First run, without wasted picks
A practical route from the first hero to a coherent three-hero board, based on the shipped economy and rank rules.
Build one working line before collecting options
The demo starts you at three board slots. Pick a starting hero, then favor heroes whose classes or mechanic tags reinforce what you already have.
A class match matters twice: it narrows the rank-modifier plan and makes class-targeted relics easier to use. A tag match such as Rush, Stall, Burn, Frost, Poison, Shield, or Shards gives you a second axis for item and relic choices.
Rank duplicates with a destination in mind
A duplicate merges into the existing hero. The first rank-up presents that hero's fixed trio of specializations, while later ranks draw modifiers from the relevant class pools.
Read the three specialization pages before committing. They can add a class, active ability, passive ability, or a unique quest item, so the choice can redirect the entire run.
Spend around power spikes
The normal shop reroll starts at 1 shard and increases by 1. Common, rare, and epic items cost 5, 15, and 25 shards. Common, rare, and epic relics cost 10, 20, and 30.
Shard interest pays on intervals of 5, capped at 20. If a purchase does not complete a strong interaction or fix an upcoming fight, keeping the next interest breakpoint is often the more flexible line.