Board Game Compare

Dwellings of Eldervale

Breaking Games · 2020

$80
Price
8.1
BGG Score
Heavy
Weight
105m
Avg Time
Game Details
PublisherBreaking Games
DesignerLuke Laurie
ArtistSarah Keele
Released2020
Players1-5
Game Length60-150 min
ComplexityHeavy
BGG Rating8.1/ 10
Stats via BoardGameGeek
Crowdfunding
Kickstarter2019
$542,794
Raised
5,541
Backers
Campaign ExclusivesLimited availability

Legendary Edition exclusives: 9 additional monster miniatures (including Frost Giant and Mother of Dragons), exclusive Oracle and Dragon's Den realms, color-washed minis, sound FX bases. Over 30 stretch goals unlocked.

Funded at 650%+ of goal. Retail 2nd Edition (Standard) is available. Legendary Upgrade Kit sold separately through Breaking Games adds some content. Full original Legendary Edition only on secondary market at premium prices.

Theme

Mythic elemental realms filled with dragons, giants, and ancient magic. Towering monster miniatures and a hexagonal world that feels alive. Theme absolutely drips from every component.

Theme Immersion
0.0 / 10
FantasyEpicMonsters
How It Plays

Worker placement meets area control with dice-based combat. Place a worker to gather resources and trigger powers, then fight for territory. Your tableau of adventure cards builds your engine.

Worker PlacementArea ControlDice CombatEngine Building
Gameplay Details

On your turn: place a worker on an open hex to gather resources and trigger that realm's power. If an opponent is already there, combat happens — roll dice, add bonuses, loser's worker goes to the underworld (it comes back later). Spend resources to play adventure cards that give ongoing powers, or build a dwelling by capping a meeple with a rooftop — this scores points but permanently removes that worker from your pool. Recruiting new workers with unique abilities is key. The 8 elemental realms each have distinct powers. Game ends when enough dwellings are built or the adventure deck runs out.

Player Interaction

High — direct combat over territory is central to the game. You will fight, you will lose workers, and you will love it. Not for the conflict-averse.

Interaction Level
0.0 / 10
Replayability

High — modular board, 8 unique factions, huge variety of adventure cards and monsters. Each game tells a different story.

Replayability
0.0 / 10
What's in the Box
Standard Edition
  • Hexagonal realm tiles and adventure cards
  • Wooden adventure meeples with dwelling rooftop caps
  • Cardboard resource tokens
  • Monster standees (flat cardboard)
Legendary Edition
  • Massive pre-painted monster miniatures — dragons, giants, elementals
  • Metal coins replacing cardboard tokens
  • Neoprene playmat replacing the board
  • GameTrayz organizer inserts
  • The minis tower over the board and make it a visual centerpiece
Table Space

Large

Very large. Hex map, player tableaus, monster miniatures, resource trays — this game is a table hog. Clear the dining room.

Learning Curve

Teach takes 20-25 min. Core loop is simple — place worker, take action, fight or build — but mastering combos takes time.

Dwellings of Eldervale Is For You If You…
🐉Love fantasy themes with big minis
⚔️Want direct player conflict and combat
🎲Enjoy dice-chucking with strategic depth
🗺️Like area control games
Want a game that looks incredible on the table
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Available Editions
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