Episode 243: Flamecraft

In this 1 to 5 player game designed by Manny Vega, with art by Sandra Tang and published by cardboard alchemy players who are the flamekeeper and of course can talk to artisan dragons attempt to hire said dragons for shops to dazzle people with their flamecraft and enchantments.

The game board is populated initially with a number of shops depending on the player count and a series of enchantments (think of orderings for types of resources you’re trying to fill). On a turn a player visits a shop by deploying their dragon meeple there. Once at the shop a player can “gather” which allows them to get resources from the shop and the dragons there, place a dragon in the shop, activate a dragon in the shop for its ability and finally use the shops ability if it has one. The player can also cast an enchantments if they have the right resources and the enchantment matches the shop. Players score points for those enchantments. Then they can activate all the dragons abilities that are in that shop.

Shops are full when they have 3 dragons and a new shop is added to the board. Gameplay continues until the market of dragons deck is empty or the enchantment deck is empty. At end game players score their “fancy dragons” a type of dragon card that gives end game scoring you can pick up during the game.

Those fancy dragons in addition to the player’s place on the score track and any remaining coins a player may have are their final score. Most points win. Hopefully this rules gist didn’t dragon too long. Let’s head back to the studio where the other pegs will determine whether this game burns hot or fizzles out.