
- BGG rank
- BGG #192
- BGG rating
- 7.8
7 Wonders (Second Edition)
- 3–7 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2020

Rules assistance for 7 Wonders: Cities
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
7 Wonders: Cities is an expansion for 7 Wonders released in 2012 for 2–8 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Antoine Bauza and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Set Collection.
7 Wonders: Cities, the second expansion for 7 Wonders, includes optional team rules, adds an 8th player (base game supports 7 players), a new type of card (black, representing the remains of cities), and new cards of old types (two new wonders: Petras and Byzantium, 3 new guild and 6 new leader cards). This expansion is more aggressive, with greatly increased interaction between players, who are still trying to score more points than anyone else. With the team rules, you can play with up to eight players, with the players divided into teams who sit next to one another so that they can kibitz and choose the cards of most use to them. The new black cards have a variety of effects, with nine cards being available in each age. Effects include: The active player gaining gold, with his neighbors also gaining a bit. Increased military strength in age 1 at a greater cost. Embassy cards that remove you from the military competition for that age. Cemetery cards that earn you points at the end of the game while costing opponents gold. Spy cards that copy symbols from green (science) cards. A secret warehouse that doubles a resource and a black market that generates a missing resource. The ability to build cards for free by copying building chains from other players. The 6 new leader cards can only be played with 7 Wonders: Leaders.
7 Wonders: Cities supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 7 Wonders: Cities is 40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 7 Wonders: Cities for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
7 Wonders: Cities has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
7 Wonders: Cities belongs to these categories: Card Game, Ancient, and City Building. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Set Collection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 7 Wonders: Cities are: Antoine Bauza. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 7 Wonders: Cities as an expansion for 7 Wonders. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need 7 Wonders to use it. Check that your edition of 7 Wonders is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.