This is a bit tricky as a flexable scheme to put out your points are the best; depending if it is early in a run, mid or late.

Early in a run go for strength tree;

add a few points into "GREED"
(normally those that is "left over" to safely reach 10x damage as fast as possible)

and continue
(up until you get the 10x Damage) "MASK OF FIRE" 1point

......
and then if you know you have the points for it start go up the Dexterity tree; to reach
PHOTOSYNTESIS, 10 points
(so you no longer have any Energy problems)

....
Then You can start add points into RAGE OF DARKNESS (Strength tree;) and NIMBLE FINGERS in dexterity tree: as you see fit.

(side note; remember to collect black wax so you can invest in BLACK WAX STORE: Value of Rubies early) (drops from bats) 5 Black wax for 100% more rubies



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Mid run; (this will be the late stage early in the game)
(Begins once you can reach BLACKSMITH CRAFT (in Strength)




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Late run; (early game this stage is not needed)
Begins once you can reach; BONFIRE FLAME (Strength tree) and the PILGRIM MASK;
Take note; do not take MASK OF FIRE

and from now on you invest heavily into the BONFIRE FLAME

And a bit later the ratio should look like something like the following.


There might be times where yo feel you do not have that extra damamge needed to finish off a boss in a run, (most likly one of the last two ones)
Where you need adapt your build to include: INDEFATIGABILITY with 30-50 points and MARCH 8 points:(Both in strength)




and if you have points over (not needed) invest up to 30 points into PHOTOSYNTESIS to keep the rapid attacks going as much as possible during and when the MARCH is activated.

Prio 1:
The Shard "currency"
What to spend on and what not.

Early game:
Go straight for the +1 Sp per level ignore everything else.
Atleast 4 times.
Do not at this stage spend any shards on anything other then this.
Do not fall for the temptation to increase your energy/mana at any cost. (this will slow you down) (the dexterity energy increase is more then enough)

Midgame:
Invest into either
80% wax
50% damage
50% experience
or
100% rubies

All 4 are about equally viable and choice is depending on what build you have found works the best for you.

My personal fave is the 100% rubies as it is the one that most increases the early run speed for during a "level" while the +1 SP increases the late run speed.

"Endgame"
Once you feel that you have found a balance that works for you start invest into more +1 SP on levelup

...............................................
Now what to do with your hard earned Black Wax.
...............................................
Early game:

Here it is a cointoss about what is best.
but id say EXP from monsters/EXP gain/Total damage,
but do not underestimate the value of "Value of rubies" and "initial damage".

"Value of rubies" and "initial damage" is actually extreamly useful for its cost.
Why?

Example below a "perfect" early run use of black wax bit later into the game:


They cheaply "earn" you Grim Chests and "Grim chests" in combo with "Rich Chests" will save you a TON of time when used at the right time. /Game keeps track on how many chests you have left of each sort so just "save them".
Why?

Cause they contain Black Wax.

AND

This Black Wax (Grim chests) and coins (Rich chests) can be used to MASSIVELY increase you run speed during "tricky" levels where for example say 1/6 debuff of soul regen; energy/mana pool size; is making the runs much slower.

= I open as many chests i feel is good right at the start of these runs (normally 1 Rich chest and 2 or 3 Grim chests depending on "drop")

This makes the value of putting Black wax into "Value of rubies" and "initial damage" really good.

Not to mention the other stuff in the chests are great for "disassemble" in the crafting mode.

There are several kinds of items I wont be touching upon here and that means if i do not mention a specific item type just dismantle them without a second thought as they are just taking up space in your inventory.


Weapons;
Only useful wepons are:
Knifeblade and Heavy Swords
.....
No other type is desired.

In Knifeblade you want to have (starting weapon is more then ok to go with all game)
if you increase its QUALITY and CHARM it with items that lowers BASE COST for each Quality level.
so you get the base cost to preferbly be 1.

= Lower base cost mulipiles with each Quality level =
Stone of Dominance = +2 damage and -2 Base cost per Q-level
= Example: Wep quality = 6 = +12 and -12 just from 1 Stone of Dominance

THIS KNIFE BLADE should also have

2 or 3 charms of + 3 Energy when a monster dies
= makes the early game so much faster and thus saves you TONS of time.
= every mob gives back 6-9 energy when they dies...
Which is perfect early game before you get the 10 points into PHOTOSYNTESIS.
and by that time you can start use your HEAVY SWORD.
.....................
Heavy Sword: Preferbly with a +90million Base cost

and later a PRIMAL HEAVY SWORD.... with a base cost above 90million...(can take LONG to get)
that one CHARM as much as possible with;
+1% Damage per item level (Prio)
....
later after level Quality is atleast 10...
You can begin invest in some charms that reduces level up costs with 0.80% (it stacks up so 10 of them reduces level up cost with 90% = 20 = 99%)
and
the Stone of Claws
that reduces Base level cost with 5 and increases Weapon damage with 20% (great in combo with the +1% damage per item level)

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COMBAT GLOVES:
One of the most useful items in this game:
You will not need more then 3 of these at any time.
.........................
RING OF STRENGTH and GOLDEN RING OF STRENGTH
(best are the Golden ones; but the standard ones are just great as is)
Here you want 4 of these (3 that you use most of the time and 1 extra for when you need).


And that is pretty much everything one need in this game as it stands this JUNE 2020.


Do not hesitate to disasemble everything else.
Even the Stone of thief Base cost -10 (does not get upgraded per Q level) = the others are much better.
It just takes inventory space.
......


EXTRA NOTE
....
Good thing to have is a few (up to 4) extra Heavy swords with high base cost for the runs where only weapons are needed. They dont raise that much damage but it can be enough sometimes to shorten your run.

Later into the game you want to get 1 RAINBOW and 1 BUZZING weapon that increases your critt chance to 1/7 and gives you DOUBLE the damage after a critt for 1.5 sec. (perfect to down bosses with) in combo with the PILGRIM MASK.


.........................................

and lastly
It is ofc possible to go full critt build in this game and focus on the Dexterity tree and its skills.
but that is not as START UP friendly as this guide is focused upon to be.

Early in the game:
Just skip using curses unless your DPS is high enough; but even with that I would just skip it as you want to fast get Boss chests and +1 SP per level from the shard shop as fast as possible.

getting the first skull could be great to go for early as it will give 50% extra DPS (but someone needs to confirm that it is easy to get it as it wasnt available when I was in early stage of game.)

Whats so great about the boss chests?
They contain a HIGH chance to get what you most need for almost no cost.

1 in 3 boss chest if not less 1/2 will give you something that will really speed up your runs.