Game of the Month, May 2023: Lords of Waterdeep

Lords of Waterdeep is a strategic board game that takes players into the heart of the iconic city of Waterdeep in Dungeons & Dragons’ Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The game combines resource management, worker placement, and hidden agendas to create a fun, accessible game that acts as a great entry point into the worker placement genre. It’s a game I’ve played a lot, but this month was probably the first time I’ve played it since the end of lockdown.

It’s our game of the month for May 2023.

Set in the bustling city of Waterdeep, known as the City of Splendors, Lords of Waterdeep captures the essence of this iconic Dungeons & Dragons city. It sees players competing as influential Lords vying for power and influence within Waterdeep’s political landscape.

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The game rewards strategic thinking and careful resource management as you gather cubes (representing adventurers) to complete quests on your behalf. Players take on the roles of masked Lords, utilizing their agents to complete quests, gather resources, and expand their influence. The game’s worker placement mechanic requires thoughtful consideration of available actions and resources, as well as clever maneuvering to block opponents and maximize one’s own opportunities. The intricate web of decisions and options creates a satisfying challenge that keeps players engaged and eager to outmaneuver their rivals.

Here’s a good summary of how the game is played:

One of the more interesting aspects of Lords of Waterdeep is the inclusion of hidden agendas. I do like this sort of asymmetry; it is known. Each player receives a secret Lord card at the beginning of the game, which grants them unique objectives and scoring opportunities. This hidden information introduces an element of intrigue and strategy, as players must carefully navigate their actions and quests to align with their hidden agendas while keeping their opponents guessing. The hidden agendas add variety to the gameplay and help replayability. My favourite lord is commonly known as the ‘builder lord’ who gets bonus points not based on quest types like most lords do, but by constructing buildings. Much more interesting!

Lords of Waterdeep strikes a decent balance between strategic depth and accessibility. The game’s mechanics are elegantly designed, offering a streamlined gameplay experience without sacrificing complexity. The rulebook is well-structured and easy to understand, making it accessible to newcomers to the hobby and easy for a quick check of a forgotten rule. The intuitive nature of the game allows players to quickly grasp the core mechanics, enabling them to focus on strategic decision-making and, of course, blocking off the optimal path for their opponents.

There’s an expansion, too. Scoundrels of Skullport offers additional content that further enhances the gameplay experience. The expansion introduces new Lords, quests, buildings, and mechanics, expanding the game’s possibilities and providing fresh challenges for returning players. The additional content further increases the game’s replayability, ensuring that it remains engaging and enjoyable even after plenty of playthroughs. You even get to play as a Beholder. That’s awesome!

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Lords of Waterdeep is a well-crafted worker placement board game that offers an interesting and rewarding experience for both casual and avid board gamers. The theming, based around Dungeons & Dragons and the Forgotten Realms setting, provides an interesting hook for D&D fans. There seem to be a lot of them these days.

But yeah, ultimately, just a fun game, and my joy at reconnecting with it is what makes it our game of the month for May 2023.