
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,419
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Secrets
- 4–8 players
- 15–35 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2017

2018
Rules assistance for Dragons
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dragons is a board game released in 2018 for 3–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Bruno Faidutti and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Open Drafting.
In Dragons, you get to experience life as a dragon, swooping down from the sky and swooping up all types of things. You want treasure, of course, because what dragon doesn't like shiny bling? You need food as well, though, so pick up a few cattle or sheep along the way to keep your belly full. Grab some armor or shields as treasures from fallen soldiers who thought they could take you down, perhaps put your claws on one fancy ring, and beware cursed items that look nicee but bite your points in the end. To play the game, you shuffle the deck of cards, then divide it into a few smaller decks. One player picks up the first deck, places the top card face up on the table, then passes the deck to the next player. Players keep laying out cards and passing the deck — with a number of face-up piles equal to the number of players — but players can also claim one of the piles by placing their dragon figure on it. Once all but one player have claimed a pile, the remaining player takes any cards remaining in the deck along with the final pile. You then grab the next deck and repeat this process until all the decks have been split among the player-dragons. Players then compare their hauls, and whoever took the least food is eliminated from the game. (In a five- or six-player game, you separately determine who took the fewest sheep and who took the fewest cattle, with both of those players being eliminated.) The remaining dragons then tally the value of their loot to see who wins.
Dragons supports 3–6 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 Dragons 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 Dragons for ages 8 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 has a complexity rating of 1.4 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 belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Open Drafting. 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 are: Bruno Faidutti. 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 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.