Deadly Dowagers is a game about marriage, murder and money. You'll compete against the other charming ladies in your town by strategically growing your dowry, while at the same time making sure you don't become too infamous, otherwise the Duke might ignore you for another bride!

You play as a middle-class Victorian woman who would do anything to become a Duchess. Since you weren't lucky enough to be born into the aristocracy, the only way to attract a nobleman is to have a large dowry. Fortunately, your parents left you a small dowry and some land when they died. You must build wealth through investments and strategic successive marriages.

The game is divided into rounds; each round consists of four separate phases: card selection, investment, spouse, and household. In each round, each player chooses a hand full of cards. Certain cards are played in players' tableaus. Direct cards are used and discarded. Players who use death cards partially reset their tableau and gain income. Players discard cards until they have eight cards in hand, after which they choose four new cards.

The game ends when a player no longer has a current spouse, has no more than 9 notoriety points, has spent 120 crowns, and plays a "remarriage" card to marry the Duke. That player wins.