Flamecraft was a must buy when it arrived back in 2022. This adorable dragon game saw plenty of playtime when it first joined my collection. However, as I started playing heavier games, it gradually gathered dust. Its setup and runtime started to feel a little too long for such a light game.
Dragons & Dragons is Flamecraft's first expansion, introducing five modular additions that can be mixed and matched with the base game. The rulebook recommends using just two at a time, but there's nothing stopping you from throwing them all in. The question is, does this expansion add enough depth to make Flamecraft that little bit crunchier?
Parks & Crafts
The first module replaces the Park with a gorgeous neoprene mat called Parks & Crafts. It looks fantastic, but then that's hardly surprising as Flamecraft has always been a beautiful game.
Instead of simply taking one of the face up Artisan Dragons, you can now choose to fire one up instead, using its ability without placing it in town.
It's a small tweak, but it opens up some really satisfying turns. You can activate a dragon to collect the resources needed for an enchantment, set yourself up for your next turn or chain together several actions in one go. It rewards forward planning without adding complexity.
There's another clever benefit too. Flamecraft ends when the last Artisan Dragon is revealed, so choosing to fire up dragons instead of taking them can deliberately extend the game. It's a subtle strategic option that I really enjoyed.
Elder Enchanted
This was easily my favourite module.
Elder Enchanted introduces a new location where, after completing an enchantment, you can trade in additional resources for powerful rewards. These range from extra Artisan Dragons and Fancy Dragons to coins and reputation.
It transforms enchanting from something you simply want to do into something you actively plan around. Do you rush to claim an enchantment before your opponents, or wait until you've gathered enough resources to maximise the bonus? It's a surprisingly meaningful decision that adds another layer of strategy.
There's also a new Fancy Dragon, Lyric, who scores based on how many Elder Enchanted rewards you've collected, making the module feel even more interconnected.
Hydragons
Hydragons are hybrid dragons with much stronger Fire Up abilities.
Only six are used in each game, with different teams to choose from during setup. Each one is linked to two resources, allowing you to choose which resource to gain whenever it's activated. Better still, Hydragons count as just one of their two resources when scoring Sun Dragons during the game, but as both resources for Moon Dragons at the end of the game, opening up even more scoring opportunities.
They're incredibly powerful, which means everyone wants to visit the shops they're in. In our games, Hydragons rarely stayed in one place for long as players constantly moved them around to make the most of their abilities. They quickly became the dragons everyone wanted to visit.
Double Dragons
Double Dragons introduces a new starter shop that lets players choose any resource when they visit, making it a great early game location.
Its unique twist is that each space can hold two dragons instead of one, meaning the shop can eventually contain six dragons. Once it's full, you can get loads of resources from a single visit and even fire up two dragons from the same space.
It's a simple idea that gives the Gather action a welcome boost, particularly during the early game when resources are scarce.
More Companions
I'll admit I rarely played with companions before this expansion, but Dragons & Dragons has definitely changed that.
The new companions continue to give each player a unique once per game ability, creating small moments of asymmetry that can lead to some brilliant turns. Lauren was a particular favourite, letting you draw Artisan Dragons or gain coins if you don't currently have any Artisan Dragons of your own.
Solo players also get some love with a new companion called Han, which earned a smile from me, along with additional solo achievements to work towards.
Final Thoughts
Dragons & Dragons makes Flamecraft feel noticeably crunchier without losing any of the charm that made the original so enjoyable. The modular design means you can tailor the experience to your group, adding as much or as little complexity as you like.
The biggest success is that every module encourages more planning. Hydragons make dragon movement more tactical, Elder Enchanted makes enchanting far more rewarding, Parks & Crafts creates satisfying action chains and Double Dragons makes gathering resources easier in the early game. None of these changes reinvent the game, but together they make every decision feel more meaningful.
Overall, Dragons & Dragons is exactly the expansion I wanted for Flamecraft. It doesn't transform it into a heavy strategy game, but it adds enough strategic depth to keep veteran players engaged. If you've drifted away from Flamecraft because it felt a little too light, I'd genuinely recommend giving it another chance. For me, Dragons & Dragons has earned the game a permanent place back in my rotation.
