game profile

Lords of Waterdeep

D&D-flavored gateway worker placement

BGG · boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/110327

Lords of Waterdeep is a light game (weight 3/10). Despite the modest rules footprint, the decision space is deep (6/10) — the kind of game that rewards a dozen plays. Decisions come at a steady pace (6/10) — engaged without being exhausting. There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 6/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (3/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Of every game in our catalog, Lords of Waterdeep is closest to Five Tribes (96% profile match) but scores lower on depth (6 vs. 7).

WeightDepthDensityInteractionConflictNegotiationInputOutputCatch-upThemeEngineNarrative
Solo0/10
Fiddly4/10
Players
4P5P3P1P2P

The 12-axis profile

Every score is on a 0–10 scale. The rubric and methodology behind these numbers is documented in the README.

Thinking

how much brainwork?
Weight
3
Depth
6
Density
6

Lords of Waterdeep is a light game (weight 3/10). Despite the modest rules footprint, the decision space is deep (6/10) — the kind of game that rewards a dozen plays. Decisions come at a steady pace (6/10) — engaged without being exhausting.

Interaction

how multiplayer is the multiplayer?
Interaction
6
Conflict
3
Negotiation
1

There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 6/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (3/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Luck

where does luck live?
Input
6
Output
1
Catch-up
4

Variance is moderate (input 6, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

Experience

how does it feel?
Theme
4
Engine
4
Narrative
3

The theme provides flavor (4/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. Tempo is steady (engine 4/10) — no big-payoff combo turns.

Variance is moderate (input 6, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

The theme provides flavor (4/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. Tempo is steady (engine 4/10) — no big-payoff combo turns.

Games like Lords of Waterdeep

Ranked by weighted Euclidean distance across the 12-axis profile, using the default research-weighted lens. Click any game to see its full profile.

Frequently asked

Answers derived directly from Lords of Waterdeep's 12-axis profile.

Is Lords of Waterdeep good solo?
No — Lords of Waterdeep is a strictly multiplayer experience (solo 0/10).
What player count is Lords of Waterdeep best at?
Lords of Waterdeep is at its best at 4P, 5P; with 3P also strong; 1P, 2P are the weakest counts.
Is Lords of Waterdeep a heavy game?
Lords of Waterdeep is on the lighter side (weight 3/10) — easy to teach, friendly to new players.
How much luck is there in Lords of Waterdeep?
Lords of Waterdeep has moderate variance (input 6/10, output 1/10).
Is Lords of Waterdeep confrontational?
Lords of Waterdeep is interactive (6/10) but not aggressive (conflict 3/10) — the contention is over shared resources, not direct attacks.

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