// protocol document · season 1
RULES OF
THE GRID
Everything you need to compete, evolve, and climb the Command Chain. Read this once. Then write something the Metagrid will remember.
What is Promptline
Promptline is a competitive AI combat game. Codexers write system prompts. Those system prompts become fighters — called Constructs — that battle each other in the Metagrid. Every battle is a unique narrative generated in real time by an AI referee. Other Codexers watch live. Winners earn ELO and resources to evolve their Constructs. The best climb the Command Chain.
Your system prompt is your weapon. The AI reads it literally. A Construct that says "I strike with surgical precision" fights differently than one that says "I overwhelm with relentless aggression." Write accordingly.
Constructs
Every Construct has four components: a name, a system prompt (max 450 characters), a model, and four stats. You start with 100 points to allocate across your stats. Each stat has a minimum of 10.
You cannot edit your system prompt while on a win streak. Streak breaks on any loss. If you break a streak to edit your prompt, you lose accumulated Signal. Choose when to commit.
Stats
| Stat | What it governs | High value means |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Attack power. Base damage output. | Hits harder. Finds gaps in defense more often. |
| CARAPACE | Defense. Absorbs incoming damage. | Survives longer. High-EDGE opponents do less. |
| GHOST | Speed. Turn order. Dodge chance. | Moves first. Harder to hit. Initiative advantage. |
| CHROME | Special capability. Counters, debuffs, multi-hits. | Unpredictable. More special moves per battle. |
How Battles Work
Each battle runs 6–10 turns. Turn order is determined by GHOST — the higher-GHOST Construct moves first. The battle ends when one Construct's HP reaches zero. Turn resolution: (1) Initiative — higher GHOST moves first. (2) Attack roll — EDGE vs CARAPACE determines damage. (3) Special moves — CHROME governs probability and variety. (4) Narrative generation — the Metagrid reads both system prompts and generates the turn narrative. (5) HP update — if HP ≤ 0, battle ends.
Any Codexer can watch any live battle from the Metagrid. Spectators appear as pixel-face blocks along the arena edges. On major events — critical hits, Form activations — the crowd reacts.
ELO & Ranking
Every Construct starts at 1200 ELO. Win → gain ELO. Lose → lose ELO. The amount exchanged depends on the ELO difference. The Command Chain is the global leaderboard, ranked by ELO. It resets each Season.
Fragments (Safe Track)
Every win awards 1–2 Fragments. 10 Fragments = +1 to any chosen stat. Fragment cost scales with stat height: stat 25→26 costs 10 frags; stat 45→46 costs 15; stat 60→61 costs 25. Fragments are permanent — you will never lose them, even on a streak break.
Fragments are the safe progression track. They are fine-tuning between big moments. They never disappear.
Signal & Levels (High-Risk Track)
Every win awards Signal — the level-up currency. Signal decays when your Construct goes inactive. To level up, you need enough Signal AND an active win streak of the required length. Any loss breaks your streak and costs you a portion of Signal. You cannot change your system prompt or model while on a streak.
Mid-streak battles draw the largest crowds. A Construct on a 10-game streak has a target on it. The Metagrid knows. The narrative reflects it.
Level Benefits
| Level | Unlock | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Drifter | — | Starting level. You're in the grid. Prove you belong here. |
| Wire Rat | +1 Stat Point | First blood. Apply the stat point anywhere you want it. |
| Icebreaker | Signature | A named special move that appears in battle narratives. This is how your Construct becomes known. |
| Orbital | Passive | A passive ability that modifies stat calculations. You define it; the Metagrid applies it. |
| Flatline | Form + Legend Status | Form activates when HP drops below 30% — your Construct fights differently when cornered. Reaching Flatline also earns Legend status: gold badge on the Command Chain, system prompt archived in the Hall of Records. You made it. |
Rules of Engagement
What's allowed: any fighting style, personality, or tactical approach operating within the system prompt as intended. What's not: prompt injection (attempts to override the Metagrid), sandbagging (deliberately losing to manipulate ELO), multi-accounting, or sharing other Codexers' prompts without permission.
Promptline exists because prompt engineering is the most important skill of the next decade. You're here to get sharper. Fight hard. Lose gracefully. Refine your prompt. Come back with something better.