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Everdell
MatagotJames A. Wilson2018
- players
- 1–4
- minutes
- 80
- years
- 10+
In the box
Everdell box
Box details
- Designer
- James A. Wilson
- Artwork
- Andrew Bosley, Cody Jones, Dann May
- Publisher
- Matagot
- Mechanics
- ObjectivesHand ManagementIncomeOpen DraftingOwnership
- Expansions
- Everdell: Bellfaire · 2022
- Everdell: Pearlbrook · 2021
- Everdell: Spirecrest · 2022
- Everdell: Newleaf · 2023
- Everdell: Spirecrest – Second Edition · 2022
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Each player builds a city of fifteen cards over four seasons, chaining constructions and critters. On your turn, place a worker on a location, play a card from your hand or the Meadow by paying its cost, or, once all your workers are placed, prepare for the next season to bring them back with a bonus. When every player has passed at the end of autumn, add up cards, point tokens, Prosperity, Journey and events, and the highest total wins.
Checked against the official rules · October 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
2 workers each, 5 to 8 cards, 8 cards in the Meadow
- Each player starts at the end of winter with two workers. Their four other workers wait on the Ever Tree: one for spring, one for summer, two for autumn.
- The first player takes five cards, the second six, the third seven, the fourth eight.
- Eight cards are laid out face up in the Meadow. The board offers gathering locations, Forest cards (three with two players, four with three or four), and basic and special events.
How to play
Place a worker, Or play a card, Or prepare for season
- On your turn, place a worker, play a card, or prepare for the next season.
- A card is played from your hand or from the Meadow, by paying its cost in resources.
- A critter can be played without paying its berries if the construction shown on its card is already in your city; that construction is then marked with an Occupied token, and it can only be used once.
- You can only prepare for the next season once all your workers are placed: take them back, then receive the season's bonus. Each player moves at their own pace.
- Spring: one more worker, and all your green Production cards activate. Summer: one more worker, and you may take up to two cards from the Meadow. Autumn: two more workers, and another production.
- Your hand never exceeds eight cards.
- The Journey is only available in autumn.
Scoring
City cards, Point tokens, Achieved events
- Points printed on each card in your city. The city has fifteen spaces at most; events do not take up any.
- Point tokens gained during the game.
- Bonuses from purple Prosperity cards.
- Journey points.
- Points from achieved events, basic and special.
End of the game
After autumn, Everyone has passed, Highest total
- A player who has reached the end of autumn and cannot or does not want to act any more passes; they then receive no more cards or resources.
- The game ends when every player has passed.
- The highest total wins. On a tie, the player who achieved the most events wins, then the one with the most resources left; otherwise, the victory is shared.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · Rules on video · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
What do you do on your turn?
A single action out of three: place a worker on a location to gather resources, play a card into your city, or prepare for the next season (take back your workers and gain new ones).
How do you play a card?
By paying its cost in resources, from your hand or the Meadow. A critter can also be played without paying its berries if the linked construction is already in your city, only once per construction. The city is limited to fifteen cards: filling it wisely is the whole challenge.
What is the difference between constructions and critters?
Constructions are paid for in twigs, resin and pebbles; critters in berries. Each construction can host one specific critter for free, shown on the critter's card. Pairing them saves a huge amount of resources.
What are seasons?
The game goes through four seasons. "Prepare for season" returns all your workers, adds more, and triggers a production in spring and autumn, or a draw from the Meadow in summer. Each player moves at their own pace: some are already in summer while others are still in spring. The game begins at the end of winter and finishes with autumn.
How does the game end?
Each player passes when, having reached the end of autumn, they cannot or do not want to act any more; the game ends when everyone has passed. Count the points from cards, tokens, Prosperity bonuses, the Journey and events.
Rules on video
Videos in French, hosted on YouTube.