Your First 7 Stones Match: Mulligan, Energy, The Crystal, and the Discard Pile
A rules-based walkthrough of your first 7 Stones match, including the opening hand, turn-order rules, Energy choice, combat keywords, and current unknowns.
To play a first 7 Stones match, bring a 30-card deck, draw four cards, and decide which cards to keep or mulligan. Each Hero starts with 30 life, made up of 20 Health and 10 Shield. At the start of every turn, choose 1 Stone Energy or 2 Generic Energy. Then use minions, spells, and your Hero ability to control The Field and reduce the opposing Hero to zero.1
The player going first skips the first draw. The player going second draws and starts with The Crystal. If a deck runs empty, failed draws cause escalating damage instead of an immediate loss.1
The match sequence
The current public flow is:
- Choose a Stone and bring a legal 30-card deck.
- Draw four cards.
- Keep or mulligan each card individually.
- Apply the first-player or second-player opening rule.
- Choose Stone or Generic Energy.
- Deploy minions, cast spells, and consider the Hero ability.
- Attack when the rules and card text allow it.
- Reduce the opposing Hero to zero life.1
This explains the shape of a match. It does not replace the complete rules planned for launch.1
Before the first draw
The official guide says to choose a Stone and build a 30-card deck from that faction's cards plus Generic neutrals.1 The Cards library shows the currently revealed cards.
Before drawing, know three things about your deck: what it wants to do early, which Stone and Generic costs it expects to pay, and how it can recover when it falls behind. Those answers make the opening hand easier to judge.
Each Hero begins with 30 life: 20 Health and 10 Shield.1 The stated objective is to reduce the opponent's total life to zero. The public page does not yet explain every detail of how ordinary damage moves through Shield and Health, whether every effect can restore either layer, or how simultaneous lethal effects resolve.
Mulligan one card at a time
Both players draw four cards. For each card, choose whether to keep it or mulligan it. A mulliganed card is shuffled back into the deck and replaced with a random draw. The same card may return.1
This is not an all-or-nothing redraw. Keep the parts of the hand that work together and replace cards that are too slow, too conditional, or difficult to support with your expected Energy choices.
For a first pass, look for:
- a useful early action;
- costs that point toward a coherent Energy path;
- cards that function without several missing partners;
- a way to contest The Field or advance the deck's plan.
There is no universal mulligan rule. A strong opening for one Stone may be a poor opening for another.
Going first and going second
If you go first
The first player does not draw on turn one. You begin with the four-card post-mulligan hand, make the turn's Energy choice, and evaluate the legal plays.1
A minion played on that turn normally cannot attack immediately. The opening decision is therefore about setup as much as spending. A Generic play may establish early presence. Stone Energy may prepare a faction-specific line for the next turn.
If you go second
The second player draws on turn one and starts with The Crystal, a 0-cost spell that provides 2 Temporary Energy. Temporary Energy expires at the end of the turn in which it is gained. The Crystal is a spell, so the publisher says it also triggers spell interactions.1
Before casting it, check whether the extra Energy changes the turn. The public wording does not say The Crystal must be used immediately.
One detail remains open. The guide says both players draw four cards and that the second player starts with The Crystal “in their opening hand.” It does not say whether The Crystal is a fifth card, replaces one of the four positions, or can be mulliganed.1 The full rules or game interface must settle that question.
Choose Energy before locking in the play
Every turn offers 1 Stone Energy or 2 Generic Energy. Stone pays Stone or Generic costs. Generic pays only Generic costs. The public guide says the pool grows each turn with no maximum.1
| Choice | What it pays | Benefit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Stone Energy | Stone or Generic costs | Keeps faction requirements available | Adds one less total Energy that turn |
| 2 Generic Energy | Generic costs only | Builds Generic capacity faster | Does not increase Stone capacity |
Look at the whole turn before choosing. Check the best minion or spell, the 1-cost Hero ability, and any available Discard Pile play. Then choose the resource that supports the strongest sequence, not simply the first card you notice.
The system moves baseline resources out of the deck, but it does not remove all variance. Card order, mulligan results, matchups, and player decisions still change the game. The Energy System guide covers this trade-off in detail.
Plan minions, spells, and the Hero ability together
Minions enter The Field, attack, defend, and may trigger abilities. Spells resolve their effects immediately in the current summary. Each faction Hero has a unique ability that costs 1 Energy and is described as usable every turn. Full Hero ability reveals are still forthcoming.1
Account for the Hero ability before spending the last Energy. It may complete a multi-action turn, but that does not mean it should always be used. A minion that contests The Field or a spell that prevents more damage may be the better play.
The public page does not yet define every phase, priority window, response rule, target rule, Field limit, hand limit, or Hero ability timing.1 Do not import those details from another TCG.
Check combat keywords before attacking
Minions normally cannot attack on the turn they enter The Field. Published keywords create exceptions and restrictions.1
| Keyword | Published effect | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| DASH | May attack enemy minions on its first turn | It cannot use DASH to attack the opposing Hero |
| SPRINT | May attack a minion or Hero on its first turn | Immediate Field or life pressure |
| GUARD | Enemies must attack this minion before the Hero | Check GUARD before choosing a Hero target |
| VEIL | Cannot be targeted by spells or abilities and can be removed only through combat | Plan a combat answer |
| FREEZE | The target cannot attack on its next turn | Recount available attackers |
| BREACH | Excess minion damage carries to the enemy Hero | A small blocker may not absorb all damage |
| SIPHON | Damage dealt also heals that minion's Hero | One exchange changes both life totals |
| HALO | Absorbs the first damage instance; Double Halo absorbs two | Count damage instances, not only total damage |
| RELENTLESS | The minion can attack twice per turn | One attack does not end its threat |
The public summary does not separately define the normal attack limit, attack declaration, counter-damage, simultaneous triggers, or every survival check. Those details belong in the complete rulebook.1
Keep watching the Discard Pile
Cards in the Discard Pile are not always finished. The publisher describes that zone as interactive and says different Stones can remember, reanimate, or recycle cards.1
Three keywords show why:
- REMEMBER lets a card be cast again from the Discard Pile for its original cost.
- DIG places the top card of a deck into the Discard Pile. Self Dig targets only your own deck.
- REVENGE triggers an ability when a minion is destroyed.1
These keywords do not make every discarded card reusable. Read the effect that grants access. Before choosing Energy or combat, check both Discard Piles for cards that can matter again.
How the match ends
The direct win condition is reducing the opponent's 30 life to zero through legal attacks, spells, and effects.1
An empty deck works differently. A player takes escalating damage each time they are unable to draw a card. The current page does not publish the damage progression or every edge case involving multiple missed draws or simultaneous lethal effects.1
The publisher describes 7 Stones as an online-only TCG with player-versus-player duels, solo boss play, and a target match length of about 10 to 15 minutes.1 3 That time range is a publisher target, not an independently measured distribution.
What is confirmed and what remains open
| Status | What the current pages establish |
|---|---|
| Published rules | 30-card decks, four-card hands, individual mulligans, first-player draw restriction, second-player draw and Crystal, 30 life, the Energy choice, listed keywords, an interactive Discard Pile, zero-life victory, and empty-deck damage.1 |
| Publisher statements | Online play, player-versus-player and boss modes, and a 10 to 15 minute match target.1 3 |
| Planned | The full rulebook and interactive tutorial are described as launch materials.1 |
| Funding-dependent | Competitive formats and prize ambitions depend on funding and later scheduling.1 3 |
| Not specified | A public release date, complete timing rules, Crystal hand treatment, normal attack limit, Shield procedure, and exact empty-deck damage values.1 2 3 |
The official How to Play guide is the current rules source. The FAQ covers project access, platforms, funding milestones, refunds, and risks.1 2
First-match questions
Can I mulligan more than one card?
Yes. The current wording gives a keep-or-mulligan choice for each of the four opening cards.1
Does the first player draw on turn one?
No. The second player draws on turn one and also starts with The Crystal.1
Can The Crystal's Energy be saved?
No. Once The Crystal is cast, its 2 Temporary Energy expires at the end of that turn. The guide does not say the card itself must be cast on turn one.1
Can a newly played minion attack?
Normally, no. DASH allows an attack against an enemy minion. SPRINT allows an attack against a minion or the enemy Hero.1
Do I lose immediately when my deck is empty?
No. Failed draws cause escalating damage. The current page does not state the exact values.1
Related NEWS
Author and update note
Prepared by EndGame, Game Design & Creative Director. The About page describes the team and role. This article was published on August 5, 2026 and reviewed against first-party pages on September 9, 2026. Material rules changes should be reflected in the article and its modified date.
If the current rules answer your main questions, follow the 7 Stones pre-launch updates. Recheck the live rules, FAQ, access terms, and project status before making a later campaign decision.
