In-run power versus permanent power
Nightreign separates two kinds of strength. Dormant powers apply to the run you are in. Relics stay with you afterwards. Confusing them leads to planning mistakes, especially around what to prioritise during a run.
Treat dormant powers as this run’s temporary answer, not as long-term investment.
Read the trigger, not just the number
A passive is only as good as how often it fires. A large bonus that triggers rarely can lose to a small one that applies constantly.
Before taking one, picture your actual rotation. If the trigger is not something you do anyway, the number is decoration.
Synergy beats raw size
Passives stack with each other and with your Nightfarer’s strengths. Two modest bonuses that reinforce the same plan usually beat one big bonus pointing somewhere else.
Look for sets that multiply what you do well rather than patching a weakness you can avoid playing into.
When to take defence
There is a point where extra damage no longer pays because you cannot survive long enough to use it. Take survivability when you are dying, and damage when you are not.
The honest test is what killed you last attempt. Patch that, not something abstract.
Do not hoard choices
Waiting for a perfect option means finishing the run with nothing taken. Take reasonable value early and improve later, because unused choices are the same as not having had them.
Grab the team-wide powers
Some dormant powers help the whole trio, not just you. Take those even when they do not touch your own kit, because a stronger team clears the Nightlord faster than a stronger solo.
Re-read after you gear up
A power that looked weak at spawn can become central once you find a weapon that triggers it. Re-check your dormant options after each big pickup rather than locking in early.