Dragonology - First Impressions

Walking through the bookstore, I spied something new on the game racks: Dragonology: The Game. A game about dragons? How cool is that?

Opening up the flyleaf cover, I see the game contains some pre-painted miniature figures: dorky looking "Dragonologists" and pretty cool looking Dragons. I'm pretty sure the Grandkids will like this too... "Yes Dear, I bought the game for the Grandkids!"

Just looking at the board on the box, I get the impression this will be a "roll and move" kind of game. That's too bad... but what can you expect off the rack at a bookstore?

After a little more hemming and hawing, I finally decide to buy the game. It's a game about Dragons, how bad can it be?

Get the game home, open the box, take some pictures for the 'Geek. Next step, read the rules...

The object of the game is to become the first player to "Master Three Dragons." To master a dragon a player has to collect three of five "Bits of Dragon Lore" information and then land by exact count on the home space of the Dragon in question. When that's done, the player takes the Dragon off the board and the game continues. When one player has "Mastered" three Dragons, he must move to the Dragon's Eye somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival at the Dragon's Eye (by exact count) the player wins the game.

Not surprisingly the core mechanic is "roll and move". Instead of rolling the die a player can use a "Transportation Ticket" to move. There are three types of Transportation Tickets: Air, Land and Sea. An Air ticket will let you move to any space on the board. A Land ticket will let you move to any space on the continent your player piece is on, and a Sea ticket will let you move between ports. If you don't use a transportation ticket, you roll the die and move the number indicated across land or sea. If you land on certain spaces (cities, dragons or other marked spaces) you draw a Dragon Lore card or a Transportation card as indicated on the space.

The Card deck consists of the "Bits of Information" each player is attempting to collect. For each of Nine Dragons, there are five "bits of information." Three "bits of information" are needed to "Master the Dragon." The remaining cards in the Dragon Lore deck are "Special Cards." These cards can be used for a variety of purposes, most having to do with stealing cards (and possibly Mastered Dragons) from other players. There are also a some "Shield" cards that act to counter other cards and some "Wild" cards that can be used to substitute for one of the three required "bits of information."

In addition to all of that, if one player lands on the same space as another player, the active player can challenge the other player. In a challange, the challenging player determines how many cards (of either type) will be at risk. The challenger cannot challange for more cards than he has. The challenged player must accept the challenge. The two players then resolve the challenge by playing one round of "Flame, Tooth, Claw" (Rock, Paper, Scissors) and the winner takes the cards.

After a player has "Mastered" Three Dragons, he moves to the Island of Winged Serpents in the Pacific Ocean by any of the normal movement methods. If moving by die roll, the count must be exact. If the player rolls more than is needed to land on the island, the player does not move and loses his turn. Once the player arrives on the Island of Winged Serpents he is immune from further card play and player challenges. From there he attempts to reach the Dragon's Eye. Movement to Dragon's Eye is by die roll only and must be by exact count. If the player rolls more than the number needed to reach the Dragon's Eye, he does not move and loses his turn. The first player to Master Three Dragons and arrive at The Dragon's Eye wins the game.

Final thoughts: It is disappointing that the game is a simple "roll and move" game. The playing pieces are pretty and add to the theme. Non-gaming fans of the book will probably enjoy the game, as will younger children (the game is rated 8+). Experienced gamers will lose interest shortly after seeing it is a "roll and move" game. Luck will dominate the game but players who like "take that" games will have some fun as they manage to foil other player's attempts to win the game. In the end the game will be good for a play or two, I think, and then it will be relegated to the back of the shelf or the trade pile, soon to become just one more piece in a Dragon fan's collection of Dragon themed paraphernalia