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How to play Lords of Waterdeep (2026): Lords of Waterdeep is a Dungeons & Dragons strategy game for two to five players. Each player is a secret Lord of the city who sends agents to its buildings to recruit adventurers, collect gold and complete quests for victory points. A game lasts eight rounds and takes about an hour once everyone knows the rules. This guide follows the official Wizards of the Coast rulebook.
The game you need: Lords of Waterdeep
The box includes the city board, agent pieces in five colors, adventurer cubes, gold coins, Quest, Intrigue, Lord and Building cards and building tiles.
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The goal of Lords of Waterdeep
Score the most victory points by the end of round eight. Most points come from completing quests, with bonuses at the end for leftover adventurers, gold and your secret Lord card. Your Lord rewards certain quest types, so no one knows exactly what you are aiming for.
Adventurers and quest types
Adventurers are colored cubes: orange Fighters, white Clerics, purple Wizards and black Rogues. Quests need a mix of adventurers and sometimes gold. Each quest belongs to one of five types: Arcana, Piety, Skullduggery, Warfare or Commerce.
Setting up Lords of Waterdeep
- Place the board, the adventurer cubes and gold within reach.
- Shuffle the Quest deck and lay four quests face up at Cliffwatch Inn. Shuffle the Building deck and put three buildings face up at Builder’s Hall.
- Each player takes the agents for their color by player count: four agents with two players, three with three, and two with four or five.
- Deal each player a secret Lord card, two Quest cards and two Intrigue cards.
- Pick a first player. Starting gold rises by seat: 4 for the first player, 5 for the second, and so on, so later players are not left behind.
Taking a turn in Lords of Waterdeep
Starting with the first player, take turns placing one agent on an unoccupied action space and take that action right away. Most buildings hold only one agent each round, so pick carefully. When all agents are placed, the round ends.
Key buildings on the board
| Building | What it does |
|---|---|
| Field of Triumph, Blackstaff Tower, The Plinth, The Grinning Lion | Gain Fighters, Wizards, Clerics or Rogues |
| Aurora’s Realms Shop | Gain 4 gold |
| Cliffwatch Inn | Take a face-up quest, plus gold or an Intrigue card depending on the space |
| Builder’s Hall | Buy a new building for the board |
| Waterdeep Harbor | Play an Intrigue card, then reassign the agent later |
| Castle Waterdeep | Become first player and draw an Intrigue card |
Completing quests
Once per turn, after taking your action, you may complete one quest in your hand by paying the adventurers and gold shown on it. Score the points and any reward. Plot quests give a lasting bonus for the rest of the game, such as extra adventurers whenever you take a certain action.
Mandatory quests
Some Intrigue cards let you give a rival a mandatory quest. They must finish it before they can complete any other quest, which makes it the main way to slow down the leader.
Buying buildings
At Builder’s Hall you pay gold to add a new building to the city. You become its owner, so whenever another player sends an agent there, you collect the owner bonus printed on the building. Buildings bought early often pay for themselves.
End of round and round five
When all agents are placed, agents at Waterdeep Harbor are reassigned to empty spaces in order. Then everyone collects their agents, Cliffwatch Inn and Builder’s Hall are restocked, and a new round begins. At the start of round five every player gains one extra agent for the rest of the game.
Final scoring
- 1 point for each adventurer you still have
- 1 point for every 2 gold
- Your Lord bonus: usually 4 points for each completed quest of your Lord’s two types, or the bonus printed for your Lord
The highest total wins. Ties go to the player with the most gold.
Lords of Waterdeep tips
- Follow your Lord. Quests of your Lord’s types are worth far more by the end.
- Buy a building early. Owner bonuses add up over eight rounds.
- Use the Harbor. Intrigue cards plus a second placement are one of the best deals on the board.
- Watch round five. The extra agent opens bigger quest plans.
Lords of Waterdeep is the classic first worker placement game. Our best strategy board games for adults lists more games to try next, and Lords of Waterdeep is a great gift for any Dungeons & Dragons fan.
Lords of Waterdeep rules questions
How many rounds is Lords of Waterdeep?
Eight rounds. Every player gains an extra agent at the start of round five.
Can two agents be on the same building?
Usually not. Most action spaces hold one agent per round. Waterdeep Harbor has three separate spaces.
Do you need to know Dungeons & Dragons to play?
No. The theme comes from Forgotten Realms, but no role-playing experience is needed.
How long does a game take?
About 60 minutes with experienced players and up to two hours with five newcomers.
