Which Expansion

Architects of the West Kingdom expansions

Base game: 1–5 players70 minGarphill Games3 expansions checked
  1. #1 overall

    Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans

    Buy this first

    Board Game Quest says buy this first if you only get one: strong choices and very easy to integrate. A designer on BGG says they would not play without its Buildings and Apprentices.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: A 6th player (orange), a personal Artisan meeple worth two workers, 24 Craft cards, 12 new Apprentices and Buildings, a Guildhall overlay and two new player boards.

    Fixes: Gives a score pad the base game lacks, adds a free starting Apprentice and doubles the Apprentice and Building decks so repeat plays vary more.

    Expansion1–6 playersAbout the same rules loadFine for any groupPrice: $20–$40
    DetailsBuy:AmazonGarphill Games
  2. #2 overall

    Architects of the West Kingdom: Works of Wonder

    Worth it

    Board Game Quest and Dude Take Your Turn both like it but call it less elegant and more complex than Age of Artisans, and BGG owners split on whether it is essential outside solo play.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: An Influence track, Princess and Profiteer meeples, five buildable Wonders, 24 new Apprentices and Buildings, six player boards and a new solo system.

    Fixes: Adds a way to trigger Black Market resets and a spendable Influence resource, and replaces the base game's solo opponent with a richer one.

    Expansion1–5 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groupsPrice: $20–$40
    DetailsBuy:AmazonGarphill Games
  3. #3 overall

    The West Kingdom Tomesaga

    Most groups can skip

    The publisher states it needs all three West Kingdom games, so it only makes sense for owners of Architects, Paladins and Viscounts who want campaign or co-op play.

    Needs: Requires Architects of the West Kingdom plus Paladins of the West Kingdom and Viscounts of the West Kingdom to play.

    Adds: Campaign mode that links all three West Kingdom games with tome scoring, plus a separate cooperative Overlord mode for each game and 4 bonus Architects player boards.

    Fixes: Gives owners of all three West Kingdom games a way to play them as one linked campaign or co-operatively.

    Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groupsPrice: $20–$40
    DetailsBuy:AmazonGarphill GamesRenegade Game Studios

Need the base game?

Buy:AmazonGarphill GamesRenegade Game Studios

Stuck between two?

Architects of the West Kingdom expansions: quick answers

Which Architects of the West Kingdom expansion should I buy first?

Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans. Board Game Quest says to pick this first if you buy only one Architects expansion because it adds strong choices while being very easy to integrate, and a designer says on BGG they would not play without its Buildings and Apprentices.

Is Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans worth it?

Our verdict: buy this first. It adds: Components for a 6th player (orange), a personal Artisan meeple that counts as two workers, 24 Craft Cards usable as Adornments or Tools, 12 new Apprentices, 12 new Buildings, a dual-layer Guildhall overlay, two new player boards and a score pad.

Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans or Architects of the West Kingdom: Works of Wonder: which first?

We’d buy Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans first. See the side-by-side comparison for what each adds and needs.

Other games’ expansion guides

Same publisher

Rankings are our editorial picks, built from the reviews linked on each expansion page. Last checked 2026-10-08.