Stats:
No. of players: 3-5
Amount of time to play: 80-120 min
Age requirements: 14+
Set-up time: 10-15 min

Dragonlance Warriors of Krynn is a cooperative board game based on the high fantasy Dungeons and Dragons Dragonlance setting. It mimics large scale battles between good and evil armies. You play the heroes trying to help turn the tide for the good guys.

Dragonlance Warriors of Krynn Rules Description:

This game may be played as part of the Dragonlance Shadow of the Dragon Queen module or separately. Other than character selection which should be based on the character you are playing in the RPG, and how the outcomes tie into that module (vs just the next scenario), the game plays the same.

To start you set up the map based on the scenario, pick which character you want to play, and read the scenario description. Your character will have abilities and powers based on their class. Your turns are broken into four phases; Event, Action, Respite, and Battle.

For the Event phase you draw the top card from the event deck and resolve it. It might trigger a key event that moves the scenario forward, add troops, or somehow alter the battlefield. They also determine which army will attack in the Battle Phase.

In the Action phase the current player may take up to four actions. Actions include moving around the map, encountering champion enemies or objectives, or helping on the battlefield. Most actions are resolved by rolling dice to get a certain number of successes. You can get additional dice by spending your class abilities cards.

The Respite phase allows you to regain spent cards or reduce your stress. Being too stressed can trigger the end of the game and a loss.

During the Battle phase, the larger of the armies of the battle lines denoted on the event card attack. It might be all the armies and their commanders or just one row. Battles are resolved with dice and cards. Some results might even hurt the attacking army.

Turns continue until the players meet the scenario objective, the final key moment is read, the dragon army controls a certain number of tiles (based on the scenario) or all of them, or a player becomes too stressed.

Each scenario has an aftermath section that details whether the players win, hold, or lose. These results determine what they’ll gain going into the next scenario.

Quick Review of Dragonlance Warriors of Krynn:

Dragonlance Warriors of Krynn is full of tension and difficult decisions. There is an imminent feeling that the good armies might falter, and sometimes they do. But there is much rejoicing when good wins the day and the evil Dragon Armies are defeated.

There are lots of components in this board game and they are a mixed bag. The sheer amount of tokens and chits is impressive and the minis look great. The art is really nice on some items but bland on others. Some of the cardboard is fine but some is thin and flimsy. None of it really affects game play but at least thick cardboard throughout would have been nice. The rules are well-written and full of examples.

The above rules overview is just that. There are more details including commanders and armies being shaken and details on movement. But I thought the above explanation gives you an idea of how the game flows.

Like I said there are competing tensions in Warriors of Krynn. And deciding if you help in the battlefield or go resolve an encounter that might help move you closer to winning the scenario is a lot of the game play. You need to do both but will often need to find the most efficient path in order to claim victory.

Dice are involved so there is luck and it feels good when you choose the right action and get a successful roll. Or when you avoid what seems to be an unavoidable defeat when the enemy rolls poorly. It can make for some fun and memorable moments.

You should be aware that the setup can be a bit daunting. There are lots of chits and cards that need shuffling and the set up can take some time. Also some might consider the game fiddly.

If you are wondering whether to pick this up it might depend on if you are playing it along with the Shadow of the Dragon Queen module. I did not play it that way but think it might be best in those circumstances. How you perform in the war game will impact how things play out in the adventure. If you are a fan of Dragonlance or Dungeons and Dragons and are looking for a fantasy themed war game this might be for you too.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 4 out of 6
Luck 4 out of 6
Player Interaction 4 of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 4 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6