some Wonders allow you to take another turn. In this case you will choose another card and what you want to do with it. This effect is ignored if it is triggered when there are no Age cards left in the card structure.

Constructing in 7 Wonders Duel

The main action that you will take in 7 Wonders Duel is constructing Buildings and Wonders.

To construct either a Building or Wonder you will have to pay the corresponding cost. To see what you have to pay to construct a Building or Wonder you look at the corresponding cost section. For Guild and Age cards the cost is shown under the Effect section on the top of the card.

Cost to Build Card in 7 Wonders Duel — The caravansery costs two coins, one glass and one papyrus to build. The tacticians guild costs two stones, one clay, and one papyrus.

Building A Wonder — To build the Sphinx you need to have two glass, one clay, and one stone.

If a card features no symbols underneath the Effect banner, the card is free.

Free to Build Card — The Tavern has no symbols in the cost section. Therefore the card is free to build.

The cost to construct a card may also be free if you previously built a card that features a symbol shown in the cost section of the card.

Using Previous Build to Build A Card — The theater has the mask symbol in the top right corner. If a player previously built the theater, they can build the statue for free as it features the mask symbol in the cost area.

Otherwise you need to acquire resources that match each symbol in cost section.

Paying the Cost

You will acquire most of your required resources from cards that you constructed in the past. Many cards will feature resource icons in the Effect section. Count up all of the picture symbols on all of your constructed cards to see how many resources you have available to you. If you have all of the resources to pay the required cost, you can construct the card. Resources that you end up using are not used up. They will be available to you in your next turn.

Building A Card in 7 Wonders Duel — The courthouse on the left requires two wood and one glass in order to build it. The player previously built the three cards on the right. From these cards they acquire the two wood and one glass. Therefore this player can build the courthouse card.

Some cards will also require coins or coins and resources. To construct these cards you will pay the coins to the bank and use the corresponding resources from your constructed cards.

Building A Card — To build the caravansery you need to pay two coins and have a glass and papyrus. This player has the required resources so they can build the caravansery.

Trading Resources

If you do not currently have all of the resources required to construct a card, there is still a possibility that you can build it.

To acquire resources that you are missing you will be forced to buy them from the bank. To purchase a needed resource you will need to pay the bank two coins plus an additional coin for each of the corresponding resource that the other player produces from their brown and grey cards. This could be altered if you own yellow buildings that change the cost to purchase resources.

Trading for Resources in 7 Wonders Duel — This player wants to build the Courthouse which requires two wood and a glass. They only have one wood and one glass though. They will have to trade for the wood that they are missing. Normally they would have to pay two coins for it. Their opponent owns the lumber yard card though which produces a wood. Because of the lumber yard, the player will have to pay three coins for the missing resource.

If you need more than one of the corresponding resource, you will pay this cost for each required resource. You can purchase multiple resources (the same or different) on your turn. The only restriction is that you have enough coins to purchase all of them.

When you purchase a resource you will pay the cost to the bank.

Military

Throughout 7 Wonders Duel players will construct Buildings which will increase their military. These cards will feature a red sword and shield symbol.

When you construct a Building or Wonder with one of these symbols, you will move the Conflict pawn one space closer to your opponent on the track.

Moving the Conflict Token in 7 Wonders Duel — The player on the left built a military card. Since the card has one shield symbol on it, the conflict token is moved one space to the right.

Should the Conflict pawn enter a new zone (indicated by a dotted line), the corresponding token is applied. The player whose side the Conflict pawn is on will lose coins equal to the number printed inside the broken coin. You will then return the token to the box.

Remove Military Token in 7 Wonders Duel — The left player has pushed the Conflict Token into the next section of the track. They will remove the corresponding token from the board. The right player loses two of their coins.

A player can end 7 Wonders Duel early through a superior military. If either player is able to move the Conflict token to the last space on their opponent’s side of the track, they immediately win the game.

Winning Militarily in 7 Wonders Duel — The left player has pushed the Conflict token to the far right end of the board. The left player has won the game.

Science and Progress

Through constructing green buildings you will acquire scientific symbols.

If you acquire two of the same symbol between your cards, you will get to choose one of the Progress tokens from the top of the gameboard. These progress tokens give you special abilities in the game. You will keep the token until the end of the game.

Pair of Scientific Symbols — This player acquired two of the writing/quill scientific symbols. They will get to choose one of the Progress tokens.

Choosing A Progress Token in 7 Wonders Duel — This player has earned a Progress Token. They will get to choose one of the five tokens from the top of the gameboard.

If you should ever acquire six different scientific symbols, you will immediately win the game.

Winning Scientifically in 7 Wonders Duel — This player has acquired six different scientific symbols. They will immediately win the game.

Progress Token

Agriculture – Immediately take six coins from the bank. The token also scores four victory points at the end of the game.

Architecture – Each future Wonder costs two fewer resources to build. You choose which resources you don’t have to pay.

Economy – When your opponent trades for resources, they will pay you the money instead of the Bank. This does not include the money that the player has to normally pay to construct the building.

Law – The Progress Token counts as a Scientific symbol.

Masonry – Any blue buildings you construct in the future will cost two fewer resources. You get to choose which two resources you can ignore when constructing the Building.

Mathematics – This token scores three points for each Progress token (including itself) that you acquired during the game.

Philosophy – The token scores seven points at the end of the game.

Strategy – After you acquire this token, each military Building you construct will provide you with one additional Shield. This does not apply to Wonders or previously built military Buildings.

Theology – All Wonders you construct in the future will have the “Play Again” effect. You cannot use this ability to acquire two Play Agains from one card.

Urbanism – Immediately take six coins from the Bank. Whenever you construct a Building for free through linking (you previously built the Building featuring the symbol shown on the card), you receive four coins from the Bank.

End of Game

7 Wonders Duel can end in three different ways.

If a player obtains military supremacy (Military section) or scientific supremacy (Science and Progress section), the game immediately ends and the corresponding player wins the game.

Otherwise the game will end when all of the cards from Age III have been chosen. In this situation the players will determine the winner through victory points earned in the game.

Scoring Points

You will earn victory points in the following ways:

The player who pushed the Conflict pawn into their opponent’s side of the track scores points based on where the pawn ended up.

Scoring from Military in 7 Wonders Duel — The player on the left pushed the Conflict token to the five point section of the track. They will score five points from their military.

Count up the victory points printed on the Buildings you constructed throughout the game.

Scoring Age and Guild Cards — During the game this player acquired the corresponding Age and Guild cards that will score them points at the end of the game. Counting up the points on each of the green and blue cards, they will score 29 points. For the scientists guild they will score five points for the five green cards that they built. If the other player built even more green cards, they would score even more points from the scientists guild card.

Add in any victory points you acquired from your Wonders.

Scoring Wonders in 7 Wonders Duel — This player built two of their Wonders during the game. They will score six points from them.

You will score points from the Progress tokens you acquired in the game.

Scoring Progress Tokens in 7 Wonders Duel — This player acquired two Progress Tokens in the game. They will score eleven points from the two tokens.

Finally you will score one point for each three coins you have left at the end of the game.

Scoring Coins in 7 Wonders Duel — This player had seven coins left at the end of the game. They will score two points from the coins.

The player that scores the most points wins the game.

If there is a tie, the player who scored the most victory points from their Civilian Buildings (blue cards), wins the game. If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.

Symbols in 7 Wonders Duel

Shown below are a number of symbols used in 7 Wonders Duel and how to interpret them.

These symbols will change the trading rules for the indicated resources. Instead of having to pay two plus one coin for each of the resource the other player has, you will have to pay only one coin total for the resource.

When you construct a Building with these symbols, each turn you can choose one of the pictured resources to produce.

The card will produce coins equal to the number on top of the coin.

You will receive two coins for each Wonder that you have already constructed in your city.

For each gray card that you have constructed, you will receive three coins.

This card is worth two coins for each brown card constructed in your city.

You will receive one coin for each yellow card constructed in your city.

Each constructed red card is worth one coin.

7 Wonders Duel

Year: 2015 | Publisher: Repos Production | Designer: Antoine Bauza, Bruno Cathala | Artist: Miguel Coimbra

Genres: Card Drafting, City Building, Set Collection, Two Player

Ages: 10+ | Number of Players: 2 | Length of Game: 30-60 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate | Strategy: Moderate-High | Luck: Light

Components: gameboard, 23 Age I cards, 23 Age II cards, 20 Age III cards, 7 Guild cards, 12 Wonder cards, 4 Military tokens, 10 Progress tokens, Conflict pawn, 14 one coin, 10 three coin, seven six coin, scorebook, instructions, helpsheet

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