Current Version: Alpha 4.1

(Engine in development, Magic does not work yet, pieces do not have spells. You can currently (Alpha 4.1) play a colorless version of the game only. This is recommended for beginners to the game anyway! =])

Play now: http://www.sleepingdragons.online/game.html

How to Play

Sleeping Dragons is a board game played on a 10x10 grid by two players. Each player has their own personalized “Army” of pieces which are placed on squares of their own choice before the game begins. The board is actually made up of two separate 5x10 boards, each half is taken by one player to set up their Army’s piece positions. After both players are ready the boards are brought together, and a coin flip determines who takes the first turn.

Sleeping Dragons is a Chess-like game with influences from Magic: The Gathering, but unlike Chess there is no Checkmate. The game is not lost when a Sleeping Dragon dies, but its owner will no longer have it as a Mana source, and could easily be overwhelmed by magic. However if you manage to get a Pawn or Tokin to the opponent’s back row you may reanimate your Dragon (see “Back Rank Reanimation”).

The object of the game is to destroy your opponent’s forces. The game is won when all of your opponent’s pieces have been captured, or when they resign. The game is a Draw if agreed by both players, if 50 moves go by with no pieces dying, or if the same position is repeated 5 times.

Turns and Turn Phases

Each Turn consists of 3 main phases in this order: Magic Phase, Movement Phase, and End Phase.

Magic Phase

At the start of your Magic Phase you will gain 2 Mana if you have a Sleeping Dragon, 3 Mana if you have an Awakened Dragon, and 1 Mana if you have an Effigy.

If you have enough Mana, you may cast one of your piece’s spells. Any spell may be cast during your Magic Phase; only Instants may be cast during other phases.

Movement Phase

You must move one of your pieces. If the movement is a capture, you gain Mana during your End Phase.

End Phase

Spell effects resolve or count down. If a piece was captured, you gain Mana accordingly.

Mana

Mana is used to awaken your Dragon and cast spells.

Capturing awards Mana:

Killing with spells does not award Mana.

Casting Spells

Instants may be cast anytime you have the Mana. Other spells are sorcery-speed and may only be cast during your Magic Phase.

Targeting

Base cost allows targeting any square the piece could move to in a straight line. Costs like “3 (+1)” allow extending range by paying extra Mana.

Some spells have unique targeting rules.

Mana Strategy

  1. Conservative: Save Mana to awaken your Dragon.
  2. Hybrid: Mix saving Mana with spell/movement combos.
  3. Spellcaster: Ignore awakening; cast spells constantly.
  4. Trickster: Pretend to save for awakening, but strike with combos.

A Sleeping Dragon

Dragons begin asleep, cannot move, and generate 2 Mana. Awakening costs Mana and allows movement and spellcasting. Awakened Dragons generate 3 Mana.

Pawns and Tokins

Pawns: Move diagonally forward 1.

Tokins: Move forward or backward 1.

Back Rank Reanimation

When a Pawn or Tokin reaches the opponent’s back rank, it dies at End Phase. You may reanimate any dead piece you originally controlled onto your back three rows.

Getting Started Playing

Beginners should start with Colorless Duel, then Colorless Standard, then Two Heroes or Mono-Color Standard.

Selecting Your Army

Choose pieces that coordinate well. Consider movement types, magic, and color variants.

Official Game Formats

Colorless Duel

Standard Duel

Royal Duel

Colorless Standard

Mono-Color Standard

Standard

Two Heroes Standard

Royal Standard

Double Dragons Standard

Double Effigy Standard

Pieces and How They Move

Pawns and Tokins

Pawn and Tokin

Normal Pieces

General

General

Rabbit

Rabbit

Horse

Horse

Bullfrog

Bullfrog

Bear

Bear

Chariot

Chariot

Specialty Pieces

Mage

Battlemage

Battlemage

Crane

Crane

Snake

Leopard

Wolf

Effigy

Dragons

Colorless Dragon

Awakening Cost:

Ice Dragon

Awakening Cost:

Fire Dragon

Awakening Cost:

Hydra Dragon

Awakening Cost:

Effigy of a Dragon

Produces 3 Mana per turn. Cannot move. Not awakened.

Color Variants

Colorless Variants

Blue Variants

Red Variants

Yellow Variants

All Spells

(Release Version A4.1)