Everdell rules: how to play and how to score

Everdell quick rules

The goal

Each player builds a city of woodland animals: Critters and Constructions laid out in front of them, 15 at most. The game starts at the end of winter and stops after autumn. Points come from the cards in your city, Point tokens, Events and autumn Journeys.

Your turn

Play goes clockwise. On your turn, take just one action: place a Worker, play a card or prepare for the season. You start with 2 Workers and gain more each season. There’s no shared round: everyone moves through the seasons at their own pace.

Placing a Worker

Put a Worker on a location marked with a paw print and take what’s shown right away: cards, points or resources (twigs, resin, pebbles, berries). A closed ring holds one Worker, an open ring several. You can also go to a Destination (red card) in your city, or an opponent’s if it shows the open sign: they gain 1 point.

Playing a card

Put a card from your hand or the Meadow (the 8 cards in the middle) into your city, paying its cost in resources. Every Critter names a Construction: if it’s already in your city, the Critter is free, and an Occupied token goes on the Construction. A unique card can only be in your city once, a common card as often as you like. Your hand is limited to 8 cards.

Card colors

Tan, the Travelers: once, when played. Green, Production: when played, then again in spring and autumn. Red, the Destinations: places to put a Worker. Blue, Governance: bonuses or discounts when you play other cards. Purple, Prosperity: extra points at the end.

The seasons

When all your Workers are placed, prepare for the next season: take them back and gain the ones waiting for you on the Ever Tree. In spring, one more Worker and your green cards produce; in summer, one more Worker and up to two Meadow cards; in autumn, two more Workers and your green cards produce again. Only in autumn can you go on a Journey, discarding 2 to 5 cards.

Events

Events are shared goals: each can only be completed by the first player to get there, by placing a Worker on it once their city already meets the conditions. The 4 Basic Events ask for several cards of one color and are worth 3 points. Special Events ask for two specific cards and pay more.

The end and the final count

In autumn, when you can’t act anymore, you pass; the others keep going until everyone has passed. Everyone adds up their cards’ printed points, Point tokens, Prosperity bonuses, Journeys and Events. On a tie, the most Events wins, then the most leftover resources.

Beginner traps

Filling your 15 spaces too fast; paying for Critters you could have played for free; preparing for the season too late while others grab the good locations; keeping no cards for the autumn Journey; noticing the Special Events too late.

How to score Everdell

Cards

Points printed on the cards in your city (a Fool in your city is worth −2).

Point tokens

Those in your supply and those left on your cards.

Prosperity bonuses

Bonuses from purple cards, on top of their printed points.

Journey

Points from the Journey locations where your Workers are.

Events

3 points per Basic Event, plus the points from Special Events.

Events completed, then resources left

Tiebreaker only: the number of Events completed, then your leftover twigs, resin, pebbles and berries.

Pearlbrook

Points from your Wonders and Adornments, plus 2 points per pearl left.

Spirecrest

End-of-game points from your fulfilled Discovery cards, and from the Expedition: the map tiles your Traveler reached.

Bellfaire

The Garland Award: 6 points for the most cards of the type shown, 3 for second (at least one card of that type).

Newleaf

Points from the Visitor cards whose condition your city meets at the end of the game.

Worked example

Emma scores 32 points from cards, 6 Point tokens, 9 from Prosperity, 4 from her Journey and 9 from Events (one Basic at 3 and one Special at 6): 32 + 6 + 9 + 4 + 9 = 60 points.

Common mistakes

• Counting purple cards twice: their printed points go under “Cards,” their bonus under “Prosperity.”
• Forgetting the Point tokens left on your cards.
• Forgetting that a Fool an opponent put in your city costs you 2 points.
• Breaking ties on resources first: compare the number of Events completed first.

How to set up Everdell

With several players, follow the first three parts; solo, add the last one. The number of Forest cards and starting hands depend on the player count.