Wardbreaker

hey i'm rior, a solo dev

in wardbreaker a solver plays every board before you see it. if a room exists you can clear it with logic. no 50/50s ever



the story: the archivist went up to fix a failing ward eleven days ago and every door in her library sealed behind her. her apprentice wren lets herself in through the coal door with a box of candles and ash, the archivist's owl

minesweeper, checked as you go

open cells you can prove are safe, bind cells you can prove are wards. a wrong bind puts out a candle. when the last candle goes out the run's over

a score you earn by thinking

every room is worth points based on how much logic it takes, and you multiply that with chains, clean clears and the seals you choose. a guess never raises your score. a right guess adds nothing and a wrong one breaks your chain

pick your rules at every door

some rooms only count the 4 cells beside a number, some count a chess knight's moves, some hide one number in four behind a ?. harder rules multiply your score

spells, relics and schools

16 spells that give you more clues, 41 relics that each change a rule, and four schools of magic to unlock

wardens and the endless stair

three acts, each ending in a warden boss with its own twist. beat the archivist and then climb the endless stair until a floor beats you

stuck? ask the owl

ash shows you the next safe move and explains why. there's also a library of small puzzles that teach the classic patterns once and then the game plays them for you

my inspirations for making this game were minesweeper and slay the spire

it's set in the same tower as arcanum idle but you don't need to have played it