
- BGG rating
- 8.8
Dragons Down: Desolation
- 1–6 players
- 30–180 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2024

2024
Rules assistance for Dragons Down
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dragons Down is a board game released in 2024 for 1–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Scott DeMers and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Variable Set-up.
I thought they were crazy, rebuilding civilization on the exact place where the dragons had come down from the sky. Even if it had been over 200 years, everyone knows a dragon's lifetime can be far longer than that. Yet, here I am like all the other fools. Driven by my thirst for fame and to fill my satchel with coin, I arrived in the village at the same time as the other adventurers. Dragons Down is an adventure game inspired by the classic game Magic Realm. The game is set in Western fantasy where players act as adventurers seeking fame and glory seeking hidden treasure sites, looting great treasures and epic artifacts, fighting monsters - and perhaps each other, all while attempting to become a legend. Each turn, players can hide from monsters and other players, move around the realm, search for treasure sites and hidden paths, loot found treasure sites, stay alert for trouble, prepare magic, enchant the realm, and/or rest from their wounds. By slaying monsters, looting epic treasures, completing quests, or even hunting down your fellow adventurers, players accumulate fame and fortune. Although a winner is crowned for collecting the most fame and retiring (or dying), the game is a very large sandbox that can be played with your own goals in mind. —description from the publisher
Dragons Down supports 1–4 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 Dragons Down is 120 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 Dragons Down 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.
Dragons Down has a complexity rating of 3.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Dragons Down belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Variable Set-up. 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 Dragons Down are: Scott DeMers. 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 Dragons Down 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.