Board Game Arena

Alternate view-point. 7 Wonders is designed with 7 players (and no wheeling) in mind, wheeling is an unfortunate side effect of low player count games. Something you have to deal with, even though it's not part of the game as intended.

I'm probably sure it's wrong. The way the cards are created, you clearly see it has been designed from 3P or 4P to 7P. As you go for 3P to 7P, cards appear in doublons. If the game was designed from 7P to 3P, you would not see doublons (except the necessary doublons like resource cards).

The wheeling has been exactly designed on purpose! It's a fantastic tool to get an automated balance of the cards. Since all cards travel to all players (minus the one you played), all cards can reach all players more effectively than if you had to draw from a deck. It also allows all cards to always be present at the same time.

On the business side, it's also much easier to sell a 3P/4P game than a 7P one. The force of 7 Wonders is that it extends up to 7 players, but I don't think it was intended for 7 players from the start.

I think many underestimate the strategic depth in 4-7 games. The game is just different than with 3 players. It presents a different kind of challenge when you have to take double cards into account with each card you play. Although there is more variation in the game, good player can maximize the likelihood of success.

Because of variation and because winning is only way to get points when you have higher elo-ranking, it's harder to get the absolute highest elo-number than with 3-player-games, but keeping 400-500 elo isn't that harder.

Also, you need to know when its wiser to play not to lose than attacking inevitable winner. In 4 or more players usually all attacks have to serve you unless you have strong lead. I have personally gone astray sometimes, when I played 3-player game such as 4-player game, or 4-player game such as 7-player games. They are so different.

I've been in top10 for a very long time, I've held also #1 rank playig mainly 4 player (but not avoiding 7p even).

I see where you are coming from, 3P is comforting, but I would argue it's not the best just because wonders are not created equal, and not getting double resource hurts much more than in 4p.

As I see it:
4p > 3p > 5p > 6p > .... ..... > 7p (the only configuration I really hate)

3p is much more dominated by Red without cities expansion.

In the end alternating between 3p/4p seems like a good solution.

Well, the wonders aren`t very balanced at that stage... Rhodos is far too powerful and anyone who sits next to them has to work hard to get 2nd place... but the absolute worst thing is that the one opposing you can screw up your play by not playing military.... because that means you likely get 3rd... or worse.

It's possible to see how many players are waiting to play?