Magic Dragons

How to Play Magic Dragons

Magic Dragons is a card game for 2–5 players, ages 9 and up. Capture stacks of dragon cards, cast spells, and predict how many stacks you'll hold each round. First to 40 points is crowned ruler of all the kingdoms!

What's in the Box

• 35 numbered dragon cards: five colors (red, yellow, black, purple, and green), numbered 1–7 in each color
• 9 spell cards: 4 Ice Spells, 2 Fire Spells, and 3 Color Spells
• 7 bid cards: one 0 bid, two 1 bids, two 2 bids, one 3 bid, and one 4 bid
• 5 reference cards

Objective

Be the first player to score 40 points by capturing stacks of cards and by correctly predicting how many stacks you will capture each round.

Setup

1. Separate the reference cards and the bid cards from the rest of the deck. Give each player a reference card, and set the bid cards to the side of the playing area.
2. Choose a player to shuffle the remaining deck and deal 7 cards to each player. Any cards not dealt are set aside and aren't needed this round.
3. Players may look at their cards and arrange them in any order they like.

Bidding

Each round begins with a bid phase. Look at your hand and predict how many card stacks you expect to have in your play area at the end of the round.

• The player to the dealer's left bids first by taking a bid card of their choice from the bid deck and placing it face-up in front of them.
• Bidding continues clockwise, with each player choosing from the remaining bid cards until everyone has bid.
• Bid cards must stay visible in front of each player during play.
• There are a limited number of each bid card, so the bid you want may already be taken.

Each bid card shows the bonus you earn if your bid is correct: 0 bid = +15 points, 1 bid = +10 points, and 2, 3, or 4 bid = +5 points.

Game Play

The player to the dealer's left begins by placing a dragon card from their hand face-up in their play area, starting a card stack of that color. Play continues clockwise, with each player playing 1 card per turn following these rules:

1. Dragons can start new stacks or be played onto lower-numbered dragons of the same color. You may not play a lower-numbered dragon onto a higher-numbered dragon.
2. A dragon cannot start a new stack if a stack of that color is already visible on the table.
3. New card stacks are always started in the current player's play area.
4. Spell cards cannot start new stacks or be played onto other spells.
5. You must play one card each turn unless you have no cards you can play. If you can't play any card in your hand, play skips you until you are able to play a card or the round ends.

You can start a stack with any number, but starting low gives the stack room to grow. A dragon can never be played on top of a spell card, and a same-number dragon of a different color can't change a stack's color.

Capturing a Card Stack

Whenever you place a higher-numbered dragon onto an existing stack of the same color, you capture that stack and move it into your play area (if it isn't already there). If another player later places an even higher-numbered dragon on it, they capture it and move it to their play area. Whoever has a stack in their play area at the end of the round scores its points. You can play onto a stack in any player's play area.

Spell Cards

Spell cards have special powers. They can be played onto any dragon card (even a single-card stack, and even in an opponent's play area), but never onto another spell card, and they can't start a new stack.

• Ice Spell (freeze a stack): Place it on top of a stack, but don't move the stack. It stays "frozen" where it is for the rest of the round.
• Fire Spell (destroy a stack): Place it on top of a stack and move the stack to the center of the table. It stays "destroyed" there for the rest of the round.
• Color Spell (change a stack's color): Place it on top of a stack, move the stack to the center of the table, and name a new color (any color you like, even the same color). The next player (any player) to play a dragon of the named color on top of the Color Spell captures the stack and moves it to their play area. That dragon can be any number, as long as it matches the named color. From then on, the stack follows the normal rules.

When a stack has a spell card on top, it no longer has a color. That frees up the color underneath, so players can start a new stack of that color.

Example: Lady Christine plays an Ice Spell onto a purple stack in her play area. Now Lady Jodie can start a new purple stack in her own play area with a purple dragon from her hand.

The Color Spell is the only case where more than one stack of the same color might be visible at once.

Ending the Round

The round ends when every player has either played all their cards or can't play the card(s) left in their hand. Players add up their points and a scorekeeper records them on paper.

Gather the bid cards and keep them separate from the deck. The player who started the previous round becomes the dealer for the next round. Reshuffle all the playing cards (including those not used last round) and deal 7 new cards to each player.

Scoring

• +1 point for each card in your play area at the end of the round. Dragon cards and spell cards both count.
• −2 points for each card still in your hand at the end of the round.
• Correct bid: score the bonus points printed on your bid card. There's no penalty for an incorrect bid.

You can't score below 0 in any round. A stack in the center of the table at the end of the round (because of a Fire Spell or an unclaimed Color Spell) scores no points for anyone.

Example: Sir Tim bid 2 and ended the round with 2 stacks: 3 red dragons, and 2 purple dragons with an Ice Spell on top. He scores 11 points (6 card points + 5 bid points).

Ending the Game

Play as many rounds as needed (usually 3–4). The first player to reach 40 points wins and is crowned the rightful ruler of all kingdoms! If two or more players reach 40 in the same round, the player with the highest total wins. If it's still a tie, the player with the most cards in their play area at the end of the final round wins.

Want the original? Download the full printable Magic Dragons rules (PDF), or check the Magic Dragons FAQs for answers to common rules questions.