
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Guildlands: Messenger's Guild Expansion
- 2–7 players
- 45–90 min
- 2025

2025
Rules assistance for Guildlands
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Guildlands is a board game released in 2025 for 2–6 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Kedric Winks and Ken Boyter and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building.
In the world of Dragoria, the realm of Thornshire lies in chaos. A horde of ancient dragons have devastated the land, reducing cities and towns to smouldering ruins. Survivors have retreated into caves, waiting for the chance to rebuild their lives. Thornshire’s Queen has issued a royal decree: the Guilds must restore the realm and surpass its former glory. The capital city of Ferrum’s Ford will rise again, shaped by the finest craftspeople of the Royal Guilds: Road Toll Collectors, Merchants, Gardeners, Wizards, Druids and the City Watch. Each Guild brings unique expertise to honour the past and forge the future. Amid this noble mission, rivalries simmer. Tempted by power and wealth, the Guilds vie for dominance as they shape the city’s future. Will the scorched lands thrive again? Will Ferrum’s Ford rise to unmatched splendour? Which Guild will win the Queen’s favour and claim ultimate victory? Tile Actions: On your turn, you MUST perform one of two tile actions. The first action is to choose to take and add a new tile to the board. You may select to take a tile from the pool or risk taking the face-down tile from the top of the stack. The second action you may choose would be to rotate a tile on the City's edge to a more self-rewarding configuration. Be warned...your opponents are watching your every move. Special Actions: Once per turn you may perform a special action. Special actions allow you place your workers on the board or use your Guilds unique abilities. Choose wisely how you use these abilities as they are limited. OF COURSE THERE'S MONEY INVOLVED!!! You can obtain an additional tile or special action on your turn but there is a cost! Is the reward greater for the investment or the bonus points at the end of the game for unspent gold? Guild Boards: The Guild Boards detail each Guild's unique abilities as well as their goal in claiming the Queen's favor! Study all the boards carefully as each is specific to its own Guild. —description from the publisher
Guildlands supports 2–6 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 Guildlands is 45–90 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 Guildlands 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.
Guildlands has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Guildlands belongs to these categories: City Building. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building. 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 Guildlands are: Kedric Winks and Ken Boyter. 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 Guildlands as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.