01

Footprints are part of the item

An artifact is not only its effect. Its footprint determines which cells remain available for tablets, companions, and the next upgrade. Preview the shape before accepting it and protect the cells your route needs.

Place the items that define the build first, then fill leftover space with flexible effects. This avoids building a beautiful grid around a bonus that never activates.

02

Use preview before you commit

Use the in-game placement preview to test rotation, adjacency, and dead cells. If the item only works in one corner, write that constraint in the build note so a reader understands the trade-off.

A good screenshot shows the whole grid, not a cropped item tooltip. The arrangement is the lesson.

03

Rebuild in two passes

When a stronger item appears, first mark what must stay: weapon enablers, sustain, and the tablet line. Then remove the least important flexible pieces and test the new shape in a safe room.

Do not rebuild during a dangerous encounter just to gain a small theoretical bonus. The safest grid is the one you can operate under pressure.