The first thing you should do after Neow's blessing: check which Act 1 boss you are facing. Each boss demands a fundamentally different approach to deck building during Act 1. Slime Boss tests your burst damage. Hexaghost tests your ability to scale within a fixed timeline. Guardian tests single-target damage and mode-switching preparedness. Drafting for the wrong boss can end your run before Act 2.
Slime Boss — the burst damage check
Slime Boss splits into smaller slimes based on its remaining HP threshold. The fight rewards decks that can deal concentrated damage in the first few turns to prevent an overwhelming split. If the split leaves too many medium slimes, your block can be overwhelmed.
Priority picks: high-damage single-target attacks (Bludgeon, Carnage, Glass Knife). AOE attacks (Cleave, Sweeping Beam, Breakthrough) are essential after the split. Multi-hit attacks help since they can damage multiple slimes efficiently.
Avoid: slow scaling cards that take several turns to pay off (Demon Form, Defragment without orb support). These give Slime Boss time to split and overwhelm you.
Potion tip: attack potions, strength potions, and AOE potions are excellent. Use them BEFORE the split threshold.
Hexaghost — the fixed-timeline scaling test
Hexaghost attacks in a known pattern with a fixed timeline. On turn 2, it debuffs you. It has a big attack on specific turns. The fight is a race: can your deck scale fast enough to kill it before its big attacks become lethal?
Priority picks: scaling cards that improve over time (Inflame, Spot Weakness, Footwork, Focus sets), defensive cards that can handle predictable big hits (Impervious, Glacier), and consistent block engines.
Hexaghost punishes decks that are all burst with no longevity. If your deck can deal 40 damage on turn 1 but only 10 on turn 4, Hexaghost wins.
Potion tip: block potions and weak potions are excellent for surviving Hexaghost's predictable heavy turns.
Guardian — the mode-switching durability test
Guardian alternates between defensive mode (high block) and offensive mode (more damage). During defensive mode, you MUST get through its block to deal meaningful damage. Guardian punishes low-damage decks that cannot break the shell.
Priority picks: cards with penetrate or shield break mechanics, scaling damage (strength, poison that ticks through block), enough defense to survive offensive mode turns.
Guardian particularly punishes poison decks that have not found a Catalyst yet — poison only ticks on the enemy's turn, and Guardian alternates modes anyway. A slow poison start can mean taking hits from both modes.
Potion tip: strength potions, attack potions, and explosives are excellent for Guardian.