How to Read Dragon Abilities and Resource Icons

In Flamecraft, a loaf, a heart, and a flame can crowd one tiny shop card. It is easy to count the bread and miss the dragon ability that makes the visit pay off. Before you choose an action, scan the shop’s top-left icon, its open dragon slots, and the flame line on each Artisan Dragon there.

Read the icons by where they appear

• Goods: Bread, meat, iron, crystal, plant, and potion are the six goods. A goods icon at the top left of a shop, an Artisan Dragon at that shop, or an enchantment tucked there shows what it gives you when you Gather. A wild goods icon lets you choose one good.
• Coin and Artisan Dragon: A coin icon gives a coin. An Artisan Dragon icon lets you take a face-up dragon from the Park or the top card of the deck. These icons can appear where a shop gives something or where a reward is printed.
• Heart: Hearts are reputation points. Gain the amount shown when you earn that reward. A heart on an open dragon slot pays out when you place a matching Artisan Dragon there; you do not collect it on every visit.
• Dragon slot: Match the goods icon at the top left of an Artisan Dragon in your hand to an icon on an empty shop slot. A slot with several icons accepts any one of those types; a wild slot accepts any Artisan Dragon. Take the slot’s printed reward when you place it.
• Flame: Fire Up means use the ability printed beside the flame on an Artisan Dragon at the shop. The flame marks an ability, not another good.

Gather or Enchant: when abilities happen

Gather: First take what the shop’s top-left icon gives, plus one good from each Artisan Dragon and enchantment already there. You may then place one matching Artisan Dragon from your hand and take its slot reward. After that, you may Fire Up one Artisan Dragon at the shop, including the one you just placed. If the shop has its own ability, you may use it last. Enchant: Pay for a matching enchantment and take its printed reward. You may then Fire Up the Artisan Dragons at that shop in any order. Enchant does not give you the shop’s Gather income.

Three named dragons show what the flame line does: Loaf draws 1 Artisan Dragon, either face-up from the Park or from the top of the deck. Twig gifts a good to another player to gain 2 reputation. Frostfire gains any 3 different goods. Each effect needs its dragon at the shop where you Fire Up.

Say Loaf and Twig are at Hello Nursery and you can pay for a matching enchantment. Enchant, take its reward, then Fire Up Twig while you still have a good to gift. That earns 2 reputation. Fire Up Loaf next to refill your Artisan hand. If you Gather at that shop instead, collect its income and choose just one of those two flame abilities. An empty hand makes Loaf a handy pick; you can also look for an Artisan Dragon icon on a shop or reward.

Fancy Dragons in your hand use goals instead of a shop’s flame line. You may reveal and score a Sun Fancy Dragon during your turn once its goal is met. A Moon Fancy Dragon scores at the end of the game if its goal is met then. Neither goes in an Artisan Dragon slot or uses the usual Fire Up step. Check the Sun or Moon mark before you plan around its reputation reward.