Learn Luthier
Learn the game in 5 short steps. Everything links to the full rules.
Welcome to Luthier
You lead a family of instrument makers in 18th- and 19th-century Europe. Over six rounds you win patrons, build their instruments in two steps, perform and repair, and compete for First Chairs in the Orchestra. Everything earns prestige; the most prestige wins.
Start with Teach the Game, or follow the steps here.
Read the Boards
The main board has five locations — Salon (patrons), Guild (instrument plans), Perform, Repair and Balcony (awards and turn order) — three skill tracks, the public awards and the Orchestra. Your own workbench holds your patrons, your storage and your roughing and finishing benches.
Read more in Main Board Locations and Workbench.
Plan and Resolve a Round
At the start of a round your patrons give gifts as their patience runs down. Then everyone places numbered worker chips face down, one at a time, with apprentices to boost them. In the Resolution phase each location resolves all its workers, highest skill first; instead of a location you may spend one turn per round at the Market.
Read the complete round.
Build for Your Patrons
Take a plan at the Guild, rough it out on your left bench, finish it on your right bench. A finished instrument scores prestige, puts a token in the Orchestra — often on a First Chair — and can satisfy a patron. Meet all a patron’s requests before its patience runs out to score it and gain its lifetime power.
Score the Final Concert
After round 6, add First Chairs, Patron B powers, half the value of unfinished instruments, your two personal goals, specialty workers and leftover resources. Most prestige wins; leftover money breaks ties.
Read Game End and Scoring and the Cards & Components appendix.