In Drachentreppe, you want to bring your magicians to the top of the dragon stairs, or collect the dragon's eggs — or both, of course!
Each player starts with three magicians at the bottom of the staircase. On a turn, you choose a magician you want to move, then roll the die:
If you roll 1, 2, or 3, move that magician up that many steps, then roll again or end your turn.
If you roll an up arrow, move that magician up to the same step as the next higher magician, no matter whose magician it is.
If you roll the dragon, place the dragon on your step, then take a dragon egg from the supply.
If you roll a down arrow, you can place a dragon egg on that magician's step to keep them from falling, or your magician falls down until they're caught by one of your other magicians, landing on the step above the catcher. If your lowest magician is falling, they fall to the starting step.
Anytime you move, you place your magician on the outside of the staircase compared to other magicians — and anytime three magicians are on the same step, the magician closest to the staircase column falls to the starting step.
Anytime you move up and pass a dragon egg on a step or land on the same step as one, you collect it. The same goes for move up to or passing the dragon.
To reach the top step, you must return a dragon egg to the supply. When a player has all three of their magicians on the top step, the game ends after everyone has had the same number of turns. Players score 1-3-6 points for getting 1-2-3 magicians to the top step and 1 point for each egg they hold. Whoever has the most points wins.
Admittedly, Bob was drawn in by the table presence with Drachentreppe from Gerhards Spiel und Design. Is there enough game to justify the unique design?
Join Meeple Mountain as we look at our most anticipated games of Spiel 2024, the world’s largest board game convention, taking place in Essen, Germany.
