Timing Rules in Seven Wonders

Question

There may or may not be a clear definitive ruling on this in the rulebook, but it's something that keeps confusing me in the actual play, so I'll ask anyway. Here are several questions that, when put together, should illustrate the points I'm having difficulty.

• I play a card that gives me one coin for each brown card in front of me or either of my two neighbours. I personally keep forgetting whether this counts cards that came into play this turn, but a quick check of the rules summary clarifies that yes, these cards are counted.

• I mistakenly play a card that I (and my neighbours) have insufficient resources to build, when I look closely. Obviously I cannot play the card - but I take it I can still discard it for 3 coins, or to build a section of my Wonder?

• I mistakenly play a card that I (and my neighbours) are short of resources to build: let's say short by one stone. However, it fortuitously happens that one of my neighbours has built a one- or two-stone quarry this turn. Can I pay him the appropriate fee and build the card? Or can I still only discard it for coins or to build a section of Wonder? My first suspicion was that all building happens simultaneously, so I can't use materials that aren't available at this point - but if the card mentioned in my first example derives benefits from cards played this turn, why can't this?

We could get all MtG on this and break it down into discrete phases: the buy-resources-from-neighbours-phase, the build-with-resources phase, the reap-benefits-from-just-built-cards phase. But that all seems a bit anal for Seven Wonders. Is there an easy solution to the problem of looking left and right to see if your neighbours have the resources you need, and having to ask "errrrrr... so did you play that quarry this turn, or not"? (Apart from not being so scatterbrained, obviously!)

Answer 1

1) Nothing to say for me here ;-)

2) I'm not sure about the actual rules, but I think the penalty of disallowing everything else would be too harsh, as the player loses a complete turn. One could argue if only the three coins should be allowed or building a part of the wonder as well. Personally, I would allow both.

3) Again, not 100% sure: as you cannot use coins that you got this turn, you shouldn't be able to use any resources that have become available in the same turn. My thinking is, everybody builds at the same time and hence completes their building at the same time, so you can't get anything out of another building to complete your own.

Answer 2

Answer #1 - Yes, any brown cards played by neighboring players count toward earning coins this way.

Answer #2 - This question is unanswered and not clarified by the official rules. You can only change the action you intended for the card you selected if you can't perform the action you intended for it. In your case, since you can't build the structure as you intended, you can choose between building the next stage of your Wonder or Discarding it for three coins. You cannot change your mind & apply a different action to that card by choice, reason being that a player could change his intended action in response to a card played by his neighboring players. This problem can be avoided by having each player verbally declare what action they intend for their chosen card before the cards are simultaneously turned face up, then turn them face up and apply those assigned actions accordingly.

Answer #3 - No, you cannot count your neighboring players newly acquired resource this turn toward the construction of your chosen card. This question is answered in the FAQ section on the official website of the game developers here, http://rprod.com/index.php?page=download-2

Answer 3

Bear with me here, I'm new so I'm not sure it's the best place but I just find your situation 3 a very interesting premise for a new way of playing 7 Wonders.

Personally, I've never encountered a situation where someone couldn't play a card that happens he could play it because of a new reveal card from a neighbor.

But, allowing this kind of dynamic you could had a great deal of bluff to the game especially with smaller groups (3 or 4 players). Since you know after 3-4 rounds what cards are in your neighbors hands you could anticipate the cards they might play and play something you couldn't. On the other hand, your neighbors would be in the same situation and could adjust their strategy to prevent you from playing your card.

Could be interesting to give it a try.