Bloodstones is a fantasy wargame for 1-6 players featuring six different races, each with its own specific powers and its own mix of units, represented by domino-shaped tiles. Some of these units will be unique to that race, such as dragons to the Dragon Riders and giants to the Hill Folk.

The aim of the game is to have the most victory points, which can be gained by building your own villages and raiding those of other players and by winning battles.

At the start of the game, players arrange their tiles in stacks. From these, they draw a starting hand of nine. Players then decide where to place their citadel and which tiles will be placed with it. The tiles are multi-use. When placed on the board, they becomes units, with the type indicated by the symbol in the center. In your hand, tiles can be used to build other units, move units, improve your combat strength, build villages, and raid villages.

The main part of the game proceeds with player turns. On your turn, you can perform as many actions as you wish, although some actions have restrictions as to when you can perform them. After you have completed your actions, draw back to your hand size of six tiles. If you exhaust your stock of tiles, then shuffle your discarded ones to make a new draw stock. You also score victory points for villages you have on the board.

The game ends when each player has scored points a number of times. With two players, this will be three times; for three or more players, two times.