The Five Factions

Overview

Five legendary factions locked in an eternal cycle of conquest. Each faction has a unique identity, defeating two others while being vulnerable to two.

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SHADOW — The Kage

Shadow Faction

Attribute	Value
Clan ID	1
Title	The Kage
Archetype	Assassin
Element	Darkness
Defeats	Spirit, Wind
Defeated By	Blade, Pillar

"Strike from the shadows. Leave no trace."

The Shadow faction represents stealth and assassination. Masters of darkness who excel at eliminating ethereal (Spirit) and ranged (Wind) opponents, but struggle against direct combat (Blade) and fortified defense (Pillar).

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BLADE — The Steel

Blade Faction

Attribute	Value
Clan ID	2
Title	The Steel
Archetype	Samurai
Element	Metal
Defeats	Shadow, Pillar
Defeated By	Spirit, Wind

"One cut, one kill. The path of steel."

The Blade faction represents martial perfection. Disciplined warriors who cut through shadows and shatter fortifications, but are outmaneuvered by the ethereal (Spirit) and outranged by archers (Wind).

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SPIRIT — The Ghost

Spirit Faction

Attribute	Value
Clan ID	3
Title	The Ghost
Archetype	Phantom
Element	Ether
Defeats	Blade, Wind
Defeated By	Shadow, Pillar

"Beyond flesh, beyond steel."

The Spirit faction transcends physical combat. Their ethereal nature lets them phase through blade strikes and dodge arrows, but they're vulnerable to darkness magic (Shadow) and grounding force (Pillar).

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PILLAR — The Monk

Pillar Faction

Attribute	Value
Clan ID	4
Title	The Monk
Archetype	Guardian
Element	Earth
Defeats	Shadow, Spirit
Defeated By	Blade, Wind

"Unmovable. Unbreakable. Eternal."

The Pillar faction embodies absolute defense. Their grounded presence dispels shadows and anchors spirits, but their immobility makes them vulnerable to precision strikes (Blade) and ranged assault (Wind).

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WIND — The Arrow

Wind Faction

Attribute	Value
Clan ID	5
Title	The Arrow
Archetype	Marksman
Element	Air
Defeats	Blade, Pillar
Defeated By	Shadow, Spirit

"Swift as air, sharp as death."

The Wind faction dominates through range and precision. Their arrows pierce armor and strike stationary targets, but they're ambushed by shadows and phased through by spirits.

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The Pentagon

graph TD
    SHADOW -->|defeats| SPIRIT
    SHADOW -->|defeats| WIND
    BLADE -->|defeats| SHADOW
    BLADE -->|defeats| PILLAR
    SPIRIT -->|defeats| BLADE
    SPIRIT -->|defeats| WIND
    PILLAR -->|defeats| SHADOW
    PILLAR -->|defeats| SPIRIT
    WIND -->|defeats| BLADE
    WIND -->|defeats| PILLAR

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Faction Summary

Faction	Image	Defeats	Defeated By
SHADOW		Spirit, Wind	Blade, Pillar
BLADE		Shadow, Pillar	Spirit, Wind
SPIRIT		Blade, Wind	Shadow, Pillar
PILLAR		Shadow, Spirit	Blade, Wind
WIND		Blade, Pillar	Shadow, Spirit

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Strategic Implications

No Dominant Faction

Every faction has exactly:

• 2 victories (targets)

• 2 defeats (predators)

• 1 neutral (itself)

This creates perfect balance where no faction is inherently superior.

Metagame Dynamics

The "best" faction to join depends on:

1. Current TVL distribution

2. Expected player behavior

3. Time remaining in deposit phase

As more players join a faction, its predators become more valuable targets.