Quick Links
Wyrmspanis a board game where you play as amateur dracologists. The goal is to place nearly 200 dragons into sanctuaries within your caves. While excavating caves for the dragons to settle in, you must also manage to pay the cost for each dragon and compete against your rivals in the Dragon Guild.
However, during this challenging process, you will be placing a variety of enchanting and impressive dragons into your caves. The game features a lot of cards, offering a high level of replayability. It is also considered to be slightly more complex than Wingspan. If you’re ready, a detailed guide on how to play the game awaits you.
How To Setup Wyrmspan
Main Component Setup
First,place three boards in the center of the table, which are the Dragon Guild board, card display board, and round tracker board. Arrange them in a way that all players can access them easily. Then,choose one of the four Dragon Guild tiles randomlyand place it in the center of the Dragon Guild board.
Dragon Guild tiles aredouble-sided;one side is for one and two players, and the other side is for more than two players. ensure toflip it according to the number of players.
Next, shuffle the 183 dragon cards and the 75 cave cards, and place them face-down next to the card display board. Placethree dragon cards on the top partof the card display board andthree cave cards on the bottom part.This area serves as the market in the game.
Place the round marker, which resembles a pink marshmallow, on theRound 1 section of the round tracker board.There are ten objective tiles in the game.Select four of them randomlyand place either thefront or back sidesof them into the four slots on the round tracker board. Put the remaining objective tiles back into the box.
Finally, place the silver shimmering coins, eggs, and all other tokens on the table where everyone can reach them.
You will be provided with two turquoise-colored trays in the game. you’re able to create amore organized spacebyplacing the eggsin one tray and the coins in another.
Player Component Setup
Each playertakes a player matand places it in front of them. Then, each player takessix coins and one egg.Place the eggs onone of the nest icons in the bottom left cornerof the player mat. It doesn’t matter which nest you choose, and the colors of the eggs are purely cosmetic.
Next, each playerdraws three dragon cards and three cave cardsfrom the deck. Then, you mustdiscard two cardsfrom the total of six cards in your hand. you may set up the discard pile on either the left or right side of the decks.
Additionally, at this stage, you need totake three resourcetokens. You can chooseany combinationof these resources:
Silver coins and eggs are not considered ‘resources’.
It’s a good idea to choose four of the initial six cards to keepbased on the four objective tiles in the center.Then, choose three resource tokensbased on the dragonsyou have.
Each playerselects player pieces of their color.Everyone takes an adventurer meeple, eight cube-shaped markers, and a guild token resembling a shield.Place your adventureron the space labeled ‘Base Camp’ on your player mat.
Place your guild tokenon the ‘START’ area of the Dragon Guild board. The cubes, or player markers, can be kept within easy reach in front of you. Finally, randomlyassign the start player markerto a player. This marker has a large circle with the image of the game’s cover on it. This completes the setup.
Game Flow
Thegame ends after the fourth round.A round progresses in turns. Starting with the player holding the start player marker andproceeding clockwise, each player takes a turn. Players continue taking turns until they all pass. Once a player passes,they do not take another turn for the remainder of that round. A round ends when all players have passed.
Generally, you are forced to pass when you run out of coins. However, you may choose to pass even if you still have coins left. In this case,any remaining coins will carry overto the next round. Additionally, your resources, cave cards, dragon cards, and nested eggs will also carry over to the next round.
The winner of the game is theplayer with the most VP (victory points). There are many ways to earn victory points in the game.
Overview Of Actions
On your turn, you canperform only one of three actions: excavate, entice, or explore. To take an action, place your adventurer meeple on the space corresponding to that action. Then, you need topay the cost of the action.To pay the cost, place the required amount on the action spaces located on theleft side of your player mat.
The cost for the explore action works a bit differently, which will be explained in the relevant section.
If the central supply of eggs or resources runs out, use the multiplier tokens marked with x2 and x5, and place the resources you own back into the public supply.
The silver shimmering coin tokens are usually needed for every action. They are themost valuable items in the game, so think carefully before spending them.
Excavate Action
This action allows you toplay a cave card from your hand onto your player mat. As you can see on your player mat, there are three different rows: Crimson Cavern, Golden Grotto, and Amethyst Abyss. Each row has four slots. The most important thing to remember when excavating is that you mustfill the caves on your player mat from left to right.
Since thefirst slot of each row is already excavatedat the start of the game, youonly need to place cave cards in the second, third, and fourth slots.Once you decide where to place your cave card, pay the cost shown in the Excavate section in the top left corner of your player mat. Also, there is anextra cost for the third and fourth columns, which you must also pay.
Excavation Action Cost
First
The first slot in each column is already excavated at the start of the game, so you do not need to pay any cost or place a cave card there.
One coin
One coin + One nested egg
Fourth
One coin + Two nested eggs
You must select the eggs you need to payfrom your nested eggs.You start the game with two nested egg slots in the bottom left corner of your player mat. However, as the game progresses, your dragons will provide you with additional nested egg slots.
After paying the cost, you can place your cave card. When placing your cave card on your player mat, ensure youdo not cover the stop icon located below the slot.
After placing your card,activate the ‘when played’ benefitindicated on it. This ‘when played’ effect also appears on dragon cards and, unless stated otherwise by another card effect,is only activated once, when you first play the card.
You are not obligated to benefit from the card you played. Thesebenefits are optional. However, if your card provides benefits to other players, even if you choose not to take advantage of them, they can still choose to benefit from it.
If you place your cave card in the fourth slot (the far right of the row), you will see a printed ‘when covered’ effect on the slot. This effect triggers oncewhen you place a cave card there for the first time.It allows you toexchange any three items for a coin.The items can be any combination of resource tokens, dragon cards, and cave cards.
You can choose the order in which you activate the ‘when played’ effect of your cave card and the printed “when covered” effect on the slot.
Before covering the fourth slot, make sureyou have enough itemsto trigger the ‘when covered’ effect. This way, you cangain a coinand have the opportunity to take another action when it’s your turn again.
Entice Action
This action allows you toplace a dragon card from your hand onto the excavated spaceson your player mat. First, choose the dragon you want to play. Then, place a coin,which is the cost,onto the Entice box on the left side of your player mat.
Additionally, below the names of the dragon cards, you willsee resources on the left side.These areextra resources you need to payin addition to the coin. Some dragons may require extra coins, eggs, or milk.
After paying the cost, it’s time to place your dragon card onto your player mat. Firstly, you will seethree boxes of different colors on the left side of your dragon cards.These boxes represent the habitat preferred by your dragon.
For example, if the two top boxes are colored yellow and red, you can only place this dragon in either the Crimson Cavern or the Golden Grotto. Therefore, when placing your dragon,you must place them in their preferred habitat.
Another rule to remember when placing your dragon is that you need toplace them in excavated spaces.
The first slot in each row is already excavated, so you can place your dragons there.
Excavated slots are the cave card slotsyou have placed cave cards in, except for the first slot in each row. Finally, when placing your dragon, remember that, like cave cards, you need toplace dragons from left to righton your player mat.
Information
Name
This is the name of the dragon. The Dragon Facts booklet in the game box is organized alphabetically. If you want to learn more about them outside of the game rules, you can refer to this booklet.
Extra Cost
This indicates theadditional cost you need to payfor this dragon. When performing the Entice action, you must pay the items shown herein addition to the coin.
Preferred Habitats
This section shows the habitats the dragon prefers. When placing your dragon in excavated areas, you mustpay attention to these colors.
Victory Points
The number here represents theVictory Points this dragon will give you at the end of the game.
Size
This indicates the size of your dragon. A dragon can be Hatchling, Small, Medium, or Large.
Nested Egg Capacity
This section indicateshow many nested eggs can be placed on this dragon.You start the game with two nested egg slots on your player mat. As you place dragons, the number of eggs you’re able to nest will increase.
Trait
This section shows your dragon’s trait. Each dragon has one of the following four traits: Aggressive, Helpful, Playful, and Shy.
Ability
This section describes your dragon’s ability. There are four types of abilities in the game, which we will explain in the next section.
Dragon Abilities
Your dragons will have one of the following four abilities. Here are the abilities and their explanations:
Description
When Played
This ability activates thefirst time you play this dragon card.Unless another effect specifies otherwise, this effect will only trigger when you place the dragon card in an excavated space.
If Activated
This ability triggers onlyif your adventurer meeple passes over this dragon.
Once Per Round
These abilities will trigger at theend of each round.You will see when to activate this effect during the Round End / Upkeep phase.
End Game
This type of ability activateswhen checking scores at the end of the game.If you meet the conditions, it will provide you with extra Victory Points.
You are not required to use the effectsprovided by your dragon cards. However, if the effects benefit other players, they can choose to take advantage of them even if you do not.
Terms You May Encounter In Dragon Abilities
In your dragons' abilities, you may encounter some in-game terms. Here’s what these terms mean:
Differences Of Hatchlings
Hatchling-sized dragons differ from other dragons in terms of card anatomy and functionality. They also have unique costs. For these dragons, you mustpay an egg and at least one milkresource. You can check the required resources in the top left corner of the cards.
The ability section of hatchling cards is divided into three rows:
Most hatchlings prefer the Amethyst Abyss habitat. There are fewer hatchlings that prefer other habitats.
Explore Action
When you perform the Explore action, you first need tochoose a row (habitat): Crimson Cavern, Golden Grotto, or Amethyst Abyss. Before starting the Explore action, you mustpay the explore costfor that habitat. Each habitat has separated costs track, and thecost increases as you explore the same area repeatedly.The costs for each habitat are as follows:
One coin + One egg
Third
One coin + Two egg
After the third time, you cannot explore that area again for the rest of the round.
When performing this action,place the coins and eggs you paid on the matching symbolsto the left of the habitat entrance. This will help you track the increased costs for future explorations.
After paying the cost,place your adventurer at the far leftof the chosen habitat. Move your adventurerfrom left to right along the pathin the habitat. Each time you reach an ‘If Activated’ icon,trigger the effectand then continue moving your adventurer. These ‘If Activated’ effects can be found bothprinted on your player mat and on your dragons.
Finally,when your adventurer reaches a stop icon(an empty space without a dragon), your turn ends. Place your adventurer back in the Base Camp area to the left of your player mat.
Additional Rules
To better understand the game and avoid confusion, it is helpful to know these rules:
Ability Benefits Order
If an ability benefits all players,start with the active player and proceed clockwise, allowing each player to utilize the benefits in turn. The cards in the card display (market area) are refreshed at the end of each round. Therefore, if multiple players benefit from a card in the display, and there are not enough cards for everyone, those later in the order might miss out.
Item Placement
Items you acquire are placed in various locations depending on their type. Dragon and cave cards go into your hand, while resource tokens go into your personal supply. If an effect allows you to acquire an item and then cache or tuck it, but you choose not to,the item remains in your hand or supply.
Multiple Actions Or Exchanges
Some abilities allow you to perform multiple actions or exchanges. Thesemust be done individually; you must complete one before moving on to the next.
End Of Turn Discarding
At the end of each of your turns, reduce your total resources, dragon and cave cards, and coinsto nine by discarding the excess.If you acquire additional items at the end of another player’s turn, you do not need to discard the excess until the end of your next turn.
Refreshing The Display Board
The dragon and cave cards on the display board arerefreshed at the end of each round.
Gaining Cards Or Dragons
If an effect instructs you to gain a dragon or a card, you can either take one of theface-up cards from the card display or the top card from that deck.
Taking Cards From The Display
If an effect instructs you to take a card from the display, you must take one of the face-up cards.You cannot take a card from the top of the deckin this case.
Drawing Cards
If an effect instructs you to draw a card, you must take the top card from the corresponding deck.You cannot take a card from the displayin this case.
Revealing Cards
If an effect instructs you to reveal a card, you mustshow the top card of the corresponding deck to all players.
Don’t Check Tucked Cards
Cards that check your dragons and cave cardswill never check tucked cards.
‘Dragon’ Word
Even if a dragon card does not have the word ‘dragon’ in its name,it is still considered a dragon card.Do not worry about whether a card is a hatchling or does not have ‘dragon’ in its name.
Eggs And Coins Are Not Resources
Remember that eggs and coins arenot count as resources.Items count as resources are: milk, gold, crysta, meat and milk.
Resource Conversion
At any point during the game, you canconvert any two resources into any one resource.This is shown by the symbols at the bottom left of your board.
Dragon Guild
Dragon Guild board features an icon on both the left and right sides of its header. This icon is adragon head symbol on a shield.You will encounter this icon symbolwhen you move your adventurers through cavesusing the explore action. Similarly, various cards may also feature this symbol.
Each time you trigger this symbol,move your Dragon Guild token(shield-shaped) one space clockwise on the Dragon Guild board. Then, gain the benefit of the space you have advanced to. These spaces can hold multiple guild tokens. If you have made multiple advancements, you gain the benefits of all the spaces you passed over and landed on.
Except for the initial start, each time you reach the brown area above or below the Dragon Guild board, you mustplace a player marker on an appropriate spot on the Dragon Guild tile, which is in the middle of these brown areas. After placing the marker,apply the effect to the right of the spotwhere you placed the marker.
Each square on the Dragon Guild tile can hold one player marker, but the bottom-right spot can hold anunlimited number of markers.Each player can place atotal of four markerson the Dragon Guild tile. Even after placing all four markers, you can continue to advance on the Dragon Guild track, though you will no longer be able to place additional markers.
End Of Turn, End Of Round, And Start Of Round
What Happens at the End of Your Turn?
When you perform one of the Entice, Explore, or Excavate actions, your turn ends. At the end of your turn, you need toreduce the following to nine:
After you complete your turn, the next player in clockwise order takes their turn.
What Happens at the End of a Round?
A round endswhen all players pass.The following steps occur at the end of a round:
Based on your ranking in the round objective, place your player marker on the correspondingvertical points beneath the objective.If there is a tie for first place in the objective,both players place their markersin the first-place spot. The next player places their marker in the second-place spot. The game istie-friendly.
If playersdo not have any items required for the objective(i.e., zero items), they place their player cube in the lowest section under the objective,which is the 0 VP spot.The cubes placed on objectives at the end of the game will grant victory points.
Thegame ends after the fourth round,and the scoring phase begins.
What Happens at the Start of the Next Round?
At the beginning of each round, the following steps occur in order:
Game End And Scoring
When the game ends, thescoring phase is conducted.Here are the areas you need to check for scoring:
Check the total VP gained from the Dragon Guild tile.
Dragons on Player Mat
Sum up the points from the dragons on your player mat. This includes neither the dragons in your hand nor the tucked dragons.
End Game Abilities
If there are dragons on your player mat with end-game abilities, calculate the total points they provide.
Nested Eggs
Count the total nested eggs in your dragons and in the slots at the bottom left of your player board. Each nested egg is worth one VP.
Each tucked card is worth one VP.
Public Objectives
Total the VPs earned from the public objectives under the round tracker.
Excess Items
Each remaining coin is worth one VP. For items other than coins, every four items (rounded down) are worth one VP. These can be in any combination of dragons, cave cards, and resources.
Winner And Tie-Breaker
The player with the most VPs winsthe game. In case of a tie, theplayer with the most dragons on their playermat wins. If still tied, the player with the most dragons on their player mat wins. If still tied,both players are considered winners.
