While Dragon Gyas can be played by 1-4 players, the game is primarily designed to be a two-player game in which one player represents the Hexgyas and its seven supporting knights while the other player controls the Grandragon and its seven Dragonewts. All of the characters are represented by either miniatures or cardboard standees, with the Hexgyas and Grandragon being much larger than the other characters. What's more, these two figures are the most important ones because if you lose your main character, then you lose the game. To set up, players choose a starting configuration for their large figure and seven smaller ones on their half of the game board. The Hexgyas and Grandragon stand in one of the five large hexagonal spaces, while their supporting characters occupy the smaller hexes that form a network around these larger hexes. Each player positions three pieces of armor around their large figure, designating two other positions around their perimeter as a weak spot and a critical weak spot. Players also customize a control deck for their large character with three attack cards and three special cards that are added to their six movement cards. The game lasts at most five rounds, and each round consists of four phases. Players first choose initiative from a hand of five initiative cards and program three control cards for their large figure. During the control phase, players carry out their actions, moving their large figure and attempting to inflict damage on the opponent. The command phase allows the supporting characters to attack one another, but also to infiltrate the opponent's giant to discover weak spots and possibly inflict damage or pull control cards from their hand. Deal ten damage to the opponent's larger figure, and you win instantly. If no one has been taken down after five rounds, then the Grandragon wins, having overcome the initiative advantage wielded by the Hexgyas.