DRAGON DICE SOLO CHALLENGE

ver. 0.1 16 Dec 1997 - Submitted by : ctaylor@interplay.com (Taylor Chris)

ver. 0.2 05 Aug 2002 - Edited by : tnewton69@yahoo.com.au (Tony Newton)
DCM refers to the Dice Commander's Manual & the Official SFR Inc Revised Rules.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Dragon Dice is a great multiplayer game, but there comes a time when you cannot find opponents.
These rules will provide a simple variation of the main rules that can be played by only one player.
In this version of the game, you will find that army construction becomes very critical. These are good
skills that will help you in any game of Dragon Dice.
The basic idea is that the player will face a series of challenges. Each challenge will find the player
facing a different type of opponent. The player must conquer all opponents, succeed at all the
challenges, and fight the Dragons in a final battle. Not the most original story, but hey, this is a dice
game...
One nice feature of the solo rules, especially for those player who have a large collection of dice, is
that you will see many dice that you would not normally play with.

1.1 Object of Dragon Dice Solo

The player's object is to fight and defeat five different armies in a row, moving from one terrain to the
next. Each battle might see the player's army a little hurt, and a fresh opponent. The idea is to reach
and capture the fifth terrain and then fight off a terrible Dragon attack! Defeating the Dragons, with
even one tiny unit remaining, means victory!

2.0 BUILDING THE ARMIES

The player will need to build a total of six armies: one for himself, and five opponents.
The first item of business is to set the size of the battles. Obviously, more dice will take longer to play,
but not necessarily the difficulty of the battle. The player may choose from the following battle sizes:
Battle Size
Small
Medium
Large

Players Health
16
24
35

Opponents Health
12
18
24

# of Dragons
2
3
4

The Player Health refers to the number of health points the player gets to build his army from (page
6, DCM). The Opponents Health line is the size of each of the five opposing armies (see below). The
Number of Dragons refers to the total number of Dragons the player will have to fight in the final
battle.

2.1 Player's Army

Once the player determines the size of his army, he should build it using the tournament rules (no
more than 50% magic dice). Magic Items and Artifacts are allowed, Dragonkin are not used. The
player's army can be of any racial makeup. Once you are done with it, set it aside for now.

2.2 Opponent's Armies

You will need to build five armies: Heavy, Light, Missile, Cavalry and Magic. Each army must be of at
least one race, but no more than two. If possible, you should keep to one race. Only if you do not
have enough dice should you expand to two races.

Battle Size
Small
Medium
Large

Suggested Makeup
Total Rares
Total Uncommons
1
2
2
3
3
4

Total Health
12
18
24

Total Commons
5
6
7

For example, a small Firewalker Heavy opponent army would look like: 5x Guardians, 2x Watchers and
1x Sentinel. If you don't have enough of one commonality of dice, substitute other dice within that
same race and size.

2.2.1 Racial Variations

Some races in kicker packs do not have the usual compliment of Heavy/Light Troop, Missile, Cavalry +
Magic. Their equivalent forces are listed below:
Race
Undead
Frost
Wings

Heavy Troop
Heavy Infantry
Melee

Light Troop
Light Infantry
Light Missile

Missile
Light Magic
Heavy Missile

Cavalry
Skirmishers
Cavalry

Magic
Heavy Magic
Macic

2.3 DRAGONS

Take the number of Dragons based on the size of your game (2, 3, or 4) and set them
aside. These dragons can be randomly picked from your collection or be picked in this order: Black,
Red, Gold, Green and Blue; Wyrms before Drakes. Dragons will not fight each other, so different
colors do not matter.

3.0 SETTING UP THE TERRAIN

Pick one of each type of terrain (Coastland, Swampland, Highland and Flatland) and one additional
terrain of your choice (obviously pick something that will benefit your army.) The ID icon of each
terrain does not matter (for purposes of this game, all terrains are assume to have all ID icons (Tower,
Temple, City and Standing Stones) for purposes of any racial special rules. If the player captures an
Eighth face, he can pick and choose any one special ID to use at the start of his turn.

3.1 Determining the Order

Roll all the terrain dice. The lowest roll becomes the first terrain, the next highest roll becomes the
second terrain, and so on. Reroll ties.
For example: the five terrain dice are rolled. The results are: 1, 3, 3, 6, and 8. The 1 die becomes the
first terrain, the two threes are re-rolled (results: 4 and 5, the 4 becomes the second terrain and the 5
becomes the third terrain), the 6 is the fourth terrain and the 8 is the last terrain.
The next step will actually determine what number the terrain dice start on.

3.2 Set the Starting Terrain Distance and Place Opponents

The terrain dice will start at the following levels:
Terrain
Starting Distance
Opponent Army
1st
Lowest Missile
Missile
nd
2
Lowest Melee
Cavalry
3rd
Lowest Melee +1
Light Troop
4th
Lowest Melee +2
Heavy Troop
5th
8th Face
Magic

Place the opponents armies appropriately. Move the terrain dice to the proper starting distance
(lowest missile means start at 1 on the terrain die, and move it up one number at a time until you
come across the first missile symbol.) Move up one additional face on the third terrain, and move up
two additional faces on the fourth terrain.

3.3 Starting the game

Place your army at the first terrain. You are now ready to begin.

4.0 THE SOLO CHALLENGE

With all armies placed at their proper terrains, the player may begin the challenge! There will a total
of six battles - the five opposing armies and the final battle against a horde of attacking dragons. The
player must defeat each army in turn, and reserve enough units to defeat the final armies and the
Dragons.
During each battle, the player can only affect dice that are actually involved in the battle.
Dice at another terrain or in the player's reserves cannot be targeted.

4.1 Turn Order

Each battle consists of a series of turns, some of which are only done before or after a
battle and some that are repeated during the battle.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Set Reserves (4.2)

Player Attacks (4.3)
Opposing Army Attacks (4.4)
Player Attempts Maneuver (4.5)
[Repeat steps B, C & D until the victory or loss conditions are met]
E. Heal Dead Units (4.6)
F. Proceed to next terrain and battle there, or if this was the 5th terrain, the final dragon battle
(4.7)
The player wins the first four battles by defeating all enemy units in the opposing army, or
maneuvering the terrain die to the eighth face. The fifth battle must be won destroying all the enemy
magicians in the opposing army.
The player will lose if all their non-reserve units are killed and/or buried.

4.2 Set Reserves

Before each battle, the player may pull aside any number of dice (leaving at least one health worth of
dice at a battle.) These dice form the reserve and will not take part in the upcoming battle. The player
may change his reserve at the beginning of each battle, but may not touch it during any particular
battle.
Set the reserve dice to one side. They may not be targeted by enemy units, spells or for taking
damage. They do not participate in any of the rolls.
They do not count towards any remaining units of the player at a battle. The player will lose the game
when all non-reserve dice are killed at a battle.
Before a battle starts, the player may retreat or reinforce to and from the reserves as many units as
he wishes.

4.3 Player Attacks

The player may now take an action based on the current ID of the terrain. If on a missile ID, for
example, the player may missile the opposing army (and only the opposing army.) Obviously, the
target of all missile attacks, melees, and spells will be the opposing army for this terrain.

All standard rules apply. If the opposing forces ever rolls a Cantrip, see (4.4.1) and randomly pick a
spell outside of maneuvers (don't worry about the magic cost).
Missile: The player rolls missile icons and ID icons and applies damage to the opposing army (called
"opposing forces" for the rest of this section.) Then the player rolls the opposing forces for defensive
shields and ID icons. If the opposing forces takes damage, refer to 4.31 (below) for instructions on
how to resolve damage to the opposing forces dice. The opposing forces will counterattack during
their next turn (4.4)
Melee: Roll as normal, apply damage (if any) and then roll the opposing forces for a counterattack.
You roll your defense and then apply damage as normal.
Charge: Roll as normal, both your dice and then the opposing forces. Count your melee and
maneuvers as damage, subtract the opposing forces shields/ID icons and apply any remaining
damage. Meanwhile, apply all opposing forces melee icons as damage to your army.
Magic: Magic may only be cast by your army if you control the eighth face of a terrain (only possible
during the fifth battle and the dragon attack), or if the terrain is showing a Magic symbol (chasing
after those pesky magicians in the fifth battle.) Magic that targets terrain cannot be cast.
Routing is never used.

4.4 Opposing Army Attacks

The opposing forces will roll depending on what battle you are fighting (which type of
units the opposing forces is using) and what the terrain ID is.
1) First Terrain: This missile army will obviously want to attack with missiles for as long as possible.
They will attack with missile weapons if the terrain symbol permits, or use standard melee attacks
if the player moves the terrain die up.
2) Second Terrain: Cavalry armies will use regular melee attacks.
3) Third Terrain: Light melee troops will also melee attack.
4) Fourth Terrain: Heavy melee troops will always use melee attacks.
5) Fifth Terrain: Magicians will cast spells. They will never use any sort of missile or melee attack
(they stay at the first face of their terrain and whimper loudly when the player's army reaches
that location.) See 4.41 for what spells the Magicians will use.

4.4.1 Opposing forces Magic Attacks

Roll the magicians, count up all points of magic. Apply an ID results to the largest color
pool of magic. If possible to double (by either doubling ID icons because of sympathetic terrain or
burying your dead), do so. If the opposing forces magicians bury your dead, they will bury the
maximum amount.
Opposing forces magicians will cast random spells. Start with the largest color pool and work your
way down.
Pick up an unused terrain die (one of the earlier battlefields will work just fine), and roll it. Don't look
at the terrain symbol, we only care about the number that results (remember, the terrain is a d8).
Consult the chart below and look across to the color magic being cast:

Roll
1-2
3-4

Gold Spell
Transmute Rock
to Mud*
Dust to Dust*

5-7

Stoneskin#

8th Face

Racial

Blue Spell
Hailstorm#

Red Spell
Dancing Lights*

Green Spell
Wall of Ice#

Black Spell
Palsy*

Breath of Life#

Spark of Life#

Flash Flood*

Lightning
Strike*
Racial

Ashstorm*

Watery
Double#
Racial

Reanimate
Dead#
Finger of
Death*
Racial

Racial

* Targeting your army, of course.

# Targeting the opposing forces army.
Racial: see Racial spells (4.4.2) below.
Specific Spell Notes:
Breath of Life, Spark of Life, Reanimate Dead: Healing spell, see below.
Finger of Death: Pump as much black magic remaining as possible into this spell and then start
targeting your units. You must attempt to use as many FoD spells this way as possible.
Flash Flood: This spell will push the player's army one terrain pip away from the opposing forces
army.
Hailstorm: Dump the remainder of the blue magic pool into this spell and target the player's
army.
In all cases, you get to pick the target of a spell, using the following rules:
a) A die in any army can only be targeted by more than one spell if all other dice have already
been targeted -or- if a spell that can be cast multiple times to increase the effect is targeting
this unit, and then only enough times to actually affect the unit (no more, no less; if possible).
b) Target in this order: commons, uncommons, rares then monsters.
c) If it is a healing spell, and the opposing forces have no dead units available, reroll the spell.
d) Remember that a player's magicians may always target as per the player's instructions, as long as
the spells cast are legally targeted.
Subtract the amount of the spell targeted, and repeat rolling on the table until all spell points have
been spent or if a spell is rolled that requires too many magic points to cast (do not reroll trying to get
a cheaper spell.)
Then resolve the spells in any order that you choose.

4.4.2 Racial Spells

Many of the races have unique racial spells. If you roll an 8 on the random spell selection die (usually
known as a terrain die), then the opposing forces magician's will attempt to cast a racial-only spell.
Pick a spell that only the magicians in the opposing forces army can cast (the one that you would pick
if you were in their shoes) and target your army with it.
If you choose not to use racial spells, pick the general spell that would hurt you the most. If you are
not capable of beating yourself in the face with the opposing forces magic, then simply roll again
(rerolling any further results of 8) and cast that spell for free!, do not reduce the magic pool.

4.5 Player Attempts Maneuver

The player can win the first four battles by maneuvering the terrain to the eighth face.
Opposing armies will never attempt to maneuver, but will always attempt to countermaneuver.
The player does not have to attempt to maneuver. It is always optional.
In the first four battles, as soon as the player maneuvers the terrain die to the eighth face, he wins.
Remove the defeated opposing forces and move on to the next battle. During
these battles, the player can only move the terrain die up, never down.

In the fifth battle, the player can chase down the magicians army and attack them in
melee battle by maneuvering the terrain down to the first face. The player cannot maneuver the die
back up once he starts this course of action.
Racial terrain advantages are used as normal.

4.6 Heal Dead Units

Units that have not been buried, but are in the dead pool might be returned to the player's army in
time for the next battle.
Roll all the dead pool units.
Any unit that rolls an ID, a SAI or a magic symbol returns to life and is placed back in
the player's army. This die may be immediately sent to reserves, as per the normal (4.2) Set Reserves
phase. Any other result- that unit is buried and gone.

4.7 Final Dragon Battle

Once the player has defeated the magicians in the fifth battle, the final Dragon battle will begin.
The player may (4.6) Heal Dead Units and draw all units from the Reserves (4.2), as per normal rules.
If the player ended the fifth battle on the eighth face of the terrain, they will start in control of a City.
If the player ended the fifth battle on the first face of the terrain (ie, they chased down and
slaughtered the poor opposing forces magicians), then they will start there. During their (4.3) Attack,
their opponents (4.4) Attack (the Dragons) and during the normal (4.5) Maneuver phase, the player
may move the terrain die one step towards the eighth face (running back towards the City), until the
player reaches the eighth face. As soon as the player maneuvers the terrain die to the eighth face, the
player takes control of the City. The maneuver takes place after each Attack (ie, at the end of Player's
Attack, and at the end of the Dragon's Attack.)

4.7.1 Dragons of a different Color

Dragons will only attack the player. They will not attack each other, regardless of any color
differences.

4.7.2 Drakes

If a Drake rolls a Wing, it will fly away immediately (after doing any tail damage). It will automatically
return at the beginning of the next Dragon Attack (it cannot be targeted during the next Player's
Attack.)

4.7.3 Attacking a Dragon

A Dragon may be attacked by any number of ways:

First to Seventh Faces: The Dragons may only be attacked by the attacks allowed by the symbol
currently showing on the terrain die.
Eighth Face: The player rolls his entire army, and divides the attack into three parts: missile,
melee and magic. All missile results must be used to attack one Dragon, all melee results must be
used to attack another, and magic spells can target any Dragon not currently being attack by
missile or melee attacks.

4.7.3.1 Missile and Melee Attacks

These work normally against a Dragon (Dragon Slaying, pg 27, DCM).

4.7.3.2 Magic Attacks

Spells can be cast against Dragons. Only spells which provide defense to the player, or do hit point
damage will work. Spells which kill the target, or cause some sort of secondary effect (Lightning
Strike, for example) will only work on a Dragon if it rolls a Belly.
Spells which increase missile or melee attacks take effect before the actual attack on a

Dragon, even if all dice are rolled at the same time.

4.7.4 SAI Attacks

SAIs will only affect a Dragon if the Dragon rolls a Belly in response to the SAI activation.

4.8 Winning the Game

If the player kills all Dragons, the player wins the solo Challenge. Congratulations!

5.0 OPTIONS

Options are rules that are provided to create an additional challenge, balance the game in a particular
manner, or make a change to the game to better fit a player's preference.
All of the 5.X rules are optional. Other rules could be created by the player to increase his enjoyment
of the game. They're your dice, no one is looking - go ahead!

5.1 Monsters

The player is certainly allowed to use Monsters in his army. The opposing armies could also use
Monsters, just replace four health worth of units with a randomly selected monster and have at it!
Monsters that have a majority of icons similar to the opposing army type work best.
If Monsters are used, then you should use the Monstrous Magical Resistance, optional rule (page
154, DCM), for both you and the opposing forces.

5.2 No Magic

If you do not want opposing armies to use magic, then replace the army at the fifth terrain
with another Light army. They start in control of a City. During step (4.5), the player may attempt to
maneuver down the terrain. Remember that the opposing forces have double maneuvers until you
wrest control of the City. At the start of the Opponent's Attack step, the opposing forces will attempt
to regain control of the City (either attempting to maneuver down if you are in control of the eighth
face, or by attempting to maneuver the terrain die up if it is on the seventh face.)

5.3 Promo Dice (The King's Charge)

The various promo dice may be used. Most promo dice have some special abilities that will add
challenge to the game. Giving the opposing forces an occasional DragonLord or DragonSlayer will
definitely increase the level of difficulty.
The King's Die will give the player an additional (4.5) Player Attempts Maneuver step. If
the player has a King's Die in his army, then he may also attempt to maneuver the terrain between his
attack and the opponent's attack. Roll for maneuvers normally.

5.4 Two-Player Challenge

It's possible to play the Solo Challenge with a friend. Have him pick out the opposition armies
(following all of the rules and guidelines suggested within these rules), and then play them in order
against you. The opposing forces may still not maneuver the terrain, unless allowed by the rules.

5.5 Expert Level

To increase the challenge of this solo adventure, it is possible to use any or all of these minor options:
Increase the number of health points the opposing forces armies may use.
Decrease the number of starting health points you may use. Randomly pick your army.
Start all terrain dice on 1, and allow the opposing forces to make missile attacks against you until
you are in range.
Increase the number of Dragons during the final dragon battle.
Use Ancient Dragons (page 154, DCM) in the final dragon battle. Good luck!