Welcome to the start of an epic journey into Shardbound—a place where a thousand stories come to life! ✨

In this realm, each card you hold isn't just a piece of paper; it's a 3D warrior ready to brawl on an ever-changing battlefield. (Yep, think 'I choose you, Quillblade!~')

Shardbound's not your average game - it's a genre mash-up that redefines what you think a “strategy game” is! By blending the depth of a tactics game and the thrill of collectible card games, get ready to achieve victories with a deck of your all-time favorite characters or dive deep into intense showdowns where near-defeats turn into glorious comebacks. 💥

So buckle up and prepare for an unforgettable journey! Let the battles begin! ⚔️

That’s all great, but how do I win?

Great news, Ranger, in Shardbound, you are blessed with more than one way to win! 🎉

The two ways to win are to either - 

• Kill the opposing commander OR
• Collect Victory Points

Victory Points are denoted by the small triangles that will turn orange when you earn a point. Commander HP is indicated by the green health bar.

⚔️ Kill the Commander

Start up a match, look across the board, and you’ll be staring your target right in the face - the opposing commander (boooo...👎).

Bring the opposing commander’s health down to 0 from their initial life total, and bam, you win the game.

Collect Victory Points

Alternatively, you can collect and bank Victory Points by embracing your inner Hulk and smashing Victory Crystals (large, orange, delicious-looking ones) until you get 8 Victory Points.

Jury's still out on what flavor Victory Crystals taste like, but we think it's blurpleberry.

The first one spawns several turns into the game. Watch for it!

Victory Crystals take three hits to shatter. On the first and second hit, you gain 1 Victory Point, and dealing the final blow gives you a total of 3 Victory Points. Each Victory Crystal contains a total of 5 Victory Points.

💡IMPORTANT TIP!‍

Hitting a crystal gives your minion, unit, or commander the Victory Point(s). You must wait one full turn for them to finish “turning it in”! Protect them while they are holding the Victory Points. Don’t let your opponent kill them or steal them, or your opponent can then turn in your hard-earned Victory Points!

Ok, tell me how to get started!

The secret to winning Shardbound is a combination of two factors - peanut butter 🥜 and jelly 🍇

Wait...<checks notes>...mana management and unit placement/movement.

🩸 Mana is your lifeblood

Mana is the fuel that powers every move you make (and every breath you take). There are two types -

• Rechargeable mana (permanent mana that is replenished at each start of your turn)
• Bonus mana (temporary mana that is gone once it's spent)

Mana can be used in a number of ways - to summon units, activate abilities and even cast spells.

Mana crystals that appear on the map are blue. The first mana crystal appears on Player 1's side, and only takes one hit to shatter, and only gives one bonus mana. All subsequent mana crystals require two hits to break, and give a total of two mana.

Now, before you go flinging spells and summoning armies, take a moment to think about your hand, your deck, and the battlefield. Realizing you don't have enough mana to do anything is like being stuck in the boondocks with no gas in your tank.

Mana management is one of the main keys to unlocking all the epic moves and strategies Shardbound has to offer.

📍 Unit Placement and Movement

After summoning a unit from your hand, you'll think about a couple of things (or a hundred, depending on who you are) -

• Where to place or move your unit
• Who to attack and unleash your wrath upon

Melee Commanders and units can move 3 spaces from their current position, while ranged Commanders and units can only move 2.

No two games in Shardbound play the same way, and the landscape matters. Boulders and high ground affect line of sight (what your unit can see), and where you can place your units.

💡IMPORTANT TIP!

Use the highlighted blue and red hexagons to guide where you can summon and move!

Go forth and play, young Ranger!

At this point, you're ready to start playing Shardbound. The best way to get to know the cards is by playing with them. If you find that you start to think of them as your friends, well then, welcome, you have become one of our Rangers.

So this is us officially giving you that little nudge to just GO PLAY, you can come back later if you want to dive in a bit more!

But what are all these cards?!

If you want to go one level deeper, we're here to talk about cards. Every unit in Shardbound belongs to one of the colors of the Lifeweave, each having its own distinct personality and Commander.

A standard deck must include one Commander and one Relic, and there is an upper limit of total cards you can have in one deck.

Commanders

Each Commander has their own way they like to shape the Lifeweave and come out victorious.

Relics

Arm your Commander with a powerful Relic, ensuring they never enter battle empty-handed. Each Commander needs a Relic that complements their strengths and amplifies their abilities. Relics can be equipped on Commanders, granting them special abilities and unlocking Dual Color Decks!

💡DUAL COLOR DECKS

An unexpected victory is the result of unlikely alliances in Shardbound! The ability to play with Dual Faction Decks (Red/Blue, Orange/Green, etc.) is unlocked by equipping a different color Relic Card in your single-color deck. For example, if I am a Red commander, and want to play with Blue as well, I need to obtain a Blue Relic Card and equip it onto my Red commander.

Units

Units are crucial in Shardbound. They are summoned onto your board from your hand to control the battlefield and flow of the game. Choose between ranged or melee types to build a strong deck. Pay the respective Mana to summon a Uinion from your hand. Their attack, health, and armor (if any) can be found at the bottom corners of the card. Card abilities and keywords are found in the card description. You may only have 3 units and 1 Commander total on the field at any time. Want to get rid of one? Just exile it and clear up space to tag another in.

Minions

These things are your wildcards. Minions are uncontrollable units that don't contribute to the total unit cap. You can flood the battlefield with minions, but they're a little like cats. They'll do some damage, cause some chaos, but not necessarily contribute in the way you want.

Spells

Spells are one-and-done cards that can have lasting effects on the board or other minions. They can heal, damage, change the terrain… They do almost anything except the dishes (sigh).

A timely Spell can turn the tide of battle in your favor, disrupt your opponent's plans, or bolster your own forces with powerful effects.

Equipment

Usually representing weapons or armor, these cards can be allocated to an existing unit on the board to make them even more awesome. Use them wisely for maximum impact! 

Equipment can enhance a unit’s capability, granting additional power or abilities during combat. 

Artifacts

Artifacts are summonable to the battlefield, and provide lasting effects during the match.

💡DECK-BUILDING TIP

Try to incorporate a good mix of units, minions, and spells to maintain a versatile and well-rounded deck.

Once again, go forth and play, young Ranger!

So, what's next on your Shardbound agenda? Will you be fine-tuning your tactical prowess, exploring the rich lore, or diving into epic battles with friends? The choice is yours!

Pre-register today to claim your exclusive card at the open beta, and join us on Twitter and Discord to bask in the glory that is our community of Shardbound lovers. There is a treasure trove of tips, strategies, and exciting updates in the future. Until then, may your battles be legendary and your adventures boundless. See you on the battlefield, Rangers!