Components

• 1 board
• 25 wound markers
• 1 dwarf player mat
• 1 deck of 38 dwarf cards
• 1 fury marker
• 1 net marker
• 3 dwarf figures
• 1 dragon player mat
• 1 deck of 38 dragon cards
• 1 dragon figure
• Rulebook

Object of the Game

Drako is a two-player only game where one player will lead a team of three dwarves against another player's dragon. The dwarf player must defeat the enemy dragon before all dwarf cards have been played. Each dwarf has their own skills and appearance.

The second player directs the dragon, whose purpose is to survive through the dwarf player's time limit. If the dwarf player is out of cards, the dragon escapes and wins the game. It is also possible, though rare, for the dragon to win by defeating all the dwarves.

Before the game, players decide (randomly or by preference) which side each will play. If this is your first game of Drako, note that the dwarves are slightly easier to play.

Setup

Place the board in the middle of the table 1, with wound markers nearby 2 so that both players have easy access to them.

The dragon player sets up the dragon pieces - the player mat goes in front of the player 3, the dragon figure goes on the middle hex of the board 4, and the dragon cards are shuffled and placed face down in a stack 5. They then draw 4 cards from the deck and look at them - this is their starting hand 6.

The dwarf player sets up the dwarf pieces - the player mat goes in front of the player 7 and the dwarf cards are shuffled and placed face down in a stack 8. They then draw 4 cards from the deck and look at them - this is their starting hand 9.

The net and fury markers should be placed near the dwarf player mat 10.

If you are playing for the first time, place the dwarf figures as shown in the picture 11. In subsequent games, the dwarf player, after looking at their starting hand, may place the dwarf figures on any of the board hexes not adjacent to the dragon - depending on the player's strategy plans.

Advanced rule: If you want to have more control over the game, each player may exchange their entire starting hand once, before play begins. The first starting hand is shuffled back into the deck, then 4 new cards are drawn.

Game Play

Players take their turns one after the other, starting with the dragon player.

On the first turn, the dragon player performs only 1 action.

In all subsequent turns, players perform 2 actions. Therefore, the dragon player performs 1 action, then the dwarf player performs 2 actions, then the dragon performs 2 and so on - both players perform 2 actions until the end of the game.

The possible actions are:

• draw 2 cards,
• play 1 card.

Actions may be done in any order and each action may be repeated. For example, a player may choose to play two cards on their turn and not draw any. Players must perform two actions - passing an action is not allowed.

Near the end of the game, it is possible for the dragon to run out of cards before the dwarf player. In this case, the dragon player must pass each remaining turn until the game ends.

However, if the dwarf player runs out of cards, the game ends immediately and the dragon player wins.

Drawing 2 Cards

The player draws two cards from their deck and adds them to their hand. A player may never have more than six cards. If the player has more than six cards after taking this action, they must immediately discard down to six.

Playing 1 Card

The player plays a card from their hand and chooses to use one of the options presented symbolically in the upper left corner of the card.

After playing a card, discard it from the game. Most of the symbols allow a move or an attack, as described on following pages.

Move

When playing a card for movement, the player moves one (or more) of their figures up to as many hexes as the card's movement value, the number next to the symbol. Not all movement points must be used, nor all figures moved; it is even possible to not move at all, though the card is still discarded.

A player cannot move their figure through a space containing another figure.

Attack

When playing a card for attack, the player attacks with one (or more) of their figures for as much damage as the card's attack value, the number next to the symbol.

If a player plays a card for attack, the opponent may immediately respond by playing a card with a defense symbol as a free action. This fully blocks the attack against one of their figures, regardless of the attack value.

If the attack is successful (not blocked), the target figure takes damage - place as many wound markers as the card's attack value onto the owner's player mat.

If a dwarf is attacked, the wound markers go onto that specific dwarf's space on the player mat.

The dragon player mat has four different areas where wounds may be placed. The four upper spaces are the dragon's armor and must be filled before any of the other three areas (representing the dragon's abilities).

All subsequent wound locations are chosen by the dwarf player. If an ability area is full of wounds, the dragon may no longer use that ability.

After all of a figure's spaces are wounded, the figure is killed and removed from the board.

Symbols on the Dwarf Cards

• 

  1 Dwarf Moves

  1 dwarf can move up to as many hexes as the card's movement value.

  
  
• 

  2 Dwarves Move

  1 or 2 dwarves can move, each up to as many hexes as the card's movement value.

  
  
• 

  1 Dwarf Attacks

  1 dwarf adjacent to the dragon can attack the dragon, using the card's attack value. The attack can be blocked by a defense card.

• 

  2 Dwarves Attack

  1 or 2 dwarves adjacent to the dragon can each attack the dragon simultaneously, each using the card's attack value. The dragon can play 1 or 2 defense cards to block 1 or both attacks. This card can also be used by 1 dwarf.

• 

  Defense

  This can block a single attack by the dragon, regardless of its attack value.

• Shoot With Crossbow

  

  If the dwarf with the archery ability is in a straight line of hexes with the dragon, with no other dwarf between them, then the dwarf can shoot the dragon using the card's attack value. The attack can be blocked by a defense card.

• Net

  

  The dwarf with the net ability may immobilize the dragon. The dwarf can do this from anywhere on the board by adding the net marker next to the dragon figure. While netted, the dragon cannot move or fly (but may still attack, defend, and draw cards).

  To escape the net, the dragon player must spend 2 actions in a single turn, effectively passing their turn. When the dragon is released, the net token is returned to the dwarf player for later use.

  The net cannot be blocked by a defense card.

Example: John draws 2 cards for his first action, then plays a card. He chooses the "2 dwarves move" symbol with movement value 1. He moves two of his dwarves one hex each toward the dragon.

Example: 1 On a later turn, John plays a card with the "Crossbow attack" symbol. His dwarf with the archery ability is in a hex row with the dragon, so he can shoot. 2 Kate, the dragon player, plays a defense card in reaction to this attack, so the dragon receives no wounds.

3 For his second action, John plays another card and chooses the "2 dwarves attack" symbol with attack value 1. Kate has no more defense cards, so both attacks succeed - the dragon receives 2 wounds.

Symbols on the Dragon Cards

• 

  Move

  The dragon can move up to as many hexes as the card's movement value.

• 

  Flight

  The dragon can move to any empty hex on the board.

• 

  Attack

  The dragon can attack an adjacent dwarf, using the card's attack value. The attack can be blocked by a defense card.

• 

  Fire Attack

  The dragon breathes fire in a straight line of hexes. If there are any dwarves in the line of attack, each of them receives wounds equal to the card's attack value.

  This attack can be blocked by one or more dwarves using one defense card per dwarf.

• 

  Defense

  This can block a single attack by a single dwarf, regardless of its attack value.

Example: Kate chooses to play two cards on her turn. 1 First, she chooses a "Move" symbol with movement value 2. She moves the dragon two hexes to get into a better attack position and out of the archer's line.

2 For her second card, she chooses "Fire attack". Because 2 dwarves are standing in the line of attack, they can both be wounded. 3 However, John has one defense card, which he uses to block the attack on one of the 2 dwarves. The other dwarf receives 2 wounds.

Dragon Player Mat and Abilities

The dragon player mat has spaces for wound markers received during play. The first 4 wounds are placed on the top 4 spaces - these have no direct effect. Later wounds are assigned by the dwarf player to specific abilities - Flight, Movement, and Fire breathing.

After all of an ability's spaces are wounded, the dragon cannot use that ability anymore. After all of the dragon's spaces are wounded, the dragon is defeated and the dragon player loses the game.

Flight

While unfilled, the dragon may use the Flight symbol on the cards. This allows the dragon to fly to any hex on the board.

Fire Breathing

While unfilled, the dragon may use the Fire Attack symbol on the cards. This allows the dragon to attack all dwarves in one direction for the attack

Movement

While unfilled, the dragon may use the Move symbol on the cards. This allows the dragon to move a number of hexes equal to the movement value next to the symbol.

Dwarf Player Mat and Abilities

The dwarf player has three unique characters with different abilities. During the game, wound markers will be placed on the corresponding spaces of the dwarf who was attacked.

Each dwarf has a different number of wound spaces. If all of a dwarf's spaces are wounded, the dwarf is killed and removed from the board. If all 3 dwarves are killed, the dwarves are defeated and the dwarf player loses the game.

Fury

Once during the game, the dwarf player may use the fury ability. The dwarf with this ability receives 1 wound (the player places the wound marker on a wound space for the given character).

In exchange, the player may use an additional action (3 actions instead of 2 this turn).

The additional action does not have to be performed by the same dwarf - it may be performed by any of them. After the action, the player removes the fury marker from the game - they cannot use the ability again.

Archery

Allows this dwarf to use a card with the Crossbow Attack symbol.

He shoots his crossbow if in the same hex line as the dragon, with no dwarves between them.

Throw a Net

Allows this dwarf to use a card with the Net symbol to immobilize the dragon.

End of the Game

The game can end in 3 ways:

• The dragon is killed - the dwarf player wins.
• The dwarves are killed - the dragon player wins.
• The dragon is still alive after the last dwarf card is played - the dragon player wins.

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