Copycat

About this board game

Copycat is a 2–4-player deck-building, worker-placement, drafting race game with an approximately 95-minute play time. You take the role of a politician gathering the money and influence needed to become the next president.

The game begins with a 10-card deck: seven “fatherly friends” provide 1 money each, while three cards yield 1 influence, which also counts as victory points. Each round, you draw five cards and use one to determine turn order for placing your workers.

Workers visit different offices in the government building, where they can help you acquire new cards, gain influence, or carry out other actions. Every round adds another space for worker placement, expanding the available choices as the political contest develops.

• Deck building: Improve your personal deck by buying cards from the market.
• Worker placement: Assign workers to government offices for money, influence, and other actions.
• Drafting and turn order: Choose a card to determine when you place your workers.
• Racing for victory: Pursue influence while managing money and timing your purchases.

The market displays a row of cards, with empty spaces refilled each round from a deck divided into four Ages. At the end of that deck are Doctoral degrees, which can be bought with money and provide 1 victory point for each unit of money spent.

Copycat ends when all Doctoral degrees have been purchased or when a player reaches at least 95 victory points. Its design draws on familiar Eurogame elements while combining them into a political race built around cards, workers, money, and influence.