Game Strategy: 7 Wonders Board Game

There are a number of different strategies being used each and every time you play a game of 7 Wonders. Some people try to rack up Military points. Some people try to rack up Science points. Some people try to rack up Civilian Structure points. And some try to rack up a little bit of everything!

You NEED to make sure you have access to all resources going into Phase III, which is when all the big points occur. Even just one wasted turn in Phase III can easily cost you the game.

During Phase I and Phase II, some of us get consumed with collecting Raw Materials and maybe a Commercial Structure here and there. And, we will sometimes grab a Military structure if it’s available. Often ignored are the Manufactured Goods (Loom, Glassware & Press). Unless we are going after Scientific Structures, many of us will wait until the last minute to collect Manufactured Goods. Just be careful! If your neighbors see that you only have 1 or 2 turns left in Phase II to pick up some missing Manufactured Goods, they may find a way to block you from them. 

Usually, most players will have access to all three Manufactured Goods through a combination of their own goods and their neighbors’ goods. BUT, if you don’t have access to all of these before Phase III, there are SEVERAL high-point cards you will not be able to acquire.  

The purple Guild cards are often some of the highest scoring cards in Phase III. There are 9 Guild cards, but only 1 of them can be acquired without any Manufactured Goods. Other high-point cards in Phase III include the Pantheon (7 points) and Palace (8 points) Civilian Structures. Both of these cards need ALL THREE Manufactured Goods (although, if you have the 3-point Altar Card from Phase I, you can get the 7-Point Pantheon for free). And, there are 5 Commercial Structures that can be of high value in Phase III. Only 3 of the 5 of these require a Manufactured Good, although 2 of those 3 can be acquired via pawnshop from earlier Commercial Structures that were obtained in Phase II.

If you are curious, all of the Manufactured Goods are spread out evenly in Phase III, as each of them is a requirement for 4 of the 9 Guilds.  Take note, though, that the Press may be the weakest.  One of the Guilds that requires a Press is the Scientist Guild, which you likely have no use for since you likely are not going after Scientific Structures if you do not have access to all three Manufactured Goods! One of the Phase III Commercial Structures that requires a Press is the Chamber of Commerce, but again, this probably of no use since it is a card that rewards you 2pts/2coins for each Manufactured Good that you have … you probably don’t have too many of those! 

Conclusion: You need to have access to all three Manufactured Goods in Phase III to maximize your score.
BUT, if you do have to pick one Manufactured Good to go without, you should skip the Press and make sure you at least have access to the Loom and Glassware.

Below is a list of the high-point Phase III cards that require Manufactured Goods (and, yes, they require many Raw Materials, too!)


GUILDS:

-Builders Guild (Points for Your Completed Wonders as well as your Neighbors’ Completed Wonders):  Glassware
-Magistrate Guild (Points for Neighbors’ Civilian Structures): Loom
-Spies Guild (Points for Neighbors’ Military Structures): Glassware
-Decorators Guild (7 Points for completing all of your Wonders): Loom
-Scientist Guild (One Science Structure): Press
-Philosophers Guild (Points for Neighbor’s Scientific Structures): Press & Loom
-Shipwrecker Guild (Points for Raw Materials plus Manufactured Good plus Guild Cards): Press & Glassware
-Trader’s Guild (Points for Neighbor’s Commercial Structures): Press, Glassware & Loom
-Workers Guild (Points for Neighbors’ Raw Materials): None Needed


HIGH-LEVEL CIVILIAN STRUCTURES:

-Palace, 8 Points: Press, Glassware & Loom
-Pantheon, 7 Points: Press, Glassware & Loom


COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES:

-Haven (1 Point / 1 Coin for each of your Raw Materials): Loom
(free with a Phase II Forum Card)

-Lighthouse (1 Point / 1 Coin for each of your Commercial Structures): Glassware
(free with a Phase II Caravan Card)

-Chamber of Commerce (2 Points / 2 Coins for each of your Manufactured Goods): Press

-Arena (1 Point / 3 Coins for each of your completed wonders): None
(free with a Phase II Forum Card)

-Ludus (1 Point / 3 Coins for each of your Military Structures): None


GOOD LUCK!!