Gameplay

Icons of Theia is a virtual turn-based strategy game. Players take turns moving their characters (“Icons”) on the map, attacking the enemy, and fighting for neutral objectives with the eventual goal of destroying the enemy's tower.

The central struggle of the game is to out-think your opponent, positioning your forces for the long term and taking advantage of tactics when they leave their forces vulnerable. The game borrows ideas from many different genres to produce a unique set of circumstances that differentiate the game from others that exist today and make the strategy nuanced and intricate.

In order to give a sense for the game, here are the basic rules:

1. Players take turns drafting 5 characters for their team from a pool of Icons, and then place the characters in the Start Zone. Each character has a different set of abilities and stats which give them unique strengths and weaknesses, so the team should be chosen wisely!

2. Turn order is per character. Each character has a speed stat which is used to determine when in the turn they will make their move.

3. During a character’s turn, the player is allowed to move the character a certain distance, and then attack an enemy within their range.

4. The goal is to destroy the enemy tower, which sits behind enemy lines. The tower has a health pool and can be destroyed by attacking it until it runs out of health.

The core gameplay is simple to understand, making it easy for a new player to pick up and just start playing. However, there are several concepts that exist to introduce multiple layers to the strategy, forcing players to manage their resources effectively, prioritize objectives, and make risk/reward decisions that can open up opportunities but also weaknesses:

1. Characters have archetypes and unique abilities, making team composition essential and allowing for interesting combos.

2. There are various resource constraints that a player will need to manage and decide when to use. These resources must be rationed carefully so the player has enough resources to attack or defend at crucial moments.

3. There are several objectives (ex. Dragons) that each present different challenges to the players. Completing the objectives give “buffs” that players can use to power up their teams. But diverting too many resources to objectives can leave you vulnerable to attack.

4. Certain areas of the board (ex. the Jungle) are invisible to the enemy. These areas allow for sneak attacks, and in some cases can provide an extra layer of defense.