Reign of Dragoness

“Every summer solstice, dragons from across the realms gathered for a grand tournament, where clans tested their strength and competed for glory.”

In Reign of Dragoness, you’ll need to outwit your opponents and be the first to empty your hand to score the most points each tournament round. Play sets of dragons that beat the previous play to stay in the challenge. After five rounds, the player with the most points becomes the Grand Champion of the Dragoness.

Reign of Dragoness is designed by Harrison Beck, illustrated by Apryl Stott, and published by Grandpa Beck’s Games. It plays 3–8 players, ages 8+, in about 20–25 minutes.

Setup

To set up, choose a dealer and determine the number of dragon clans and special cards to use based on player count. Shuffle the cards and deal 13 to each player. Set aside any unused cards, and you’re ready to begin the tournament. Grab a pencil and paper or your favorite scoring app to track points.

Quick note on card anatomy: There are eight dragon clans or suites, each represented by a different color. Every clan includes dragons numbered 1-12. The strength of a card is shown by the number of colored jewels below its number—Lochen is the weakest with one jewel, and Gylden is the strongest with eight.

Gameplay

Rounds and Turns

Each tournament round is made up of several challenges. The round begins with the player who holds the lowest card in the game—determined by number first, then jewel count.

Starting a Challenge

The starting player sets the pattern by playing one of the following:

• A single card
• A set of 2–5 identical numbers
• A run of 3–5 sequential numbers

In clockwise order, each player must either play a higher combination of the same type and size or pass. To beat a previous play, your highest card must have a higher number—or the same number with more jewels.

Passing and Reviving

If you can’t or choose not to play, you may pass and drop out of the challenge. You can’t rejoin unless a Revive card is played, which resets the value and allows everyone back in. Passing can be strategic—sometimes it’s better to hold onto your powerful cards.

Winning a Challenge

Once all other players have passed, the last player to play a valid pattern wins the challenge and sets the pattern for the next one.

Ending a Tournament Round

A tournament ends when one player plays their last card. That player scores 3 points. The player with the fewest remaining cards scores 2 points, and the next fewest scores 1 point. Ties for second or third place are shared evenly. Jot down scores for each tournament.

To start a new round, shuffle all cards and deal 13 to each player. The player with the lowest card starts the next round.

End Game

After five tournament rounds, the player with the highest total score becomes the Grand Champion

Special Cards

Reign of Dragoness includes five special cards that add extra strategy: Revive, Dragon Knight, Page, Squire, and the Dragoness.

The Dragoness – Always a 13, unbeatable, and immune to Revive. Can be played solo or in a run.

Revive – Lets all players reenter the challenge. After playing it, continue the same pattern, but your next play doesn’t need to beat earlier ones. It can’t be used on a 12 or the Dragoness.

Page & Squire – Wild cards for 1–8 (Page) or 9–12 (Squire). They can’t beat a card of the same number. Alone, Page is an 8, Squire is a 9.

Dragon Knight – A wild card that acts as any number in sets or runs. Played alone, it’s a 12 that beats all other 12s.

Advanced modes

For players who want more challenge and depth, the rulebook offers four advanced variants that can be added in any combination.

Ultimate Revival – Lets you play a Revive card even on top of a 12, but still not the Dragoness.

Tactical Passing – Allows you to pass temporarily and rejoin the challenge later if play circles back to you.

Conjuring and Calculation – Reduces the number of clans in play to make tracking cards easier and more strategic.

Dragon Hordes – Special 4- or 5-card combinations (like five of a kind or a suited run) can override the current pattern and win the challenge instantly.

Impressions

Reign of Dragoness is a light, approachable game that plays well across generations. If you’re familiar with traditional card games, you’ll pick this up quickly. The only hurdle might be reading the small colored jewels that indicate card strength—players with aging eyes take note and grab your readers!

For more strategic players, Reign of Dragoness offers clever timing decisions, similar to trick-taking games. Holding back strong cards and timing special cards can turn the tide of a round. Despite the luck of the deal, players have meaningful choices and passing isn’t always a bad thing. And you can strategically play the revive card to shed a bunch of cards on a turn!

Final Thoughts

The advanced game modes help boost replayability and prevent the game from feeling repetitive. Since it’s just a deck of cards, it travels well and doesn’t hog table space—perfect for pub play. Although the box says 20–25 minutes, games often ran 30–45 minutes in my experience, especially at higher player counts. At those higher counts, tournament rounds occasionally dragged, which may be tricky for younger, impatient players.

I absolutely recommend Reign of Dragoness. Its high player count makes it a strong alternative to party games, and it played well at a recent game night with six players. Just keep in mind: with more players, timing becomes more difficult. If you’re late in turn order you’ll have to play stronger combinations, but you’re also more likely to see others pass.

The fantasy theme is vibrant and pairs perfectly with gameplay. The art is beautiful and transports you into the tournament. Reign of Dragoness is an ideal gift or addition for anyone who enjoys lighter card games with meaningful choices, and dragons of course!

Ready to enter the tournament and become the Grand Champion of the Dragoness? Grab your sword and shield and head to your friendly local game store, Grandpa Beck’s website, or Amazon.

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The Family Gamers received a copy of Reign of Dragoness from Grandpa Beck’s Games for this review.

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