King of Dragon Pass FAQ

What is King of Dragon Pass?

It’s a turn-based strategy game set in the world of Glorantha. (It was also known by the code name, “Opal.”) In the industry jargon, “turn-based” means you can stop and think about what you’re doing, and “strategy” means you’re managing resources.

Its emphasis on stories, characters, and background are unusual for a strategy game.

Is the game the same each time?

No. You’ll start with different leaders, and different events will happen (they’re drawn from a pool of over 475 different situations). Even when you choose the same response more than once, the outcome may be different (it can depend on the skills of your leaders, your relationships with other clans, and simple chance).

Your answers in the opening questionnaire also affect several factors. And you can choose to play at three levels.

The long and short game have different interactive situations.

Do I need to know about Glorantha to play?

Not at all. The game provides the background you need to know.

You can learn more about this mythical world (and the books and games about it) at the Glorantha web site.

Are all “Very Good” skills the same?

No. Although in most instances two leaders with a "Very Good" skill are equally good, there are finer grades. When you sort a list of leaders according to a skill, the better one will be listed first.

How come I keep failing my heroquest?

It’s always dangerous entering the Other Side, and even heroes who know the best paths will be sorely tested.

But there are a few things you can do to help them. Be sure that you know the complete myth (some have secret portions, learned by sacrificing for Mysteries). If there’s a Trickster in your clan, put him or her on the ring so that you can allocate an extra point of ritual in Sacred Time. And be sure someone on the ring has a high Magic skill so that you can cross to the Other Side.

I completed 20 heroquests. Why do my advisors say I only did 9?

What’s important is not the total number, but the number of different quests you’ve succeeded at.

What devices does King of Dragon Pass run on?

KoDP runs on any device that runs iOS 4.1 or later (iPhone 3G or later, iPod touch 2nd generation or later, any iPad).

And if you have a Windows or Macintosh computer, you can play an earlier version.

King of Dragon Pass does not run on Android. Porting would be a major project, so we’re evaluating the possibility. (The odds are very small.)

What about iPad?

In a perfect world, we could do King of Dragon Pass for iPad. Unfortunately, the original artwork was scanned at 640 × 480 pixels, which is way too small for the 768 × 1024 pixel iPad screen. The app runs fine, but sadly we can’t create a game with full screen art.

However, we have started a Universal build, that will take advantage of the screen size on either iPad or iPhone.

Why is my hero worse after a heroquest?

When someone travels to the Otherworld, they are likely to come back changed. They may be wiser and more skilled, they may suffer a wound that cannot heal, or they may forget some of the mysteries they had known.

Can I save or print my clan history?

From the Saga screen, mail yourself the saga.

Can I buy art?

Yes! And you can proudly display it on your wall. You may not reproduce it in any form — those rights are reserved by A Sharp.

Visit the Etsy shop, or contact the artists Stefano Gaudiano (interactive illustrations, battle results) or Mike Raabe (myths and history) for more information.

I have more questions...

If you can’t find an answer in the manual (accessible from the Lore screen) or on our web site (especially the Tips page), ask on Twitter (@KingDragonPass or the #KoDP hashtag) or Facebook or e-mail us (see our Contact page). Or check out Bruce Hollebone’s excellent FAQ (written for the desktop version but still relevant). Another version of this is at GameFAQs.