A match, step by step
Nudus is PvP only and ranked: no campaign, no boss fights. A match runs like this.
Pick a deck, press PVP
Your deck is five heroines, with no class or element restrictions. Pick one of up to five saved presets (tabs 1–5 on the main screen) and hit PVP.
Size up your rival
The matchup screen shows both five-card decks, trophy counts and each player's Might percentage, so you know who you face before the board opens.
Summon and place
A placement timer starts. Use Summon (the price is on the button) to bring units onto your half of the board and decide who stands where.
Merge pairs
Combine two identical heroines of the same merge level into one unit a level higher. Every merge is your call, and a hint pops up if you stall. When your board is set, press To battle.
Fight for the round
Both teams clash in the middle of the board under a battle timer. Each player starts with five hearts, and a match runs over several rounds.
The merge rules that decide matches
Same heroine, same level
Two units merge only when they are the same heroine at the same merge level. The developer's own example: a diamond pairs with a diamond, not with a circle. Two triangle-level Huntresses make one diamond-level Huntress; a triangle and a diamond do nothing together.
Five levels, five power spikes
Each of the five merge levels is a real jump in power. Hero cards draw them as a row of badges: two numbered circles (1 and 2), a triangle (3), a diamond (4) and a star (5).
Abilities switch on at higher levels
A heroine's ability is tied to her merge level. The Viking's card in the June trailer reads “Ability unlocked at Merge Level 3”: from there she casts Weakness over a large area, so enemies take extra damage for a few seconds.
Super Merge
Nudus also has a SUPER MERGE: a full-screen banner that sweeps across the board in the middle of a match.
Build a team of five that works
Mix the roles
The roster covers tanks, healers, assassins and ranged units, and the developer says there is no single meta. A good deck gives each heroine a job.
Read the card before you place her
Every hero card lists faction, health, damage, attack speed, attack range, movement speed and a buff pattern: a small grid that marks her square and the buff squares next to it. Steam's description says matches test timing, strategy and smart positioning, and these fields are where positioning starts. A melee heroine has to reach her target, so place her with that in mind.
Play the weekly faction, save presets
Every heroine has a faction (the Viking belongs to the Alliance of Light), and each week a different faction gets a bonus. Five preset slots let you keep a deck for this week's faction, a balanced lineup you trust and one for events that want specific heroines, such as Rune Hunt on the events page.
Three things that level up
Merge level lives on the board for one match. Heroine level and rating are what you keep.
| Progress | Where it lives | How it goes up | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merge level | On the board, during a match | Combine two identical heroines of the same merge level | A power spike at each of the five levels; abilities unlock at set levels |
| Heroine level | On her card, for good | Collect her cards to fill the counter, then pay coins on Upgrade | Higher stats and new photos in her gallery |
| Rating | Your account | Win ranked PvP matches | New arenas, story dialogues from rating 25 and part of the 18+ videos |
Arenas, rating and the story
Your rating climbs with ranked wins, and the trophy bar under the arena on the main screen tracks your way up from Arena 1. From Arena 3, new players get their own copies of the two big rotating events, Astral Rift and Atlantis, covered on the events page.
The story unlocks with rating
Story dialogues start at rating 25. They play after you leave a battle, come often at first and spread out as you climb. Nudus launches with 24 of them, and the developer plans more.
Tournament mode
Tournament is a separate, ongoing mode where your deck is built from random cards. Your favorite lineup is off the table, so it rewards knowing every heroine, not just your own five.
Each phase on screen
Matchup: both decks, trophies and Might side by side. 
Placement: summon, position, then “To battle”. 
Battle: the teams clash while the timer runs. 
Super Merge: the full-screen banner, here with the Huntress.
Beginner tips for your first matches
- Think in pairs. A unit climbs a merge level only when an identical heroine at the same level is there to merge with. Count pairs, not units.
- Don't wait for the hint. It only appears once you stall, and the placement timer keeps running. Spot your pairs as soon as your units land.
- Merge toward ability levels. Find your key heroine's unlock level on her card and push her there first.
- Level your core five. Heroines level one by one and there is no gear yet, so put your coins into the five you actually play instead of spreading them across the whole roster.
- Learn every heroine. Tournament decks come from random cards, and the matchup screen shows the five you are about to face. Knowing what each one does pays off in both.
- Collect your rewards. Open your Quest Chests for hero cards, and log in on launch day for the wishlist gifts on the codes and rewards page.
Want to know who you are merging? The heroines page covers the roster, rarities and how cards level.
Learn it in a real match
The rules click after a round or two. Nudus is free to start in your PC browser, so build your five and try your first merge against a live rival.
Quick answers
Is Nudus an auto battler?
No. Some Steam players tag it that way, but the developer's August devlog says there is no auto-battle: every merge is manual and every match is live PvP against another player.
Does Nudus have a story?
Yes, told in short dialogues. They start once your rating reaches 25 and play after you leave a battle, more often early on. There are 24 at launch, and the developer plans to add more.
Is there gear or equipment in Nudus?
Not yet. The developer says there is no gear and there are no artifacts; heroines get stronger by leveling up one by one and through perks. The heroines page explains how cards level.
Updated