In Solgun, every round comes down to a simple choice: Shoot, Shield, or Reload. That is the core of the game.

This guide walks you through exactly how Solgun works, what happens when you enter your first match, and what you need to understand before playing against other players.

Your First Step: The Playable Tutorial

When you enter Solgun for the first time, you are not sent directly into a real match. Instead, the game begins with a playable tutorial.

You will actively play through the mechanics and learn how the game works before any real stakes are involved.

During the tutorial, you experience:

How Shoot, Shield, and Reload interact
How bullets, shields, and lives behave
How real match situations play out
How Ultimate Skills work and when to use them

By the time you finish, you already understand the full structure of the game.

Playing With Stakes

After completing the tutorial, players can enter real matches. Solgun is a PvP game played with real SOL, where two players compete and the outcome determines the result of the match.

Both players enter under the same conditions, and the match is decided entirely by their decisions.

If you're looking for a deeper breakdown of the game's core concept and what makes it different, you can start with what is Solgun.

How a Match Starts

Every match begins with both players in the same state:

3 Lives
3 Shields
0 Bullets

Since neither player has bullets, no one can attack immediately. The first round naturally becomes the moment where both players initiate the match by building their first bullet.

From that point forward, every round becomes a direct interaction between both players' choices.

The Goal of the Game

The objective is simple: reduce your opponent's lives to zero before they do the same to you.

Each successful unblocked shot removes 1 life. When a player reaches zero lives, the match ends.

The Three Core Actions

Every round, both players choose one action.

Shoot

Costs 1 bullet
Deals 1 damage
Cannot be used without bullets

Shield

Blocks an incoming shot
Costs 1 shield when used

Reload

Grants 1 bullet
Leaves you vulnerable if your opponent attacks

How Each Round Resolves

Both players act at the same time. The outcome depends entirely on the interaction:

Shoot vs Reload — shooter deals damage
Shoot vs Shield — attack is blocked
Reload vs Reload — both gain bullets
Shield vs Reload — no damage
Shoot vs Shoot — bullets collide, no damage is dealt

There is no randomness. Once both actions are revealed, the result is always clear.

Resources and Regeneration

Solgun is built around managing three key resources:

Lives — how many hits you can take
Bullets — required to attack
Shields — used to block damage

Shields Regenerate

Whenever you choose an action that is not Shield, you regenerate 1 shield, up to a maximum of 3.

Shoot → +1 shield
Reload → +1 shield
Shield → consumes 1, no regeneration

This means shields are limited, but not permanently lost.

You Can Hold Multiple Bullets

You are not limited to one bullet at a time. You can reload multiple times and stack bullets, giving you more flexibility in how and when you attack.

Match Pacing Systems

To keep matches active and prevent stalling, Solgun includes built-in pacing mechanics.

Free Bullets

Players receive free bullets every 5 rounds, ensuring that both sides regain offensive options over time.

Ultimate Rounds

On Round 10, and then every 20 rounds after, players receive an Ultimate Skill instead of the usual pacing. These moments introduce new decision points and can shift the direction of a match.

Ultimate Skills

Ultimate Skills are powerful abilities that add another layer to the game. They are introduced during the tutorial and become available at specific points during a match.

In general:

They are designed to interact strongly with your opponent's actions
Most gain value when correctly timed against an opponent's attack
Some can also act as direct offensive tools

There is one important rule to understand: when you use an Ultimate Skill, you will not lose a life during that round.

Because of this, ultimates act as both a strategic tool and a safe timing window within the match.

For a deep dive into how each ultimate works and when to use them, read the Ultimate Skills guide.

What to Always Pay Attention To

As you play, the most important information is always visible:

How many bullets each player has
How many shields are available
What actions are possible in the current state

Understanding this allows you to make better decisions each round.

If you want to go beyond the basics and learn how players use this information to gain an advantage, check out the full Solgun strategy guide.

Final Thoughts

Solgun starts from a fully balanced position: same lives, same shields, same starting point. From there, every round is shaped entirely by player decisions.

You build resources. You choose your timing. You react to your opponent. There are no hidden systems and no randomness influencing the outcome. Everything comes down to what both players decide to do.

Learn More About Solgun

Or jump straight into the game and experience it yourself:

Play Solgun

How to Play Solgun: Beginner Guide