The Duskbloods Game Modes: Standard, No Alliances, and Pairs

Which game modes were in the Network Test?

The Network Test matchmaking menu offered three rule selections: Standard, No Alliances, and Bloodbound Alliances. Standard was selected by default. These were rule variants for Dusk Battles rather than separate single-player campaigns, and their availability in the final release has not been fully detailed.

Rule	How it worked in the Network Test
Standard	Used the normal Dusk Battle structure and allowed temporary player alliances.
No Alliances	Prevented Bloodsworn from forming alliances with one another.
Bloodbound Alliances	Put all Bloodsworn into two-player blood pacts for the entire match.

How did Standard alliances work?

In a normal Dusk Battle, one Bloodsworn could send an alliance request to another. Once accepted, allied players could not damage each other, and Sword Virtue and Oath Virtue earned in the Ritual Ground were shared with the ally.

The alliance was temporary. It ended in the final phase, so allied players who both survived could become direct opponents in the concluding battle.

What changed in No Alliances?

The No Alliances rule disabled the ability to form player alliances. The official guide does not announce other special changes to scoring, phases, player count, or progression, so it should be understood narrowly: the alliance system was unavailable under this rule.

How did Bloodbound Alliances work?

Bloodbound Alliances paired all Bloodsworn from Phase I through the final phase. Unlike a Standard alliance, the blood pact remained active during the conclusion, and the two partners shared the final victory.

The official guide says the release version is planned to include a feature for entering matchmaking already in a blood pact with an invited friend. It does not yet confirm launch-day availability, party restrictions, or every matchmaking region.

Does The Duskbloods have a solo mode?

The announced game is built around online multiplayer, and these Network Test selections were multiplayer rule variants. Nintendo lists one player on a single system and one to eight players online, but no separate offline story campaign has been announced. See the single-player and PvE overview for the current official distinction.

Source

• Official Network Test gameplay guide