About Pawnbarian
Pawnbarian is a turn-based puzzle roguelike game developed by j4nw, blending chess-inspired mechanics with card-based strategy and dungeon-crawling elements.In this game, players control a hero on a 5×5 grid, using chess piece movements to defeat enemies in procedurally generated dungeons. The game is praised for its elegant systems, accessibility, and depth, appealing to both chess enthusiasts and newcomers. It features six characters, three dungeons, and a series of difficulty modifiers called Chains, with no permanent upgrades, focusing on player skill and strategy.
How to play
- Chess-based movement: You control your hero using a deck of cards, each representing a chess piece (Pawn, Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen). Each card dictates how you can move on the 5×5 grid (e.g., Pawn moves one square forward, Knight moves in an L-shape). To attack, land on an enemy’s square as you would capture in chess.
- Card system: You draw four cards per turn. Use up to two cards for movement or attacks (indicated on the left of the board). When your deck runs out, the discard pile shuffles into a new deck. You can end your turn early by clicking the arrow next to your hand.
- Enemy attacks: Enemies have unique abilities (e.g., Capybears, Golems, Blightsacks) and attack patterns. Red crosshairs on the grid show tiles that will deal damage at the end of your turn. Overlapping crosshairs can stack damage, so avoid ending your turn on these squares.
- Health and resources: Your health is shown as hearts below the board. Losing all hearts ends the run. Gold earned from clearing floors (faster clears yield more gold) can be spent in shops to buy health or upgrade cards with abilities like shields or bonus attacks
Pawnbarian’s depth comes from mastering its simple yet challenging systems, making each run a test of tactical skill.
