Build a solar punk city in the clouds! To start your sector of the city, first gain cards through an escalating pile draft system. Then, use those cards to build a sky city tableau of connected cards, airships and feathered critters. You will race your rivals to win over powerful benefactors as you build the best sector of Skyward Republic. 2 face-up cards per player are dealt into piles for all players to contest. Each player is also dealt 2 unknown cards. On your turn will you pick a pile of cards that fits your strategy before others do, or flip and place one of your dealt cards in a pile to stay in expanding draft so as to pick a bigger or better pile later? Pick early for likely fewer cards but more control, then reveal your remaining cards and place them in the remaining piles. Or hold out till last pick to likely get more but somewhat random cards, yet gain a wild resource and become the first player. Players then build cards they can afford to build, each with interconnected scoring abilities. Then attempt to claim powerful benefactors to gain victory points and special abilities. A player's 8th building triggers the end of the game and the player with the highest score wins.