Mischief & Benevolence

Most RNG games end up being a procedural walk through a deck of cards, perhaps coupled with simple mathematics. In some games, you'll be able to tell within a small amount of time if a game will be winnable or not. This game isn't too far away from that scenario - but with two little differences that can make a big impact in your game. The Jokers.

The Safety Net

The deck is most definitely stacked against you. Which is why the Benevolent Joker appearing in a dungeon room can give you a real visceral sense of relief because his options are all about empowerment and improving your chances of not just surviving, but increasing your odds of getting a high score.

Let's start with the simplest ability of all - 'Heal'. By selecting this option, you'll instantly receive +3HP but this is above and beyond the one potion limit that usually applies, meaning you can heal yourself further towards the max of 21HP.

Next we have the popular option to 'Buff' your weapon. This increases your weapons strength by +1, so every monster that you chain will deal less damage. This becomes more valuable when a weapon is of low value. For example, chaining 10 monsters on a 2-value weapon will result in you preventing 10HP of damage over the lifetime of that chain combo.

And finally, we have the ultimate skill move - 'Preview'. Knowledge is power, and in this game, discovering what the next three cards are due to be can be a tactical advantage in knowing when and when not to chain a monster, or using a +10HP potion in this room when you only really need a +5HP potion that is in the next room.

Introducing Chaos

If you're backed into a corner and staring defeat in the face, then the Mischievous Joker is the one you may need to turn to. But for the skilled player, he is a tool for resource manipulation.

Take 'Flee' as the perfect example. It allows you to escape, but crucially, it sends the room's cards to the final room. Imagine you are in a room with two potions. You can only drink one. Instead of trashing the second, use 'Flee' to effectively "air-drop" that extra potion to the final room, saving it for whatever you may face in that final room.

Similarly, 'Swap' is vital for maintaining weapon efficiency. If you have a fresh 10-strength Weapon but the room is full of weak 2s and 3s, you don't want to waste a high-value weapon on low-value trash. Use 'Swap' to bury that weak monster at the bottom of the deck. You save your weapon durability for a worthy target, and delay the nuisance card until the end game.

And then, the ultimate gamble - 'Blind Bet'. This instantly plays the top card of the deck. Desperate players use this to survive, but pro players use it to fish for chain starters. If you are holding that same 10-strength Weapon and the room has no high-value targets, you can't start a chain. Hitting 'Blind Bet' is a calculated risk that the top card might be a King or an Ace—the perfect card to kickstart a massive combo chain.

The Art Of 'Bubbling-Up'

You may find that to extract the maximum number of points in your game, you'll need to learn to manipulate the room queue. We call this Bubbling-Up.

Since you only need to resolve 3 cards to clear a room, the 4th card naturally "bubbles up" into the next room.

If you leave a Joker as that 4th card, you can carry him deeper into the dungeon. Your goal is to bubble a Joker all the way to the final room. If—and only if—you get a Joker to the very last room of the dungeon, you are rewarded with 14 bonus points on the loot screen. If you manage to have both Jokers in the final room? That bonus doubles to 28 points. Do you cash them in to survive the deck, or bubble them up for the high score?

Final Thoughts

For the uninitiated, Jokers are just health packs and escape ropes. But for the true Solturas veterans, they are tools of manipulation. They allow you to bend the RNG in your favor, turning a bad seed into a record-breaking run. Do you hoard the cards to enjoy the bonus points at the end, or do you skillfully manipulate the deck to push for that higher chain combo? Try out some options, and, we'll see you in the dungeon.