How to play

1. Build a team

A team is one hero and five minis. The hero is always on the board and never costs mana. Minis come into play one by one as you draw their cards.

Figlings have classes. Two or four distinct figlings of the same class turn on a bonus for everyone, so a team built around one or two classes punches above its weight. See the class bonuses.

2. Plan the round

• You get 6 mana in round 1. After that, the winner of the previous round gets +6 and the loser +9. Unspent mana carries over.
• Your hand shows 3 cards drawn from your team. Don't like them? Reroll once per round (rerolls stack if you save them).
• Play a card for a mini not yet on the board: drop it on a free tile on your side for its mana cost.
• Play a card for a mini already on the board: it gains a star for the same cost, up to 3. Each star raises its HP and attack speed and lets you pick one of its three upgrades, in any order.
• Promote your hero once per match for 4 mana. Pick one of three promotions and the hero gets its stronger stats.
• Minis placed this round can be moved or taken back until the fight starts. Minis from earlier rounds stay where they are. The hero moves freely in round 1.
• You can see where the enemy placed its figlings in earlier rounds, but not their stars, and not what it did this round.
• Planning lasts 20 s in round 1, 25 s in round 2 and 30 s after that. Hit Fight to start early.

3. Watch the fight

• The fight lasts up to 30 seconds. The last side with a figling standing wins the round.
• Every hit gives 1 energy. Melee units also gain energy when they are hit. When the bar fills, the figling fires its Super.
• Openers go off right at the start, before anyone moves. The tiles they hit light up while you plan, so you can see what is coming.
• In the last 10 seconds, Frenzy: everyone attacks three times faster, moves quicker, and heals less.
• If time runs out, sudden death: every figling loses 15 HP per second until one side falls.
• After each round all figlings are healed and go back to where they were placed.

4. Win the match

First to 3 round wins takes the match and the trophies. Winning moves you up the leagues, from Sprout all the way to Legend, with tougher opponents on each step.

Between matches, open chests, finish daily quests, collect gold and gems in the shop and unlock new figlings along the Journey.

Words on the cards

Opener

Fires once when the fight starts, before anyone moves.

Super

Fires when the energy bar fills. Energy comes from hitting (and, for melee units, from being hit).

On kill

Fires each time this unit takes an enemy down.

On death

Fires when this unit falls.

Below half HP

Fires once this unit drops under half of its health.

Alone

With no ally on the tiles next to it.

Whole match

The effect carries over from round to round.

Stun

Can't move, attack or use abilities for the time shown.

Slow

Moves and attacks slower.

Taunt

Nearby enemies must attack this unit.

Push

Shoves enemies away. A pull drags them closer.

Silence

Can't use abilities: no Super, no Opener, no hit or kill effects.

Disarm

Can't make basic attacks.

Critical

A hit for double damage.

Burn

Damage over time, every second.

Shield

Extra health on top of HP. It soaks damage first.

Invisible

Enemies can't target this unit.

Can't be stopped

Ignores stun, slow and push.

Out of reach

Nobody can target it, on either side.

Summon

Puts a new fighter on the board.

Mana

What you spend each round to place and upgrade minis.

Gizmo

A machine an inventor hero brings. It stands on the board and does its own thing.

Decoy

A dummy that takes hits for the team and doesn't fight.