The first five waves
The opening waves decide the run more than the boss does. Move constantly, grab every material, and do not stand in the spawn flow.
Pick up a second weapon at the first shop. Match its tag to your first weapon so both scale from the same stat.
Spend the early levels on one defensive stat. A little Armor or Dodge early beats a fourth weapon you cannot survive to use.
Read your stat line
Your stat line is the most important screen in the game. Max HP and Armor keep hits from ending the run. Dodge lets some hits miss entirely.
Regen heals you between fights. Lifesteal heals you while you fight. Attack Speed and Crit raise damage without a new weapon.
Do not spread levels across every stat. A focused line that supports your tag beats a flat, balanced one.
The habits that keep runs alive
Keep moving so enemies never surround you. Ranged weapons help, but motion matters more than range alone.
Use the shop between waves for weapons first, then defense. Rerolls are tempting but cost materials you need for the next purchase.
When a wave breaks, fall back to open ground. Tight corners are where a run ends.
The shop is where runs are won, because materials convert directly into stats. Buy a second weapon that shares your first weapon’s tag before spending anything on passive items. If the run feels fragile around wave 8, buy defense instead of a third weapon. Walking away from a bad shop with materials intact beats a weak purchase almost every time.
Where to go next
Read stats explained to learn what each stat does. Then open weapons by class to pick tags that match your character.