Starter builds

How to use these guides

Use these tiers to compare rewards from your two disciplines and General. Ratings estimate how well a card fits the build early. Gear, Fractals, and the cards you already own can change the pick.

S is a priority pick for this build. Check the card preview for any setup it needs. A works often. B fills a useful gap. C needs a specific fight or deck. D is usually worth passing on this build.

First Fractals have a base price of 8 Embers and require 10 Mastery in that discipline. Open Third discipline under your build for three options and their Crown prices.

Check how Journey Ember prices rise

First equipment upgrades

Check the Weapon Damage on your equipped primary weapon. The issued Gatewatch Hanger starts at 0, and the loot version has 10 at base. Any positive Weapon Damage is an upgrade from 0. An Uncommon Hearthguard Cudgel or Milestone Maul can get you started. Each point of Weapon Damage adds one point each to Veil, Steel and Vitality.

Ordinary loot starts offering Rare gear on Continent 3. The Rare weapons named below have the same base Weapon Damage of 12. Compare the stats on the item you actually find. For early armor, Shelterroot Hood is an Uncommon option with 30 Armor, 5 Veil and 5 Vitality.

What happens to your starter gear?

New characters receive the Steady Hand Robe as permanent gear. Each new journey issues a Gatewatch Hanger with 0 Weapon Damage and one inlay socket. If you resume that journey, the sword keeps its fitted inlay. When the journey ends, the issued sword and its inlay expire. The robe stays with your character.

Unlock a FractalChoose a victory rewardRead gear statsLearn a third discipline

When to learn a third discipline

Learn a new discipline permanently with run Crowns when a city or archive offers to teach it. Its ability uses the same Gold as your two starting abilities.

Spend Crowns when the new ability solves a problem you keep running into. For Oath of Bone + Phantom Arsenal, Iron Vow is worth considering if a heavy hit can get past your summons. If you already have enough Ward, keep your Crowns for gear or supplies that would help sooner.

Eligible cards can already appear in Unrestricted rewards. You can give the new discipline extra weight in Reward Preferences before your next expedition.

Ember Spear + Soul Mend

Burn a priority target and keep a heal in reserve.

First fight

Start Burning with Cinder Needle or Coalbrand, then use Kiln Pierce while the target is still Burning. Spend your first Gold on Ember Spear when damage will shorten the fight. Keep it for Soul Mend when another enemy action would put you in danger.

First Fractal

Once you have 10 Ember Spear Mastery, buy Burning Spear first for longer fights where you can keep Burning on a target. Consider Triage first if you routinely reach your first Gold under heavy pressure and need immediate Health.

Stats and gear

Prioritize Veil for Fire damage and Vitality for Health and healing. Last Lesson’s Foil is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Shelterroot Hood adds Veil and Vitality with Armor.

Rewards

Take a cheap Burning setup or a payoff you can already activate. When you have enough of both, fill a weak slot with Ward, draw, or a weapon upgrade. Leave spare copies if your hand is already crowded.

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Oath of Bone + Soul Mend

Raise a company, then keep it alive long enough to pay off.

First fight

Start with your cheap cards and preserve Health while you build Gold. Cast Oath of Bone when there is time for your Skeletons to attack. Heal a summon if keeping it alive matters more than recovering yourself. Use Coffin Nail when you can spare the Health and your undead are still on the field.

First Fractal

Start with Triage if burst damage is ending your runs. It gives you immediate healing when the next enemy action is close. Choose Undead Host first if you need more bodies and a replacement if enemies slay both Skeletons. Chosen Champion is the concentrated summon option when you want a single sturdy body.

Stats and gear

Look for Vitality for healing and a larger Health buffer, then Veil for Shadow cards. Bellfounder’s Falchion is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Shelterroot Hood covers Armor, Vitality and Veil. If the weapon slot is covered, choose protection or a cheap card that helps keep your summons active.

Rewards

Take a summon or a card that benefits from one only if your deck can keep undead on the field. If you are arriving at fights injured, take recovery or Ward before adding another Health payment.

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Rime Shackles + Dreadbolt

Buy time with control and spend that time on damage.

First fight

Check the enemy’s next action before you slow it. Use the extra time to land Frost Debt or a direct damage card. Dreadbolt hits harder when you are injured. Keep enough Health or Ward to survive the next action while you wait for that payoff.

First Fractal

Start with Rime Bastion when incoming damage is your main problem. Winter Prison is the alternative when a short Stun gives you time before the enemy finishes preparing its action. Consider Held Arsenal later if you can already keep a safe damage window and usually have cards in hand.

Stats and gear

Start with Veil for Frost and Shadow damage. Add Vitality or Armor if you are falling before your second Gold. The Unbarred Thorn is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Shelterroot Hood is one early defensive option. Look for the same stats on other gear if it misses.

Rewards

Favor cheap cards that turn a delayed enemy action into damage. Add a second control card only when you have enough ways to cash in the extra time. Use a Ward or healing reward when you keep entering fights injured.

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Phantom Arsenal + Iron Vow

Use Emblem follow-ups and keep Ward for the hit that matters.

First fight

Read the Emblem on the card in your hand. Finish a valuable follow-up before its window closes. Use Quick Cut to fit a hit around your Silver plays. Spend Gold on Phantom Arsenal when a clear is in reach and on Iron Vow when you need to live through the next attack.

First Fractal

Start with Weapon Selection. Choose Dagger for two free follow-ups on manual Emblem cards, or Sword for a single follow-up that costs 1 Silver.

Stats and gear

Prioritize Steel and a higher Weapon Damage value. Black Petition Rapier is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Add Vitality or Armor if you are spending all your Gold on Ward.

Rewards

Take affordable Emblem cards and draw that rewards your hit count. Pick recovery or a strong Ward card if your damage is already good and a big hit keeps stopping you.

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Iron Vow + Thousand Mourning Cuts

Stack Bleeding, then decide whether to spend Gold on offense or Ward.

First fight

Start with cheap hits. Play Split Stitch close after a zero-Silver card, then use Blood Hem when the target is Bleeding enough to draw. Spend Gold on Thousand Mourning Cuts when the target is ready for a burst. Use Iron Vow if an incoming hit would stop that plan.

First Fractal

Consider Blood Reaver first when you can safely pay Health for the extra strike. Crimson Dance is the safer fallback when you can build Bleeding before Gold and want to avoid a Health payment. Second Line is an Iron Vow alternative for spaced hits.

Stats and gear

Start with Steel for physical strikes. The Court’s Polite Threat is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Look for Vitality or Armor to cover chip damage and the Blood Reaver Health payment.

Rewards

Favor cheap hits and Bleeding that turns on the rest of the deck. Keep enough Ward to get through the next enemy action. Pass on another conditional payoff if you are still missing the setup.

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Ember Spear + Rime Shackles

Burn an enemy while slowing the action that threatens you.

First fight

Put Burning on the target with Cinder Needle or Coalbrand, then hit it with Kiln Pierce. Use Pale Needle or Rime Shackles when delaying an enemy action gives you time to land another hit. Winter’s Edge pays off while its target is Slowed.

First Fractal

Choose Rime Bastion once you have 10 Rime Shackles Mastery. It adds Ward to your control cast so your Fire setup has time to work. Winter Prison is the fallback when you need a short Stun to delay action readiness. Consider Burning Spear later for fights where you can keep Burning active.

Stats and gear

Aim for Veil for Fire and Frost damage. Open Gate Poleaxe is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Shelterroot Hood adds Veil, Vitality and Armor. Fill any empty armor slots when you need more time to cast.

Rewards

Take an affordable Burning or Slow payoff you can already activate. When both setups are covered, a General heal or Ward can fill the gap left by two offensive disciplines.

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Oath of Bone + Phantom Arsenal

Let summons keep attacking while you finish Emblem follow-ups.

First fight

Use Bone Chit to summon a Skeleton early. Finish an Emblem follow-up when it is worth the time and Silver. Open with Oath when an ally will keep working through a long fight. Use Phantom Arsenal when a direct strike can finish it. Check your Health before Coffin Nail.

First Fractal

Choose Dagger through Weapon Selection if you can use both free follow-ups on manual Emblem cards. Sword gives you one follow-up for 1 Silver. Chosen Champion is the first Oath option when you want one sturdy summon.

Stats and gear

Start with Steel for Emblems. Add Veil if Coffin Nail and other Shadow cards do most of your damage. Linen-Handled Verdict is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Add Vitality or Armor when Health payments limit your choices.

Rewards

Take inexpensive attacks and draw to keep your hand moving. Take another summon when the bodies are doing useful work or when Coffin Nail keeps waiting for setup.

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Dreadbolt + Soul Mend

Turn missing Health into damage when you can survive the next action.

First fight

Use Graveglint for direct damage and Sepulchral Ward to buy time. Dreadbolt hits harder when you are injured. Pause to read the next action before you commit. Spend Gold on Soul Mend when the next hit would end your run.

First Fractal

Start with Living Font if damage keeps arriving in waves. Its regeneration helps you recover through repeated smaller hits. Choose Held Arsenal if damage is the problem and you usually have cards in hand. Devouring converts Health above 10% into Ward, so check what happens if that Ward breaks.

Stats and gear

Look for Veil for Shadow damage and Vitality for recovery. The Unbarred Thorn is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Shelterroot Hood gives early Armor and Vitality. Take another defensive piece if you need more time to cast Dreadbolt.

Rewards

Take a cheap setup such as Exposed or draw when healing is covered. If you keep spending Gold to survive, take Ward or healing you can play with Silver.

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Rime Shackles + Thousand Mourning Cuts

Slow a threat to make room for Bleeding and follow-up attacks.

First fight

Use a zero-Silver attack immediately before Split Stitch. Let Bleeding build so Blood Hem can draw. Spend Gold on Rime if you need time to act. Choose Thousand Mourning Cuts when its hits can finish the target and you can survive the next action.

First Fractal

Choose Rime Bastion first. It adds Ward when you slow the enemy and helps you reach the Bleeding payoff. Winter Prison is the fallback when you need a short Stun to delay action readiness. Consider Crimson Dance when your hand consistently sets up Bleeding before Gold.

Stats and gear

Choose Steel if physical attacks do most of your damage. Choose Veil if you rely on Rime and Frost cards. Kett’s Deliberate Edge is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Use Shelterroot Hood or another piece with Vitality and Armor to survive the next attack.

Rewards

Add a reliable hit before taking another copy of a defensive control card. When damage is covered, choose protection that will get you to the next Bleeding payoff.

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Ember Spear + Iron Vow

Set up Burning and keep Ward for a dangerous hit.

First fight

Apply Burning with Cinder Needle or Coalbrand, then land Kiln Pierce. Build enough Ward to take the next enemy action. Spend Gold on Ember Spear when you can finish sooner. Hold Iron Vow when the next hit threatens the run.

First Fractal

Start with Burning Spear when fights give Burning time to pay off. Choose Black Iron for one heavy hit or Second Line for spaced hits if you need protection first.

Stats and gear

Prioritize Veil for Fire. The Court’s Polite Threat is a Rare weapon example. Take an earlier Weapon Damage upgrade when you find one. Add Vitality and Armor if you need more time to attack. Shelterroot Hood provides both.

Rewards

Pick a Burning payoff or a card that keeps Burning up. Add draw or defense when you have enough damage. Leave a slow heal or expensive defense card when it would sit in your hand.

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