Dragondale – For Family Play | Review
Before talking about Dragondale in this review, I want to thank Genitori di Ruolo for providing us with a physical copy of their game. The project stems from the desire to give a role-playing game that is within everyone’s reach: children and adolescents, game neophytes and first-time masters.
If after this chat you would like to buy it, you can find it on the author’s website for 39.90 euros. I also point out that it is possible to get a more precise idea of the game by trying it thanks to the quickstart available directly on the authors’ website. The pre-generated characters are also downloadable on the same page.
An Ambitious Project Dedicated to Role-Playing Families
The Dragondale project was born under another name: Lacrime di Stelle. With this name was opened Kickstarter which achieved a good result in 2022; this is the campaign played, studied, tested and written with the support of many children and young people who participated in the projects and events organized by Genitori di Roolo.
With a decidedly robust hardcover, the manual consists of 345 pages and is in A5 format, one of the favourites of recent years, definitely handy and transportable. Inside the volume, you can find everything you need to start playing. The manual is divided into chapters, each characterized by a dominant colour and introduced by an illustration.
Dragondale, as we will see in this review, therefore serves not only as a master manual but also as a player manual, setting and monster manual.
Start Playing with Everything Available
As I said, Dragondale contains everything you need to start playing. No expansion, no added compendium to consult: in its 345 pages we have it all. However, let’s look a little closer, following the precise and well-kept index at the beginning of the volume, what we find in this game.
We start with a chapter dedicated to the rules. About twenty pages contain the basics for playing, from the character’s characteristics to the rules for combat.
The second chapter is dedicated to the characters. In this section, we find references to all available Origins, Classes and Pasts. As in many other role-playing games, these represent the type of character we are going to play, what she can do and what formed her. At the end of this chapter, we find an important element to underline the collaborative intent of the game; each character has a specific Role in the group.
The third chapter is entirely dedicated to equipment and spells; practical and exhaustive summary tables allow you to have everything under control.
Be a Storyteller in Dragondale
Introduced by a beautiful image that in my opinion perfectly represents the Narrator’s task, this chapter accompanies anyone who wants to take this path step by step; it is suitable both for adults who have never done it, and for children who decide to have a first experience on the other side of the screen.
This part of the manual is full of hints and tips ranging from how to describe a scene to how to organize a Session Zero. Every possible doubt, every plausible difficulty you may run into when you are a beginner, is dealt with exhaustively; the manual offers a series of useful suggestions not only for approaching already written plots but also for trying to create your game world to offer to the players.
Knowing well how complicated it can seem to be a Storyteller the first few times, I believe that Dragondale can provide good support for everyone in this, even for those who have been playing for a long time.
Dragondale Game System Review
The game system of Dragondale is a simplified version of the 5e of the best-known RPG in the world. The basics of the game, all explained in a dedicated chapter, are meant to be simple and complete; they certainly manage to be so for those who have at least some experience in role-playing games.
The reference system receives a series of practical expedients, especially about combat. First, the distances have been simplified; instead of thinking in meters, it is sufficient to establish whether the opponent is in the melee, near or far. Movement allows you to shorten by one distance, so from close to melee and vice versa, or from close to far and vice versa. Even the part dedicated to skill rolls has been made more immediate; once the proficiency bonus has been eliminated, only the d20 is rolled, with an advantage if the character knows that specific skill.
However, not all the rules have been simplified; the math, while basic, will still be used for circumstances such as saving throws and attack rolls. Even the part dedicated to magic, which can generally prove to be a bit tricky, is treated and resolved with a remarkably streamlined approach. The spells are described more simply, there is no trace of the components and the concentration is also gone.
In linea di massima quindi Dragondale, come si evince da questa recensione, ha un regolamento immediato soprattutto per chi proviene da D&D5e. Troveremo infatti tutte quelle meccaniche che piacciono tanto e potremo trasmetterle, senza troppa difficoltà, alla prossima generazione di giocatori.
Lacrime di Stelle: Dragondale Campaign Review
A pre-made introductory adventure could not be missing in such a complete manual; Lacrime di Stelle is the plot proposed by Genitori di Ruolo. The adventure is designed for characters from 1st to 6th level and will involve the heroes in saving the Cusius Valley from a terrible evil that is awakening. The story is meant to be played by a group of 4 or 5 players.
Without wanting to make any spoilers, as usual, I can say that it is well thought out and doses the narrative parts to the more action-packed ones in a balanced way. Also aiding the narrator is an extensive chapter with a setting detailing in detail the places and all the people the characters will encounter. If you then try to find the real references behind the names chosen by the authors, then the fun will be doubled.
A Respectable Artistic Department
Dragondale is particularly interesting in terms of graphics. Each chapter is preceded by a beautiful double-page illustration, always thematic and evocative. Sabrina Normani paints the cover. The internal illustrations are by Alessandro Savino, Anna Schilirò, Jacopo Tagliasacchi, Luca Maiorani, Moreno Paissan, and Paolo Naretto Rosso. Although the manual does not present a real aesthetic uniformity, in my opinion, it embodies the spirit of the game very well, Each artist has been able to capture the atmosphere that the game wants to convey.
Choosing a large font and a dominant colour for each chapter undoubtedly helps reading. On many pages, there are also valuable suggestions for the narrator as if they were annotated slips added later.
The text does not have a uniform subdivision; within the volume, we find single-column pages, two-column pages and mixed pages. Overall, it’s not an unpleasant choice, but in some cases, the lack of uniformity could be annoying.
Dragondale Review Conclusions
Dragondale is a manual that, in its simplicity, brings together years of experience and passion, not just at the gaming table. Leafing through the glossy pages, observing the chosen fonts and colours, and looking at the maps and illustrations, one realizes how much passion and how many people have contributed to its creation. A job that required time and dedication demonstrates, once again, that even in Italy there are excellent authors and artists in this sector that is still too niche.
Dragondale is certainly an interesting game, specially designed for children and teenagers; it is not a game which, however, can be easily managed independently by the little ones and requires the presence of an adult to start the sessions. The product is still of an excellent standard, made to last and to pass from hand to hand and from generation to generation. If you have children and adolescents in your family who may want to try role-playing, Dragondale is the right product to bring them closer to this passion!