== Gameplay ==

In Dragon's Path, each player has their own deck of Elemental Path cards. Players alternate turns, playing cards into their own play area and trying to complete one of the victory conditions.

Each player has:

* a '''deck''' of elemental paths;
* a '''hand''' of cards;
* a '''play area''' called ''Path'';
* a '''discard pile'''.

Discard piles are always face-up and may be inspected by any player at any time.
Each player starts the game with 5 cards in hand.

=== Player Turn ===

Players take turns until one player reaches a victory condition.

A turn is divided into the following phases, in order:
<ol>
<li>Draw a card 
At the beginning of your turn, draw the top card of your deck and add it to your hand. 
This phase is skipped on the first turn of the first player.</li>

<li>Play a Path card 
You may play 1 Path card from your hand into your play area. 
When you play a Path card, declare which effect you want to use. 
Do not choose the target yet.</li>

<li>Opponent response 
Your opponent may respond by discarding up to 1 card with a Reaction (⚡) effect from their hand. 
If a Reaction is played, resolve it immediately. 
Then, if the declared effect was not cancelled, choose its target and resolve it. 
Reaction cards are discarded from hand. They do not enter the play area. 
Reaction effects can only be used during Phase 3 of the opponent's turn.</li>

<li>Check victory 
At the end of your turn, check whether you have completed a victory condition.</li>
</ol>

<h3>The Elemental Paths</h3>

There are 5 types of Elemental Path cards. Each element has 2 different effects.
Fire, Water, and Earth have two effects that can be chosen when the card is played on your turn.
Wind and Thunder can either be played normally on your turn or discarded during the opponent's turn to use their Reaction (⚡) effect.

<h4>Fire</h4>
<ul>
<li>Remove a card: move one card from the opponent's play area into its owner's discard pile.</li>
<li>Search your deck for a card, then shuffle your deck and put it in your hand.</li>
</ul>

<h4>Water</h4>
<ul>
<li>A player draws 3 cards, then discards 3 cards.</li>
<li>Exchange one card in a player's play area with another card in that player's discard pile.</li>
</ul>

<h4>Earth</h4>
<ul>
<li>Play another Path card from your hand without applying its effect.</li>
<li>Return a card from your discard pile to your hand.</li>
</ul>

<h4>Wind</h4>
<ul>
<li>An opponent chooses and discards 1 card from their hand.</li>
<li>Reaction (⚡): cancel the effect of an opponent's card. The cancelled card still enters the opponent's path.</li>
</ul>

<h4>Thunder</h4>
<ul>
<li>A player draws 1 card.</li>
<li>Reaction (⚡): return the opponent's card played this turn to their hand. The declared effect still resolves.</li>
</ul>

== Victory ==

The aim of the game is to collect either:

* '''5 different elemental paths''';
* '''4 Path cards of the same element'''.

If, at the end of your turn, you have reached a victory condition, the game ends immediately, and you win.

The game also ends if a player must draw a card but cannot because their deck is empty. In that case, '''that player immediately loses''' and their opponent wins.

== Advanced Rules ==

Advanced rules add Spell cards and Dragon Tokens. All basic rules remain unchanged unless stated otherwise.

=== Advanced Setup ===

=== Best of 3 ===

In Advanced Mode, players play up to 3 matches.

When a player wins a match, they take 1 Dragon Token.

The first player to collect 2 Dragon Tokens wins the game.

=== Spell Cards ===

Shuffle the 10 Spell cards and randomly deal 2 Spell cards to each player. Remaining Spell cards are not used in this game.

Each player chooses:

* 1 Spell card to keep;
* 1 Spell card to give to the opponent.

Each player places their Spell cards next to their play area, visible to both players.

=== Use Spell Cards ===

Each Spell card has:

an '''elemental combination''' required to play it;
a '''powerful effect'''.

On your turn, you may use a Spell card instead of playing a Path card.

To use a Spell card, follow these steps:
<ol>
<li>Choose a Spell card 
Choose one of your available Spell cards.</li>

<li>Pay the elemental cost 
Discard from your hand the elemental combination shown on the Spell card.</li>

<li>Wait for opponent's Response 
Your opponent cannot respond to a Spell with normal Reaction (⚡) effects. 
The only way to cancel a Spell is to discard the same elemental combination from their hand.</li>

<li>Resolve the Spell effect 
Apply the effect of the Spell card.</li>

<li>Remove the Spell card 
After the Spell card is used, it cannot be used again for the rest of the game.</li>
</ol>
== Element & Spell Summary ==

=== Elements ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Element !! A Effect !! B Effect / Reaction
|-
| Fire || Remove one card from the opponent's path → their discard. || Search your deck for any card, then shuffle.
|-
| Water || A player of your choice draws 3 cards, then discards 3. || Choose any player — swap one of their path cards with one from their discard pile.
|-
| Earth || Play another card from your hand to your path — no effect applied. || Return one card from your discard pile to your hand.
|-
| Wind || The opponent must choose and discard one card from their hand. || ''(B is reaction only)'' ⚡ Reaction (discard this card): Cancel the opponent's card effect. Their card stays in their path.
|-
| Thunder || A player of your choice draws one card. || ''(B is reaction only)'' ⚡ Reaction (discard this card): Return the opponent's played card to their hand. Their declared effect still resolves.
|}

=== Spells ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Cost !! Name !! Description
|-
| Fire + Earth || Titan's Emberforge || Play the top two cards of your deck without using their effects.
|-
| Fire + Wind || Cinderstorm Prophecy || Reveal the top card of your deck, apply a non-⚡ effect, then discard it. Repeat up to three times.
|-
| Fire + Water || Scalding Deluge || Your opponent puts the top 9 cards of their deck into their discard pile.
|-
| Fire + Thunder || Molten Hellstrike || Remove up to 3 cards in the opposing path. Then your opponent plays the top card of their deck without applying its effect.
|-
| Earth + Wind || Skyshard Shift || Switch a card in your path with a card in your opponent's path. Then draw two cards.
|-
| Earth + Water || Primordial Maelstrom || Choose up to 2 cards from an opponent's path and shuffle them into their owner's deck.
|-
| Earth + Thunder || Runebolt Invocation || Search your deck for a card and play it choosing a non-⚡ effect. Then shuffle your deck.
|-
| Water + Wind || Tempest of Omens || Your opponent reveals their hand. Choose up to two cards from it; that player discards them.
|-
| Thunder + Wind || Stormveil Reversal || Reaction (⚡): Cancel the effect and remove a card played by an opponent this turn. Then draw a card.
|-
| Water + Thunder || Mindstorm Dominion || Control your opponent during their next turn. You make all their decisions (but cannot play their spells).
|}

Gamehelpdragonspath

2026-06-02T14:48:35Z

Lazze92: Created page with "== Gameplay == In Dragon's Path, each player has their own deck of Elemental Path cards. Players alternate turns, playing cards into their own play area and trying to complete one of the victory conditions. Each player has: * a '''deck''' of elemental paths; * a '''hand''' of cards; * a '''play area''' called ''Path''; * a '''discard pile'''. Discard piles are always face-up and may be inspected by any player at any time. Each player starts the game with 5 cards in h..."