Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard Game Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

In front of you lies unofficial guide to the Dragonshard, the ambitious work being the combination of the real time strategy and RPG. Unfortunately, how you will notice it probably alone, authors of the game went for reliable simplifications so that this symbiosis of species was functioning on the decent level - however it doesn't mean that the game "sucks". Just the opposite, it is pulling in for long hours, although players who are looking for "clear" RTS whether RPG may feel a little disappointed. So lets get to the work gentlemen (and ladies of course) without redundant entries.

What is it all about

The game takes place on two plans (usually) - on the surface and in undergrounds. Simplifying, the surface is in the majority the strategic play and in undergrounds (Khyber) RPG events are going on (in the major part). The skillful combination of these two trends is our task, in order both to derive the fun from the game and to complete the next missions winningly. Main and secondary tasks are waiting for us in every chapter. Execution of main tasks is the necessary condition for completing the given chapter however secondary tasks are posing the marking of the main thread and the good way for getting experience, gold whether magic objects.

Strategic layer

In the majority of the RTSes, in order to build buildings whether to train the army, we need resources. In this subject Dragonshard isn't legging behind from the species - we have two kinds of resources which serves development - gold and title dragon shards. Dragon shards are occurring exclusively on the surface in the form of light blue crystals. They may be collected by all our units apart from flying (and Juggernauts). Don't be afraid when the spare supply of dragon shards runs down on the board - they fall onto the earth during the storm from time to time and we are able again to start gathering. The completely other matter is with gold - we find it mostly underground (Khyber) where it occurs in chests or simply lies on the floor (sometimes remains after defeated enemies). The other way for collecting gold are taxes (dependent on the number of buildings) - you can see the proportional indicator at the bottom of the screen - as much grows within the second as the number points.

Plot Layer

The RPG games are mainly associated with character development and with gaining experience. Dragonshard is not different. We get experience by defeating enemies, executing tasks and finding suitable scrolls. We are able to utilize amassed experience points for promoting our warriors to higher levels, which results in increasing life and magic points or in accessing to the more powerful spell.

The marriage of RTS and RPG

The starting point to the construction of our power is the main base (Nexus) where we put buildings enabling the enrolment of our army and far-away development. It is possible however to put buildings up only and exclusively in places assigned to it - the main base possesses 16 of them (4 groups of 4). It is possible to set buildings up within Expansion which is the reliable variation of the base, however it doesn't possess the main fortress and offers only 4 places to build in. Both Nexus and Expansion are surrounded with walls which are able to being improved, provided that we only possess the suitable quantity of gold and shards. And we are closing to plot elements of the game here - if we collect the suitable quantity of experience points we are able to promote our soldiers to the higher levels. Every building of the given kind lets us promote soldiers for one level higher, however here is the loop-hole - it is necessary to put buildings of the same kind up side by side. If so we want to promote Clerics for instance on 5 level, we have to utilize the whole group (four) of places under buildings and to put on them four Loreholds. However so that it wasn't so straight authors of the game made 4 kinds of buildings available to us additionally, which constructed nearby other buildings, gives us various kinds of bonuses. As in the previous example, we can then construct four Loreholds in order to promote Clerics on 5 level of experience or put only three Loreholds (limiting the level of experience to 4), however strengthened by monument of Clarity, which results that recruited Clerics will have the maximum quantity of energy points. It is necessary to add, that after destroying (either after the loss) of building, the obtained level of experience won't change.

Army structure

Captains pose the framework of our army - we are able to recruit and promote them in buildings. Every promotion is tied with increasing the maximum quantity of energy, hit and life points. It also comes in with increasing the number of soldiers who are subordinated to the commander - authors of the game prepared the quite interesting solution in the matter of number of the army. Each of commanders stands in the front of the unit consisting of soldiers in the number for one smaller than his present level of experience - i.e. commander on the level 1 remains solo, while commander on the level 5 gives orders to 4 soldiers. Apart from the fact that they pose as very helpful strength also in the attack or the defense, soldiers are kind of protective shield for their commander - enemies' blows gets up first on them, so it is necessary to try to maintain commanders unit on the maximum level. Soldiers' enrolment is trivially simple - it is enough that we will approach with commander to the neighborhood of the base and we will wait the moment (progress of the soldier's enrolment is visible as the yellow progress bar under bars pointing the level of the life and energy). The commander's promotion also affectis the improvement of the possessed talent either gaining extra one - on fifth (the last) level of advancement we get the really powerful power - the Cleric receives the ability to resurrect killed allies for instance. Champions and Juggernauts pose the separate category as powerful units spreading the terror in rows of enemy. Both these kinds are being recruited in the fortress, in the main base, and both are also very expensive. As for Champions, we are able in every chapter to possess only one of their representative, chosen at its beginning (in exceptional situations we can have more than one, for instance mission to rescue Lady Marryn). Since that Champions are powerful, they couldn't also possess soldiers and it isn't possible to promote them to higher levels. They have various, unique powers and skills additionally. Among them are constant gratuities (e.g. increased speed of the regeneration of units), the skills useful in the direct struggle and talents which require one's kind "of charging up" - they depend on amount of hits inflicted by Champion. It is necessary to remember also that hits inflicted by Champions belong to the special category - they ignore every defensive gratuities and enemies' resistance. Juggernauts are only of their kind, powerful creatures, also very expensive in the training but giving huge of injuries to enemies (e.g. Phoenix on the side Order of the Flame). They also counts themselves to units which aren't able to collect resources.

A few tips before starting the game

The dragons shards are renewable - don't panic when you have collected everything already - the new supply will fall down from the sky after some time
You will increase the ratio of taxation by putting more buildings up (it will increase also the maximum quantity of commanders whom we are able to train)
Flying units and Juggernauts aren't able to collect resources nor to go down to undergrounds
Only Champions and commanders without soldiers are able to go down to undergrounds - at the moment of going down to Khyber, soldiers vanish and increase the amount of life points of their commander. Everything returns to the previous state after returning to the surface(unless the commander died)
Take the units at the maximum state
Go to undergrounds having at least one Rogue - he will not only help with opening chests with gold but also will detect and disarm traps
Being in undergrounds you are able to rest in order to restore life points (the adequate icon appear near the image of the character) - however you must remember that the resting character is more exposed to attacks
We can find Places of Power on map - taking control over them makes our army gain extra gratuities
We are able to manage the enrolment and promoting our commanders through King Screen (icon with the crown)
Collect every magic objects and elixirs
After ending every chapter (just before starting next) we have the chance to go to the shop and choose max 3 items for our Champion (we are also able to purchase other items). They will show up then in the newly started chapter