The Great Dragon Race
The Great Dragon Race Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- Game board
- 4 character pawns & stands
- 4 card legends
- 56 cards
- Instructions
To Begin
- Choose a dragon and rider.
- Place your playing piece on the Start Island.
- Collect your character's Card Legend.
- Shuffle the cards and deal each player 4 cards.
- Place the deck within easy reach of all players.
- The player to the left of the dealer begins and play moves clockwise.
Taking a Turn
Always pick up a card (or cards) to start your turn. The first part of every turn is drawing enough cards to make a five card hand. On your first turn this will probably be just one card, but on subsequent turns you may have to draw more.
Players move along the dotted path.
After you have played a card (or cards) from your hand and moved accordingly, your turn is over and play shifts to the player on your left. Be sure to pay attention because there are "HALT!" cards that you may want to play during other players' turns.
If the draw pile runs out on your turn, another player must shuffle everyone's discarded cards to create a new draw pile.
There Are Three Ways to Advance
1. Play a numbered card
Play a numbered card from your hand. Example: play a 3, move forward 3 spots.
If you play a card with your Insignia on it then play another card from your hand.
Note: Stolen cards are played the same as if you played them from your own hand. So if it has your Insignia - play another card!
2. Play 3-of-a-Kind
Play 3-of-a-Kind from your hand. If a player collects three cards with the same number, they may play all three at once to move directly to the next Watering Hole.
Note: Insignia cards or Special cards when used as part of a 3-of-a-Kind do not have any other effect.
Note: Three Tornados, three HALT! cards, or three cards with the same Insignia are not considered 3-of-a-Kind.
Note: The Finish spot is not a Watering Hole and therefore 3-of-a-Kind cannot be used to reach it.
3. Play a Special Card
Play a Special Card from your hand. When you play a Special Card all players follow the instructions on it. Except if you are at a Watering Hole, where you are safe from the effects of special cards.
Thievery!
Whenever you land on an opponent, you take the opportunity to steal their goods! If your turn finishes on the same spot as another player they must fan their cards, and without looking you pick one and play it immediately. This might help you take another turn, or might be bad news! (The player who had a card stolen must draw an extra card at the start of their turn.)
There is no stealing if players are on a Watering Hole.
Note: Sometimes you may land on more than one player. Choose one player to steal from.
Note: If you land on a player and a Ballista Bolt or Ball you must pay the price before Thieving.
Note: If you steal an Updraft or Downdraft card - and you are tied for lead postion - move ahead two.
Game Board Landmarks
Watering Holes
There are 5 Watering Holes. When you are on a Watering Hole you are safe from the effects of Special Cards and no one can steal from you.
Note: If a player plays 3-of-a-Kind while on a Watering Hole, then a Halt card cannot be used to stop that player moving to the next Watering Hole.
Note: The Finish Spot is NOT a Watering Hole and 3-of-a-Kind and Passing Wind cannot be used to reach it.
(Watering Holes are safe places, immune from Special Cards and Thievery.)
Shortcut and Arrows
You must land on the spot with the arrow just before the flaming hoops in order to use the shortcut. When you play your next turn your first spot is the arrow on the other end of the flaming hoops.
Note: The Shortcut is one way, if you are sent back, proceed along the long path.
The obstacle course has a mid point where paths cross. Procede from one arrow to the next, jumping over the earlier path.
Ballista Bolts and Flaming Balls
When you land on a Ballista Bolt or Ball you must discard a card. Fan your cards and have another player draw a card at random. This card is just discarded and not played.
(If you land on a Ballista Bolt or a Ball you must discard a card.)
Winning the Game
The first Player to land on the Finish spot wins! You can win by playing the exact or a greater number needed to land on the treasure.
Note: The Finish spot is NOT a Watering Hole and 3 of Kind and Passing Wind cannot be used to reach it.
Notes on Special Cards
Play These Cards During Your Turn
Bolts! and Balls! Best played when you are on a Watering Hole and immune from the effects.
Updraft! and Downdraft! If you are the lead player, you might want to save these cards until you are passed.
Passing Wind! This card cannot be used to move directly to the Finish spot because it is not a Watering Hole.
Tornado! Do you improve your position or pick a player to send backwards?
The card effects as printed on the cards:
- BOLTS! (Fly Away!) All players move back 5 spaces - even you! (Except players on Watering Holes.) Play this card on your turn.
- BALLS! (Fly Away!) All players move back 3 spaces - even you! (Except players on Watering Holes.) Play this card on your turn.
- UPDRAFT! Pass the player immediately ahead and take the space in front of them. Play this card on your turn.
- DOWNDRAFT! The lead player is blown back to the space behind yours. Play this card on your turn.
- PASSING WIND! You catch a breeze that provides a burst of speed. Proceed to the next Watering Hole. Play this card on your turn.
- TORNADO! Move ahead 6 spaces or send a player back to the previous Watering Hole. Play this card on your turn.
Play These Cards During Other Players' Turns
Very handy cards. When another player makes a move you don't like call out, "HALT!" and discard one of these cards to cancel their turn, sending them back to where they started. Can be played to:
- Prevent a player Thieving from your hand
- Cancel another player's move, even when they are playing a special card or a 3-of-a-Kind.
HALT! cards have numbers on them, so they can also be used to move, and as part of a 3-of-a-Kind. This is instead and not as well as their other abilities. When they are stolen they are treated as number cards and the thief moves accordingly. A Halt card cannot be played to cancel another Halt card.
Hint: Generally, you want to keep these handy to cancel other players' Special Cards. Also, near the Finish spot they are useful to cancel other players' normal moves.
(These special cards are played during OTHER PLAYERS' turns. Play to Cancel the effects of the last card played.)