DiceWar: Light of Dragons
DiceWar: Light of Dragons Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Concept
DiceWar – Light of Dragons is the core game of the series. Tribes of all editions can be combined for more variety and refreshing gameplay. Every tribe consists of 6 diverse creatures with distinctive abilities and different Power Levels.
Winning Condition
By defeating opposing creatures, you gain Victory Points equal to their Power Level. The player to first collect 10 Victory Points wins the game.
Game Contents
- 1 Rulebook
- 6 Creature Cards
- 1 Overview Card
- 1 Location Card
- 3 Location Tiles
- 15 Red Creature Dice
- 15 Black Creature Dice
- 2 Red Indicator Dice
- 2 Black Indicator Dice
- 1 Gameboard
Game Material
- Dice – The Power Level of a Creature is shown on its die.
- Field Bonus – Marked on the gameboard, near the tips of the Warlands.
- Exile (area for Dice in Exile) – Where defeated Creature Dice are placed.
- Reserve (area for Reserve Dice) – Where undeployed Creature Dice wait before entering play.
- Victory Points Bar – The row of numbers (0–10) on the gameboard tracking each player's Victory Points.
- Trigger Points Bar – The row of numbers (0–10) on the gameboard tracking each player's Trigger Points.
- Indicator Dice – Small dice moved along the Victory Points Bar and Trigger Points Bar to track each player's progress.
- Gameboard – The battlefield of mountains and forests dividing the two players' Warlands, with the Exile, Reserve, Victory Points Bar, and Trigger Points Bar around its edges.
Creatures
Dice Symbols
Creature Dice depict all available Creatures with their respective symbol and Power Level. Clarifications are on the Creature Cards.
Hint: We recommend to keep the Creature Cards close at hand during the first few games.
Power Hierarchy
A Creature with a higher Power Level defeats all the Creatures with lower Power Level.
Power Levels run from 6 (highest) down to 1 (lowest): 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Exception: Additionally, Creatures with Power Level 3 defeat Creatures with Power Level 6.
Creature- & Location Cards
Creatures Cards
Creature Cards (Figure 1) provide information about the Creatures depicted on the dice. They tell their background stories, positions in the Power Hierarchy and their special abilities.
Location Cards
Location Cards (Figure 2) provide new game variations. Their use is optional and recommended for advanced players.
A Creature Card (Fig. 1) shows the Creature's dice symbol and Power Level, its name, its Standard Actions & Specialities, its Power Hierarchy (which Power Levels it defeats), and its story (flavor text). A Location Card (Fig. 2) shows the location's name, story (flavor text), and its position/effect on the gameboard.
Example Creature Card — Light Dragon (Power Level 6):
- Dragon Blood – Split a Light Dragon into 2 Dragon Warriors. (Note: Place 2 Reserve Dice as Dragon Warriors horizontally or vertically adjacent to the Light Dragon. Then, put the Light Dragon back to the Reserve.)
- Luminous Flame – Gain 1 virtual Victory Point for each creature of Power Level 6 that you have more than your opponent in the Warlands. (Note: Virtual Victory Points are counted the same way as gained in combat. However, they are not displayed on the Victory Points Bar.)
- Power Hierarchy – The Light Dragon (Power Level 6) defeats Creatures of Power Level 5, 4, 2, and 1 (but not Power Level 3, per the Power Hierarchy exception above).
- Story: Worshipped and feared as the alleged creatures of the Warlands, the Light Dragons control both the earth and the sky. Lighter than air, they move through the firmament. More powerful than any known creature, they rule over the land. Their luminous flames are incinerated by war and disperse all the darkness.
Example Location Card — The Ruins:
Before the Setup Phase, the Ruin Tiles are placed as shown in the illustration on the card.
Alternative Victory Condition: If a player occupies all Ruins at the same time with his own Creatures, he will win the game at the end of his turn. Creatures with Power Level 1 that occupy Ruins will be put immediately into the Reserve.
Story: Grey towers looming over the Warlands, abandoned and decayed, the past grandeur of the fortress can still be felt. The wind roars through the cracks of crumbling walls and a thick, impalpable force surrounds the ruins. What power would this fortress hold if they were unified under one banner?
Standard Actions
In each player's turn, one of the following Standard Actions is performed. They can only be carried out with one's own Creatures. Some of them have additional abilities (Specialities), which complement a Standard Action.
- Movement
- Attack
- Upgrade
- Spell
Note: The abilities of Creatures always precede the game rules.
Movement
Move a chosen Creature to an adjacent unoccupied field. Adjacent fields are positioned horizontally and vertically to the creature.
Note: Some Creatures have different movement patterns, which are described in detail on the Creature Cards.
Attack
Move a chosen Creature to a field occupied by an opposing Creature. Attacks are only possible on Creatures of a lower Power Level.
Exception: Additionally, Creatures with Power Level 3 defeat Creatures with Power Level 6.
Defeated Creatures are put into the Exile. The attacking player receives Victory Points according to the Power Level of the defeated Creature. The gained Victory Points are indicated by moving the Indicator Dice on the Victory Points Bar.
Field Bonus
If Creatures are defeated in the opposing half of the gameboard, additional Victory Points are rewarded according to the Field Bonus.
Example: A player defeats a Creature with Power Level 3 in the opposing Supply Zone. The player receives a total of 6 Victory Points.
Power Level 3 + Field Bonus 3 = 6 Victory Points
Upgrade
Increase the Power Level of a chosen Creature by 1.
Example: A Creature with Power Level 3 is increased to Power Level 4.
Hint: For a quick turn of the dice, the order of the symbols is as follows: 1-3 turn to the left, 3-4 turn down, 4-6 turn to the left.
Spell
Use the Spell of a chosen Creature. Spells which require Reserve Dice can only be cast, if there are enough dice in the Reserve. Some Spells use the Trigger Points Bar. It indicates the strength or other effects of a Spell.
Note: Some Creatures do not have Spells.
Special Abilities
As an addition to Standard Actions, some Creatures possess special abilities.
Specialities
Specialities are passive (Non-Standard Actions) and can affect both players. They are described in detail on the Creature Cards.
Gameplay
Preparation Phase
- The players put the gameboard between them. They should leave enough space for additional game material around it.
- Each player chooses one tribe (one set of dice).
- All 15 Creature Dice are placed into the Reserve on the right side of the gameboard.
- The Indicator Dice are placed on position 0 on the Victory Points-Bar and Trigger Points-Bar.
- Roll a dice each to determine who starts. The higher number starts (reroll when tied).
Setup Phase
The starting player puts any number of dice in his Supply Zone until it consists of Creatures with a total Power Level of 10. Then, the opposing player sets his starting lineup.
Example: Player 1 sets a Creature of Power Level 4 and one with Power Level 6. With a combined Power Level of 10, Player 1 finishes the Setup Phase.
After that, Player 2 sets Creatures with Power Levels of 2, 3 and 5 respectively. Their combined Power Level is 10 and Player 2 finishes the Setup Phase.
War Phase
- The starting player opens the game by performing 1 Standard Action.
- After this, the players perform alternately 1 Standard Action per turn.
- The player to obtain 10 Victory Points first, wins the game.
Glossary
- Victory Points – Points gained by defeating opposing Creatures, tracked on the Victory Points Bar; first to 10 wins.
- Trigger Points – A separate resource, tracked on the Trigger Points Bar, used by some Spells to indicate strength or other effects.
- Opposing Creature – A Creature belonging to the opponent.
- Threatening opposing Creature – An opposing Creature that could attack (defeat) one of your Creatures on its next turn.
- Immune against opposing Attacks – A Creature that cannot be targeted by an opponent's Attack.
- Immune against opposing Spells – A Creature that cannot be targeted or affected by an opponent's Spells.
- Immune against opposing Specialities – A Creature that cannot be affected by an opponent's Specialities.
Opposing Creatures
All Creatures under your opponent's command in the Warlands.
Your Own Creatures
All Creatures under your command in the Warlands.
Friendly Creatures
All your own Creatures except the chosen one are considered friendly.
Virtual Victory Points
Virtual Victory Points are counted the same way as gained in combat. However, they are not displayed on the Victory Points Bar.
Adjacent
The horizontal and vertical neighboring fields.
Diagonal
The diagonal neighboring fields.
Surrounding
The horizontal, vertical and diagonal neighboring fields.
Zones
The gameboard is divided into the Opponent Zone and Your Zone, each further divided into a Supply Zone (nearest each player's Reserve) and the rest of that player's half of the Warlands.