Gamehelpdragonspath

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Check victory
   At the end of your turn, check whether you have completed a victory condition.

The Elemental Paths

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.

Fire

• Remove a card: move one card from the opponent's play area into its owner's discard pile.
• Search your deck for a card, then shuffle your deck and put it in your hand.

Water

• A player draws 3 cards, then discards 3 cards.
• Exchange one card in a player's play area with another card in that player's discard pile.

Earth

• Play another Path card from your hand without applying its effect.
• Return a card from your discard pile to your hand.

Wind

• An opponent chooses and discards 1 card from their hand.
• Reaction (⚡): cancel the effect of an opponent's card. The cancelled card still enters the opponent's path.

Thunder

• A player draws 1 card.
• Reaction (⚡): return the opponent's card played this turn to their hand. The declared effect still resolves.

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.

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:

1. Choose a Spell card
   Choose one of your available Spell cards.

2. Pay the elemental cost
   Discard from your hand the elemental combination shown on the Spell card.

3. 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.

4. Resolve the Spell effect
   Apply the effect of the Spell card.

5. Remove the Spell card
   After the Spell card is used, it cannot be used again for the rest of the game.