Duel modes
The base duel is 1v1. Everything else expands on it.
At launch we ship 1v1. Best-of-3 and tournament brackets are in the roadmap as v1.1 features — the contract surfaces are designed for them, but the launch focus is the single duel loop polished to a sharp edge.
1v1 — the base loop
The default mode. Two Fantums enter the queue, the matchmaker pairs them, the duel resolves in a single transaction, the pot transfers, ELO updates.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | 1 Fantum vs 1 Fantum |
| Resolution | Single round, deterministic from (seed, fantumA, fantumB) |
| Wager | sFUM, capped at MAX_FIGHT_COST_SFUMS = 10,000 |
| Time to resolve | Sub-second on Sonic |
| Permadeath risk | If in stake mode, loser → Graveyard |
Pros: fast, clean, easy to learn. Cons: high RNG variance per match — a single unlucky roll can flip a clearly stronger Fantum.
Best-of-3 — RNG smoothing (v1.1)
A best-of-3 set runs three sequential 1v1 duels with the same two Fantums. The match winner is whoever takes 2 of 3.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | Three sequential 1v1 duels |
| Wager | 3× a single-duel stake, locked at start |
| Match winner | Best of 3 |
| Permadeath | Only the third round's stake mode applies (no early kills) |
| ELO update | Single delta on the match outcome |
Best-of-3 reduces the RNG sting without reducing strategic depth. Loadout matters more (you can't get carried by a single lucky hit). The cost is time and stake — players who only want a quick fight stay in 1v1.
Tournament brackets — the weekly headline (v1.1)
A single weekly tournament with 8 / 16 / 32 Fantum knockout brackets.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | Single-elimination bracket, 8/16/32 Fantums per bracket size |
| Entry | sFUM gate (premium brackets require holding ≥ N sFUM) |
| Prize pool | Sum of entries minus the buyback slice |
| Cadence | One bracket per week per size |
| Permadeath | Optional — set per-tournament |
| Matchmaking | Pre-bracket draw, fixed at the tournament's seal time |
The contract is Tournament.sol (planned for v1.1). The community can vote on weekly prize pool size via the SFUMS governance flow once it ships.
Tournament Fantums get:
- Visible bracket badge in the marketplace for the week of the tournament
- +1.25× ELO multiplier on every duel within the bracket (one-week boost)
- Tournament title trait added to the metadata if they win (e.g. "Week 12 Conductor")
Team duels — 3v3 (v1.2)
Further out: 3v3 team duels with a shared HP pool. Three Fantums per side, single shared damage track. The team that depletes the other side first wins.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | 3 Fantums vs 3 Fantums |
| HP pool | Shared, summed from all three CON scores |
| Strategy | Tank/DPS/support compositions emerge naturally |
| Wager | 3× per side, split among teammates |
Team duels encourage secondary trading patterns — "I need a tank Fantum for tomorrow's match" — and create a reason to own multiple Fantums beyond pure collection. The contract surface is sketched; the implementation is post-launch.
Modes table (for skim-reading)
| Mode | Launch? | Format | Permadeath | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1v1 | YES | 1 vs 1 | Optional (stake mode) | Duel.sol |
| Best-of-3 | v1.1 | Series of three 1v1s | Final round only | Duel.sol extension |
| Tournament 8/16/32 | v1.1 | Single-elimination bracket | Per-tournament flag | Tournament.sol (new) |
| Team 3v3 | v1.2 | 3 vs 3 with shared HP | Per-team flag | TeamDuel.sol (new) |
Why we're not shipping everything day one
Better to ship 1v1 polished than to ship four modes broken. The contract patterns for best-of-3 and tournaments are designed in — they just need their own contracts deployed. We aim to be 30 days post-launch for best-of-3 and tournaments, and 90 days post-launch for team duels.
See also
- Combat system — how a single 1v1 actually resolves
- Permadeath and revival — the death stakes
- Stats and progression — ELO and what changes over time
- Roadmap — when each mode is expected to ship
Last updated: 2026-05-21