In the near future I will begin creating a board for the Dragon expansion. If you have read my variant, I am currently using an extra Highlands board where the Dragon cards are pulled. I believe Dragons should have their own region and not take over the game.

The variant works great, but I think a board designed for the Dragons would even be better. My 1st thought is to have a board that caters to the 3 cults, even with 3 different temples. Then my idea expanded that maybe the board will branch into 3 different paths each path for each separate deck.

But then a 3rd idea popped into my head. Create 1 small board, which can be simply made 3 times. Each small board has its own dragon deck ending with the temple. Get past the temple to fight the Dragon Lord, and then after fighting any dragon lord, have access to fight the dragon king alternate ending.

Each of the 3 boards can have a different entry point from the main board, and if made properly could fit between the official boards on the long sides (but there is room for only 2 there).

I would like to hear people's opinions on these ideas, or to offer other ideas for the board.

I know opinions vary concerning the Dragon expansion, the poll I posted has shown this to be true. But for those who like the idea of a Dragon region, can post their thoughts here.

BTW, I have finished doing this very thing for 2nd Edition Talisman, now its almost time to do this for 4th edition. But this time around, I do not plan on making or printing cards, gonna use the cards that are from the expansion, tho obviously as my variant discusses, cards will be taken out.

Why not one tower and when you enter, you have to roll a die...1-2 you use Varthrax's deck for the tower. 3-4 you use Grilipus' deck. On a 5-6 you use Cadorus' deck. This would alleviate having multiple paths or towers.

Maybe have it so Talisman's allow you to choose your path?

Right now the variant I play allows for random deck choice, I would really like to see a permanent setting for each, thus this is lost with my 3rd idea. The original idea was to have spaces that cater to each deck.

The benefit of 3 small boards is their small size, generic play. Not sure if the benefit outweighs the loss of a board with flavor.

We already have a tower, would prefer a rugged region for dragons, thus the like of the use of Highlands.

The Highland variant is almost perfect, but eventually the 4th corner will be officially taken. This won't stop the use of an extra Highlands, but does hinder the playability.

The major reason for going to a new board was to create spaces that flow with the Dragon flavor. Now someone has already created a 4th edition Dragon board out there, but I think they also have a deck that goes with it. One could use their board and the current official decks, and run it the same as the Highland variant and get more flavor, so how can I make it better?

That's why I wanted to really make a board that flows with the cards in the expansion. so your input, brings me back to my original idea, and thus making 3 small generic boards is not gonna cut it.

My goal the is to make a board worth playing that the variant doesn't achieve. If I can't, then I will continue with the variant I play with. Because it has turned an expansion I hated into something I like. So can I achieve this?

Personally I love Dragon's taking over the board....they are pretty much the all-powerful force in almost any fantasy concept and usually do not co-mingle very well since they want shiny treasures.

I realize a lot of people do not like the idea of clawing your way up the dragon tower just to face the "Ice Queen". I don't have a problem with this twist being in some extremely crazy Rifts, Gurps and Palladium adventures.....Our GM's were generally twisted.... So the weird encounters seem normal to me.

That all aside...maybe the idea here should be a separate board, something like Timescape where you do not necessarily have to go there (but one of your friends may force you there) but you could go there. Maybe even have a hidden ending that becomes a quest to go there and return with a dragon scale from the Dragon King. I don't necessarily like the chaos of Timescape for a Dragon board that you go random directions but something similar? I guess the board could be something similar with mountain trails and you have certain encounters based on the spaces instructions to make you draw from a certain dragon deck. Call it the Dragon Trials board? To face the Dragon King you need to present a trophy from each Dragon deck?

Just a few ideas.

If you are going this epic, the Dragon King should be something along the lines of Strength 18 Craft 18. ;-)

The Dragon King ending can reward the winner to someone else, so its size isn't necessarily important. Its a risk just going to see him!

The board would be a voluntary board, like the Dungeon or Highlands. It is only a different way to win the game, besides the CoC. Or it could be ruled that if you beat the Dragon King you go to the CoC.

BTW, in my friend's variant, he places all 3 Dragon Lords at the end of Highlands. 36/36

Make two small boards for the empty sections in between the corner boards and have a path winding to the end with a portal that will warp you to other side. Of course you can only enter from one space on the board but, this way it is used as one board but fills in the holes and you can use all the other expansions. Just have text on the space "Draw 2 Grilipus Cards", or Draw 1 Varthrax Card. Maybe halve movement in this region on a D6 so it is slower since the boards will be relatively small.

Some other ideas.....

I was personally thinking of using the dragon tower as a side board you can get to from the hidden valley or something. It would use all the dragon cards mixed into one deck, with the cards relating to scales and sleep removed. And a face-down random dragon king at the top. Get a dungeon treasure and 2 dice of gold and +1 strength and craft for beating him or something.

Funny, I've just finished measurements for A dragon Region.

I'd love to work together on a project like this.

After trying many ways to use the Dragon cards, nothing works.

So, I took out all cards that mention Dragon Scales, and shuffle all 3 decks together.

Any card that mentions a dragon king, is referred to the top/color card that is next on the deck.

And to the board:

A 9x8 inch section between the city and dungeon.

612

543

678

9

Follow the path 1-9 with the upper 6 being a secret Elvin city.

8 is a dwarven ruins.

Rules:day draw 2 cards

Night: draw 1 dragon card.

Discard all cards here at end of turn.

Space # 9 begins the Dragon land. Move left 6 spaces down 1 - right 11 - up 1 - left 4

Xxxxxx9ENDx

XxxxxxxxxxxX

A simpler option would be to create a dragon region covering the center.

Replace the portal of power with a stairwell leading into the dragon land.

Make it like the Dwarven ruins above.

With the portal of power being the last space in the dragon region.

Leading you to the center board/Scanned and set off from the main board.

I have been so happy with the use of an extra Highlands board for the Dragon cards I am not sure if its worth the effort and time to beat it by building a board catered to the deck. I still like the idea, and am heavily pondering it, as I am almost caught up with my other activities to work on it.

I don't like the idea non matching graphics. And while I can make nice graphics using the Heroes of Might & Magic map maker as a board, not sure how it will match. And that's one of the main reasons I don't want any Homebrew expansions for 4th edition.

I know you said you do not like homebrews but you should look into Azoic's Dragon Land board. It looks great.

I may have seen it, I stumbled upon a very nice looking Dragon board, but it uses custom cards. It may work with the official cards, but how much better would it be than using Highlands? I would have to take a second peek, if its the same expansion you speak of.

Yeah I just took a peek, the Dragonland board (I had it downloaded already), indeed it would work for the Dragon cards, I don't like the 2 battles, but they could be replaced by 2 of the 3 Dragon Lords. randomly I suppose, leaving a 3rd out each time...and then a winner of either deals with the Dragon King card...

I suppose its a bit better than an extra Highlands. Something different.

OK I decided to take an easy path and use the best of both worlds. Using an extra Highlands board...

Each level caters to a specific deck/dragon:

1st level Green Deck/Grilipus

2nd level Gold Deck/Cadorus

3rd level Red Deck/Varthrax

Each drawn cards on these levels have a 50% chance of drawing the card type appointed for that level, if not drawn, then draw a random dragon token to see card type (only colored dragon tokens are in draw pile). If a 50% success occurs, pull a token of that color and place on the space. If the 50% fails, do not place the token after pulling one, draw the card and place the token back in the pile, leaving the space empty of tokens for that card.

In multiple draw card spaces, follow the same procedure for each card to be drawn.

The following spaces have changed to Dragon Temples:

Ridgeway: Grilupus Temple

Mountain Pass: Cadorus Temple

Lost City: Varthrax temple

Each space now reads instead:

Players must stop here (when entering further but not leaving the region). You have 3 choices to pass the Temple:

1. Fight the designated Dragon Lord. If you win, you may pass; if you lose, flee or evade, you cannot pass.

2. Donate a Talisman to the Cultists to pass.

3. Consult the Cultists. Roll a d6:

1. Sacrificed. Lose a life and pass.

2. Stuck in judgment, either pay 3 gold or lose a turn. Choose 1, you may then pass.

3. Pay 1 gold in tribute to pass.

4. Allowed to pass for free.

5. Gain a spell and pass for free.

6. Gain a life and pass for free.

The Eyrie is replaced by the Dragon King, if you defeat him you win the game. (One possible win, with a win at the CoC possible as well.)

You are obsessed with using that extra Highland Board!!! ;-)

Only because it has a great setting for Dragons, its official, and I am bad at art.

It's a pretty cool idea! I like it.

Well, until that corner is filled at least...

yeah until then...then it gets placed elsewhere!

If you like corners that much, why not add corner boards that must be entered from the highlands, the dungeon and the forest?

That's a cool idea enter the dragon expansion from highlands!

I played another game last nite with my Dragon/Highlands variant. It went so smoothly, it was awesome. My friend has abandoned this variant, and prefers a Dragon Tower variant. But only because when we played it "my" way it was rarely used, but so is the Dungeon. The Dungeon gets so rarely used in our games, but that doesn't make it bad or poor. But I did have my 1st extended play of the Dungeon for the 1st time a week ago, and I liked it.

Anyways, while I didn't go onto the Dragon region last nite myself, one of my sons friend did and won the game playing in it. Everyone except me was actually in that region at some point.

I think it runs so smoothly having taken out the cards that effect the other regions, as well as removing sleep and dragon rage.

My sons other friend got the sacrificial altar (or stone?), and pulled a Dragon from the Adventure deck and was killed! His brother went in and got his stuff and eventually won the game. I was at the door and trying to get into the Inner Region, when he won.

We played if you beat a Dragon Lord at the end of the region, you teleported anywhere, including the CoC. He did this and the Alternate ending was the Eagle King, which I think was wimpier than the Dragon Lord he just defeated.

Good game.

Can't you just make a square board much like the board now? We know the fourth corner is coming? you could just use the board now but I like the new square ideas.

I like Thels idea from above, I think I will attach it to the Highlands board, when the next corner slot is taken. But yeah the initial idea was to use my 2nd edition board as the Dragon region. Any board will do, even the board JediKnightAmoeba suggested.