The short answer is yes, Call of Dragons is completely free to download and play on both mobile and PC. There are no hidden paywalls or restrictions for free players. You can experience everything Call of Dragons has to offer without spending a dime.
As an avid gamer myself, I know how frustrating it can be when a game pressures you to keep spending money to progress or compete. That‘s why I was so pleasantly surprised to find that Call of Dragons adheres to a fair free-to-play model. I‘ve never once felt forced to pay to advance or like I was at a disadvantage compared to paying players.
In this in-depth guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about getting started in Call of Dragons as a free player. I‘ll overview the core gameplay features, compare it to other dragon games, provide tips for beginners and veterans, analyze the monetization model, and look at what future content updates are planned.
Let‘s dive in!
What is Call of Dragons and how does it play?
Call of Dragons is a mobile and PC strategy game where you get to build an epic dragon army and battle against other players. Here are the key things every new recruit needs to know:
- Genres: MMO, RTS (real-time strategy)
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows PC
- Price: 100% free-to-play
This game really hits the sweet spot if you like collecting dragons, managing bases, and real-time PvP battles. The gameplay has depth across multiple systems while still being accessible for more casual gamers.
When you first start out, you‘ll choose one of three factions – Humans, Orcs, or Elves. Each faction has totally unique architecture, units, and of course dragons. I went with Orcs myself – who doesn‘t love commanding legions of savage beast riders?
Gameplay revolves around constructing buildings, gathering resources, recruiting troops, and conquering enemy players. There‘s always something to do whether it‘s managing your base, scouting opponents, or leading attacks. Let‘s look at some of the main features:
Dragon Taming & Breeding
- Explore the wilds to find dragon eggs and hatchlings to capture
- Raise and train your dragons for battle
- Breed dragons to create deadlier hybrids
- Equip and customize them with specialized skills
- Discover over 100 distinct dragon species
Base Building & Resource Management
- Design a base with over 50 different buildings like barracks, farms, walls
- Manage essential resources including food, wood, iron, gold, and gems
- Link buildings together for efficiency bonuses
- Upgrade key structures to increase production rates
Army Recruitment & Development
- Recruit diverse troops like infantry, rangers, mages, and artillery
- Train units to improve their stats and upgrade them into elite soldiers
- Equip your forces with crafted weapons, armor, and artifacts
- Deploy the right squad compositions to counter enemies
PvP & PvE Battles
- Duel other players 1v1 or team up 3v3 in competitive PvP
- Massive 50 vs 50 alliance wars for supreme dominance
- Single player campaign with progressively harder AI bases to plunder
- Strategic real-time battles where you directly control your armies and dragons
Alliance System
- Join alliances to share resources and battle together
- Coordinate with teammates to plan large-scale attacks
- Conquer territories on the world map to gain bonuses
- Lead troops alongside legendary heroes with tide-turning powers
With all these interlocking systems, Call of Dragons delivers tons of depth for a mobile strategy game. You have endless options when it comes to base layouts, army compositions, dragon synergies, and battle tactics.
Let‘s compare it to some other popular dragon taming games on the market right now.
How Call of Dragons stacks up against top dragon games
To me, Call of Dragons stands out from other dragon taming games in a few key ways:
Dragon City
- Dragon City has a more cartoonish design suited for a younger audience. Call of Dragons has a darker, mature fantasy aesthetic.
- Dragon City is solely single player focused. Call of Dragons emphasizes competitive, large scale MMO gameplay.
- Dragon City uses match 3 battles, while Call of Dragons has direct strategic control over armies.
School of Dragons
- School of Dragons is set in the How To Train Your Dragon universe. Call of Dragons has completely original worldbuilding and lore.
- School of Dragons focuses on bonding via minigames. Call of Dragons has full RTS mechanics.
- School of Dragons is more of an adventure RPG, while Call of Dragons centers around PvP strategy.
Rise of Berk
- Rise of Berk involves expanding a Viking village across islands. Call of Dragons focuses on faction wars.
- Rise of Berk has basic match 3 combat. Call of Dragons has complex real-time battles.
- Rise of Berk has a light, cartoony art style. Call of Dragons uses realistic dark fantasy visuals.
The takeaway is that Call of Dragons carves out a unique identity through its RTS strategy combined with MMO dragon taming. If you enjoy competitive multiplayer battling enhanced by cool creature collection, it‘s easily one of the best choices out there.
Next up, let‘s go over some key tips for starting strong as a new player.
Top beginner tips for new Call of Dragons recruits
Based on my first few weeks playing, here are the best tips I can share for getting off to a strong start:
Complete the campaign – This will teach you core mechanics before PvP.
Join an active alliance ASAP – You need allies to survive and prosper. I‘d be lost without my experienced teammates!
Focus resources on upgrading your Headquarters first – This unlocks new buildings and unit tiers.
Specialize your base – Max out essentials like food or training facilities before diversifying.
Don‘t neglect airships – Airships can devastate enemy bases if protected by dragons.
Save up dragon eggs from raids – Try to hatch multiple at once to expand your army faster.
Craft new equipment constantly – Even basic weapons/armor give your troops an edge.
Watch PvP replays daily – Learn from how others successfully attack your base.
Log in often – Make sure to collect production and start new building upgrades.
Use speedups wisely – Save instant-completes for long upgrades like dragon pits.
Mastering these early game fundamentals will set you up to dominate PvP later on. Having allies who can donate resources is invaluable when you‘re still growing your base.
Speaking of PvP, let‘s get into some next level strategies and tactics for defeating other players.
Advanced PvP tips from a Call of Dragons expert
Once you‘ve built up your base and progress to the late game, here are some expert level PvP tips I‘ve picked up over hundreds of matches:
Vary rally sizes – Send cheap 1 unit marches to scout and distract enemies.
Time multiple attacks – Coordinate alliance marches to hit enemies from all sides.
Target econ buildings first – Cripple their food and gold production.
Save strong spells – Don‘t waste freeze spells or blessings right away.
Heal troops mid-battle – Retreat and restore health as needed.
Separate marches – Use cavalry to flank after initial infantry attack.
Build rally traps – Use barricades and pitfall traps cleverly.
Feign retreats – Fake retreating then ambush enemies.
Hide key units – Conceal elite dragons until the enemy engages.
Swap formations – Switch between aggressive and defensive stances.
Layering these next level tactics on top of strong fundamentals gives you a huge edge. Something as simple as retreating to heal then flanking with dragons can completely turn the tide.
Now that we‘ve covered tips for beginners and experts, let‘s look at a question on every new player‘s mind – is the game truly free or pay-to-win?
Does Call of Dragons limit free players?
This is one of the most refreshing things about Call of Dragons – the game does not restrict free players or give unfair advantages to paying users.
You‘re probably skeptical, and you should be! Many mobile games claim to be free but end up nearly forcing you to pay to make any real progress. However, I can confidently say that Call of Dragons does not do this.
Here‘s why free players can compete on truly even ground:
No content locked behind paywalls – All units, maps, modes accessible to free players.
Can obtain all resources from gathering, raids, events – No resource exclusives for paying users.
Can unlock every dragon from breeding, raids, events – Getting new dragons is very achievable.
Can reach the highest PvP ranks and contend for top alliances – Paying doesn‘t guarantee competitive dominance.
No limitation on F2P players – Devs don‘t restrict free users with energy systems, etc.
Well balanced advantages for spenders – Things like VIP perks confer minor bonuses rather than game-breaking boosts.
Now don‘t get me wrong – spending money will advance your progress faster with extras like speedups and premium currency. However, investing time wisely as a free player will allow you to catch up reasonably. The advantages for spenders exist but are not overpowering.
Overall, Call of Dragons sets itself apart with one of the fairest free-to-play models out there. You never feel totally walled off as a non-payer. Just participating actively and using strategy can offset the smaller bonuses of spenders. Kudos to the devs for getting the balance right!
Exciting future content plans for Call of Dragons
With a thriving community and well designed core game, the future looks bright for continued development of Call of Dragons!
The devs have hinted at some exciting upcoming features in the works:
New Playable Faction – This should add major strategic depth with fresh buildings, units, and dragons to master.
Relic Hunt PvE Mode – Battle bosses to acquire relics that grant short-term but potent boosts for PvP.
Guild Alliances – Alliances will be able to construct unique structures and research powerful abilities.
More Dragon Customization – Additional cosmetic options to personalize your dragon‘s looks for bragging rights.
Hero Gear Progression – New tiers of weapons/armor to take elite heroes to even greater heights of power.
Knowing how much effort the dev team puts into keeping Call of Dragons fresh, I‘m hyped to see these ambitious new systems. It‘s clear they aim to continually expand and refine what is already an incredibly fun experience.
The bottom line:
Call of Dragons delivers full-fledged fun for free
After covering all aspects of this game, one truth stands out – Call of Dragons absolutely delivers on being free-to-play. The developers could have stuffed it with paywalls and advantages for spenders, but they chose not to.
Everything you need to command armies, conquer enemies, and rule the skies with an elite dragon squad is there for free for players willing to put in the time and effort. That‘s a rarity in the mobile gaming landscape these days.
So if you‘re searching for your next addictive strategy game and want to avoid pay-to-win pitfalls, I can‘t recommend Call of Dragons enough. The ability to download and compete on a level playing field without spending money makes it one of the best free-to-play experiences out there.
Hopefully this guide gives you all the information you need to dive in and start dominating! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m happy to help new recruits get started on their journey to become a legendary Dragon Commander. Now get out there and tame some dragons!
