First 30 minutes
Redeem every active code, finish the spawn tutorial, and grab the Crimson and Emerald Keys from their hidden locations. Your first goal is stable shelf clearing, not chasing Epic hatches.
First build choice
Choose one damage style: beginner (slow but cheap), speedrun (Archivist + magic), or Pro Mode (Chronos Sorter + visual routing). Each path wants different upgrades and magic allocations.
When to ascend
Trigger your first Ascension as soon as you reach 100% map completion. The Archivist class pays for itself within a single post-Ascension run.