
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,502
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Invasion of the Air-eaters
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1979

1981
Rules assistance for Dragons of Underearth
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dragons of Underearth is a board game released in 1981 for 2–8 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Keith Gross and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Paper-and-Pencil.
Fantasy adventure, spells, creatures and combat presented as an introductory role playing board game. Somewhat of a knock-off, it is the sequel to The Lords of Underearth and is based on Metagaming's Melee, Wizard and The Fantasy Trip rules sets. Basically, it is a simplification and streamlining of The Fantasy Trip rules set. It does not offer much for those who already have the Advanced Melee, Advanced Wizard, and In The Labyrinth, other than counters and some rules for Explosive Gems that were omitted from Advanced Wizard, but may be useful to those who only have the Melee and Wizard rules booklets, and want a few new weapons and spells that are not found there.
Dragons of Underearth supports 2–8 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 of Underearth is 180 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 of Underearth for ages 12 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 of Underearth 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.
Dragons of Underearth belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Paper-and-Pencil. 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 of Underearth are: Keith Gross. 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 of Underearth 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.