How to Play Aether Relay: Core, Goals and Skills

What is Aether Relay?

Aether Relay is a team orb sport played online in 1v1, 3v3 or 5v5. Both teams contest one glowing core. Carry it into the opposing goal to score. The first team to three goals wins; otherwise, the team ahead after 90 seconds wins. A tied score can extend the match for up to 15 seconds before a draw.

This is a possession game. Chasing every opponent gives away the central route, while carrying the core alone makes it easier to steal. Your first goal is to gain the core; your next is to create a safe path to the far goal.

Collect, carry, pass and steal

Move with WASD or the arrow keys. On touch screens, use the direction buttons. Approach the loose core to collect it; the primary Action button or a click/tap near it can also pick it up. The carrier moves more slowly than a free player, so a teammate can run ahead to receive a pass or draw a defender away.

While carrying, click or tap a destination to throw the core in that direction. This is a useful pass, but a throw does not itself score: a player must carry the core into the opposing goal. After each goal, the core returns to the middle and both teams reset, so be ready for the next opening.

To steal, get close to an opposing carrier and use the primary action. A defended carrier can block a steal with Ward, and a carrier using Phase cannot be stolen during its brief effect. If a direct approach is covered, pressure the carrier's route instead of spending the action from too far away.

Choose three skills that solve different problems

Pick exactly three of six skills before joining. Your selected skills appear on Q, E and R, in that order, or on the three touch buttons. Each has its own cooldown.

• Surge gives a short tempo boost. Use it to reach a loose core or close the final gap to goal.
• Ward blocks one hostile Jam or core steal. Save it for a valuable possession.
• Jam briefly slows a rival. Ward can block it, and Cleanse can remove it.
• Cleanse removes Jam and gives brief protection, useful for a carrier under pressure.
• Echo strengthens the next objective action. In this game, an Echo throw travels faster; Jam suppresses the bonus while it is active.
• Phase briefly protects against a steal and can move you a short distance toward your chosen target.

For a first match, Surge, Ward and Jam cover approach, defense and disruption. In a larger team, one carrier can take Ward while a teammate brings Jam or Cleanse. Counterplay matters more than collecting three attack buttons.

How team size changes the route

In 1v1, the same player must win possession and finish the run. Keep the route through the center open, and do not throw the core without a clear reason. In 3v3, one player can challenge the carrier while another covers the passing lane. In 5v5, spread across the width of the arena: a group chasing the same ball leaves the far goal and the opposite lane exposed.

When your team has the core, move toward the goal as a group without standing on top of the carrier. When the other team has it, put one defender on the carrier and another on the likely escape route. The scoreboard matters at the horn; a one-goal lead is enough if you can protect it.

Play with people, friends or bots

Choose Play Bots for an immediate unranked match with AI in the open seats. Instant Match looks for people first and adds clearly labelled AI after a short wait if seats remain empty. Human Only waits for every player to be a person. The same formats work in 1v1, 3v3 and 5v5.

To play friends, choose Invite friends, share the private link and let them join Alpha or Beta. The host may fill any remaining seats with bots once the friends who want to play have joined. Each bot follows the same core, action and skill cooldown rules as a player.

Start by winning a clean first pickup, carry toward the far goal with one safe passing option, and keep Ward or Cleanse ready for the defender's counter. Play Aether Relay when you are ready to try a match.