Skyward
BGG rank
BGG #7,014
BGG rating
6.5

Skyward

2017

Rules assistance for Skyward

Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

  • 2–4 players
  • 30–45 min
  • 12+
  • Complexity 2.0/5

For 2 players

Rules assistant for Skyward

What would you like to know?

Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.

Skyward is a board game released in 2017 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brendan Evans and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Open Drafting.

Similar games

About the game

Skyward is a strategy card drafting game of control versus opportunity for 2-4 players. After generations of turmoil, the four factions have finally put their differences aside to work together for a better tomorrow. As a commitment to this alliance, the world’s first airborne city, named Skyward, is to be built above the intersecting borders of the four realms. Tasked with building this new city, you and other cultural luminaries vie for control by becoming the Warden, and ultimately declared “Founder of Skyward”. In Skyward, the Warden deals cards from the central deck and splits them into piles however they see fit. Each player chooses a pile, providing them with buildings and resources. However, being the Warden is a double edged sword. While you wield the power of the split, everyone else gets to choose first, leaving you with the remaining pile. Skyward is played over several rounds. Each round starts with The Split, followed by individual player turns. The goal of the game is to launch a combination of buildings that yield the most Victory Points. The end game is triggered when any player launches their 6th building or the central deck is emptied. Complete the current round as you would normally, then complete one final split. The player with the most Victory Points wins the game.

Questions and answers

Skyward supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.