Splendor: Cities of Splendor

Feel the scent of precious stones and the clink of coins as you try to dominate Renaissance cities with *Splendor: Cities of Splendor*. This quartet of expansions brings three new ways to play the classic Splendor, each with a distinct twist that will test your planning skills and your cunning in choosing the right cards.

The first variation, *Cities*, replaces the traditional nobles with three random cities drawn from a pool of 14. Each city offers a goal that can be achieved with prestige points or with a specific set of development cards. This means you need to balance the pursuit of points with acquiring cards that give you access to those objectives, adding an extra layer of strategy.

The second option, *Trading Posts*, introduces bonuses that activate when you buy a series of development cards. For example, when you acquire the first city, you get extra points; when you choose the “Take 2 gem tokens of the same color” action, you receive an extra token of another color. These bonuses can change the course of a game, rewarding long‑term decisions and diversifying victory routes.

*Orient* takes the experience to another level by adding three new decks of cards, one for each development level. They sit next to the normal cards, and two cards from each level are shown on the table. The new cards bring special effects, such as double bonuses or wildcard cards that take the color of a card you already own. This increases variety and forces players to think of new strategies.

The last expansion, *Strongholds*, gives each player three fortresses that can be placed on face‑up cards on the table. When you place a fortress on a card, you become the only one who can buy or reserve it. You can also move fortresses or remove others’ fortresses. If all your fortresses are on the same card, you can buy it after your normal action, allowing two acquisitions in one turn or buying the card after taking tokens. This creates explosive play opportunities and heightens tension in the final rounds.

In short, *Cities of Splendor* offers four paths to refresh the Splendor experience, each with unique rules that keep the game fresh and challenging. If you already master the core and want to test new strategies, this expansion is a must‑have for your board‑game economy collection.

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