# Viscounts of the West Kingdom: Keeper of Keys ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 8.0 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 60-90 min - **Weight**: 3.60 / 5 - **Designers**: S J Macdonald, Shem Phillips - **Artists**: Mihajlo Dimitrievski - **Publishers**: Garphill Games, Banana Games, Fever Games, Lavka Games, Pixie Games, Portal Games, Primigenio, Reflexshop, Renegade Game Studios, Schwerkraft-Verlag, TLAMA games, Yayoi The Dreamer - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Medieval - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Modular Board, Rondel, Set Collection, Solo / Solitaire Game, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict The essential upgrade for those craving more chaos and treasures in the royal court!Deeper strategic layersPremium component feelEnhanced player interactionGreat replayabilityRequires base gameHigher complexityHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description If you ever felt that the King's court in Viscounts of the West Kingdom was getting a bit too quiet, get ready: Keeper of Keys is here to turn up the heat! This expansion isn't just a handful of extra cards; it brings a strategic depth that will make you question your loyalty to the throne. The big highlight here is the introduction of the new Chest Tiles, which add a layer of searching for treasures and secrets hidden throughout the castle, creating a fantastic sense of urgency and discovery. The gameplay gains new dimensions with the introduction of three public Buildings. Now, it's not enough to just tend to your own backyard; you'll have to compete for space and influence with your rivals to ensure these structures work in your favor. To make the setup feel even more premium, the expansion includes thicker player boards, providing that high-quality tactile feel that tabletop enthusiasts love. Furthermore, the variety of characters and resources has been significantly boosted. With new Townsfolk, Heroes, and Manuscript tiles, the potential for powerful combos increases drastically. For players who enjoy customizing their early-game strategy, the expansion offers three replacement starting Townsfolk. This is a game-changer, as they open up different paths right from the first turn, allowing you to focus on acquiring chests or recruiting heroes with much greater efficiency. In short, if you are looking for more strategic options, more competitive interaction, and a touch of medieval mystery, Keeper of Keys is the upgrade your collection deserves. It means more chaos, more treasures, and definitely more tough decisions during your next game night! ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Viscounts of the West Kingdom: Keeper of Keys, tensions rise in the King’s court as players forge alliances, uncover secrets, or remain loyal. Your goal is to outmaneuver opponents by constructing Public Buildings, collecting Hero Townsfolk Cards, and leveraging Chest Tiles for bonuses. The game ends when a set condition is met (consult the manual for details), and the player with the most Victory Points (VP) wins. Preparation (Setup) Follow these steps to set up the game with the Keeper of Keys expansion: Shuffle the new Hero Townsfolk Cards, Townsfolk Cards, and Player Cards into their respective decks. Mix the 5 new Manuscripts with the originals (each pile will have an extra Manuscript). Place the 3 Public Buildings with their matching cards face-up near the Main Board. Replace original Player Boards with the new ones. Each player swaps their original Journeyman, Lender, and Trader cards for the new versions. Shuffle the 18 Chest Tiles into a facedown pile. Draw 4 and place them face-up near the pile. After players choose their starting Hero and Player Card, shuffle the remaining Hero Townsfolk Cards into a facedown pile. Draw 3 and place them face-up. Game Flow Consult the manual for details about turn structure, rounds, or phases. The expansion introduces new interactions with Hero Townsfolk Cards, Chest Tiles, and Public Buildings, but core gameplay follows the original rules. Actions and How to Play Hero Townsfolk Cards Some Hero Townsfolk Cards let players gain 1 of the 3 face-up cards for free (no Silver cost). This is not a "hire" action, so it doesn’t trigger hire-related abilities. Replace collected cards immediately from the draw pile. Some cards are removed from the game after use (e.g., Girard grants a new Hero Townsfolk Card and 2 Silver). Scarlette lets players Transcribe a Manuscript immediately before Viscount movement. Player Cards New Player Cards offer varied starting positions on the Main Board’s inner path. Some grant Hero Townsfolk Cards or Chest Tiles from face-up options during setup. Public Buildings To construct a Public Building: Have your Viscount on a space with a matching building type. Pay the cost on the Public Building Card. Replace your building with the Public Building, returning yours to your Player Board. Resolve the card’s immediate effect. Public Buildings grant ongoing abilities (e.g., Public Trading Post lets you flip Debt or Deed when gaining/destroying Hero Townsfolk Cards). Each Public Building can only be constructed once. Chest Tiles Gain face-up Chest Tiles by slotting them below your Player Board’s card spaces (discard old tiles to make room). Tiles activate when cards enter their spaces, granting rewards like Ink Wells, Stone, or icon conversions (e.g., treating 1 Cleric Icon as 2). Benefits only trigger during Card Management, not Rearrange effects. End of Game and Scoring Consult the manual for the end-game trigger. Players score VP from: Public Buildings and Chest Tiles (2/5/9 VP for 1/2/3 tiles). Original scoring steps. Chest Tiles only count printed icons (not generated abilities). Icon conversions are optional. Tips to Win Prioritize Public Buildings: Their ongoing abilities (like the Public Guildhall’s permanent Criminal Icon) can dominate late-game strategies. Manage Chest Tiles: Discard weaker tiles to make room for ones that synergize with your card icons (e.g., focus on Merchant Icons if you have tiles that reward them). Use Hero Townsfolk Cards early: Free actions like Scarlette’s Manuscript transcription can accelerate your progress. ## FAQ ### Can I play this without the base game? No way! This is an expansion, so you absolutely need the Viscounts of the West Kingdom base game to play. ### Does it increase the playtime significantly? Playtime might increase slightly due to more strategic choices, but it should stay within the 60-90 minute range. ### Does it make the game much harder? Complexity increases a bit because you have more options and new elements to manage, but it's well within the reach of base game fans. ### Does it work for solo play? Yes! It maintains and even enriches the solo experience with new components and challenges. ### How many players does it support? It follows the base game's standard, supporting 1 to 4 players. ### Are the components high quality? Yes, the expansion includes thicker player boards and components that enhance the game's tactile feel. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 25.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4673560&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.85 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4252216&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4041506&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.97 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4825550&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4243151&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 28.26 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6725079&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 35.33 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4415453&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 37.13 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4253249&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 38.67 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4036866&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 39.05 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6078525&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/42623/viscounts-of-the-west-kingdom-keeper-of-keys?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com