Lords of Vaala is an asymmetrical predictive strategy game where generals and dragons battle to the extent of their within a unique experience.
Race to collect Vaala, the first player that collects 10 units of power wins.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Mass Production progress on expansions
8 months ago
– Tue, Sep 05, 2023 at 12:49:17 PM
Hello dragonbonded!
We are currently waiting for mass production of the expansions to finish. This is the stage that tests our patience the most.
Our manufacturer, Panda GM, has sent pictures to show you the progress of the expansions production.
ETA remains the same as in last update, but here's a friendly reminder for your convenience:
The advance production copy is planned for September 30 (We will receive in early October). This is for us to confirm how everything is assembled in each expansion.
The final assembly date for all expansions is October 19th.
Freight shipping normally takes 4 to 6 weeks to arrive to ports and being received in our fulfillment partners' warehouses.
Fulfillment should take place between December and January.
We know the feeling, we know the excitement, we are super thankful for your support and patience. We know this project is delayed from our original forecast but we can assure you that the wait will be very much worthwhile. And for those of you who opted-in for split shipping or Gen Con pickup, we are sure you will enjoy what the expansions have to offer.
Below you can see pictures and videos from our manufacturer of how it is going!
While it is not certain, we are exploring the possibility of offering Essen pickup for the base game (except German, unfortunately, which is in production along with the expansions). We do not have a booth at Essen but our partner Detestable Games will have one. Please send us an email with the subject "Essen pickup" if you are planning to attend and would like to receive the base game in advance to start playing before the expansions arrive. We will send a confirmation email once we are certain that Essen pickup will be possible.
SILVER ENNIE!
Thank you so much for helping us by voting for our dragons, Aureus, Kuxcoatl and Baastherox won Silver at the ENNIEs! We couldn't be prouder for this accomplishment.
We will be in touch again once the mass production copies arrive to us.
Until next update!
Final call - Pickup at GenCon and ENNIEs nominee!
10 months ago
– Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 11:38:05 AM
Hello Dragonbonded!
Thank you to all of you who have sent us an email to pick up your base game at Gen Con, we are super excited to see you and hear your thoughts about your gaming experience.
Last year at Gen Con 2022
If you haven't send us an email and you would like to pick up your base game at Gen Con, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject "Pickup at Gen Con". This way we can be prepared to swiftly deliver your copy when you go to our booth 1449, say hi and get your game! We will be premiering a corner booth!
Come say hi at Booth 1449
Deadline to request pickup is Sunday, July 23rd!
ENNIES NOMINEE 2023!
We couldn't be more excited to share with you that our beloved plastic Dragons of the Red Moon, including Aureus, Kuxcoatl and Baastherox, have been nominated for an ENNIE award in the 'Best RPG related products' category!
The ENNIE Awards (the “ENNIES”) are an annual fan-based celebration of excellence in tabletop roleplaying gaming. The ENNIES give game designers, writers and artists the recognition they deserve. It is a peoples’ choice award, and the final winners are voted upon online by the gaming public.
If you want to vote for them, please click on the image or click here and choose number 1 in the Dragonbond: Dragons of the Red Moon product, and then at the bottom of the page click Vote!
Ranking works by selecting 1 for your first choice, 2 for your second choice, and so on. If you don't like a product, don't vote for it. You cannot hurt a products' chances of winning by ranking it poorly.
The winners will be announced on August 4th, 2023 at 8:00 PM EDT in Gen Con.
Status Expansions
Mass production started in all expansions in all languages and the first thing we can say is THANK YOU to you all for your patience and support. It was a real rollercoaster but we are in the final stretch of the process. Dates look like this:
Mass Production Start Date: June 30
Estimated Mass Production Copy date: September 30
Estimated Final Assembly Date: October 19
Fulfillment: Early December* 2023
*Shipping varies depending country, customs, ports, etc. But our goal is to fulfill everything before the holidays. Products normally takes one month, month and a half to arrive from the factory to the fulfillment partners' warahouses.
Thanks for being part of our Dragonbond community!
Pickup at Gen Con! Mass Production begins for expansions
10 months ago
– Mon, Jun 26, 2023 at 10:52:18 AM
Hello Dragonbonded!
This update has great news! Today we share the status forexpansions and instructions to arrange Gen Con pickup for the base game.
As a reminder, some months ago we enabled two-wave shipping because the base game was completed before expansions. The expansions increased the scope of the project and it was mandatory to print all language versions together, so translations and file verification took a long time. But we are getting closer to fulfill and we thank you for all your understanding and amazing support!
Expansions status
All expansions in all languages and the base game in German are now in mass production!This means that between production and final assemble it takes 14 weeks and then freight shipping starts (which normally takes 1 month), this means that by November we should be completing fulfillment.
Base game + all expansions on the table!
We can't thank you enough for this journey, we know it is taking longer than expected with lots of ups and downs, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. We are very excited for you to get the full Lords of Vaala experience!
Pickup in Gen Con
Time flies and Gen Con is around the corner again! This year we are so happy that we will be premiering a corner booth and we will offer the chance to pickup your copy of the base game in case you didn't opt for 2-wave split shipping.
To do so, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject "Pickup at Gen Con". This way we can be prepared to swiftly deliver your copy when you go to our booth 1449, say hi and get your game!
If you are not attending to Gen Con, you can still send an email to us and we can arrange 2-wave shipping manually by sending you a PayPal invoice for the split shipping.
Booth 1449
It is important for you to send the email so we can make sure we save your copy and we have enough stock for all of you.
Learn how to play...
Now that many of you have received your base game due to split-shipping and in preparation for Gen Con pickup we want to share with you some resources to learn to play the game in a friendlier format in case reading rulebooks is not your preferred way.
You and your friends can just start playing on the go and learn by following the EXAMPLE OF PLAY that we prepared...
Or if you prefer video format, check out this Tutorial + Gameplay (2 rounds with timestamps) that was skillfully created by JonGetsGames.
Thanks again for all your understanding and support, we are making progress and closer to fulfill the Kickstarter. As an additional token of our gratitude for your extra patience, we have sent you via DrivethruRPG a complimentary digital copy of the first volume of the Dragonbond Artbook, we hope you enjoy it! **Please allow up to 48 hours to the email to show up.
That's all for now but we will still be in touch before Gen Con to update you about status and remind about local pickup.
Split shipping complete
12 months ago
– Thu, May 18, 2023 at 08:41:45 PM
Hello dragonbonded!
These past weeks we have been working with Panda (the manufacturer) on final adjustments for the expansions. We don't have many images for this update but here's what we've been working on:
Split shipping complete (for backers who opted to get the base game in advance by paying the corresponding shipping fee)
Translations complete for all expansions in all languages (ES, DE, FR, IT). Including the German edition which were behind. There were some adjustments found during proofreading for ES, FR, DE and IT.
All Print and Play files for expansions in all languages were uploaded in MyMiniFactory.
Received miniatures from Armies of Blood & Dreams in their color version to match (the rest of the expansions will also have colored minis according to their faction but we will get those later).
Layout of plastic insert of all expansions (image for arrangement below)
Adjustment to the box size of Armies of Blood & Dreams due to the amount of minis not fitting in a single plastic tray (the box had to be larger to contain 2 plastic trays)
Adjustment to the Bigboxof holding size due to the size of ABD expansion changing size.
Finalize item counts for each expansion/language.
Once we get a final approval on the fixed box size for your Armies of Blood & Dreams expansion box, we will finally be able to move to the next stage with 12 weeks of mass production + 2 weeks of assembly and then start the first step of shipping (freight shipping). So we are looking at Sep/Oct fulfillment. We are getting closer and thank you for all your extra patience and support. We are sure you will be very pleased with your rewards!
We also attended to GAMA and had the chance to present our titles, including Lords of Vaala and Great Wyrms of Drakha to media, distributors and retailers.
This project is definitely the most complex we have run in terms of development and production but I'm delighted with the results and I'm really thankful for your understanding in the delay, quality comes first for us and we just want everything to be perfect.
I hope to have way more pictures and news for the next update.
Finally, as you may know, we are a large team at Draco Studios, and our 3D printing & gamedev teams who work on the Tribes every month are ready to expand a previous Dragonbond release from 2020-2021, the miniatures wargame called Dragonbond: Battles of Valerna. You are getting a taste of it in your free copy of Armies of Blood & Dreams, but if you are into wargames, you might want to check out the next chapter for it...
Battles of Valerna is returning to Kickstarter—and it’s HUGE
At the end of May, we’re excited to be launching the next Battles of Valerna campaign here on Kickstarter. It’s a complete 3D-printable wargame, with five full armies and three add-on packs—all together that’s over 250 minis! There’s even a new dragon…
The Armies
Allaria (40 miniatures)
Tyveria (41 miniatures)
Nahuac (42 miniatures)
Ysval (29 miniatures)
The Scourge Triumivrate (20 miniatures)
The add-on packs:
Roaming Monsters (49 miniatures)
The Mercenaries (34 miniatures)
The Dragons (9 miniatures)
The rules have been developed by Alessio Cavatore, creator of Lords of Vaala, Bolt Action, Wahammer Fantasy Battles,The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, and they include unique mechanics to appeal to both new and seasoned wargamers.
AI-driven monsters can be added to your games to add an extra layer of interest and strategy to any battle. And with a little guile and cunning, some of these wandering monsters can be bribed or otherwise convinced to aid you in the fight. Unless, of course, your opponent offers more…
You can also add mercenaries to your army, and choose Vaala and Artifact cards to add special abilities and effects to your units. These bring a whole new layer of strategy to any game.
There’s so much that’s new, so even if you’ve backed previous Battles of Valerna campaigns on Kickstarter, you’re bound to find something new you’ll love.
There will be tiers for 1 army, 2 armies, 4 armies, or everything!
Click the link below to get notified on the launch.
Plastic miniatures from expansions
about 1 year ago
– Tue, Mar 14, 2023 at 06:31:25 PM
Hello Dragonbonded!
This is a quick update but with exciting news!
Split shipping starting
Plastic miniatures samples for the expansions
NEW Comic - Dragonbond: The Rise of Itza LIVE on Kickstarter
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Split shipping on queue!
US/CA Gamerati is starting soon to fulfill backers who ordered split shipping. We expect orders to start arriving next week but will keep you posted!
MX We are getting our pallet next week and will start reaching out to backers who ordered split shipping or local pickup.
EU The cargo has cleared customs and is on its way to Happyshops! If everything moves smoothly, these shall start fulfillment next week for backers who ordered split shipping.
UK We haven't heard back from BoardGameGuru and they were in the middle of moving warehouses but we know they planned to dispatch these soon to avoid moving more stuff to their new address. We will keep you updated once we hear back.
RoW Orders for backers who opted for split shipping will depart next week.
We are super excited to hear when backers with split shipping receive their copies, so if you get yours, please let us know!
As a reminder: Expansions are still under production, including the free Armies of Blood & Dreams free expansion for all backers. So fulfillment for backers who didn't added split shipping will take a few months more but we are getting there. Keep reading to learn more about the progress!
Plastic miniatures samples for Expansions
Yesterday the last samples for the plastic miniatures left Panda (our manufacturingpartner in China). We should receive them soon but we can share the pictures that Panda sent us. Get ready!
Note: The samples come in grey but they will be colored in the mass production copies of the expansions.
Legends of Valerna
Onatella & Sagriv (alternate generals) and the Kadhah and Fell Knight (to expand to 5 or 6 players)
The Kadhah ready to doom other players!
Creaturesof Valerna
The Fai Goblin and the Blood husk
Fataar and Manticora
Waada
Fai Hydra
The six creatures all together, are you ready to face them and collect their Vaala?
Scourgeof Valerna
Tetzcoatl, Oryan, Eirandi and Rakzor
The cosmetic expansions Armies of Blood and Dreams (also a standalone game) and Armies of Nature and Light arrived too to add more minis to conquer Valerna!
Armies of Blood & Dreams
Golden Gunners, Shev alchemist and Oathguard duelist
Ocelinn stalker and Ysvalian hammerknights (Infantry units)
Mun Kisuut and Puka (Ranged units)
Big Box of Holding
Neutral units from the Big Box of Holding, Ellari rebels and Crimson hawks
Remember that all miniatures will come indifferent colors, depending their brood/realm.
Once approved, we will move forward with mass production for all the expansions. An updated timeline for all these will be provided once mass production started.
Continuing with great news, we know some of you have chosen split shipping to receive your base game in the upcoming days, we can't wait to hear your thoughts. Let us know in the comment section which one is your favorite, playing as a general or as a dragon? My personal favorite is to play as Ferellon Fulgen, but Will prefers playing as a general because of the options when customizing your army units. We were able to play with my brother-in-law and he threw the best roll I have ever seen, 11 critical hits!
Elyse was defeated by Adrael during that turn, and Adrael even stole a power from Elyse's power track
Even though Adrael was one power away to conquer Valerna, Elyse (Will) retreated with me (Ferellon) and we bonded. After that, Elyse played the Vaala card "Prophecy" and knew that "Magic in the Mountains" was next, so she planned to have at least one unit in those regions. Elyse played Harvest and we won the game, YAAAY!
Dive more into Dragonbond with THE RISE OF ITZA!
As we have been showing you, Dragonbond is a vast universe with great lore and we are proud to mention that it is expanding to new areas launching our first graphic novel!
Sunday Times bestselling novelist, comics writer, and screenwriter George Mann (Star Wars, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes) and artist Mariano Laclaustra (Doctor Who, Rivers of London, Newbury & Hobbes) combine to create Dragonbond Legends:The Rise of Itza.
This stunning graphic novel is the first release from Drakha Press, the new publishing house of Draco Studios.
The Rise of Itza explores the origin story of Itza Chapula as she fights to defend her people from the threat of war, armies of both the living and the dead, and a dragon hell-bent on the destruction of her home. Beautifully colourised by Carlos Cabrera (Titan Comics, Marvel Comics, and acclaimed Hollywood movie Black Swan) and with lettering by Andrew James, The Rise of Itza has all the hallmarks of a new cult fantasy series.
Returning backers who back a physical tier will get a free d20 from Itza Chapula!
Special edition from The Rise of Itza!
Draco Studios was established on 3 founding pillars – Beauty, Story, and Community – and Drakha Press is now the home and cornerstone of the Story pillar. Its mission is to create and publish quality fantasy, horror and science fiction stories based on key entertainment properties, delivering great reads that tell the fantastic stories behind the games and bring the characters to vivid life.
Thank you for helping us expand Dragonbond and joining us in this new journey!
