WYVERN(tm) Limited Edition
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Version 2.0 - Revised 8/31/95, USGames Systems, Inc.
This should be your first point of reference if you have a question that is not covered in the rules. Be sure you have the latest rules; this FAQ should be used in conjunction with the rules contained in Wyvern Limited Edition Starter Decks. The front page of this rule book says REVISED EDITION.
Quick Reference Index
General Rules Clarifications:
| Dragon Cards | The Battlefield | Dragon Slayer Actions | Treasure Cards | Actions | Help | Paying for Dragons | Dragons Turned Face Down | Reactions and Preventive Battle Actions | Face up & Face down dragon Clarification |
Wyvern Card Clarifications:
| Aaron's Rod | Armor | Basilisk | Battle Chaos | Dragon Bones | Ea | Earthquake | Feast | Forest Fire | Frozen Lake | Gargouille | Golden Apples | Growth Spurt | Hero | Hydra | Indra's Spell | Island | Magic Shield | Magic Wand | Magical Healing | Medea's Spell | Naga | Pi Hsi | Pit | Place Your Bets | Poison Breathing | Poison Chalice | Possession Spell | Power Switch | Quicksand | Rahah | Sacrifice | Secret Treasure | Shapeshifter | Silver Chalice | Steal Strength | Strangle Hold | Subterranean Lair | Swamp Hole | Tablets of Destiny | Trap | Tsunami | Tunnel | Turn the Tables | Underwater Cave | Wall |
Whenever a dragon's "base strength" is refered to, it means the number after the word "Strength" on the dragon's card.
The word "battlefield" refers to all Dragon and Terrain positions as well as the four Treasure positions.
The strength refered to on a Dragon Slayer card includes all strength modifiers currently on the Dragon being slain. At present, the only Treasure cards that apply to Dragon Slayers are Maiden in Distress, Princess Libya and Jewels.
Some Treasures are used as Actions, others as Battle Actions, and some automatically take effect when the conditions on the card are met. Unless otherwise stated on the card, a treasure ability can be used more than once a turn.
In Wyvern, Actions, Battle Actions and Treasure effects are not permanent unless the card specifically says so. You can assume that they only last to the end of the Action Phase or Battle Phase unless the card says otherwise.
You are allowed to play Dragon Slayer Actions on your own dragons, however, you may not play a Reaction card in response to a card you have just played. Reaction cards may only be used against a card played by an opponent, and must immediately follow the card you are attempting to counter.
All actions are resolved before the next action is played (unless the first action is cancelled by the play of the second). For example, you could not use the MAGIC WAND to "save" a flying dragon from HIGH WINDS (which kills all face up flyers). The HIGH WINDS is resolved before the MAGIC WAND would take effect.
All Actions played on Dragons must be played on a face up Dragon.
Certain cards in Wyvern allow another Dragon to help in a battle. Any dragon helping an attacking dragon is considered to be attacking, too. Likewise, any dragon helping a defending dragon is considered to be defending. This is important because several dragons have different abilities depending on whether they are attacking or defending. Also, Treasures that give something to the winner or loser of a battle would also apply to helping dragons.
The helping Dragon does not have to have the ability to reach the opposing Dragon. For example, non-flyers can help from the back row.
When attacked, you MUST pay for a Dragon that is in battle for the first time. You may NOT choose to give up the position to avoid paying for the dragon. If you are low on gold and your opponent attacks a face down dragon that you can't pay for, you must discard the dragon and no battle occurs. Also, the dragon takes any of your remaining gold with him.
Example: you have six gold and your opponent attacks your face down Behomoth (strength 7) you would discard Behomoth and lose the rest of your gold.
When a dragon gets turned face down, make a note on a slip of paper that you have already paid for the Dragon. A Dragon is paid for only the first time it is turned face up. This preserves some uncertainty when, for example, you play and Avalanche, followed by a Twister.
A Reaction card only counters a single opposing card, and must immediately follow the card you wish to counter. Unlike Reaction cards, there are some Battle Actions that counter the play of certain cards and prevents further play of that card. Example: Flood cancels ALL Dwarven Armies in the current battle and prevents their further use in this battle.
AARON'S ROD (171) - May be used more than once per battle, each time as a Battle Action.
ARMOR (83) - Cancels the play of any Battle Action that has the words "STRENGTH MODIFIER: #" on it. It will not cancel a card such as Poison Breathing which says "LOSES 1 STRENGTH."
BASILISK (15) - Because the Basilisk card says "NO ACTION CARDS ARE PLAYED IN A BATTLE WITH BASILISK" you cannot play a "HELP" card to bring the Basilisk into a battle. However, you could use the treasure "MAGIC POTION" to bring the Basilisk to the aid of another dragon. When this happens, the Basilisk and the opponent's dragon die instantly. If the opponent has more than one dragon in the battle the owner of the Basilisk decides which one is killed. You then determine the winner of the battle normally. When Basilisk is in a battle with only one opposing dragon there is no winner since both dragons die simultaneously.
BATTLE CHAOS (133) - "Anywhere on the table" should read "anywhere in their battlefield." Remember, you must pay for any dragon you bring into the battle who is being turned face up for the first time.
DRAGON BONES (173) - This Treasure's ability is used as an Action.
EA (150) - Ea's may be used more than once per battle, each time as a Battle Action.
EARTHQUAKE (81) - Players choose which card they discard; it is not random.
FEAST (219) - Should read "All dragons of four or more base strength lose two strength for as long as the Feast is in play." For instance, AJATAR, attacking from face down, would attack at six; since his base strength is four the Feast subtracts two from his current strength.
FOREST FIRE (108)- If the FOREST FIRE kills a dragon, the owner of the Forest Fire replaces it before the opponent is permitted to destroy any card in play.
FROZEN LAKE (35) - "Strength" refers to the current strength of the dragon at the moment it discovers the terrain, including all current modifiers.
GARGOUILLE (98) - The special ability may only be used once per battle.
GOLDEN APPLES (52) - Protects a dragon from the "killer" terrains but all terrains which do not kill the dragon still affect it.
GROWTH SPURT (220) - Should read: "All dragons of two or less base strength gain two strength as long as Growth Spurt is in play."
HERO (68) - Since HERO is an Action it must be played before your Battle Phase. It is still your choice whether to attack twice or whether to attack at all if your opponent plays actions that change your mind. If a "Hero" dragon dies during the first battle, it does not get a second attack.
HYDRA (93) - Must be face up in order to purchase new heads; this may be done once per turn, your own and your opponent's.
INDRA'S SPELL (179) - Here are the cards that Indra's Spell can counter:
ISLAND (205) - You cannot replace the Dragon on the Island. If the dragon dies, the Island is discarded and you lose the position.
MAGIC SHIELD (120)- This is used a Battle Action, and may be used more than once during a battle. Each time you use it, a dragon gains X strength for X gold spent until the end of the battle.
MAGIC WAND (115) - You may use the MAGIC WAND once per turn. Whatever you make a dragon (flying or non-flying) it stays that way until the end of the turn.
MAGICAL HEALING (126)- This card cannot prevent a dragon from being killed nor will it bring a dragon back from the discard pile. It is used to remove negative strength modifiers, such as Terrain or Poison Breathing, from a dragon. It also negates the effects of cards such as HEATWAVE and SEAWEED.
MEDEA'S SPELL (75) - Changes the base strength of the dragon to zero for the rest of the battle. However, terrain, treasures and battle action cards may still increase or decrease the dragon's (now zero) base strength.
NAGA (97) - The top line of text was omitted from this card; it should read "STRENGTH: 3"
PI HSI (143) - The special ability may only be used once per battle.
PIT (36) - See FROZEN LAKE.
PLACE YOUR BETS (223) - If your opponent is unable to see your bet, he or she loses the battle.
POISON BREATHING (69) - If more than one dragon is on the winning side in a battle, the loser decides which winning dragons gets POISON BREATHING.
POISON CHALICE (78) - Battle Actions may still be played after the POISON CHALICE is played. You ARE allowed to play Battle Actions on your opponent's dragon.
POSSESSION SPELL (131) - You add the base strength of any face up dragon to the your side in the battle. It can be any face up dragon from any battlefield, who is not already in the battle. Once you have done this that dragon now has a base strength of zero for the rest of the battle. The dragon itself does not enter the battle, so if you were to lose the battle, the "possessed" dragon would not be killed.
POWER SWITCH (127) - This card switches the two dragons' base strength numbers. Terrain, Action and Treasure Card effects still apply to the switched strengths. Example: you have a zero Scout being attacked by AJATAR from face down. At the moment you are behind 0 to 8, however, if you play POWER SWITCH, you are now behind 4 to 8 because AJATAR's Base Strength is 4; the 8 is a special ability not the base. AJATAR "attacks at 8 from face down" no matter what happens to his base strength.
QUICKSAND (46) - As soon as a dragon discovers the QUICKSAND it receives a -1 strength counter. From then on during each of the dragon owner's draw phases a -1 strength counter is put on the dragon who is in the QUICKSAND. This continues until the dragon's base strength minus the Quicksand counters equals zero.
RAHAH (99) - The top line of text was omitted from this card; it should read "STRENGTH: 1"
SACRIFICE (70) - If your opponent has no gold, Sacrifice has no effect.
SECRET TREASURE (118)- This card is used as an Action, not a Battle Action. Each time you use it you would draw X cards for X gold paid.
SHAPESHIFTER (30) - The SHAPESHIFTER takes on the base strength of the dragon it is in battle with. Any modifiers on the SHAPESHIFTER are then applied to the strength assumed by the SHAPESHIFTER. The "STRENGTH: 3" on the SHAPESHIFTER's card merely indicates how much to pay him when he first enters a battle. If the SHAPESHIFTER is brought into a battle with more than one opposing dragon the SHAPESHIFTER's owner decides which dragon's strength he takes on.
SILVER CHALICE (113) - This is used as a Battle Action, and may be used more than once per battle. Each time you use it a dragon gains X strength for X gold paid.
STEAL STRENGTH (229) - Should read: "A Battle Action card with the words "Strength Modifer" on it is added to a Dragon of your choice instead of the Dragon it was played on."
STRANGLE HOLD (79)- The player discarding chooses which cards to discard.
SUBTERRANEAN LAIR (209) - You cannot replace the Dragon on the Lair. If the dragon dies, the Lair is discarded and you lose the position.
SWAMP HOLE (44)- See FROZEN LAKE.
TABLETS OF DESTINY (175) - May only be used once in each of your Draw Phases. Opponent only has to discard one of the card you call out, even if he or she has more than one.
TRAP (203) - You cannot replace the Dragon on the Trap. If the dragon dies, the Trap is discarded and you lose the position.
TSUNAMI (64) - You must pay for each of the dragons as you turn them face up unless already paid for earlier in the game).
TUNNEL (45)- If a dragon in a Tunnel attacks, it must attack in a direct line across from it. If (and only if) there is no such card at the moment the dragon attacks, it may make any other legal attack with a -1 modifier to its current strength. This restriction also applies if the dragon is used to help in another dragon's attack.
TURN THE TABLES (135) - Play on one of your cards during your opponents First Action Phase. If he/she has not yet used a Dragon Slayer this turn, he/she must attack the card you put Turn the Tables on if he/she has a dragon who can legally attack it.
UNDERWATER CAVE (110) - If a dragon in an Underwater Cave attacks, it must attack a face up card if there are any it can get to. If (and only if) there is no eligible face up card at the moment it attacks, the dragon may attack a face down card with a -1 modifier to his current strength. This restriction also applies if the dragon is used to help in another dragon's attack.
WALL (39) - A dragon that has a Wall on him can not get help from other dragons in a battle; however, he can give help to other dragons.
Some Dragons have special abilities whereby they attack or defend at a specific strength depending on whether they are face up or face down. Face up and face down status for these dragons is determined at the beginning of the Battle Phase. Even though face down Dragons must be revealed in order to resolve the attack, they are considered to be attacking or defending "from face down" if they were face doen at the beginning of the current Battle Phase. If a Dragon has these special abilities, and they do not apply to the current battle, then the Dragon uses its Base Strength.