A fun and light game from Gamewright. It introduces some neat mechanics, such as cards that allow you to roll dice in a straight or flush, without being too heavy. Players reveal five Dragonwood cards from the Landscape to battle and capture Creature cards that award victory points. The more challenging the creature, the higher the score required to defeat it.
Gameplay
A blend of card, dice, and creature capture, Dragonwood is a fast-moving game that’s still challenging. Players start with five cards in their hands, each containing a number from one to ten, and then draw face up from a Dragonwood deck that offers monsters to defeat or powerups to capture. These cards may include creatures, enchantments, or events that impact gameplay.
Then, players form sets from their cards to roll dice against creatures and enchantments that are captured with different point values. They can strike a fire ant, stomp a grumpy troll, or shriek at a menacing orange dragon to earn points and powers.
If they can’t capture the card they want, they may choose to reload by drawing another card from their hand and declaring “Reload!” After each turn, a new Landscape card is drawn to fill in the landscape and the player with the most Creature cards added to their score pile wins.
Rules
Dragonwood is a card and dice game designed for kids 8+ that introduces the concept of expected value in an informal way. Kids learn that a three-card straight is likely to result in a four, while rolling 11 will probably not.
Players use cards from their hand to attempt to capture a card from the Landscape by striking, stomping or screaming. Each Landscape card has a number which represents its attack value; players roll as many dice as they play to see if their total is equal to or greater than the number displayed on the Landscape card.
If they succeed, the player keeps the captured card face up in front of them (if it’s an enhancement) or adds it to their victory pile face down if it is a creature. Then the next player in turn takes their turn. The Landscape deck gets refilled with 5 cards at the end of each players’ turn.
Variations
While Dragonwood may look like a jigsaw puzzle , it has more depth than meets the eye. Players learn about hand management, die-rolling against a target value, and even straights and sets in an accessible way.
The game begins by revealing five cards from the Dragonwood deck and placing them in an area of the table called the Landscape. Then, players use their hands to attempt to capture the creatures and enhancements on these cards by playing cards from their hand. If a player succeeds in defeating the creature or enhancement, they acquire it and its powers or points. The first player to collect all of the Creature cards wins.
Each card has a symbol that indicates how to defeat it (sword for Strike, boot for Stomp, and face for Scream). Players must roll the dice to equal or exceed the number indicated on the card to successfully defeat it. The more challenging the foe, the higher the victory points it is worth.
Setup
Dragonwood is a card and dice game that is fairly easy to learn for kids. It teaches hand management, die-rolling against a target value and the concept of risk versus reward. It also demonstrates the differences between a set and a flush and introduces players to the idea of purchasing dice rolls. The game includes two decks of cards: the green ’Dragonwood’ deck that depicts creatures to be defeated (such as ants, ogres and dragons); and the Adventurer deck with five suits of card numbered 1-9 of barbarians, wizards, elves, sorceress and warriors. Six custom dice, turn summary cards and a well-ordered rule book complete the package.
During game setup, remove the 2 Dragon cards from the Dragonwood deck and sort through them to separate them into three different types of cards: Creatures (green back), Enhancements (purple back) and Events (orange back). Reveal five cards face up on the table to form the Landscape and stack the remaining deck of 5 cards on top. Deal each player 5 Adventurer cards and place the six dice and turn summary cards within easy reach of all players.
Materials
Dragon Wood is a dense hardwood that can be used for furniture, flooring, and other woodworking projects. It is very durable and can withstand a lot of wear and tear. It also has many holes and tunnels, making it a great habitat for fish that like to hide. It is also a popular choice for aquascapes, as it can provide plenty of hiding places for plecos and other fish.
To play Dragonwood, players shuffle and prepare two decks of cards: the Dragonwood deck and the Adventurer deck. The Dragonwood deck contains 42 cards that will be revealed in the Landscape and includes Creatures, Enhancements, and Events. The Adventurer deck is shuffled and each player receives five cards, which are hidden from the other players. The game also includes six custom dice and turn summary cards.
Dragonwood is an excellent family-friendly game that incorporates strategy, bluffing, and hand management. The game is a great fit for Child Geeks and is fun to play for adults as well. It also provides a good challenge for experienced gamers.
Cost
Dragonwood is a great game to teach children about pattern recognition, counting, and probability. Its gameplay strikes a balance between hand building and luck, making it easy for kids to grasp. It’s also a great way to introduce them to basic strategy concepts such as how to best play battle enhancements and when to take chances.
Players collect sets of adventurer cards to earn dice that can be rolled against their opponents. The goal is to capture creatures and prove themselves the bravest in the enchanted forest of Dragonwood. Players can choose to strike, stomp, or scream at grumpy trolls, fearsome wolves, and menacing dragons.
The landscape of the forest reveals different creatures, events, and enhancements every turn. Defeating these cards earns victory points, and the player with the most captured Creature cards wins. The game ends when either two dragons have been defeated or the Dragonwood deck has been played through twice. It includes 108 richly illustrated cards and six custom dice.