- BGG rank
- BGG #5,295
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Mahé
- 2–7 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,796
- BGG rating
- 5.2
Dragon Stripes
1989
Rules assistance for Dragon Stripes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for Dragon Stripes
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dragon Stripes is a board game released in 1989 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Alex Randolph and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck.
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About the game
In Dragon Stripes, players test their luck as a knight approaching a dragon, with the knight trying to pick up as many gems as possible along the way. (In an earlier version of the game, Die Augen der Kali, players moved a figure toward the goddess Kali, collecting gems as they move.) Each player starts the game with 40 gems. Shuffle the deck of 51 cards: 38 footprint cards, 10 stop cards, and 3 danger cards. On a turn, the active player places the knight before the first stripe on the dragon's tail, then reveals the top card of the deck. If they reveal a footprint card, they advance the knight this many stripes toward the dragon's head, then place gems next to the knight equal to the number on the current stripe (which range from 1 to 17). The player then decides to either reveal another card or hold. In the latter situation, other players can offer to take over the current player's turn by paying them a bounty based on the number of gems currently next to the knight. If someone takes over the turn, they must reveal at least one card as the new active player; if no one does, the current active player collects all of the gems, then the next player takes their turn. If the active player reveals a stop card, they lose 1/4 of their gems (rounding down), then the knight retreats to the dragon's tail and the next player takes their turn. The first time the active player reveals a danger card, this is treated as a stop. The second danger card is also treated as a stop, but the penalty for being stopped now (and by future stop cards) is 1/2 of your gems. The reward, however, is that each time the knight moves forward, the number of gems placed next to it doubles. Dragon Stripes ends one of two ways: Either a player reveals the third danger card, which causes them to lose all of their gems, or a player moves the knight past the 17th stripe to the dragon's head, at which point they claim all gems that remain in the dragon's hoard. Either way, whoever has the most gems at this point wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Schmidt Spiele
- Editrice Giochi
- Playte
Questions and answers
Dragon Stripes supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Dragon Stripes is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dragon Stripes for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dragon Stripes has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dragon Stripes belongs to these categories: Mythology. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dragon Stripes are: Alex Randolph. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dragon Stripes as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.