How to Play

  1. Enter a gamertag (stored in a KV-backed session token)
  2. Pick a fighter from 15 characters across 5 types
  3. Choose Multiplayer (real opponent via WebSockets) or Bot (practice)
  4. In multiplayer, a wager negotiation phase lets both players bet LennyCoin on the outcome
  5. If you have items in your inventory, a selection phase lets you equip one item for the match
  6. First turn is randomly assigned (unless someone uses the First-Mover Advantage item)
  7. On your turn, pick a move, then answer a trivia question about your opponent's podcast interview
  8. Correct answer = full damage. Wrong answer = 0 damage to opponent + recoil (50% of the move's power as self-damage)
  9. Turns alternate until one fighter reaches 0 HP

Damage Formula

damage = round(move.power * (attacker.ATK / defender.DEF) * typeMultiplier)

High-power moves hit harder on correct answers but carry greater recoil risk on wrong answers.

Type System

Five types form a rock-paper-scissors circle:

Growth>Data
Data>Design
Design>Product
Product>Engineering
Engineering>Growth

Each fighter's moves match their own type, so type effectiveness depends on the matchup between fighters, not move selection. Lenny Rachitsky is Product type but has moves spanning multiple types.

Fighters

Elena Verna
Growth
Growth Advisor
Nir Eyal
Growth
Behavioral Designer
Shreyas Doshi
Product
Product Strategist
Marty Cagan
Product
Product Discovery Pioneer
Teresa Torres
Product
Discovery Coach
Brian Chesky
Engineering
Airbnb CEO
Dylan Field
Engineering
Figma CEO
Eric Ries
Engineering
Lean Startup Author
Julie Zhuo
Design
Design Leader
Scott Belsky
Design
Adobe CPO
April Dunford
Design
Positioning Expert
Seth Godin
Data
Marketing Sage
Gibson Biddle
Data
Netflix Product Leader
Kim Scott
Data
Radical Candor Author
Lenny Rachitsky
Product
The Podcast Host

Items

Players can equip one item per match from their inventory. Items cost LennyCoin and are consumed on use.

Common

The Hook Model (150 LC)
Eliminates one wrong trivia answer option
Pivot Potion (150 LC)
Blocks self-damage from one wrong trivia answer

Uncommon

Blitzscaling Bomb (200 LC)
+30% ATK for the match, but -15% DEF
Moat Builder (200 LC)
+30% DEF for the match
First-Mover Advantage (175 LC)
Guarantees you go first
Hockey Stick (175 LC)
One attack deals 2x damage

Rare

Runway Extension (250 LC)
Restore 30% of max HP once during the match
Product-Market Fit Shield (300 LC)
Nullifies type advantage/disadvantage for one attack
The Memo (250 LC)
See opponent's selected move before choosing yours
Scope Creep (300 LC)
Opponent's next correct answer counts as incorrect

Epic

Founder Mode (350 LC)
Steal opponent's highest-power move for one use
Bridge Round (400 LC)
If KO'd, revive with 20% HP (once)

LennyCoin Economy

Credits