0beron = The Lone Holdout, here.

We like the Dragon set enough to use every time. At first we went through the whole thing; scales, characters, inlay board, etc.

But what we found is that we're okay with not using the inlay board, but instead drawing an alt ending for "hidden" scenario (and the very last time we played I restricted the endings to "just the bosses"; ie; Eagle Guy, Werewolf, Demon Lord, etc. - not the other scenarios).

Likewise we figured out how to routinize the drawing of scales/tokens. Yeah, we occasionally forget to draw one, just like we forget the Reaper or WW's movement roll, but mostly don't.

We find that although the board fills up with the scales, Dragons do not litter the scene. This seems mostly because my coplayer, my wife, is reluctant to draw cards from the Dragon decks because she deems them to hard to play. As she advances in strength, skill, she is more likely to encounter, and also as she sees the value of having scales for immunity to the Dragon Rage.

I do see where some players obviously find the scale drawing as tedious, but I like the way the Dragon decks can mix with the other encounter cards for various rewards - or defeats. I am not as competitive as I once was, so at times I like playing Talisman, more for the "tapestry" of the game; as certain factors are revealed - a Werewolf staking the ground, or various shrines or places appearing in the regions, all the elements combine to sort of give me a living fantasy novel, if you will. Thats why I like keeping the continuity between the sets, if at all possible.

So far we have not even used the Dragon Tower side of the inlay board; just looks to dangerous and neither of us want to do that. We think the Dragons are enough of a game changer, without having the end game totally tied in. Giving a chance to other bosses or scenarios makes it seem like a world where you may have more than Dragons to worry about.

*** But the objects and followers and some other things, you can find in the Dragon decks are wicked and fun! ***

-Oberon (so yeah, House Rules help individual tastes)