Shield is a 2-4 player turn-based card game with multiple game modes. Choose a character and keep your shields bolstered with a multitude of elements. Harness the power of your character's native element and use your native abilities to wreak havoc on your opponents!
Your Shield is comprised of three 'Lanes'. If any one of these Lanes is left unoccupied, you Adventurer will become vulnerable to direct hits. Keep them covered to stay alive. Some Adventurers start with only one Shield layer of element cards. Others start at the maximum of three Shield layers of element cards.
The Element deck is comprised of thirteen Elements, all with strengths and vices (relative to other Elements). Use these elements to form your Shield, and to strike other players' Shields. A pair of elements will allow you to use your Adventurer's Ability. If the pair is a native element of your Adventurer, then you may use your Adventurer's Native Ability. You may also double strike with a pair of element cards. You may also deflect strikes by discarding one of your native element cards.
Standard play has one player play as Death against the other three players. Death has four cards in their starting hand and two actions per turn while the other players have three cards in their starting hand and one action per turn. As players are eliminated, the other players playing against Death level up, first to utilize a 4-card hand and next to take two actions per turn. The last player standing wins the game and may become Death in the following game, if they wish to. A 2-player game has both players starting with the same 4-card hand and two action turn.