> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://heroarenagame.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://heroarenagame.gitbook.io/docs/6.-nft-system.md).

# 6. NFT System

## 6.1 Overview

Hero Arena Play's in-game NFT assets are represented as ERC-721 tokens on BNB Chain. Players truly own their Avatars, BattleFields, Weapons, and Armors — they can be held, traded, gifted, or used as collateral in third-party DeFi protocols, all without permission from Hero Arena Play.

The Marketplace is **live on BSC testnet** and supports peer-to-peer trading of all current NFT asset categories.

### 6.2 Our Anti-Pay-to-Win Principle

Hero Arena Play's NFT design follows a strict principle: **NFTs must enhance expression, ownership, and limited tactical variety, but must never break competitive fairness**. We explicitly reject the traditional "pay-to-win" GameFi model that has destroyed the reputation of the entire category.

Every NFT category below either provides pure visual customization, or carefully bounded tactical variety that preserves balance for free-to-play players. **A player who never spends a cent can compete at the highest ranks of Hero Arena Play.** This commitment is core to our long-term player retention and to attracting serious competitive players who refuse to play P2W games.

### 6.3 NFT Categories

#### Avatars (ERC-721)

Avatars are profile images representing the player across the Hero Arena Play ecosystem — in matchmaking, on leaderboards, in chat, and on the Marketplace. Players purchase and use Avatars they like to express their personality and status.

Avatars are **pure cosmetic NFTs with zero gameplay impact**. Owning a rare Avatar grants no competitive advantage whatsoever.

#### BattleFields (ERC-721)

BattleFields are alternative match maps that players can purchase, in addition to the free default map every player has access to. Premium BattleFields introduce **Premium Tiles** — special grid tiles with limited tactical effects such as defense bonuses, attack bonuses, or movement modifiers.

Premium Tile effects are deliberately constrained to preserve fairness:

* **Symmetric application.** Tile effects apply equally to both players whose units occupy them — never to only one side.
* **Full visibility.** The tile layout is fully visible to both players before the match begins. There is no hidden information.
* **Free baseline.** A player using the free default BattleField is never at a fundamental disadvantage. Premium BattleFields offer different tactical puzzles, not stronger ones.

BattleFields create the only category of NFT in Hero Arena Play that has a measurable gameplay impact, and even there the impact is symmetric and bounded by design.

#### Weapons (ERC-721)

Weapon NFTs change the **visual appearance** of a hero's weapon during combat. Players customize how their hero looks on the battlefield with weapons of different styles, eras, and aesthetics.

The combat statistics of weapons (attack power, special effects, etc.) are **fixed by hero type and identical regardless of which Weapon skin is equipped**. A free player and a player owning a Mythic Weapon NFT have exactly the same combat performance with that hero.

#### Armors (ERC-721)

Armor NFTs change the **visual appearance** of a hero's armor and outfit. Like Weapons, Armors are **pure cosmetic skins** — defense stats and damage reduction are fixed by hero type and unaffected by Armor skin choice.

Players can mix and match Armor and Weapon styles to create a unique visual identity for their hero collection across all matches and tournaments.

### 6.4 Rarity Tiers

| Tier      | Drop Rate | Visual Treatment               | Notes                                              |
| --------- | --------- | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Common    | 70%       | Standard frame                 | Baseline visual variants                           |
| Rare      | 20%       | Blue frame + glow              | Above-average visual quality                       |
| Epic      | 7%        | Purple frame + animated border | Distinctive aesthetic, higher detail               |
| Legendary | 2.5%      | Gold frame + animated portrait | Premium visual treatment, often themed             |
| Mythic    | 0.5%      | Animated full-art treatment    | Ultra-rare collector pieces, often event-exclusive |

Drop rates apply to standard NFT mints and reward chests. Special event mints may have modified rates (transparently disclosed before each event).

> **Important:** Rarity tier affects **visual quality and scarcity only**, not gameplay performance. A Common Weapon and a Mythic Weapon equipped on the same hero produce identical combat outcomes. The Mythic Weapon is more valuable because of its rarity and aesthetic appeal, not because it makes you stronger.

### 6.5 How to Acquire NFTs

**Free starter set.** Every new player receives a free starter set of basic Avatar, default BattleField, default Weapon skins, and default Armor skins on first wallet connection — sufficient to play all game modes including ranked PvP and Wager Battles.

**Direct mint from in-game shop.** Purchasable with $HAP from the in-game shop. Players choose specific NFTs they want rather than blind-pulling from packs, ensuring transparent acquisition.

**PvE rewards.** Challenges and (later) Dungeons reward NFTs to first-time completers and top performers.

**Tournament prizes.** Special-edition NFTs are awarded to tournament winners — these are typically Legendary or Mythic and cannot be obtained any other way.

**Marketplace.** Peer-to-peer trading with other players. All Marketplace transactions pay a fee to the protocol (see Economy Design).

**Faction launch events.** When a new faction goes live, a limited-time event distributes faction-themed NFTs to active players.

### 6.6 Marketplace

Hero Arena Play's Marketplace is currently **live on BSC testnet** and supports:

* Fixed-price listings
* Time-limited auctions
* Price history per asset
* Filtering by NFT type, rarity, and aesthetic theme
* Bulk listing tools for high-volume traders

**Marketplace fee structure (planned for mainnet):**

* 5% transaction fee on every secondary-market sale
* Of that 5%: **2% buyback** of $HAP from the open market (then burned), **2%** to the development treasury, **1%** to the staking-rewards pool

This routes the bulk of secondary-market activity into deflationary pressure on $HAP, aligning long-term token holders with active player-traders.

### 6.7 Self-Custody Guarantee

Hero Arena Play does not custody player NFTs at any time. All assets live in the player's own wallet. The game contracts have read access to verify ownership during matches but cannot transfer, freeze, or burn player assets without explicit player approval through standard ERC-721 approval flows.