The rating uses the Elo formula, starts at 1000 points and has four separate ratings (Kingdom, Wilds, Pale Court, Random). Opponents are matched within ±500 points in the chosen category. The first 10 games of a category move the rating faster (K=40), then K=24. Leaving a battle counts as a loss. The leaderboard shows the top 50 for each category.
Four ratings instead of one
The game stores four independent ratings for each player:
- The Kingdom
- The Wilds
- The Pale Court
- Random: the server assigns the faction, so this rating shows how versatile a player is
A newcomer starts with 1000 points in each category. You can play your favorite faction as much as you like: ratings of other categories do not change.
How an opponent is chosen
Press Online battle, choose a category and Find opponent. The server looks for a player in the same category whose rating differs by no more than 500 points and picks the closest. If nobody is there you stay in the queue (after 45 seconds the game offers a bot battle: the rating does not change).
How points are computed
The Elo formula is used. The expected chance of your win is 1 / (1 + 10^((opponent rating − your rating) / 400)). The rating change is the K factor multiplied by the difference between the result (1 for a win, 0 for a loss) and the expectation, rounded to an integer.
- K = 40 during the first 10 games of each category: the rating quickly finds your level.
- K = 24 afterwards.
- A win gives at least +1 point, a loss takes at least 1 point. There are no draws.
For a player with 1000 points the changes are:
| Rating difference (opponent minus you) | Win, first 10 games | Loss, first 10 games | Win, after | Loss, after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -300 | +6 | -34 | +4 | -20 |
| -150 | +12 | -28 | +7 | -17 |
| 0 | +20 | -20 | +12 | -12 |
| +150 | +28 | -12 | +17 | -7 |
| +300 | +34 | -6 | +20 | -4 |
| +500 | +38 | -2 | +23 | -1 |
A win over a stronger opponent gives more points than over a weaker one; a loss to a weaker opponent costs more than a loss to a stronger one.
What counts as a loss
- A destroyed citadel.
- A surrender: the “Surrender and leave” button in the battle menu.
- A lost connection without returning within 45 seconds.
If the connection drops, return to the site and sign in to the same account: the game puts you back into the battle at the same place.
Ranking integrity
The result is decided by the server: it computes the battle itself from both players' commands, so the result or rating cannot be forged. The game compares checksums among all participants, and any divergence is fixed by returning to the server version of the battle. More: about.
The leaderboard
Press Ranking in the in-game menu: there are tabs for the four categories, the top 50 and your place if you are outside the top fifty. Players appear in the table after at least one battle in the category. Players banned for rule violations are excluded.
Tips for climbing
- Choose one faction and learn its units: the Kingdom, the Wilds, the Pale Court.
- The rating moves faster in the first 10 games, so play carefully.
- Study counters and the economy: most wins are decided by gold, not luck.
- Random teaches all factions at once: useful to understand the enemy better.
FAQ
How does the ranking work?
Every player has four ratings: one per faction and one for the Random mode. It starts at 1000 points and is computed with the Elo formula. Opponents are matched within ±500 points. See the ranking page for details.
What happens if my connection drops during an online battle?
Come back to the site and sign in to the same account: the game puts you back into the running battle at the same place. If a player does not return within 45 seconds, they lose.
Can I pause the game?
You can pause a battle against a bot. There is no pause in an online battle against a player: time runs the same for both, the menu opens but the battle continues. Leaving the battle counts as a surrender.