
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,761
- BGG rating
- 6.7
John Carter: Warlord of Mars
- 2–6 players
- 60–360 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1979

Rules assistance for Tears of the Dragon
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.
Tears of the Dragon is a board game released in 2003 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John R. Phythyon, Jr. and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement.
Summary from Avalance Press: Tears of the Dragon is a fantasy board game that pits two players against each other in a RACE to find lost wisdom so that they can free the princess from her curse and win great power. Players assume the role of one of two great warlords - Lord Forseti and Lord Gorganun. Forseti has more powerful units; his armies are the greatest in the world, and they fight much better than Lord Gorganun's. However, Lord Gorganun has a magical edge. He controls more powerful wizards than does Lord Forseti, and he can gain allies in the magical fairy people known as the Cadmin and the mighty dragon, Terromax. What Forseti has in military strength, Gorganun makes up for in total available units and magical prowess.
Tears of the Dragon supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Tears of the Dragon 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 Tears of the Dragon 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.
Tears of the Dragon has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Tears of the Dragon belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement. 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 Tears of the Dragon are: John R. Phythyon, Jr.. 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 Tears of the Dragon 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.