Last Updated on November 5, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

7 Wonders: Architects is a strategic, fast-paced board game where players build one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In this simplified version of the original 7 Wonders game, players gather resources, construct buildings, and develop military power to create a wonder that will stand the test of time. It’s a quick and engaging game perfect for both newcomers and seasoned players who want a more streamlined experience.

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How to Play 7 Wonders: Architects

Overview and Objective of the Game:

7 Wonders Architects is played over a series of turns. On each of your turns, you will select one card from three available options. These cards represent various individuals and advancements that will aid you in acquiring resources necessary for building your magnificent Wonder, making scientific advancements, or engaging in conflicts with your neighboring players.

The game’s duration is determined by the completion of a single player’s Wonder. The ultimate goal is to amass the highest score by the time a Wonder is fully erected.

Game Components:

Contents:

235 cards (featuring 8 distinct back designs)
7 Wonders, each comprising 5 individual pieces
7 card holders for player organization
8 component trays for storage
15 Progress tokens representing advancements
6 Conflict tokens used in military engagements
28 Military Victory tokens awarded for successful conflicts
1 Cat pawn and its accompanying stand
This rulebook providing gameplay instructions

Thematic Goal:

Your singular objective is to erect a Wonder so breathtaking and monumental that it will forever etch your name in the annals of history. Your legacy hangs in the balance!

Setup

For Each Player:

Choose a tray (or take one randomly), then remove the 5 pieces of your Wonder and the holder containing your cards.
Each Wonder is made of 5 Stages of construction with an Under Construction side and a Constructed side. Assemble your Wonder with the Under Construction face up, referring to the diagram on your tray.
Shuffle your cards and put them face up in your holder to make a deck between the player to your left and yourself.

For All Players, in the Middle of the Table:

Shuffle the common cards and make a central deck, face down.
Leave a space for the discard next to the central deck: you’ll place all used cards here, face up.
Shuffle the Progress tokens and make a stack, face down. Take the top 3 tokens and put them face up next to the stack.
Consult the table below and place the corresponding number of Conflict tokens, Peace side up. Remove the remaining Conflict tokens from the game.

Number of Players	2 – 3	4	5	6 – 7
Number of Conflict Tokens	3	4	5	6

Make a reserve of Military Victory tokens.
Finally, place the Cat pawn.

7 wonders architect setup illustration from the instruction manual

7 Wonders: Architects Turn Overview

Going clockwise and starting with the youngest player, the game plays over several turns.

On your turn, choose a card from the 3 available:

The top card of the deck directly to your left.
The top card of the deck directly to your right.
The top card of the central deck.

Place your chosen card in front of you, near your Wonder.

Depending on the cards and tokens you have, take the different actions explained below, in any order.

When you cannot take any more actions, your turn is over and the player to your left can begin their turn.

Notes:

If a deck is empty, it remains empty until the end of the game.
Stack your cards of the same color so that their banners are visible.

Grey Cards

Grey cards provide Resources that will let you construct the Stages of your Wonder.

If you have the Resources needed to construct a Stage of your Wonder, you must construct it during your turn.

Yellow Cards

Yellow cards provide Coins that act as a wild Resource.

These Coins must replace any missing Resource needed to construct a Stage of your Wonder.

Green Cards

Green cards provide Science symbols that let you gain Progress tokens.

If you have 2 identical or 3 different Science symbols, you must take a Progress token during your turn.

Taking a Progress Token

Discard any Green cards used, then choose a Progress token from the 4 available:

Any one of the three face-up tokens.
Or the top token of the face-down stack.

Once a face-up Progress token is taken, immediately replace it with the top token of the stack, placing it face up.

Put the chosen Progress token face up in front of you. You immediately benefit from its effect, now until the end of the game.

Blue Cards

Blue cards provide Victory points. Additionally, a Cat icon is shown on certain Blue cards.

As soon as you take a Blue card with a Cat icon, take the Cat pawn from wherever it is on the table and place it in front of you.

Using the Cat pawn

As long as you have the Cat pawn, at the beginning of your turn, you can secretly look at the top card of the central deck before choosing your card.

Red Cards

Red cards provide Shields that increase your military strength. Additionally, 1 or 2 horn icons are shown on certain Red cards.

When you take a Red card with 1 or 2 horn icons, flip over 1 or 2 Conflict tokens respectively to their Battle side.

Make a horn sound when you take this action!

When you flip the last Conflict token to its Battle side, you trigger a Battle, at the end of your turn, for all players.

Note: If you must flip over multiple Conflict tokens, but there is only one left on its Peace side, only flip over this one token and ignore any extra horn icons.

Resolving a Battle

Each player counts the number of Shields on their Red cards and compares it with their 2 neighbors (the players seated to their left and right).

Note: The Rhodes Wonder and the Tactics Progress token can provide additional Shields.

For each neighbor, if you have more Shields than them, take 1 Military Victory token. You can therefore gain either 0, 1, or 2 Military Victory tokens per Battle.

Then, all players discard their Red cards with 1 or 2 horn icons. Only Red cards without a horn icon should remain in front of you. Finally, flip over all of the Conflict tokens to their Peace side.

Constructing a Stage

The construction cost of each Stage is shown on each piece:

2 different Resources.
2 identical Resources.
3 different Resources.
3 identical Resources.
4 different Resources.

Each Wonder is constructed Stage by Stage and always from bottom to top.

A Stage is available to construct only when all Stages below it are constructed.

Certain Wonders will give you an option for the order of construction.

7 wonders architect stages illustration from the instruction manual

When you have the Resources needed (Grey and/or Yellow cards) to construct an available Stage, discard them, and then flip the Stage over to its Constructed side.

Once constructed, certain Stages will let you immediately benefit from special effects.

Note: If you have the Resources to construct multiple Stages in one turn, you must do so.

Using Progress Tokens

During your turn, you can use your Progress tokens in any order and whenever you want. Each of your Progress tokens can only be used once per turn, except for those that provide Victory points, which will only be used at the end of the game.

End of the Game

Once one player has finished constructing their Wonder, the game is over at the end of that player’s turn.

Calculate your score by adding up any Victory points shown on your:

Constructed Stages of your Wonder,
Cat pawn, if you have it,
Blue cards,
Military Victory tokens,
Progress tokens.

The player with the highest score wins the game.

In case of a tie, the player who constructed the most Stages wins.

If there’s still a tie, both players share the victory.

7 wonders architect game points illustration from the instruction manual

2-Player Game

For 2-player games, the only change happens during the Resolving a Battle phase.

If you have more Shields than your opponent, take 1 Military Victory token.

However, if you have at least twice as many Shields than your opponent, take 2 Military Victory tokens instead of just one.

Effects of Wonders

Alexandria: Take the top card from any deck anywhere on the table and place it in front of you.
Ephesus: Take the top card from the central deck and place it in front of you.
Olympia: Take the top card from the decks to your left and your right and place them in front of you.
Rhodes: Add 1 Shield to your total Shields.
Halicarnassus: Take the top 5 cards from the deck to your left or your right. Choose 1 and place it in front of you. Shuffle the other cards back into their deck.
Babylon: Choose 1 Progress token from the 4 available and place it in front of you.
Giza: This Wonder has no special effect, but provides more Victory points than the other Wonders.

Effects of Progress Tokens

Urbanism: When you take a Grey card, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Crafts: When you take a Grey card, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Jewellery: When you take a Grey card or a Yellow card, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Science: When you take a Green card, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Propaganda: When you take a Red card with 1 or 2 horn icons, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Architecture: When you construct a Stage of your Wonder, choose 1 extra card from the 3 available and place it in front of you.
Economy: 1 of your Yellow cards is worth 2 Coins instead of just one.
Engineering: When you construct a Stage of your Wonder, you can use any Resources, without adhering to the “identical” or “different” restrictions.
Tactics: Add 2 Shields to your total Shields.
Decor: At the end of the game, gain 4 Victory points if your Wonder is still under construction or 6 Victory points if it is entirely constructed.
Politics: At the end of the game, gain 1 Victory point per Cat icon on your Blue cards.
Strategy: At the end of the game, gain 1 Victory point per Military Victory token you have.
Education: At the end of the game, gain 2 Victory points per Progress token you have (including this one).
Culture: There are 2 copies of this token. At the end of the game, gain 4 Victory points if you have 1 token or 12 Victory points if you have both.

7 Wonders: Architects brings the iconic 7 Wonders experience into a more accessible format. Its easy-to-learn mechanics and short game length make it a fantastic choice for casual play or as an introduction to more complex games. Whether you’re trying to outwit your opponents with military might or build a wonder that will outlast the ages, 7 Wonders: Architects offers a fun, strategic challenge every time you play.

Make sure to checkout 7 Wonders: Duel, for even more 7 wonders fun!