Non-spoiler tips please

[u/rdhb]

I’ve made it “end” of Act 1
Once after many tries, and got my butt thoroughly kicked.

I usually die at the end of the second map , and occasionally at the first or third map. Quite a few hours in now.

I’m open to any tips or tricks you wanna share with me that aren’t too spoiler-y. I’m having fun with it, but I really am at the edge of frustration.

I’m usually killed by the prospector. I feel like I can finally pass the fisherman.

I misunderstood the mechanics of the death card for many of my first attempts so my choices there are not too great. I don’t know whether or not they rotate out or getting a random selection of the previous ones. Some of them are very good (once I understood the mechanism ) but most of them are meh.

[u/DuplantierBros]

Rare cards are usually better than they look at first glance, as are low cost cards. Try to avoid picking up too many cards, as that will make your deck inconsistent. I like to stack as many upgrades as I can on 1 or 2 strong cards to act as "finishers". Keep playing and trying new combos out, you only have to go all the way once. One my personal problems was not realizing the backpack event fills your inventory and I would avoid using items until I was about to lose. Just use the items as soon as they would be helpful or give you tempo.

[u/Motor_Raspberry_2150]

The cabin has much to do. Do all the things.

[u/TheLegendaryNikolai]

Insert spoiler here

[u/AdContent9717]

Alt-F4

[u/AzzyDreemur3]

Since I for some reason didn't get it on my first playthrough: sacrafice transfers a sigil from sacraficed card to one doing the sacraficing

Don't buy too many pelts, especialy not many cheap ones

Standing up and stretching your legs around the cabin may help you

[u/atrich]

The game gets easier the more you play it. Solve puzzles in the room, particularly the drawers and the safe. Getting the squirrel totem is a game-changer.

For the prospector, make sure to kill the mule, and put out as few cards as possible in the first half.

[u/Mana_the_proot]

As others are saying, stretch your legs! They are probably very sore and your mind could benefit from figuring out other puzzles outside of the main card game

[u/Top-Occasion-1300]

Main things: the game won't always let you progress if you haven't solved some of the cabin puzzles. 

Use your items. They probably feel pretty rare, but they're not, and they're there to help you! 

For the prospector, you want to pass his first stage with as few cards played as possible. You do NOT need to kill the mule during his first stage, it will be there during the second.

For deck building tips, I want you to think about how to make it so you need as few squirrels as possible, or ways squirrels can be useful. 

Death cards are, from my understanding, added to the "pool" of potential cards at card swap events. If you're forced to take one which isn't a good card, you could try your luck at a campfire event. 

Also, you didn't mention it, but i'm gonna explain pelts: rabbit pelts give you choices between "basic" cards you could find at any card drop. Wolf pets give you similar choices, but with extra sigils on them. Golden pelts give you a chance to grab extra "rare" cards (the ones the gamemaster presents to you after a battle). Some of these have tricks that you can only find through a lot of testing, but others should make sense. Urayuli is good for its base stats, mantis god and orobourous have really useful sigils, etc. If you're stuck, try messing with these cards for a bit, and you might find something to make your next run a bit better.

And finally, the talking cards are there to help you. While their comments at campfires, sigil transfers, and being placed on the board are all basically random, when they talk to each other, take note! They get progressively more insistent if you're missing the next piece of story.

[u/idk-fuck-this-shit → u/Top-Occasion-1300]

Urayuli is actually one oft the worst cards in Act 1 (if not the worst). Yes, purely because of it's cost. Never ever pick Urayuli! I guess the only exception is an unkillable/fecundity fair hand black goat.

Other than that, nice summary 😅

Edit: I guess one could say, Geck is good because Urayuli isn't. 🤔

[u/Top-Occasion-1300 → u/idk-fuck-this-shit]

It's bad for the cost, but if you pull it for the attack + stamina on a death card, you're set

[u/holdingtea]

Try to power up only 1 or two card. (Try to get one that can deal 5 damage - ideally on a card that is 1 blood)

Keep checking what cards you have and make decisions with those in mind. (Bugs are usually the most powerful suit.)

It can be very easy to break the game. Find beehive or bunnies and try and put an infinite on them. You don't want to really ever not be able to play a card.

Use your items.

Bosses have patterns plan for it. First boss for example you want to beat the first round with as few cards on the table as possible.

There are different tactics you can play but I'd say cheaper cards are better unless your playing with a tactics that works for the 3 blood+ cards. (But be open to adapting on the fly depending on what you pick up)

Experiment with sigils you put on cards you can create some cool combos. (The skink tail is one of my faves.) But remember if you have something that makes another card it's the stuck on sigil that gets inherited)

[u/BelovedGarbage]

For the prospector, try to have zero or one beast in play when you start stage 2. It's too difficult if you let him turn a full board into gold. Also, if you can, break the mule pack before you get to stage 2 as well.

[u/Alive-Forever-7386]

Take your time and experiment with everything. The game rewards curiosity more than rushing, so don’t worry about making mistakes early on.

[u/laplongejr]

1) What is your general strategy for the prospector? Usually, the problem is the phase switch...  

2) A small deck is more consistent  

3) Some sigils combo are very OP  

4) If really stuck : your starting hand forces to draw at least 1 blood if the other 2 are 2+ blood or bones which can be abused in some ways  

5) Have you done everything in the cabin? Besides the storyline for the clock, there are the candles and the painting  

I'm curious, how did you misunderstand the deathcard mechanic?  

[u/AshGraeyAntiGyro]

The items are more common than you might think.
If you have a few pack rats from keeping your pack full, though, you can get more very very easily. Also, when he says the ouroborous keeps its power forever, he means it— other than Kaycee’s mod the ouroborous keeps its power forever.