Title: 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon
Designer: Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala
Publisher: Repos Production
Type: Strategy
Players: 2 players
Recommended Age: 10+
Time to Play: 30 – 45 minutes
BGG Ranking: 8.0
My Ranking: 8/10
My quick review: Pantheon is a nice-to-have expansion for 7 Wonders Duel that adds a fun, strategic component to the game. I don’t consider it essential to the enjoyment of the original game so it might not always make the cut whenever you want to play 7 Wonders Duel. If you’re looking for a bit of variety, it’s a great addition!
7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon is an expansion for 7 Wonders Duel. Check out my full review for 7 Wonders Duel here!
With Pantheon, you get an added layer of strategy and complexity. Deities are introduced and each have special abilities to either help you or hurt your opponent. When you select one of the six deity cards, you don’t get to select a pyramid card. This can help you throughout the game if you want to force the other player to pick a certain card in the pyramid that will then open up the card you want from the pyramid for your next turn.
Word of advice… think carefully before placing a deity in its spot during the first age! The cards closer to you are cheaper for you to purchase throughout the game so if you are very interested in a particular god, make sure it is close to you! But don’t fret if the best option is the farthest one away! In the second age, discount tokens are introduced that allow you to purchase deity cards at a reduced price.
Like 7 Wonders Duel, Pantheon is easy to learn. In my experience, it does add about 10 to 15 minutes to the game making it about 45 minutes from start to finish. A quick read of the short rulebook will prepare you for the start of the game. Again, keep the rulebooks handy from both 7 Wonders Duel and Pantheon because you’ll likely need to refer to them to understand the symbols on the cards and tokens.
The ways to win do not differ from the original 7 Wonders Duel. Instead, Pantheon makes it easier to win through military might or scientific discovery. You are less likely to make it to the end of the third age with Pantheon because you get more opportunities to increase your military position and gather more scientific symbols. If you prefer completing the game and tallying up victory points, you may not appreciate what the deities allow you to do to cut the game short. It all comes down to strategy and blocking your opponent from winning through military or scientific supremacy!
With the inclusion of deities, your strategy can vary quite drastically each time you play! The addition of gods also allows you to use your turn for something other than pyramid card selection and that introduces a higher level of tension and competition to the game. Right when you think you’re forced to pick the only card available in the pyramid, you realize that there’s another option right in front of you!
If you love 7 Wonders Duel or if you want to try it out again with something new added in, check out Pantheon!
Caroline’s Library 