Lords of Waterdeep

The base game supports 2–5 players over eight rounds. Each player starts with four agents at two players, three at three players and two at four or five players, gaining another in round five. Deal each player a secret Lord, two Intrigue cards and two public Quests. Starting gold is four for the first player, then one more for each subsequent player.

At each round’s start add one victory point to each of the three buildings for sale, then resolve start-of-round effects on buildings in play. Proceed clockwise from the first player, assigning one unused agent to an open space of a building in play and following all instructions. An unpaid cost makes the action illegal. You cannot voluntarily pass a legal action, and without an available agent you have no turn.

City buildings provide four types of adventurers, gold, Intrigue cards or Quests. Cliffwatch Inn has three spaces with different effects; replace a taken face-up Quest immediately. Active Quests remain public, and acquiring a Quest does not itself complete it.

After assigning or reassigning an agent, you may complete one Quest: return its required adventurers and gold from your Tavern to the supply and immediately receive its reward once. Completed Plot Quests stay face up for ongoing benefits. The usual limit is one completion per turn, with explicit effects such as Heroes’ Garden providing exceptions.

Mandatory Quests are Intrigue cards imposed by opponents. While any remain unfinished, other Quests cannot be completed; clear Mandatory Quests first. Completed Mandatory Quests enter the Intrigue discard pile and are not ordinary Quest types for Lord category bonuses.

Each open Waterdeep Harbor space lets you play and resolve one Intrigue card from hand; without one you cannot go there. After ordinary assignments finish, reassign Harbor agents in numbered order 1, 2, 3 to other open spaces, never back to the Harbor. A reassignment also allows a Quest completion.

At Builder’s Hall, pay a displayed building’s cost, score its accumulated points, place it in play with a control marker and replenish the sale row. Everyone may use it; another player’s use gives you its owner benefit, while your own use does not. Your control-marker supply limits buildings controlled. Putting a building into play does not always count as purchasing it.

After all assignments and Harbor reassignments in round eight, score one point per leftover adventurer, one per two gold rounded down and your Lord bonus. Most Lords give four per completed Quest of either specified type; Larissa Neathal instead gives six per building controlled. Highest total wins; ties favor most remaining gold.