How to Play Ezra and Nehemiah | Rules & Setup Guide

Get Ready

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

Place the main board

Put the Main Board in the center of the table

Set up Gate Cards

Place all 6 Gate Cards alongside the Main Board with the Worker outline side faceup

Create the Main Supply

Place 10 of each Resource (Gold, Stone, Wood, Cinders) alongside the board with all Silver and Food tokens

Fill rubble on Wall and Gate spaces

Place remaining 64 Resources into the Rubble Bag; randomly draw and place Resources onto each Wall and Gate space equal to the number of icons shown; return leftover Resources to Main Supply

Place Scroll Tiles

Separate tiles by backs; place 1 Gold Scroll Tile faceup on each highest row space; place 1 Wood Scroll Tile on each middle row space (9 total); place 1 Stone Scroll Tile on each lowest row space

Add Food to Scroll rows

Place Food stacks to far right of rows: 4VP row = 3 Food, 3VP row = 2 Food, 2VP row = 1 Food, 1VP row = 0 Food

Add Temple Mount

For fewer than 4 players, place Temple Mount over Temple area with correct side faceup for player count

Set up Altar

Choose 1 side of an Altar Card and place faceup below the Altar; place Prophets on numbered spaces of Altar Track as specified by red flags on the Altar Card

Place Hero Cards

Put the 3 Hero Cards alongside the Main Board

Determine first player

Randomly select first player and give them the Shofar

Distribute Player Boards

Give each player 1 Player Board, 1 Player Aid, and 1 random Development Tile of each type; slot Development Tiles into designated spaces (undeveloped side faceup)

Give player components

Each player receives in their chosen color: 16 Workers (6 in Supply, rest in Main Supply), 1 Tent (on top-center Map space), 1 Altar Marker (on 0 space of Altar Track stacked in descending player order), 1 VP Marker (on 10VP space), 10 Character Cards (shuffled facedown, draw 4 to hand), 12 Wall Cards (shuffled facedown)

Place starting Resources

Place Resources shown on bottom-left of each player's Guards Tile onto 2 of its spaces from Main Supply; each player gains 5 Silver and 3 Food

Set Blessing Markers

Give each player 1 of each Blessing Marker placed on 0 spaces of corresponding Tracks

Place starting Levites

From Main Supply, place 1 Worker of each player's color in the designated Levite Track space

Place Gatekeepers

In reverse turn order, each player places 1 Worker on a chosen corner Gate (Old Gate, Sheep Gate, Horse Gate, Fountain Gate)

Set up White Workers (1-2 players only)

Place 1 White Worker on each of the 2 outer Scrolls of the bottom row

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Play a Character Card

Play 1 Character Card from hand to 1 of 3 piles on Player Board before taking Main Action

Take a Main Action

Choose 1 of the 3 Main Actions using Banners of the corresponding color

Optionally place a Levite

Before or after Main Action, pay Food cost shown and place Worker from Supply into Levite column; gain the row reward immediately

Use Levites for Resources or Banners

Each Levite may either place 1 Resource in Temple/on Altar OR provide 1 additional Red Banner this turn

Place Resources in Temple

Pay 1-5 Red Banners per Resource; place Stone, Wood, or Gold (not Cinders) in left-most empty column of chosen row; gain 1VP for Stone/Wood or 2VP for Gold plus row reward

Place Resources on Altar

Pay 3 Red Banners to place Wood (move 2 spaces on Altar Track) OR pay 1 Red Banner to place Cinders (move 1 space on Altar Track)

Gain Altar Track rewards

Collect all rewards shown below each space moved onto or past

Select one Wall or Gate space

You can never focus on more than 1 space per turn

Clear rubble

Pay Grey Banners to collect Resources: 1 Banner per Cinders, 2 per Stone/Wood, 3 per Gold; clearing last piece from Wall space gains indicated Blessing

Build a Wall

Pay required Grey Banners and Resources; draw 3 Wall Cards, place 1 on the space (resolve immediate effects), put 1 on top of draw pile and 1 on bottom

Build a Gate

Pay 3 Grey Banners, 1 Wood, and 2 Stone; place Gate Card on space, collect any Silver on it, place 1 Worker as Gatekeeper, gain printed reward

Apply building discounts

Use 3 Grey Banners OR 1 Gold to pay 1 fewer Stone or Wood

Gain connection rewards

When Wall connects to Gate (or vice versa), both owners gain rewards shown on Gate; if same player owns both, gain reward once

Place a Scribe

Pay required Blue Banners plus Silver or Gold for the row; place Worker on available Scroll Tile; pay 1 Silver to each other player whose Scribe you branch through

Gain Row Bonus

First player to place Scribe in top 3 rows gains all Food placed at row's end during setup

Move your Tent

Pay Blue Banners (and sometimes 1 Resource for 3-4 spaces) to move Tent 1-4 spaces clockwise; gain each reward crossed over

Do both

You may place 1 Scribe and move Tent in either order

Trade using Character Card

Use 1 Trade option on the Card played this turn

Turn over a Development Tile

Pay Resources shown on top-left to Main Supply; gain reward on green bar; flip tile (worth 2VP at game end)

Use 1 Trader

Place 1 Worker from Supply on available Trader space; gain printed effect

Use 1 Elder

Place 1 Worker from Supply on available Elder space; gain printed Banners and effects

Gain Blessings

When gaining a Blessing, move that Marker 1 space right; completing a set (1 of each color) gains column bonus above left-most Blessing

Alternate Blessing gain

If unable to gain a Blessing or Worker, move Tent 1 space instead

Draw a Character Card

Draw 1 Card from draw pile to hand if possible

Use Farmers and Labourers

Assign remaining Supply Workers as Farmers or Labourers; they immediately produce printed Resources, Food, and Silver

Resolve Prophets' Judgment

Gain or lose rewards based on Altar Marker position relative to Prophets (varies by round and Altar Card)

Feed Workers

Pay 1 Food per Worker (excluding Levites and those in Main Supply); lose 2VP per unfed Worker

Tuck Character Cards

Tuck 1-2 Character Cards from Player Board under Player Aid (1 in Rounds 1 and 3, 2 in Round 2); tucked cards score each Sabbath and provide top Banner permanently

Score tucked Character Cards

Gain VP from all tucked cards based on their conditions

Move the Prophets

Advance Prophets to positions for next round as shown on Altar Card

Pass the Shofar

Give to next player clockwise

Retrieve Workers

Return all Traders, Elders, Farmers, and Labourers to player Supplies

Altar Leader gains Worker

Player furthest right on Altar Track gains 1 Worker from Main Supply

Shuffle remaining Character Cards

Form new draw pile; if Round 2, draw 1 Card to hand