Pawnbarian

Pawnbarian is a turn-based puzzle roguelike built around short, challenging runs. You play cards to move your hero like a chess piece across a small dungeon board, outmaneuver enemies with tricky abilities and fight to become the mightiest warrior of the Chesslands.

Tactical combat

You use a deck of chess pieces to hack and slash through hordes of monsters. Plan moves to navigate tactical situations that emerge during play. The game is easy to pick up if you know chess, and teaches the basics in minutes if you do not.

Runs and progression

Runs take 15–30 minutes, and you can spend treasure in shops to upgrade cards with additional powers. After a run, the infinite Gauntlet challenges you to survive for as long as possible. You can choose from six characters and conquer three dungeons, each requiring a different approach, or progress through Chains, a series of extra-difficulty modifiers.

There are no permanent upgrades and little that needs unlocking. Shops offer a few key decisions, while much of the depth comes from how you approach the combat puzzles. The game does not focus on complex, varied builds.