Species Abilities

Each species in Dragon Dice has its own special abilities, generally tied to the elements of that species' dice. Utilizing these abilities is often key to creating a powerful and balanced army. This section details those species abilities. Species abilities are applied to both army rolls and when a unit is rolling individually.

DUA Limits

The symbol has the following meaning: Some species have abilities which are connected to the number of units in their Dead Unit Area (DUA). These abilities each state a maximum limit for the ability, followed by . The limit stated is per 24 points of total force size, or part thereof. For example, an ability which states, “…up to a maximum of five †”, would have a limit of 5 in games up to 24 points, a limit of 10 in games from 25 to 48 points, and so on.

Amazons

Javelin Charge
During a march, instead of taking the maneuver step, you may bury a minor terrain the marching army controls. Amazons in that army may then count maneuver results as if they were missile results during a missile action this turn.
Kukri Charge
During a march, instead of taking the maneuver step, you may bury a minor terrain the marching army controls. Amazons in that army may then count maneuver results as if they were melee results during a melee action this turn.
Terrain Harmony
Amazons units generate magic results matching the colors of the terrain where they are located. Amazon units in the Reserves Area generate Ivory magic, which may only be used to cast Elemental spells.

Coral Elves (Selumari)

Coastal Dodge
When at a terrain that contains green (water), Coral Elves may count maneuver results as if they were save results.
Defensive Volley
When at a terrain that contains blue (air), Coral Elves units may counter-attack against a missile action. Follow the same process used for a regular melee counter-attack, using missile results instead of melee results.

Dwarves (Vagha)

Mountain Mastery
When at a terrain that contains yellow (earth), Dwarves may count melee results as if they were maneuver results.
Dwarven Might
When at a terrain that contains red (fire), Dwarves may count save results as if they were melee results when rolling for a counter-attack.

Eldarim

Resist Fear
Dragonkin units up to the total health of Eldarim in their army ignore any restrictions that prevent them from rolling during a dragon attack.
Dragonkin Handlers
Immediately before taking your first march, after dragon attacks have been resolved, select an army that contains at least one Eldarim unit at a terrain. Recruit a small (1 health) Dragonkin unit to, or promote one Dragonkin unit in, the army. Recruited or promoted units must match a color of the terrain. This ability may only be used if the total health-worth of Dragonkin after the exchange is not greater than the total health-worth of Eldarim in that army.

Feral (Ghwereste)

Feralization
Immediately before taking your first march, after dragon attacks have been resolved, each of your armies containing at least one Feral unit at a terrain that contains yellow (earth) or blue (air) may recruit a small (1 health) Feral unit to, or promote one Feral unit in, the army.
Stampede
When at a terrain that contains both yellow (earth) and blue (air), Feral units may count maneuver results as if they were melee results during a counter-attack.

Firewalkers (Empyrea)

Air Flight
During the Retreat Step of the Reserves Phase, Firewalker units may move from any terrain that contains blue (air) to any other terrain that contains blue (air) and where you have at least one Firewalker unit.
Flaming Shields
When at a terrain that contains red (fire), Firewalkers may count save results as if they were melee results. Flaming Shields does not apply when making a counter-attack.

Frostwings (Areosa)

Winter's Fortitude
Immediately before taking your first march, after dragon attacks have been resolved, if you have at least one Frostwing unit at a terrain that contains blue (air), you may move one Frostwing unit of your choice from your Buried Unit Area (BUA) to your Dead Unit Area (DUA).
Magic Negation
When an opponent takes a magic action at a terrain containing Frostwings, the Frostwing units may make a magic negation roll. Roll the Frostwing units before the opponent totals their magic results. Subtract the magic results generated by the Frostwing units from the opponent’s results. The number of magic results that may be subtracted is equal to the number of Frostwing units in the Frostwing player's Dead Unit Area (DUA), up to a maximum of five .

Goblins (Trogs)

Swamp Mastery
When at a terrain that contains yellow (earth), Goblins may count melee results as if they were maneuver results.
Foul Stench
When an army containing Goblins takes a melee action, the opposing player must select a number of their units after they have resolved their save roll. The selected units cannot perform a counter-attack during this melee action. The number of units that must be selected in this way is equal to the number of Goblin units in the Goblin player's Dead Unit Area (DUA), up to a maximum of three .

Lava Elves (Morehl)

Volcanic Adaptation
When at a terrain that contains red (fire), Lava Elves may count maneuver results as if they were save results.
Cursed Bullets
When targeting an army at the same terrain with a missile attack, Lava Elves missile results inflict damage that may only be reduced by save results generated by spells. The number of missile results that may be effected in this way is equal to the number of Lava Elves units in the Lava Elves player's Dead Unit Area (DUA) up to a maximum of three .

Scalders (Faeli)

Scorching Touch
When at a terrain that contains red (fire), Scalders making a save roll against a melee action inflict one point of damage on the attacking army for each save result rolled. Only save results generated by spells may reduce this damage. Scorching Touch does not apply when saving against a counter-attack.
Intangability
When at a terrain that contains green (water), Scalders may count maneuver results as if they were save results against missile damage.

Swamp Stalkers (Sarslayan)

Born of the Swamp
When at a terrain that contains green (water), Swamp Stalkers may count maneuver results as if they were save results.
Mutate
Immediately before taking your first march, after dragon attacks have been resolved, you may attempt to Mutate providing the following criteria are met:

  • An opposing player must have at least one unit in their Reserves Area.
  • You must have at least one army containing a Swamp Stalker at a terrain.
  • You must have at least one Swamp Stalker unit in your Dead Unit Area (DUA) (or a Deadlands minor terrain in play).

Target units an opponent's Reserve Area to make a save roll. Units that do not generate a save result are killed. One of your armies at a terrain that contains at least one Swamp Stalker unit can then recruit or promote Swamp Stalker units up to the health-worth that were killed this way. The number of units that may be targeted in this way is equal to the number of Swamp Stalker units in the Swamp Stalker player's Dead Unit Area (DUA), up to a maximum of one .

Treefolk (Efflorah)

Rapid Growth
When at a terrain that contains yellow (earth), Treefolk units that do not roll an SAI result may be re-rolled once when making a counter-maneuver. The previous results are ignored. Any units you wish to re-roll in this way must be selected and re-rolled together.
Replanting
When at a terrain that contains green (water), Treefolk units that are killed, should be rolled before being moved to the Dead Unit Area (DUA). Any units rolls an ID icon are instead moved to your Reserve Area.

Undead (Bloodless)

Stepped Damage
When an Undead unit is killed you may instead exchange it with an Undead unit of lesser health from your Dead Unit Area (DUA).
Bone Magic
When an army containing Undead takes a magic action, each Undead unit that rolls at least one non-ID magic result may add one additional magic result. The number of magic results that may be added in this way is equal to the number of Undead units in the Undead player's Dead Unit Area (DUA), up to a maximum of four .