Gems of War - Puzzle RPG Combat Guide: Master Every Mechanic

Q: Is Gems of War free to play?

Yes, and it runs on match three battles rather than an energy timer. Progress is gated by troop levels, traitstones and kingdom levels rather than by a stamina bar.

Q: What is the best beginner team?

Treant, Alchemist, Valkyrie and Banshee on the Scales banner. Nothing in it is above Ultra-Rare, it loops the board through conversion spells, and Valkyrie funds the souls you need next.

Q: How do you farm souls?

Valkyrie casts for 10 souls, and three Warlocks behind her add 50 percent each through Necromancy. Run it on a low difficulty so each battle finishes quickly.

Q: What are traitstones for?

They unlock troop traits, in Minor, Major, Runic, Arcane and Celestial grades. Arcane traitstones are the limiting resource because third traits almost always need them.

Q: How many kingdoms are there?

More than 30 across Krystara, each with its own quest line, troops, banner and tribute. Underworld factions add their own separate runs on top of the overworld kingdoms.

Gems of War - Puzzle RPG combat guide covering every mechanic, advanced techniques, and the strategies that separate good players from great ones.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

Gems of War is Infinity Plus 2's match three RPG where two teams of four trade turns on a single 8x8 board. Matching gems fills each troop's mana in that colour, matching skulls sends your front troop in to attack, and matching four or more gems hands you another turn. Over 1,400 troops and more than 30 kingdoms across Krystara sit on top of that one loop.

Combat in Gems of War - Puzzle RPG rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.

Core Combat Mechanics

1. Mana colours and spell casting

Six colours feed troop spells, and a troop only casts once its bar is full. Team building is mostly about covering colours without stacking four troops that all drink from the same two.

Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.

2. Skull damage

A skull match sends your first surviving troop to attack, measuring its Attack against enemy Armour and then Life. Doomskulls hit considerably harder, and several spells create them deliberately, so a skull heavy board is not automatically yours to use.

Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.

3. Extra turns from four and five matches

Matching four or more gems returns the turn to you, and chaining those turns is where the skill ceiling sits. A team that loops reliably beats a team with bigger numbers that hands the board back every turn.

Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.

4. Traits and traitstones

Each troop carries up to three traits unlocked with Minor, Major, Runic, Arcane and Celestial traitstones. The third trait is usually the one that changes a team, and Arcane traitstones are the bottleneck that farming teams exist to solve.

Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.

5. Hero class and weapon

Your hero takes one of the four slots, carries a weapon such as Dawnbringer or Essence of Evil, and runs a class like Titan or Frostmage. Classes level to 20 with souls and unlock seven talents through Champion Levels earned by winning with that class equipped.

Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.

How These Mechanics Combine

Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:

Mana colours and spell casting + Skull damage

Six colours feed troop spells, and a troop only casts once its bar is full. When combined with Skull damage, a skull match sends your first surviving troop to attack, measuring its attack against enemy armour and then life. This combination is the core of every effective build.

Extra turns from four and five matches + Traits and traitstones

Matching four or more gems returns the turn to you, and chaining those turns is where the skill ceiling sits. Paired with Traits and traitstones, each troop carries up to three traits unlocked with minor, major, runic, arcane and celestial traitstones. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.

Hero class and weapon as a Multiplier

Your hero takes one of the four slots, carries a weapon such as Dawnbringer or Essence of Evil, and runs a class like Titan or Frostmage. Classes level to 20 with souls and unlock seven talents through Champion Levels earned by winning with that class equipped. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Hero class and weapon optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.

Combat by Build

Each build approaches combat differently:

Titan (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Dawnbringer Primary mechanic: Mana colours and spell casting

Titan offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Frostmage (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Divine Protector Primary mechanic: Skull damage

Frostmage offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Necromancer (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Essence of Evil Primary mechanic: Extra turns from four and five matches

Necromancer offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Sunspear (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Orb of Winter Primary mechanic: Traits and traitstones

Sunspear offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Archer (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Doomed weapons Primary mechanic: Hero class and weapon

Archer offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Advanced Combat Techniques

Damage Optimization

Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
Exploit Mana colours and spell casting for maximum damage windows
Chain Skull damage and Extra turns from four and five matches for combo damage
Use Traits and traitstones to create openings

Survivability

Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
Build every team around covering four different mana colours. Two troops competing for blue means one of them sits at half mana all battle while the enemy casts freely.
Position using Mana colours and spell casting to control spacing
Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort

Boss Combat

Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.

Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed

Common Combat Mistakes

Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
Ignoring Skull damage: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Whitehelm but will get you killed in Zaejin.

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