How to Win
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I haven’t lost yet and have been playing the hardest mode only for a bit to unlock the rest of the story/characters so this is just from that perspective… IMO there is very little reason to get 2 of the same card unless it exhausts or very specifically works in a combo.
Keeping your deck small is strong in this game because of how strong the core cards are (compared to other deckbuilders at least, like Slay the Spire).
If you focus on NOTHING but their core cards and like 2-3 extra cards (Issac, Drake, and Max) you can beat the game on the hardest mode – especially with good artifacts. I generally always upgrade their core cards, basic dodge, basic shot (if I am planning on utilizing it for an infinite) unless one of their better cards (that I’ve seen at least) pops up. If I get the remove 2 cards event, I even remove a bunch of cards not listed here (including basic block, the extra basic shots or all of them if I am not going for an infinite combo).
Core Cards Worth Looking At
Max’s Reroll and Shuffle shot cards are equivalent to a good core Dizzy and Peri card and are good easy upgrades for just shield and damage. The reroll is only helpful for some of his other cards but is a bonus.
Drakes core card Emp Slug is pretty OP. It looks bad because of the 2 cost and heat, but when you consider it also stuns, you can 80% of the time take out an active cannon and works really well with a lot of artifacts (the brittle one, heat ones, pierce, energy). In practice, especially if you keep your deck somewhat small, STUN acts similar to evasion because it means you can often take out one more row of cannons vs needing to move out of their way to evade them – which for a smaller ship like the Ares, is really strong (also very powerful with Jupiter drones because it means any time they are attacked, they can just stun and stay out). This is one of the few cards (‘ve seen) that does great damage and stuns. It’s maybe one of the only cards in the game I’d get 2 of if offered early but I rarely every take 2 of the same card.
Issac’s core card – Attack Drone upgrades to the +2 damage version is also very strong early upgrade.
Non-Core Cards Worth Looking At (that I have seen at least)
Issac – Juptier Drones is srong.
Drake – Exothermic Release B is a great card as it exhausts itself but helps with heat management and is a +3 pierce. Heatwave can give you Powerdrive and exhausts itself as well (Cards that exhaust themselves are good in this game).
Max – has a LOT of strong cards that break the game and combo with any of the afformentioned cards. Math.Max is broken B and the easiest infinite in the game (you want infinite damage, evasion, or juptior drones – that’s your card). Cloud save lets you get strong exhausted cards back. Root Access B can make your favorite card come back every turn (so if you want unlimited evasion, choose that one, or choose a strong attack card, etc).
In addition – they all have some really strong artefacts and can dictate the direction of the game you are playing.
Issac – Drone Pierecer means you want to upgrade Attack Drone and get Jupitor Drones.
Drake – Thermo Reactor means you want to get some heat control (1+ energy every turn is a lot).
Max – Transdimention Cockpit sounds horrible but is super OP, especially on a smaller ship. Strong Start (if you can get boyant on a good card or have a small deck) can double your damage output. Stickynote can give a ton of control by allowing you to keep a specific card in hand at all times (and not have to draw it each turn).
I know there are some other great cards that I have seen and not taken, but that is mostly because this game, once you get a good deck going, you are incentivized NOT to take them so I just don’t remember what they are. There are some good looking damage, draw, and other utility cards, but I don’t have them in my codex to speak about them.
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