Here is a full 100% save file for both gameplay and scenes.
All scenes unlocked, all game modes unlocked, max roguelite profile rank(master ninja rank 9)
Save files are in game folder > resources > save
Also here are some builds I found good success with for all sects.
Generally speaking - your goal is to always play a 'single element' build in core 3 sects. On your second level up you will get a 'free Chi' point which will always ensure you have at least 1 of your element Chi.
Most of the time you simply reroll for your Chi type unless enemy does something against that.
Most important tip:
To 'reset RNG' you can press F5 before turn finishes to reset from start of the turn. This is especially important in shop before boss to ensure you get something neat to buy as it won't take many reloads to get something useful.
Monkey Sect:
Monkey sect has 2 rerolls per turn BUT they are stackable up to 4 if you don't use them. This is arguably worst reroll method out of all sects.
Monkey sect 'ultimate' skill is a 1 fire+1 earth damage(2 damage essentially) for every card used this turn. Not too suitable for this sect sadly, so it's certainly worst ultimate out of them all.
Both builds are viable, but earth one has more stability on higher levels.
Both builds of monkey sect however are overall weaker or harder to build than best ones of eagle and snake sect. Partly due to next to useless ultimate skill.
1) Fire build:
Fire build essentially is simply damage. Often partly with burning.
Part of build survival comes from 'level up' trait deeper into the levels which gives health per fire card used.
Core items:
One good 'generic' item is 'golden rod' - gives health for every 4 damage dealt. Up to 15 each hit.
Since fire build is mainly offensive this is important to heal up.
There are technically 3(yep, really) versions of fire build.
One focuses on 'multi hit' skills. This build either needs strengthen and/or 'Kotetsu' - boosts damage of each hit to 8 if it's below 8.
Another version of fire build is based on burning/simply dealing damage.
So burning related stuff helps.
Another version is 'heavenly fire' build based on one skill.
This one needs 'reroll' boosting items and first turn survival equipment.
Core skills:
Yet again 3 build versions.
One is 'generic' heavenly burn version. I write about it in generic skillls.
Another two follow approx same pattern:
One is burn related, one is multi hit related.
But both generally use ~1-2 general skills, ~2-4 offensive cards and 1-2 survival ones.
I will first list the generic cards for both builds:
Survival skills:
There are 2 of them.
Phoenix Plume - one time use per battle. Restores health based on damage dealt*0.5 this round. This is a big one time heal. Very nice to have this on easier battles at least to heal up. Sadly it has to be used AFTER damage is done.
Dance of Flames - 15 shield and +1 burning each time you are attacked. This is pretty much a combo of a bit survival + a bit damage via burning.
General skills:
Most of those are technically suitable for all builds.
Flame serpent - this one deals 8 damage + repeats effect of next fire card you use. This is essentially free 8 damage that copies a potentially powerful card.
Heavenly Burn - 20 fire damage * rerolls this round. This is insane if you keep rerolls and then pair this with 'flame serpent' to duplicate the damage.
This one can technically be build by itself. x2-3 heavenly burn and x2-3 flame serpents and you will kill most stuff on turn 2 easily. Pair this with turn 1 survival items and you
Literally the only thing you might want to add to this is some survival skills.
Shiranui - 15 damage + 3 for each fire card played. Decent 'last round' card if you get it.
Sand Clone - a poison card which deals 10 damage and duplicates one card. This one can duplicate even removed cards like 'phoenix plume'. If you use this one - start by playing this card to actually get fire combo going and having a 'plan' for the turn.
Molten Flame - 15 fire damage, remove enemy shield. Not a full time use skill. Instead you put it for specific opponents who have problematic shields.
Multi Hit build offensive skills:
Basically you improve every hit damage with strengthen and use huge amount of hit skills.
Inferno Brute - strengthen +3. You only want 1-2 of those and only if you don't have item that turns damage dealt into 8 damage. If you don't have that item then you probably need to have some simple strengthen items.
Flame Fang/Flame Serpent/Emperor of Fire - 2/3/4 damage 5/6/7 hits total.
Burn based damage:
Revolves around doing burn and simply dealing damage.
Burn stacking:
Glazed Fire - 10 fire damage/+1 burn per fire Chi orb.
Molten Assault - 15 fire damage/+2 burning.
Burning Balsam - 10 fire damage/+1 burning and +1 for each use of this skill. You want multiple of this one if you plan to use this.
Dealing damage:
Celestial Blaze - deal damage based on burn stacks*6. This is main way to get damage via burn. You usually want to use 1-2 of this skill, 3-4 of burning stacking skills and 1 survival skill.
2) Earth build:
Earth build is all about stacking shield and then exploding it.
Core of the build is stacking loads of max health and getting lucky with specific shield gain cards.
This build improves A LOT with 'profile level'. On low profile level it's pretty weak.
Core Items:
Anything granting shield/max HP.
Jinmu Handguards is probably most noteworthy as it's simply +50% to any shield gained.
Mermaid Scale is another noteworthy if you are using the shattering palm based offensive and hence not using up shields. Keeps half of shield if you had any remaining.
Immunity to poison. The build can be somewhat slow, so poison foes can be dangerous.
Core Skills:
Build should consist of 4-5 shield gain cards and 1-2 offensive ones.
Best shield gainers:
Collapse - 10 earth damage + shield equal to 10% of max HP. This improves with profile levels and luck with max HP increases a lot.
Monkey Rock - 36 earth damage + shield equal to damage dealt.
Secondary Choices:
Stoneskin - you only want one, it's essentially a better dodge most of the time. This is mostly for survival rather than damage boosting.
Mudslide - needs 3+ earth chi. Gains shield equal to earth chi orbs*5.. up to 30 shield possible. Realistically ~15-20.
Best damage dealing skills:
Roaring Earth - deal damage equal to 2*shield value BUT shield is removed. If you use this one then it should be your only damage dealing skill. This is the more 'dangerous' version of build with very high burst potential.
Shattering Palm - deal damage equal to 0.5*shield value. You can use 2 of those if you use this. This is a 'safer' version of build that lets you keep shield.
Eagle Sect:
Eagle sect has 0 rerolls but each card used gives 1 reroll. You can only have 1 reroll at same time however.
Ultimate is a 'repeat the effect' of skill you use. This is massively powerful ultimate.
Initially seems like a very weak sect but in reality is a true monster with one pretty easy wind build.
Eagle sect technically has 2 builds, but IMO wind overshadows the thunder too much.
Thunder focuses on paralyze, self damage, one time use great recovery skills.
Problem with thunder is that it relies on too much on RNG and getting too many specific cards with not much alternatives for it to actually work well.
It's certainly playable. Just wind is too good in comparison IMO. Does not require much RNG and is pretty straightforward.
Wind is the 2nd strongest build after water IMO.
Wind Build:
Wind allows you to passively upkeep vulnerability as well as making it stronger by simply... playing cards.
So technically speaking your damage is permanently multiplied by 40-60%.
Core items:
1) A sword which turns all wind/thunder damage into physical and adds extra physical damage(essentially free damage % bonus)
2) Anything that improves physical damage if you get item above.
3) Fiend Pupil - each reroll has a 30% chance to give 1 random debuff stack to enemy. Some of those are kinda good and you reroll quite a lot.
Core Skills:
Build consists of 2 survival skills, 2-3 offensive skills and 1-2 'draw' skills.
Ultimate skill is usually used to either further boost survival OR duplicate your highest damage skill.
Survival skills:
1) Any wind evasion granting skill.
2) Wind Armor - +5 shield per wind chi orb. Up to 30 shield and it's pretty easy to get 30 due to loads of rerolls.
3) Blade current - 10 wind damage + lowers enemy attack amount by 1 if it's the first skill you use. Only use 1 of this at most.
'Draw' Skill:
Windcaller - creates a wind card with no requirement. This is mainly used due to being relatively cheap and hence granting you opportunity to roll more.
You should do those skills first to actually decide how you need to play. Some wind skills profit from other Chi orbs.
Offensive Skills:
They are mostly better top to bottom but bottom one is still better than nothing.
Idaten Storm - 4-10*number of items wind damage. That's 40-100 when you have 10 items. Which shouldn't take too long. With enough profile rank you eventually carry more items for even more damage.
Wind Palm - 10 wind damage + 4 extra for each wind card played this turn. This one is the usual 'last turn' card. Paired with 'draw' cards this becomes pretty solid damage. Not as good as Idaten usually but certainly best alternative.
Great Slice - 20-40 wind damage that pierces shield. If no shield then it's 20-60. Not as good as Idaten but can be temporary alternative.
Air Pellets - 8-21 wind damage. +3 max damage for every. A weak'ish better than nothing first turn use skill to turn it into 8-36.
Snake Sect:
Gets 2 rerolls per turn but first one in each round is guaranteed to give 1 'omni chi orb' which counts as all elements, so 0 reason not to keep it.
This means absolute minimum of you element Chi you wll have is 2(one from early level up and one from 1st reroll)
Ultimate skill is +1 reroll and +2 random cards drawn. Combines better with water build.
Top tier ultimate. First level up changes this to either draw only poison or only water skills.
The water build of this sect is IMO strongest in the game that can clear literally anything. Even stages which directly harm this build like stage 3 hard mode can still be done with it no problem.
Water Build:
Water is revolved around using loads of cards at same round and then exploding with the 'total cards played' skill.
Build usually revolves around 1 survival card + 3 draw cards + 2 'damage per card played' cards.
This pairs perfectly with the special abilities you get most of which revolve around card spam.
Core Items:
1)Ronin Straw Hat - water cards have 20% chance to create 'aqua shot' card. It's a 10 water damage skill. Aqua shot can summon another aqua shot... infinitely technically.
With this item and a late level up(20% to summon a water card upon playing card) you can get insane amount of cards played. Chances are if your build is perfected - you will finish majority of battles turn 1.
2) Crystal Skull - for each card created you deal 6 damage.
3) Feathered Garb - apply frozen +1 for each sect stack gained. This build gives loads of stacks so this is loads of freeze.
4) Arcane Crystal - shield +10 for every 3 cards played. Great survival boost.
5) Debuff resists/removals can often be important. Most noteworthy combo of 2 items is one item which turns all debuffs you get into poison. And another one which removes a debuff at start of your turn. This results in you only getting a bit poison and immediately removing all stacks of it regardless of what debuffs you were supposed to get.
Core skills:
Situational Skill:
Does not fit in any category, it's optional to this build.
Dragon Palace Chest - gains new round, removes this card.
You can only gain effect from 1 at a time, effect does not stack and it does not immediately end turn.
Once you end turn - you will get another turn. So you can play this at any time you want.
This removes some damage potential but allows for bigger turn 1 burst.
Mirror image can copy this on next turns.
I would say it's not worth dedicating a slot for this, more draws is better IMO.
Survival Skill:
Remember to only take one at most, that should be enough, more draw cards means more chances of survival anyway.
Misty Assault - 10 water damage + 1 evasion if it's first card you play. It's a neat first card to play to free up slots just in case before you start doing draw cards.
OR
Countercurrent - next damage taken becomes health restored.
It's important to note one more skill 'Rain of Mercy' - the one which gives 5 shield for every created card. This is a 'removed' card.
This one doesn't work like it sounds. You have to first use this card. After that every created card will always give 5 shield for entire battle. This effect does not stack however, so there ain't much point to getting extra copies of those.
I would just keep it in mind to use this ASAP if you randomly get it but don't actually take this. Better take more redraws.
Draw Cards:
Dragon Wrath - create 2 water cards and remove requirements of 1. This is the best draw skill.
Mirror Image - 5 shield + duplicate a random card from your starting battle deck(even used ones) that's not this card. Having at least 1 is very important. Having more improves chance of copying misty assault so it's not as good.
Worst case scenario you dupe the misty assault(25%), best case scenario you dupe... well... anything else. Due to nature of the build - if you only have one then you have big chance to either copy a water card draw or a massive damage card.
Water Affinity/From water to cloud - both deal a bit damage and create a random temporary water card.
Damage dealing skills:
From top to bottom are best to worse.
Water Activation - damage equal to 5*cards used this turn.
Wild Flow/Waterfall Combo - both are 3 damage*cards used this turn. Wild has 12 base damage on top of that but extra damage is only from water cards used.
Poison Build:
Poison is a slow start build that will win if it stays alive long enough.
Main problem of the build is that one of it's poison stack skills is by far best so without it you are much weaker. And poison stacking cards compose majority of the deck.
Big part of poison survival comes from level. Eventually you get a trait which gives HP restoration based on poison when enemy loses HP from poison stacks. Only up to 20 HP.
Core Items:
Poison related stuff, survival.
Core Skills:
Generally speaking build uses 1-2 survival skills, 3-4 poison stacking skills and optionally 1 finisher skill.
Main reason to use finisher is to not have to get as many of the best poison stack skill.
Situational Skill:
Venomous Edge - place poison equal to shield stacks of enemy. This can be insanely powerful. But only on some enemies.
Survival Skill:
Poison shield - gets shield equal to enemy poison stacks up to 30.
Poison Stacking:
Venomous Miasma - double poison stacks but removes this skill from battle. This can be powerful when combined with finisher to massively speed up battles. But this + finisher means -2 skill slots so you only got 3 skill slots left.
Venomous Snake Oil - 8 damage and if you have 3+ poison orbs then double the poison of next skill you use. This one is very general purpose, pretty much improves best poison card you plan to use.
Shining Venom - 20 poison damage and applies poison equal to damage done. This is skill you usually want to double with venomous oil.
Poison Domain - +2 poison per poison chi orb. The only remotely good alternative which is nowhere near as powerful even on max potential.
Poison Bees - +5 poison. The absolute worst but still 'can be considered' alternative.
Voodoo Manipulation - +3 poison, converts all orbs into poison. Mainly used if you have multiple poison domains but no shining venom.
Finisher Skill:
Finishers are fully optional IMO but speed up the gameplay. It's viable to take more survival/poison stacking instead.
Mainly used to remove the need for top tier poison stacking skills.
Poison Activation - 4*poison stacks worth of damage but removes poison.. This is potentially insane amount of damage. But remember that this is one skill that is literally 'dead' in your hand most of the time.
There is technically 'wild bite' alternative. 2*poison stack damage but remove only half the poison. Kinda meh since you plan to finish with this move.
Immortal Sect
Unlocks after beating normal difficulty final stage.
The rules of this sect overwrite any stage changes that would affect it's core gameplay. For example deck is always 16 cards even if you play stage with 6 deck limitation.
You have no 'active deck' in this sect. Instead your reserve deck is your active deck and you will draw 6 cards from this reserve deck randomly until you are out of cards.
As you use cards - you will keep drawing until you have drawn all 16 cards after which you will no longer gain any.
Each new turn you start with a fresh deck of randomly drawn cards until all are drawn.
The problematic thing is that you can not 'remove' skills. You can only replace them when they are full, so you need to fill your deck with 16 good skills ideally. That being said - sect is overpowered even in shorter non infinite runs.
All your orbs become omni orbs.
Each skill costs omni orb and one will be consumed to use most skills. Some of the most expensive skills will cost 2-3 orbs.
You start with ~4-5 omni orbs. One more can be gained via 'alchemy' which replaces the reroll function. This one discards one card and gives 1 orb instead.
Core mechanic of immortal sect:
Sect has no 'ultimate skill'. Instead you got special 'forms' you can use.
You have 2 'basic' forms you can use - those are the ones that get more 'talents' from level ups:
You got 2 cards for entering both of those forms by default when starting the run.
Peaceful Mind - recovers 2 omni orbs once you exit this form. Exiting can be done for example by simply swapping to frenzy form. There are also some immortal skills that specifically 'exit' the form.
Level 1: avoids first 2 debuffs each round when in this form.
Level 2: +1 immortal breath when entering this form.
Level 3:
Level 4: dodge in immortal form becomes 75% if you enter it from this form
Frenzy - deals x1.5 damage but takes x2 damage.
Level 1: get 2 strengthen for each card used.
Level 2: +1 immortal breath when entering this form.
Level 3: applies vulnerable +1 to enemy when you enter frenzy.
Level 4: damage multiplier in immortal form becomes x4 if you enter it from this form
Generally speaking the dream is to start the turn by going into frenzy and then end turn by swapping into peaceful mind or simply exiting the frenzy.
It's pretty easy to put up a vulnerability in immortal sect. Frenzy + vulnerability are multiplicative too, so it's pretty huge damage boost in total.
There are 2 extra mechanics unique to cards:
1) 'Retained' - this one triggers if you have left the card in your hand at end of turn. Retained effect remains PERMANENTLY for entire battle. So it's a slow start but can be pretty powerful in longer battles. Yes, if you use a retain card - you do not reset the bonus.
2) 'Discard' - a few cards have effects if you simply discard them. Most likely via the ability that replaces reroll. Those are usually pretty weak cards, but one such card is good to have to get a discard target that does something neat.
There is also an 'immortality' form.
You need to get a total of 10 'immortal breath' stacks after which you immediately enter it.
This forces you to exit basic forms. Basic form change/form exit cards do not do those effects during immortality. Immortality form lasts until enemy turn finishes.
During immortality form you:
Restore 3 orbs upon entering it(up to 6), remove all debuffs upon entering it, deal x3 damage, are immune to debuffs, dodge all enemy skills with 50% chance.
Immortal form is KEPT during 'extra' rounds you generate.
Cards to aim for when creating Immortal Sect Deck:
I assume you are going for 'full frenzy' talent build.
1) Lightning Speed - this one can give up to +4 evasion total. Base +1 and +1 for every 2 omni orbs. With some luck you get 4 dodges for just 1 cast, pure survival insanity, nothing in the game matches this.
2+3) Super powerful combo with 'remove card' is Dragon Palace Chest water card for round +1 with a cost of '2' orbs and poison card ' the other side' with a cost of 1 orb which changes to a card that was removed.
If you ensure that you only use 1 'removed' card(water card for extra round) then said poison card will always transform into the extra round card. Meaning you can get even more extra rounds for a cost of 3 Chi if you get lucky and draw the poison card.
4-5) 'Enter peaceful mind' cards. Either will do.
6-7) 'Enter Frenzy' cards. Best one is 'Linked Dragons' 4x3 damage one since each hit is multiplied by waterfall bonus.
8) 'Enter Frenzy in next round' card. Can be a good safety to ensure you have frenzy from get go.
9) Shadow Clone(physical card) - next card can be used twice. Overload. This is useful for some high cost cards.
OR 'Pouncing Toad' - this one can refund all your chi cost for card you used if you are in peaceful form. You still need the chi however.
10) Some 'discard' card. Best is 'blue heavens' which gives +2 immortal breath for discarding it.
11) Some high cost card - something you use after 'shadow clone' or pouncing toad.
I personally prefer the expensive 'immortal surge' or 'sage breath'. Immortal surge instantly enters immortality if you use it after 'shadow clone'. So a total of 4 Chi to enter immortality that way from 0 immortal breath.
12) Divine Strength - can be powerful in longer battles, useful to dedicate 1 slot to this.
13) Exit form card - one is useful in case you don't get frenzy to remove the 'peaceful mind' or if you need to remove frenzy before end of turn. Doesn't matter much which exit form card you take, both have advantages.
14-15) Water Prison - the one which gives + 2 confusion to enemy if you are in frenzy. Very strong debuff.
Those are technically somewhat flex slots so you can technically replace those with something else. See below for examples.
16) A 'flex' slot. You can take 2nd lightning speed for more survival.
Alternatively 'soaring dragon' is another good survival+damage move. 2 chi for some damage and any damage you deal becomes shield.
Another good card early on is earth +32 shield overload one.
Alternatively you can take another shadow clone or pouncing toad.
Alternatively immortal strength is a very simple +2 breath for 1 orb.
With this deck you pretty much can play through all 16 cards if you get at least a bit lucky and got item extra chi.
Theoretically speaking you can further improve this by focusing on even more 'peaceful mind'/'form exit' cards instead of survival cards to totally guarantee you can have infinite turns.
This would allow you to infinitely spam 'extra turn' via the poison card. Which would mean you can NOT lose against anything unless you get some 'penalties' which would force you to lose for some reason.
I just tried to give use to as many different cards as possible instead.
Powerful items for immortal sect:
I will assume goal is to push the 'infinite' mode as far as possible.
1) Senbonzakura - 10% chance to cast a card second time. When this happens - it can be gamechanging.
2) Fiendbinder - remove 1 attack from enemy. Solid for 1 item slot.
3) Golden Rod - up to 15 HP lifesteal each attack. Mandatory for sustainment.
4) Monster Heart - enemy takes double damage when under 30% HP. You can kinda think of this as a direct damage multiplier in most scenarios.
5) Killing Leather - once per turn you can get +1 Chi Orb if you use 3 same element skills in a row. Should be easy since most of your skills should be omni chi ones.
6) Immortal Jade - 2 immortal breath at start of battle. Reaching immortal form earlier is a huge deal.
7) Ninja Headband - when taking more than 18 damage you only take half damage. Top tier survival by later into infinite mode.
8) Fire shadow hat - +4 max health for immortal form entry. If you can reliably enter immortal form each battle then it's pretty good. You eventually probably want to replace this with something else though.
9) Ascendance - you start in 'peaceful mind'. Okay.
10+11) Immortal Raiment Water + Fire - those are items with bonus for entering peaceful mind/frenzy modes. Peaceful mind one is weakened +1(likely your only good source of weakened) and frenzy one is enemy attack -1. Both effects are solid and you almost certainly can use each ~1-2 times every turn.
Debuff immunity items - Paralyze>Confuse>Freeze is roughly the order of importance. I would say those are not as high priority due to your deck aim being going into immortal form which makes you immune to everything and removing all debuffs.
Theoretically speaking - survival items aren't as important once you min max the card build and can get infinite turns, hence not allowing enemy to move at all.
