Picture a woodland realm of bustling critters, shimmering rivers, and a majestic tree. Welcome to Everdell, where strategy meets storybook charm—and now, a spirited drinking game twist! Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or a first-timer, Everdell offers whimsical city-building, resource management, and endless fun. Let’s explore its enchanting gameplay, must-try expansions, and a fast-paced drinking game to shake things up!
Table of Contents
What is the Everdell Board Game?
Everdell is the brainchild of Starling Games, designed by James A. Wilson, and first released in 2018. The game masterfully combines worker placement and tableau building, immersing players in a woodland society brimming with bustling critters and intricate strategies.
Players take on the role of leaders in this woodland realm, striving to construct the most prosperous city before the end of four seasons. Each decision—whether it’s placing a worker, gathering resources, or building structures—moves you closer to victory, all while navigating the unique dynamics of each season.
How to Play the Everdell Board Game?
The standard Everdell board game is suitable for 1 to 4 players. While the game unfolds over four seasonal rounds, each bringing new opportunities and challenges. Let’s break it down:
The Flow of Seasons
- Spring: Workers return, new actions unlock, and the groundwork for your city begins.
- Summer: Players draw new cards, broadening their strategy options.
- Autumn: Additional workers are added, and the final sprint towards victory begins.
Key Actions in Everdell
- Place Workers: Send your critters to locations to gather resources like twigs, resin, and berries.
- Build Structures: Use resources to construct buildings that grant ongoing benefits or points.
- Meet Critters: Recruit critters to your city for special abilities and scoring bonuses.
Scoring and Winning
Victory is determined by the points accrued from buildings, critters, and special achievements. The player with the most prosperous city emerges victorious.
Everdell Expansions and Variants
Everdell has grown significantly since its debut, with several Kickstarter-funded expansions and variants that add depth, variety, and accessibility to the game. Each expansion brings unique mechanics and themes, tailored for different player counts and styles.
1. Pearlbrook (2019)
- Best For: 2-4 players who enjoy resource management and underwater themes.
- Key Features: Introduces frog ambassadors and an aquatic world where players collect pearls to trade with undersea creatures and build wonders.
- Game Duration: Adds 30-45 minutes to the base game, making total playtime around 2.5-3 hours.
2. Spirecrest (2020)
- Best For: 2-4 players, particularly those seeking a strategic challenge.
- Key Features: Adds a Mountain board that players explore, along with weather cards that impose new conditions, large critters for travel, and various discovery cards.
- Game Duration: Extends gameplay by 45 minutes to an hour, bringing total playtime to 3-3.5 hours.
3. Bellfaire (2020)
- Best For: Groups of 5-6 players or those seeking variety through new player powers.
- Key Features: Introduces unique player powers, a new market board, and rules for supporting 5-6 players. Includes competitive event cards for added challenge.
- Game Duration: Games with 5-6 players typically take around 3.5-4 hours.
4. My Lil’ Everdell (2022)
- Best For: Families and younger players aged 6 and up.
- Key Features: A simplified version of Everdell tailored to children, featuring easier rules, adorable critters, and shorter playtimes.
- Game Duration: Games typically last 30-60 minutes, perfect for younger audiences.
5. Newleaf (2023)
- Best For: 2-4 players who love thematic, train-inspired mechanics.
- Key Features: Adds a train station board, new visitor cards, and additional ways to interact with the meadow. This expansion enriches the tableau-building element with fresh components.
- Game Duration: Similar to other expansions, adds about 30-45 minutes, making a full game 2.5-3 hours.
6. Mistwood (2023)
- Best For: Solo or 2-player games. Perfect for those who enjoy head-to-head or solo gameplay.
- Key Features: Introduces a new game mode with an automated opponent named Nightweave, a spider who weaves webs to disrupt your strategy. Includes new cards and mechanics designed for smaller player counts.
- Game Duration: Solo or 2-player games last 1.5-2 hours with this expansion.
7. The Complete Collection (2023)
- Best For: Collectors and dedicated fans of Everdell. (The price is around $400USD)
- Key Features: A comprehensive set that includes the base game, all five expansions (Pearlbrook, Spirecrest, Bellfaire, Newleaf, Mistwood), upgraded components, and Everdell Big Ol’ Box of Storage. It’s packaged with storage solutions for easier organization.
- Game Duration: Varies based on chosen expansions, typically 2.5-4 hours depending on setup.
Digital and Tabletop Variants
- Digital Version
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch.
- Best For: Solo players or groups wanting a quick and convenient way to play without setup time.
- Game Duration: Matches the physical game’s time but eliminates setup, shaving off 15-20 minutes.
- Tabletop Variants
- Two-Deck Variant (7 Wonders Style): A fan-created modification that splits the deck into two, speeding up the pace by reducing card search time.
- Best For: Experienced players looking for faster games while keeping the strategy intact.
- Game Duration: Typically reduces playtime by 30 minutes, depending on group familiarity.
Everdell Drinking Game: Fast, Fun and Full of Spirits
Get ready to add a spirited twist to your Everdell sessions! This drinking board game speeds up play while sprinkling in hilarious, drink-worthy moments. It’s time to turn your woodland adventure into a fast-paced cocktail of strategy and fun.
Setup Adjustments for Faster Gameplay
- Starting Resources Boost: Each player starts with 2 twigs, 1 resin, and 1 berry instead of the standard setup.
- Smaller Meadow
- Instead of the usual 8 cards in the Meadow, start with 6 to reduce analysis paralysis.
- Refresh the Meadow after every 3 player turns.
Gameplay Drinking Rules
- Season Transitions: When a player transitions to the next season, they toast their productivity and take 1 drink.
- Worker Placement：Every time a player places a worker on a forest location already occupied by another player’s worker, they take 1 drink as a penalty for squeezing in.
- Card Combos: Building a critter and its related building (e.g., the Innkeeper and Inn) in the same turn earns you 1 drink of celebration.
- Rolling Critter Dice (Optional): Before each turn, roll a D6 for critter-inspired luck:
- 1: Take 1 drink for a slow start.
- 6: Assign a drink to any player of your choice as “woodland tax.”
Expansions-Specific Drinking Fun
- Pearlbrook: Spending a pearl? Everyone else toasts to your fancy aquatic luxury with 1 drink.
- Spirecrest: Roll a weather card that affects everyone? Everyone takes 1 drink for enduring your weather mischief.
- Bellfaire: Trigger a competitive event? All players involved take 1 drink for their efforts.
- Newleaf: Recruit a visitor card? Assign 1 drink to another player as a thank-you for supporting tourism.
Speed Boosters
- Fast Seasons Rule
- Players must complete their turn within 60 seconds using a timer.
- Failing the timer means taking 1 drink and forfeiting one worker placement for that turn.
- Limit Hand Size
- Players may only hold up to 7 cards at the end of their turn.
- Exceeding the limit means discarding down to 7 and taking 1 drink per discarded card.
With the boosted resources, Meadow refreshes, and strict turn timers, this drinking game reduces Everdell’s playtime to about 1.5 hours, even with expansions like Pearlbrook or Bellfaire. Gather your critters, grab your drinks, and let the Everdell Drinking Game begin!
Everdell for Beginners: Tips and Tricks
Everdell’s flexible design makes it enjoyable for groups of all sizes, whether you’re playing solo, with a partner, or in a larger group. Here’s how to tailor the experience for different player counts, along with strategies to help beginners thrive in this whimsical yet strategic woodland world.
Solo Play
- Setup Adjustments: Use the solo variant included in the base game, where you compete against an automated opponent. Expansions like Mistwood enhance solo play with Nightweave, an AI-controlled spider that adds depth and challenge.
- Tips:
- Focus on balancing your tableau early—diversify buildings and critters to maximize points.
- Plan ahead for the automated opponent’s actions, especially when they block key locations.
- Use Spirecrest or Pearlbrook expansions to enrich the solo experience with additional layers of strategy.
Two-Player Games
- Setup Adjustments: The base game scales well for two players, but Pearlbrook and Newleaf add thematic depth without overly complicating the game.
- Tips:
- Be aggressive with worker placement to limit your opponent’s options.
- Focus on building synergy between your cards early, as two-player games often leave more space for longer-term strategies.
- Watch for high-value Meadow cards that can disrupt your opponent’s plan.
Three to Four Players
- Setup Adjustments: This is the sweet spot for Everdell’s pacing and competition. All expansions work well, but Bellfaire adds unique player powers to enhance replayability.
- Tips:
- Be strategic with worker placement, as popular locations are likely to get crowded.
- Diversify your approach—don’t rely on a single resource or card combo to succeed.
- Keep an eye on opponents’ tableaus to anticipate their moves and counteract high-scoring combos.
Five to Six Players
- Setup Adjustments: Use the Bellfaire expansion, which introduces new rules and components for 5-6 players. Adjust the Meadow refresh rate to keep cards cycling faster, reducing analysis paralysis.
- Tips:
- Prioritize resource-heavy strategies to stay ahead in a crowded field.
- Use competitive events introduced in Bellfaire to gain extra points and disrupt opponents’ plans.
- Be mindful of turn time—larger games can slow down without a clear plan.
General Tips for Beginners
- Start Simple:
Begin with the base game and avoid using expansions for your first playthrough. This keeps the learning curve manageable. - Balance is Key:
Focus on building a balanced tableau with critters and buildings that complement each other. Cards like Farms (for resource generation) and Inns (for worker efficiency) are great early-game investments. - Watch the Seasons:
Pay attention to when other players transition to new seasons. Timing your moves can maximize your efficiency and help secure key Meadow cards. - Plan Your Resources:
Always have a plan for gathering and spending resources. Avoid hoarding materials unnecessarily, as this can slow down your progress. - Learn by Doing:
Don’t worry about perfection in your first game. Experiment with different strategies to find what suits your play style.
Is Everdell worth the price?
At around $60-$70, Everdell isn’t the cheapest game out there, but it’s hard to deny the bang-for-your-buck factor. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, the components are top-notch (that giant Evertree is a showstopper), and the gameplay hits a sweet spot between strategy and accessibility.
That said, it’s not perfect for everyone. If you’re not into tableau-building or you want something fast-paced, the game’s slower, more methodical pace might feel like a drag. Plus, if you’re eyeing expansions, be ready to shell out more cash.
Bottom line: If you love immersive games with a strategic edge and don’t mind a 2-3 hour session, it’s worth it. But if quick and light games are more your vibe, you might want to think twice.
Which Everdell Expansion Is the Best?
Everdell’s expansions add depth and variety, but which one should you choose? Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
- Pearlbrook (2019): Best for players who enjoy resource management and thematic additions.
- Spirecrest (2020): Best for those seeking more challenges and exploration. Ideal for experienced players who want a tougher, more strategic game.
- Bellfaire (2020): Best for groups of 5-6 players or fans of unique player powers. Features asymmetric abilities and a new market board for trading.
- Newleaf (2023): Best for players who enjoy tableau-building and new interactive elements, such as visitor cards and additional ways to interact with the Meadow.
- Mistwood (2023): Best for solo players or two-player games. Introduces Nightweave, an automated spider opponent for solo play, and new mechanics designed for head-to-head gameplay.
Everdell is already a delight with its whimsical critters and deep strategy, but adding these faster-paced rules and a touch of spirited fun takes game night to a whole new level. Whether you’re a seasoned Everdell player or introducing friends to the world under the Evertree, these twists guarantee an evening filled with laughter, excitement, and maybe a few tipsy critters.