This is a decision framework, not a guaranteed clear route. The planner scores route fit and shows evidence labels; it does not simulate DPS or room layouts.
1. Name the event you are paying for
Look at your Hunter, weapon, and first relic. Write one sentence: more shots, more Freeze, more bombs, more coins, or safer uptime. If you cannot name the event, take a reliable weapon or survival pick before a conditional payoff.
2. Check the trigger before the rarity
For every offered item ask: what action triggers it, does my current loadout perform that action often, and what slot does it replace? A rare item with no trigger is weaker than a common item that runs every room.
3. Keep one element coherent
Your main weapon gives the run an elemental direction. Use the planner to see the Transmutation, then prefer relics and Tarot that reference the same job unless the alternative fixes a clear survival problem.
4. Leave yourself a pivot
Do not spend every slot on one future condition. Keep one general damage, reload, movement, or recovery option so a bad shop does not end the run.
Before you commit
- Can I explain the build in one sentence?
- Does the next item trigger now, not in a perfect future run?
- What will I replace if a better offer appears?
Put the method into the tool
Open the planner with the Hunter, weapon, and candidates on your screen. It will show conflicts and a fallback direction.
Further reading: Pass the Fear Wiki beginner field guide · shop and reroll notes