The nobles have their rich palaces, the bourgeoisie their lavish homes. As for us, we have our Court of Miracles. Seedy courtyards to anyone else, but for us beggars, scoundrels, and paupers, they’re little pieces of heaven. Who knows, if you have a mind for it, you may well ascend to the throne someday. Tell me, wouldn’t that suit you, to become the Penniless King?

The Court of Miracles releases in September 2020. The game was originally released in 2019 as “La Cour des Miracles” by Lumberjack Studios. Lucky Duck Games are now delighted to publish this beautiful and delightfully devious game for a global retail audience.

In The Court of Miracles, players lead a guild of Rogues using worker placement and area control to vie for the influence of neighborhoods in an attempt to take over 16th century Paris. They will scheme with sinister plots and use trickery to build their presence in the city, leading inevitably to Standoffs where Renown can be won or lost. Plot Cards and the secret strength of Rogue Tokens allow for deceptive tactics, while a large mix of abilities and actions gives a huge variety to every game.

All players will start with the same set of four Rogues: two Henchmen, one Beggar, and one Right-Hand. As Rogues (workers) are placed into neighborhoods on the board to yield rewards, their identities are concealed inside a tactile wooden disc.

If a Rogue’s usefulness has run its course, you can dispose of them in the River Seine and delve into the streets to recruit someone new. Within the cotton bag, players can find Pickpockets, Defrocked Priests, and a variety of other Rogues with unique abilities to send out into Paris. Once a neighborhood becomes full or when the Penniless King reaches a Wrath space on his path through the city, a Standoff will occur.

In a Standoff, players will reveal the strength of the Rogues they have sent to the neighborhood. Henchmen, Brutes, and skilled Swordsmen can all contribute to winning a Standoff, however, other Rogues such as Beggars, Soothsayers, and Courtesans may have also been secreted into position by foes to sow disruption.

Standoffs are recurring and rewarding gameplay moments for the players involved and those eagerly watching on as their opponents weaken one another.

Players also have access to Plot Cards which have a range of effects such as strengthening their ranks of Rogues or stealing coins from the players gaining Renown. Choosing how and when to use these adds a layer of strategy to your ascent to the throne.

The Court of Miracles offers players an engaging and exciting game that combines worker placement, area control, and the sort of scheming and swindling that would make even the lowest pickpocket blush.