Question 1

Do I need to download anything or create an account?

Accepted Answer

Nope — Shadow Hands runs entirely in your browser. Just head to shadowhands.gg, pick your fighters, and you’re in. No downloads, no sign-up forms, no waiting. It’s designed to go from “never heard of it” to playing your first hand in under a minute.

Question 2

How does a game of Shadow Hands actually work?

Accepted Answer

Each turn, both players secretly choose a card from their hand, then simultaneously throw Rock, Paper, or Scissors. Whoever wins the throw deals damage equal to their current Stance score — the higher you’ve stacked your Stances, the harder you hit. Specials add a hidden layer on top: they stay face-down and trigger effects that can shield you, punish your opponent, or completely flip the round. First player to reduce the other’s 12 HP to zero wins.

Question 3

What are Stances and Specials?

Accepted Answer

Stances are your backbone — Rock, Paper, and Scissors cards played face-up that build up a damage score the more you stack the same type. Specials are the wild cards: ten different abilities (Shield, Parry, Strike True, Bandage, Last Breath, Momentum, Unstoppable, All In, Chaotic Blade, and Yomi) played face-down so your opponent can’t see them coming. Knowing when to stack Stances versus spring a Special is where the real mind games begin.

Question 4

Can I play against a friend?

Accepted Answer

Yes. One player creates a match and gets a unique invite link — share it however you like (text, Discord, carrier pigeon) and your friend joins instantly. There are no lobbies to navigate and no accounts required on either end. Real-time dueling, zero friction.

Question 5

Can I play solo?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. The AI opponent is available anytime, so you can practice, experiment with new characters, or just get a few rounds in when no one’s around to duel. It’s a solid way to get your head around a new deck before taking it into PvP.

Question 6

How does damage work exactly?

Accepted Answer

Your Stance score starts at 1 and climbs by 1 each time you play the same Stance type consecutively — so three Rocks in a row means you’re hitting for 3 damage when you win the throw. Winning a throw when your score is stacked can swing the game fast, which is exactly why your opponent will be trying to read and break your chain. Each player starts with 12 HP, so a well-timed high-score hit is worth protecting.

Question 7

What’s the point of playing Specials if they don’t raise my Stance score?

Accepted Answer

Specials don’t add to your damage multiplier, but they can completely change the outcome of a round — or the rounds that follow. Shield and Parry protect you from damage. Yomi lets you glimpse your opponent’s hand. All In gambles big, Chaotic Blade counters balanced play, and Last Breath is your desperate final move. They keep every turn genuinely uncertain, even when someone has a massive Stance stack built up.

Question 8

Is there a hand limit or deck limit?

Accepted Answer

Your deck is 24 cards. Each turn you play one card, so managing what you’ve played and what’s left — and what your opponent might still be holding — is a core part of the game. Remembering whether your opponent has already burned their Parry or Last Breath can be just as important as winning the throw.

Question 9

Are there achievements to unlock?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Shadow Hands has an achievements system to reward you for hitting milestones, pulling off specific plays, and exploring different characters and strategies. They’re a good excuse to try things you wouldn’t normally do in a serious match.

Question 10

Can I watch replays of past games?

Accepted Answer

You can. Replays let you go back through any match and see exactly what both players were holding and when. It’s one of the best ways to learn — either reviewing your own decisions or studying how a better opponent outmanoeuvred you.

Question 11

Who are the base characters, and what do I get for free?

Accepted Answer

The Samurai and The Ronin are both free and available to everyone, no purchase needed. They’re balanced, beginner-friendly fighters built to teach you the core mechanics without overwhelming you — a great place to start before exploring the DLC roster.

Question 12

What DLC characters are available, and how much do they cost?

Accepted Answer

DLC characters come in pairs at £6.99 each. The current roster is: Musashi & Kojiro, Dracula & Van Helsing, Sherlock & Moriarty, Robin Hood & Sheriff of Nottingham, and Tesla & Edison. Each pair comes with 12 unique cards per character and custom mechanics that reflect their theme — so Dracula plays very differently from Sherlock.

Question 13

Do DLC characters change how the game plays, or are they just cosmetic?

Accepted Answer

They genuinely change how you play. Each DLC character brings 12 unique cards with their own mechanics layered on top of the core Rock/Paper/Scissors system. Some characters bend the rules in interesting ways — a character’s theme isn’t just flavour, it shapes their whole strategy. If you’ve mastered the base game, DLC characters are where things get wild.

Question 14

Is there a bundle if I want everything?

Accepted Answer

Two options: the All Character Decks bundle gets you all 10 DLC fighters digitally for £89 (saving you over £25 versus buying them separately). If you want both digital and physical, the Samurai Pack is £99 and includes the physical Core Set plus all digital content. More on the physical game in the next section.

Question 15

What’s included in the physical Core Set?

Accepted Answer

The Core Set is a complete two-player experience in a box: 48 cards, 2 player mats, HP trackers, and a quickstart rulebook. Everything you need to play Shadow Hands away from a screen, right out of the box. It’s available to pre-order now for £14.99 and ships in March 2026.

Question 16

Does the physical game play the same as the digital version?

Accepted Answer

The core rules are identical — same card types, same turn structure, same Stance stacking and Special mechanics. The physical version is a faithful translation of the digital game, so anything you’ve learned online carries straight over to the table.

Question 17

Can I use the physical cards with my digital account?

Accepted Answer

The physical Core Set is a standalone product rather than a code-in-a-box. If you want both, the Samurai Pack at £99 bundles the physical Core Set together with all digital content — it’s the best option if you want everything Shadow Hands has to offer.

Question 18

What’s the return policy on physical products?

Accepted Answer

Physical orders can be returned within 30 days for a full refund. Digital purchases (character DLC and bundles) are non-refundable once activated — so if you’re on the fence, start with a free game as the base characters before committing to a DLC pair.

Question 19

What devices can I play Shadow Hands on?

Accepted Answer

Any modern browser works — desktop and laptop are ideal, but tablets and larger mobile screens are supported too (landscape orientation recommended on mobile). There’s no app to install; the game lives at shadowhands.gg and that’s it.

Question 20

What is the Legend system?

Accepted Answer

Legend is a coming-soon feature that creates an AI profile of your personal playstyle — how you tend to throw, when you go aggressive, your favourite Specials. Once trained up, friends can duel your Legend offline even when you’re not around. Think of it as leaving a version of yourself behind for others to challenge.

Question 21

I’ve forgotten what a card does mid-game — is there a reference I can check?

Accepted Answer

The in-game UI surfaces card descriptions during play so you’re never flying blind. For a deeper reference, the quickstart rulebook in the physical Core Set covers all card types and rules, and the site has everything you need to get up to speed before your first match.

Question 22

Something isn’t working — how do I get help?

Accepted Answer

For technical issues, bugs, or anything else, email hello@playprint.ai. If you’ve spotted a bug, a quick description of what happened and what device/browser you were using helps the team track it down fast.

FAQ

Getting Started

Gameplay & Strategy

Characters & DLC

Physical Card Game

Technical & Account