STS2 Act 1 Strategy Guide

Act 1 Overview

Act 1 is the foundation of your run. The choices you make here often decide whether the rest of the run succeeds or fails.

Map Routing Basics

Route Planning

• Fit in 1 to 2 Elite fights: Relic rewards are crucial
• Check Rest Site placement: Ideally you can heal after an Elite
• Shops: Use them to remove starter cards and buy Relics
• Question marks (events): Usually low risk with decent upside

How to Beat Elites

• Judge whether your starter deck plus a few added cards can win the fight
• Do not hoard potions: Act 1 potions are most efficient when spent on Elites
• If you cannot win, do not force it and route around them

Card Pick Priorities

Cards to Prioritize

• Quick, immediate Attacks: Covers the damage shortfall of the starter deck
• Block skills: Reliable defense
• AoE cards: Essential for multi-enemy fights
• Low-cost cards: Keeps you fluid on 3 Energy

Cards to Avoid

• High-cost Power cards: Too slow in the early game
• Cards that require a combo: Weak until the other pieces arrive
• Cards that do not match your deck's direction

Boss Strategy

Act 1 bosses are beatable with fundamentals.

• Block: Enough defense to answer the boss's big hits
• Damage: Enough offense so the fight does not drag forever
• Potions: Keep at least one in reserve for the boss

Common Mistakes

• Skipping so many Elites that you end up short on Relics
• Picking too many cards and bloating your deck
• Always choosing heal at Rest Sites and never upgrading
• Saving potions so tightly that you die holding them

This article is updated as STS2 patches ship.