SFR, Inc.

[dburkley]

Introduction to Dragons
Dragons are among the most powerful units in Dragon Dice, but operate under very different rules than armies. While required at every game, many games are concluded without ever seeing a Dragon in play. As potentially disappointing as they are deadly, Dragons can be more effective as an intimidation factor in a game of maneuver.

Starting with the Basics…
All dragons are twelve-sided dice (and are currently the only twelve-sided dice in Dragon Dice. Dragons do not belong to a race. Dragons can be found in starters (black, blue, gold, green, red, and ivory), and as promotional dice (white, hybrid, ivory hybrid). Dragons come as either Drakes or Wyrms.

Drake [Breath, Jaws, Claws x 4, Belly x 2, Tail x 2, Wings x 2]
Wyrm [Breath, Jaws, Claws x 4, Belly x 2, Tail x 3, Treasure Chest]

Players are required to bring dragons to the game, and cannot bring more than or less than the required number of dragons. To calculate how many dragons you must bring, take the total force size and divide by 24 (round up any fractions). So, in a 24-point total force game, you bring one dragon and 24 health-worth of components; in a 36-point total force game, you bring two dragons and 36 health-worth of components; in a 60-point total force game, you bring three dragons and 60 health-worth of components.

These dragons can be any color(s) you wish, but for Basic or Intermediate games, only single-colored dragons (black, blue, gold, green, red) and Ivory dragons are permitted. Your dragons are set in your Summoning Pool, to your left.

Dragons may enter the game by being sent or summoned to a terrain by the use of magic (Summon Dragon). In the Advanced Game, dragons may also be sent or summoned by use of certain magic items (Dragon's Staff), Dragonkin Champions (SFR icon), “taming” by a Dragonlord, or use of certain special terrains (Dragon's Lair).

Once at a terrain, the only spell that can affect a dragon with at least one color aspect is Summon Dragon, but Ivory dragons cannot be affected by any spells.

Similarly, there are very few spells that impact the damage a dragon generates. Two reasons for this are:
[*] The majority of spells target an army, one of your units, or a terrain.
[*] The majority of spells expire at the start of your turn, right before the Dragon Attack Phase.

A white dragon's breath could be enhanced by spells that add new colors to the terrain (such as Deadlands, Call Water, and Create Mountain). An army responding to a dragon attack that rolls a Cantrip SAI may be able to use some spells to help deal with the damage a dragon has dealt (such as Stoneskin and Wall of Ice) but there currently are no spells that will reduce the damage a dragon generates.

Dragons cannot be targeted by an SAI unless specifically stated in the SAI's description.

The only time a dragon can attack an army and the only time an army can respond to a dragon's attack is when both are at the same terrain during the Dragon Attack phase.

Dragon Attack Phase
After the Initial Effects phase, wherever one or more dragons and an army of yours are at the same terrain, a dragon attack occurs. If a player has armies located at multiple terrains, each containing one or more dragons, the marching player decides the order in which each army will battle their dragon(s).

In some cases the dragon’s owner and the acting army will be the same player. A dragon attacks any armies at its terrain at the beginning of their respective turns. If there are no dragons at any of the terrains where the marching player has an army, then no dragon attacks occur. (Play would then proceed to the next part of that player’s turn, the First March.)

If dragons of different colors (except ivory dragons) are at the same terrain, they will attack each other rather than the army (see Dragon vs. Dragon). Ivory dragons are always “seen” by other color dragons as matching the color of the dragon. Ivory dragons always attack the army at the terrain regardless of what any other dragons at the terrain do. If multiple dragons of the same color are at the same terrain, they attack the marching player’s army at the same time. The owner of the dragon die rolls the dragon die.

Dragon attacks against an army follow these seven steps:
NOTE: Skip steps 1-7 if the situation is one where all the dragons are attacking one another. Dragon taming cannot occur if a dragon attacks another dragon, only when dragons attack the army containing the DL/DM.

Step 1: Resolve Eldarim special abilities.
If your army contains a Dragonlord, a Dragonslayer, a Dragonmaster whose color matches a color of the dragon, or a Dragonhunter whose color matches a color of the dragon, then you may roll those dice now.

• A Dragonlord can tame any color of dragon if it rolls its SFR/TSR Logo prior to the dragon attack, but if the Dragonlord rolls a Cantrip during the roll to tame a dragon, it does not count as instant magic. (The Cantrip is simply ignored.) Only the SFR/TSR Logo has any affect during this roll. During the retreat step of a reserve movement, a Dragonlord can “ride” a tamed dragon to any other terrain.
  
• A Dragonmaster can tame dragons of a matching color if it rolls its SFR/TSR Logo prior to the dragon attack, but if the Dragonlord rolls a Cantrip during the roll to tame a dragon, it does not count as instant magic. (The Cantrip is simply ignored.) Only the SFR/TSR Logo has any affect during this roll. During the retreat step of a reserve movement, a Dragonmaster can “ride” a tamed dragon to any other terrain.
  
• A Dragonslayer can kill any color of dragon if it rolls its SFR/TSR Logo prior to the dragon attack. Armies with Dragonslayers in them cannot promote units when they defeat a dragon. The Dragonslayer is immune to all dragon and Dragonkin breaths - and it extends this immunity to the rest of the army it is with and all individual units within that army.
  
• A Dragonhunter, if it rolls its SFR Logo prior to the dragon attack, can kill only dragons of a matching color and a dragon killed by a Dragonhunter is also banished (removed from the game and cannot be summoned back). Armies with Dragonhunters in them cannot promote units when they defeat a dragon of the same color. The Dragonhunters are immune to breath from dragons and Dragonkin of the same color - and they extend this immunity to their army and all other units in it.
  
• A Dragoncrusader that rolls its SFR logo allows the acting player to control one dragon. The dragon may be held motionless (do not roll it) and the army can attack it normally. Or the dragon may be made part of the attack against other dragons.
  
• A Dragonzealot that rolls its SFR logo allows the acting player to control one dragon. The dragon may be held motionless (do not roll it) and the army can attack it normally. Or the dragon may be made part of the attack against other dragons.

Step 2: Roll Dragons.
If there are any untamed dragons, or your opponent controls a tamed dragon and decides to have it attack your army, then roll the dragon(s). If any Tails are rolled, apply them now.

• Belly (dragon): The dragon’s five automatic saves do not count during this attack. In other words, five points of damage will slay the dragon this turn.
  
• Breath: Against another dragon, dragon breath negates the automatic five saves until the end of the marching player’s next turn. Against armies, dragon breath effects are based on the dragon’s color. Multiple breaths of the same color are combined. Breaths of different colors resolved separately in any order the acting player wishes. Multiple breaths’ effects with duration are cumulative (including halving effects). See Step 3 for resolving the different types of Breaths.
  
• Claws: A dragon’s claws inflict 6 points of damage on an army. A white dragon’s claws inflict 12 points of damage on an army.
  
• Jaws: A dragon’s jaws inflict 12 points of damage on an army. A white dragon’s jaws inflict 24 points of damage on an army.
  
• Tail (dragon): The dragon’s tail inflicts 3 points of damage on an army; roll the dragon again and apply the new result as well. A white dragon’s tail inflicts 6 points of damage, plus the re-roll.
  
• Treasure: One unit in the target army may be immediately promoted. A white dragon’s Treasure icon grants two promotions.
  
• Wing: A dragon’s wings inflict 5 points of damage on an army. A white dragon’s wings inflict 10 points of damage on an army. After the attack, if the dragon is still alive, it flies away. It returns to its summoning pool.

Step 3: Resolve all Breaths.
NOTE: Armies with Dragonslayers in them are immune to all dragon breaths and armies with Dragonhunters in them are immune to the breath of dragons that match the color of the Dragonhunter.

• Hybrid Dragons generate both colors when they breathe.
  
• Black Dragon Breath (Disease): Five health-worth of units in the target army are killed, no saves possible. The target army ignores all its ID results until the beginning of its next turn. Note: The ID results from a unit rolling to avoid an individual-targeting effect are not affected.
  
• Blue Dragon Breath (Lightning): Five health-worth of units in the target army must save individually or be killed. Until the beginning of the target army’s next turn, the only rolls the target army can make are save and save avoidance rolls. All other rolls are either not allowed, or, if a combination avoidance roll that includes saves, becomes simply and only a save avoidance roll.
  
• Gold Dragon Breath (Turn to Stone): Five health-worth of units in the target army are killed, no saves possible. Target army’s maneuver results are halved until the beginning of its next turn.
  
• Green Dragon Breath (Poisonous Cloud): Five health-worth of units in the target army must save individually or be killed. Those that are killed must save again or be buried. Target army’s missile results are halved until the beginning of its next turn.
  
• Ivory Dragon Breath (Life Drain): Five health-worth of units in the target army are killed, no saves possible.
  
• Red Dragon Breath (Flame): Five health-worth of units in the target army are killed, no saves possible. The units killed must then either save or be buried.
  
• White Dragon Breath (Terrain Empathy): A White Dragon generates a breath of each color of the terrain it is at - which includes any colors added by spells, such as Deadlands, but if an original color of the terrain was removed by a spell, the White Dragon will still generate a breath of that original color.

Step 4: Resolve all Treasures.
If a dragon rolled a Treasure icon, you may promote a unit now. The Treasure icon of a white dragon grants two promotions.

Step 5: Army’s response to the dragon’s attack.
The army rolls a combination roll and applies any melee, missile, or save results generated by normal and special action icons. (Exception: if the army is under the effects of a Blue Dragon Breath, the army can only make a save roll.) Any special result from an SAI that specifically states it has an effect during a dragon attack can also be applied. (Note: All Eldarim in the army are also rolled, but the logo faces count for nothing on the Dragoncrusader, Dragonlord and Dragonslayer, and the logo faces on the Dragonmasters, Dragonhunters, and Dragonzealots count as 2 point ID icons.) A white dragon is worth 10-health and has 5 automatic saves, while all other dragons are each worth 5-health and have 5 automatic saves. Therefore, it takes 15 or more missile or melee results to slay a white dragon, or 10 or more missile or melee results to slay any other dragon. Melee and missile results cannot be combined to kill the same dragon. However, the player may kill multiple dragons using melee results for one or more and missile results for another (or more), as long as the results used to kill each dragon total at least 10 and are all of the same type (missile or melee). Note that if you have 10 or more melee results (5 if a dragon rolled belly), or 10 or more missile results (5 if a dragon rolled belly) after applying any penalties, but without counting IDs (which could after all be applied to saves), then the dragon must be killed. After any saves generated by the army have been applied against any normal damage generated by the dragon(s), the army must satisfy any losses due to any leftover damage.

Step 6: Dragon Slaying.
When dragons are killed, each is placed back in their summoning pool. If an army kills one or more dragons and the army does not contain a Dragonslayer or a Dragonhunter that matches a color of the dragon, it may now simultaneously promote as many units as possible.

Step 7: Resolve Wings.
Any surviving dragons that rolled Wings now go back to their summoning pool.

Dragon vs. Dragon
When dragons of different colors (except ivory dragons) are at the same terrain, they attack one another rather than the acting player’s army. Each dragon’s owner chooses a dragon of a different color than his or her own as a target. If needed, each player records in secret which dragon his/her dragon is attacking. All players reveal their choice after the dragons are rolled. All dragons are rolled simultaneously and the results are applied. If there is an ivory dragon at the terrain, it always attacks the army at the terrain. Ivory dragons never attack other dragons nor are ivory dragons ever attacked by other dragons.

After all dragon attacks are resolved, play continues on to First March.

Ivory Dragons
Ivory dragons are slightly different from the elemental (black, blue, gold, green, & red) dragons. Any color Summon Dragon spell can be used to summon an ivory dragon. However, once an ivory dragon is at a terrain, it must either be killed, or tamed and ridden away by a Dragonlord. No other effect can move an ivory dragon. It has a calming effect on lesser dragons (i.e. dragonkin), causing them to ignore all dragons when an ivory dragon is there. In other words, if an ivory dragon is attacking an army, don’t roll the dragonkin. The dragonkin can be taken normally as casualties. No other dragon will attack an ivory dragon - other dragons “see” the ivory dragon as the same color as itself. If there is an ivory dragon at a terrain with two or more different color dragons, then the ivory dragon will attack the army while the other dragons attack each other (ignoring the ivory dragon). Ivory dragons cannot be summoned or moved by the "Summon Dragon" SAI of a Dragon Staff or the Dragon's Lair 8th Face effect.


Advanced Game Considerations: More Dragon Types
Additional types of dragons are permitted in an Advanced game, including Hybrid Dragons and White Dragons.

Hybrid Dragons
These dragons are hybrids of the elemental dragons. Composed of two elemental colors, they have both colors in their very makeup. They generate both colors when they breathe. However, they are affected by both colors as well. A Dragon Summoning spell of either color will summon them to a terrain. Eldarim Champions that match either color can affect them normally. Dragonhunters matching one color of breath block that breath, but not the other. Dragon Staffs and Dragonkin Champions of either color also affect them normally. Dragonkin of either matching color cannot be rolled when attacked by an Hybrid dragon. Hybrid Dragons fight all dragons (except pure ivory dragons) that do not match their colors exactly. Elemental and White dragons fight all Hybrid Dragons.

Ivory Hybrid Dragons
These dragons are hybrids of the elemental dragons and an ivory dragon. Composed of one elemental color and ivory, they have that elemental color in their very makeup, plus all the attributes of the ivory dragons. They generate both ivory and the elemental color of breath when they breathe. A Dragon Summoning spell of any color (reflecting their ivory nature) will summon them to a terrain. Eldarim Champions of a single elemental color that match the dragon’s elemental color can affect them normally. White Eldarim Champions affect them normally. Dragon Staffs and Dragonkin Champions of the same elemental color as the dragon also affect them normally. Just like pure ivory dragons, dragonkin cannot be rolled when attacked by an Ivory Hybrid dragon. Like the pure ivory dragons, once summoned to a terrain, no ivory Dragon Summoning spell can move them. However, a Dragon Summoning spell of their elemental color can move them. Ivory Hybrid Dragons fight all Hybrid dragons. Ivory Hybrid Dragons fight all Ivory Hybrid Dragons that do not match on the elemental color. Elemental dragons not matching the Ivory Hybrid dragon’s elemental color and White dragons fight all Ivory Hybrid Dragons.

White Dragons
White dragons are much tougher that normal dragons. They have double the health (10) and do twice as much damage. In other words, Claws do 12 points, Wings do 10 points, Tails do 6 (and reroll), Jaws do a whopping 24 points! Even the Treasure is twice as much, allowing 2 units to promote. A White dragon has 5 autosaves just like all other dragons. However, there is a price for this; a white dragon replaces 2 normal dragons and takes twice as much magic to summon. So in a 36-health game, you could either bring 2 normal dragons or 1 white dragon. Any color dragon summoning spell can summon a white dragon, however, it takes 14 points of magic instead of 7. When a white dragon attacks, no dragonkin can be rolled. A white dragon will fight all other dragons at a terrain, except an ivory dragon. Only white Eldarim can affect a white dragon. Dragonlords never completely tame a white dragon. Just before the dragon attack, white dragons automatically becomes “untamed”. A Dragonlord can attempt to tame it again for another turn. Dragonslayers take a terrible risk when slaying a white dragon. If a Dragonslayer slays a white dragon, roll the dragon. If the dragon comes up jaws, it destroys the dragon (banish it) and the Dragonslayer as well (kill and bury the Dragonslayer). However, Dragonhunters can block a breath that matches its color, but not other breaths. If a Dragoncrusader affects a white dragon, then the Dragoncrusader is not rolled with the army’s dragon attack. Dragon Staffs and Dragon’s Lairs have no effect on white dragons. White Dragon Breath (Terrain Empathy): Inflict as many breaths as the terrain has colors. Each breath is the same as one of the terrain colors. Normally a white dragon breath would do two breaths (for example a blue and gold breath at a Flatland). But if there are any spells that add to the terrain colors, also inflict those breaths. For example, at a terrain with a Deadlands cast on it, the white dragon would also have a black breath. White dragons are not affected by any spells that remove terrain colors. Against other dragons, white dragon breath is exactly the same as other dragon breaths, it removes all autosaves from a single dragon. White dragons cannot be summoned or moved by the "Summon Dragon" SAI of a Dragon Staff or the Dragon's Lair 8th Face effect.

Advanced Game Considerations: Other Ways to Summon Dragons
In the Advanced Game, dragons may also be sent or summoned by use of certain magic items (Dragon's Staff), Dragonkin Champions (SFR icon), “taming” by a Dragonlord, or use of certain special terrains (Dragon's Lair).

Dragon Staff: This 4-health artifact is a magic item that must be carried by a non-Dragonkin unit in your army.
Summon Dragon SAI: Instant Special (magic action)
During a magic action, choose any dragon of a matching color as the magical item and immediately summon it to any terrain; roll the artifact again and apply the new result as well. Ivory and white dragons cannot be summoned or moved by this SAI.

Dragonkin Champion: This 4-health Dragonkin has several SAIs, but the SFR/TSR icon is the topic of discussion here.
SFR/TSR SAI (Dragonkin Champion): Special (any action and non-maneuver avoidance); Normal (individual save)
During any action or non-maneuver avoidance roll, may move a summoned dragon with the same color as the Dragonkin Champion from any terrain to any other terrain. A player may move a dragon that is currently controlled by a Dragonlord or Dragonmaster. In this case, the dragon becomes untamed and must be moved to a different terrain than the one the dragon is currently located. During a save roll against an individual-targeting effect, the SFR/TSR logo counts as four saves.

A Dragonlord can tame any color of dragon if it rolls its SFR/TSR Logo during a Dragon Attack Phase prior to the dragon attack. Only the SFR/TSR Logo has any affect during this roll. During the retreat step of a reserve movement, a Dragonlord can “ride” a tamed dragon to any other terrain. Dragonlords never completely tame a white dragon. Just before the dragon attack, white dragons automatically becomes “untamed”. A Dragonlord can attempt to tame it again for another turn.

A Dragonmaster can tame dragons of a matching color if it rolls its SFR/TSR Logo prior to the dragon attack. Only the SFR/TSR Logo has any affect during this roll. During the retreat step of a reserve movement, a Dragonmaster can “ride” a tamed dragon to any other terrain.

A Dragoncrusader can control any color of dragon if it rolls its SFR logo during a Dragon Attack phase prior to the dragon attack. The dragon may be held motionless (do not roll it) and the army can attack it normally. Or the dragon may be made part of the attack against other dragons. If a Dragoncrusader affects a white dragon then the
Dragoncrusader is not rolled with the army’s dragon attack.

A Dragonzealot can control a dragon of a matching color if it rolls its SFR logo during a Dragon Attack phase prior to the dragon attack. The dragon may be held motionless (do not roll it) and the army can attack it normally, or the dragon may be made part of the attack against other dragons.


Dragon’s Lair 8th Face Effect: At the beginning of your turn, summon any Dragon with at least one color matching either of the terrain’s colors, to any terrain. Ivory or white dragons cannot be moved or summoned by this effect.

Strategies
The wide variety of Dragons available offer a lot of possible strategies to consider.

Some players prefer Ivory Dragons because they cannot be summoned away once they are sent to a terrain. The drawback is that anyone can summon an Ivory Dragon, so you need to get your means of getting them summoned in place before your opponent. Be careful that where you send them is where you really want them, because they will stay there until they are killed or tamed.

Instead of using Dragons to attack an opponent’s army, you might want to use them to intimidate them, instead. Some games may present a situation where you don’t plan on trying to capture a specific terrain (for any number of reasons), but it may be worthwhile to deny it to your opponent by sending a dragon or two there. Most players are very reluctant to move to a terrain that already has a dragon present. It may be the best move they have, in a strategic sense, but they may be less likely to appreciate it with a dragon in the way.

Hybrid Dragons generate two Breath effects, but otherwise attack as effectively as the single-colored dragons. They are easier to summon since 7 points of magic of one color or the other color will suffice – but be aware that it might make it easier for an opponent to summon it as well. Some players choose them for the potential breath combinations, which are often more crippling than single breath effects (especially black and blue breaths). Look at the Dragon Breath effects and see what combinations you might consider unpleasant.

White dragons cost twice as much magic to summon, but are definitely double the dragon, doing twice as much damage, having twice as much health, and having as many breaths as there are colors of the terrain. They are difficult to remove once they are placed, since they are unaffected by any Dragon Staff, Dragonkin Champion, or Dragon's Lair.

As nasty as dragons can be, they are not reliable for “stopping” your opponent, so if your opponent is threatening to capture an 8th Face and you roll enough magic to send over a couple of dragons, you might want to look at your other options before committing those dragons. If there are ways to intervene by use of your own army, that might prove more effective at stopping the opponent than hoping for a Dragon Attack that will consume his army (so figure out just how much has to be “consumed” and what the odds are that your dragons can deliver that kind of damage). If the opponent’s army survives, it will still get its March and take an action, so if its on the 7th Face and its for the game, even one survivor will be enough.

When facing a Dragon Attack, keep “loss management” in mind. When the Combination Roll in response to the Dragon’s attack is being tallied, if you know that you will be eliminating a Dragon, but have to take losses, consider the options of taking those losses, knowing that you will be able to promote. It may be possible to minimize those losses by eliminating a combination that offers the most promotions. If you play with Undead, this is even more important – since Stepped Damage could reduce losses even further. It’s possible, between Stepped Damage and Promotions, to reduce two Breath losses (5 damage and 5 damage) to a total loss of only 4 health.

Nasty Combinations
Soiled Ground and Dragons: This works best with ivory dragons. Then they can't be summoned away. So if the army can't kill the dragons, sooner or later, they are going to get killed and buried.

Blue Dragon Breath at a 7th Face: If you send a Blue Dragon or two to a terrain that is at a 7th face - then, if a Blue Dragon rolls a Breath, the opposing player can only roll for saves, so they cannot roll for maneuvers. If you can get a unit at that terrain (such as with Path) and activate that as the 2nd March, since the army under the Blue Breath effects can’t roll, you will capture the 8th Face.

Blue Breath at an 8th Face / Night Moves to Victory: An army at an 8th Face that has suffered a Blue Breath effect might have the “rug” pulled from under it by an army that has Undead. If the Undead are present or can get to the terrain in the 1st march, such as with Path. If Night Moves can be cast, then the Undead could perform two marches: one to turn the 8th Face down, and the 2nd to turn the 7th Face back to the 8th Face.

Blue Breath / Flash Flood: An army at an 8th Face that has suffered a Blue Breath effect could also be taken advantage of by casting Flash Flood. The army cannot maneuver, so the 8th Face drops down to the 7th Face. If you have a unit already present or can get one there (such as by a Path spell), activate it as the 2nd March to capture the 8th Face.

Sending in a Dragon to “sniff” out a “Hidden” unit: An opponent’s unit benefiting from a Hide spell can be dealt with by sending a Dragon to do what your army can’t – eliminate that annoying unit. Spells expire at the beginning of the player’s turn, and the Dragon Attack Phase will occur before the opponent has an opportunity to cast another spell – but there are ways around this. If the opponent has Feral units with the Cantrip SAI, it may be possible to cast a new Hide spell during a Combination Roll before the dragon's normal damage takes effect.

[Edited by dburkley on July 6, 2011.]
_________________
Daniel Burkley
US National Champion (DEXCON 2007, 2009, 2010)
World Champion (GENCON 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014)
Battlefest Champion: DEXCON 2008, 2011, GENCON 2009, 2010 (co-champion), 2011, 2017)
"No Magicians": GENCON 2008
"Single Race": DEXCON 2008, GENCON 2010, 2011, 2014 (co-champion), 2017

[DarkKindness]

[dburkley]

[DarkKindness]

[dburkley]

Updated to include the effects of the Dragoncrusader and Dragonzealot.
_________________
Daniel Burkley
US National Champion (DEXCON 2007, 2009, 2010)
World Champion (GENCON 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014)
Battlefest Champion: DEXCON 2008, 2011, GENCON 2009, 2010 (co-champion), 2011, 2017)
"No Magicians": GENCON 2008
"Single Race": DEXCON 2008, GENCON 2010, 2011, 2014 (co-champion), 2017

[DEEPBLUEB2]

Dan,
I'm not sure if you mentioned it...
but since you are providing strategy...

the dragon lair can act as a dragon fight initiator.

So if you have a dragon at your terrain (8th face lair)
you can summon a non matching dragon on yourself,
with the dragon lair.
This happens before the dragon attack...just like the city does.

This is fantastic in a battlefest or multi-player game.
of course this does not stop ivory dragons.

[Skawilly]