How to Play

Belfort

2-5 players 120-120 min 7.2 Board Game Geek Rating

In Belfort, players deploy Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes as workers to gather resources and construct buildings across five city districts. This worker placement game features area majority scoring where players compete for control of districts and worker types. Buildings provide influence and income but increase tax burdens, requiring strategic resource management to emerge victorious.

Published 2011

Belfort

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Prepare property deck
Shuffle all Property cards (five of each of the ten types: Pub, Gardens, Tower, Inn, Blacksmith, Bank, Market, Gatehouse, Library, Keep)
2
Set up resource supply
Place Gold, Wood, Stone, and Metal resources in a central supply accessible to all players
3
Prepare worker supply
Place Elf and Dwarf workers of each player color in the supply area
4
Set up Gnome stockpile
Place Gnome workers in a central stockpile for hiring
5
Prepare worker tokens
Each player receives their Elf and Dwarf tokens with regular side face up (Master side face down)

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Place workers on planks
Pay 1 Gold fee to place a worker on an unlocked plank action space
2
Hire Gnomes
Pay 1 Gold to take 1 Gnome from the stockpile and place on your unoccupied Gnome Lock (limited to 1 Gnome per round normally)
3
Use Tower plank
Once unlocked, place a Gnome from stockpile on your unoccupied Gnome Lock for 1 Gold (does not count toward normal hiring limit)
4
Use Inn plank
Once unlocked, collect 1 Dwarf or 1 Elf of your color from the Worker supply for 1 Gold
5
Collect property income
Receive Gold based on built properties (Pub, Gardens, Tower, Bank, Market, Library, Keep provide 1 Gold; Inn, Blacksmith, Gatehouse provide zero)
6
Execute plank actions
Resolve each plank action where you placed workers
7
Use Gnome Lock abilities
Activate special abilities from properties where you have placed Gnomes
8
Visit Trading Post
Make one visit per turn (up to one buy and one sell) unless modified by Market Gnome Locks
9
Use Bank ability
Once per turn, collect 1 Gold from supply (requires Gnome Lock)
10
Use Blacksmith ability
Once per turn, buy 1 Metal from supply for 1 Gold (requires Gnome Lock)
11
Draw cards at Library
Draw 1 free card from deck at end of your Actions phase turn (requires Gnome Lock)
12
Build Pub
Pay cost to place property marker; when Gnome Lock is activated, flip one Dwarf token to Master side permanently
13
Build Gardens
Pay cost to place property marker; when Gnome Lock is activated, flip one Elf token to Master side permanently
14
Build Tower
Pay cost to unlock plank for placing Gnomes during Placement phase
15
Build Inn
Pay cost to unlock plank for collecting additional workers during Placement phase
16
Build Blacksmith
Pay cost; use plank to collect 1 Metal from supply
17
Build Bank
Pay cost; Gnome Lock allows collecting 1 Gold per turn during Actions phase
18
Build Market
Pay cost; plank collects 2 Gold; first Gnome Lock grants second Trading Post visit; second Gnome Lock grants third visit
19
Build Gatehouse
Pay cost and choose one of two symbols for your marker; Gnome Lock lets you place second marker on other symbol of a Gatehouse you own
20
Build Library
Pay cost; plank draws 2 cards then discards 2 cards; Gnome Lock draws 1 free card at turn end
21
Build Keep
Pay cost to build one section; place property markers on both symbols of that section
22
Use Merchants' Guild
Exchange up to twice: receive 1 Metal for 1 Wood or 1 Stone; also gain 3 additional Trading Post visits this turn
23
Use Librarians' Guild
Draw 3 Property cards, then discard 1 card from hand (may discard a drawn card)
24
Use Architects' Guild
Build on any unclaimed Property, Wall, or Guild symbol at normal cost minus 1 Metal or 2 Wood/Stone
25
Use Recruiters' Guild
Collect 1 Elf or Dwarf of your color from supply, OR collect 1 Gnome and immediately place on unoccupied Gnome Lock
26
Use Sawyers' Guild
Collect 4 Wood from supply
27
Use Miners' Guild
Collect 2 Metal from supply
28
Use Bankers' Guild
Collect 3 Gold from supply
29
Use Masons' Guild
Collect 4 Stone from supply
30
Use Thieves' Guild
Steal up to 2 Gold from one player, OR steal 1 Gold each from up to 3 different players
31
Use Bandits' Guild
Steal 1 Metal or up to 2 Wood/Stone from one player, OR steal 1 Wood/Stone each from up to 3 players
32
Use Wizards' Guild
Pick two Properties, Guilds, or Walls of same type and swap all property markers between them
33
Use Spies' Guild
Each opponent reveals 1 card from hand; take 1 of the revealed cards into your hand

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Track Master Workers
Count your Pubs with Gnomes to verify Master Dwarves; count Gardens with Gnomes to verify Master Elves
2
Verify property ownership
Confirm property markers are correctly placed on built locations
3
Calculate final score
Determine victory based on property markers, resources, and other scoring conditions as specified in main rulebook

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Belfort - Como Jogar

Belfort - Como Jogar

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Belfort ... Setup and Rules by the Crabby Dice

Belfort ... Setup and Rules by the Crabby Dice

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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