CVLT is a competitive trick-taking game with a unique drafting mechanism.

After each trick, each player starting from the winner chooses a card from that trick. This card can be placed face-up in the player's offerings tableau or face-down in their dreams pile.

At the end of the round, cards from the offering tableau are added to the temple, and score points if every card of lower value in that suit has already been added to the temple.

Players also gain points by meeting the conditions of vision cards.

—description from the publisher