How to Win More Runs in Shape of Dreams

Failing is a central part of the roguelike experience, and *Shape of Dreams* is no exception. The game is challenging, particularly for newcomers, and even experienced players should anticipate many losses when they first start playing.

Shape of Dreams has a lot to offer, and to help you improve quickly, we’ve gathered some tips to help you succeed in your playthroughs.

Master Your Traveler

You can try out all the characters in *Shape of Dreams* if you like, but we really suggest focusing on just one for a while. The game has a lot of complex systems, and you’ll need to learn the details to truly master your character.

To improve your gameplay and win more often, it’s important to deeply understand your preferred character – including their optimal builds, how their skills work together, and even the smallest aspects of their abilities.

Clear Every Room in the First Biome

When you begin a new game, focus on collecting as many upgrades and as much currency (Dream Dust) as you can. Don’t worry about enemies or the final boss yet – simply explore every room and take everything you find.

After you defeat the first boss, enemies get significantly tougher, so it’s best to use this strategy early in the game. Take advantage of the shops in the first area to purchase items that will help you unlock powerful abilities and passive bonuses.

Run With Purpose

Why are you starting this run? Are you trying to finish the game, unlock characters, or collect resources like Stardust? Whatever your reason, it’s best to decide on a specific goal before you begin.

When you’re beginning the game, it’s a good idea to spend a few attempts specifically collecting Stardust. This resource is used to purchase and improve abilities between runs. You can find the lizard merchant on the map and buy the Star Seeker’s Journal, which will then guide you to a room within the current area filled with Stardust. This is a common strategy in many similar games.

Learn the Game with Vesper

We highly suggest starting with Vesper, the well-protected paladin. He’s the most beginner-friendly character because he can take a lot of damage and heal himself. Plus, his slower movement and speed will help new players learn the rhythm of *Shape of Dreams*.

Because Vesper’s ability to heal himself is so strong, he’s a great choice to unlock one of the currently unavailable characters.

You can definitely swap out Vesper’s Ultimate for a different ability. Skills that help with movement or defense, and are available often (have a short cooldown), are generally more useful than Vesper’s ultimate ability.

Reset Your Basic Attacks

You can significantly boost your damage output by skillfully using your abilities right after your regular attacks. This technique, often called “Auto Attack Resetting” in games like League of Legends or Dota 2, involves interrupting the pause after an attack with an ability – typically another attack – to speed up your overall damage rate.

This technique is particularly effective with Vesper due to his slower attack speed. It also pairs well with Lacerta, who heavily depends on basic attacks for damage.

Sell or Dismantle Unwanted Stuff

A strong economy is crucial for success – it can be the deciding factor between thriving and failing. Gold and Dream Dust are essential resources that will help you improve and create the best possible setup, and you’ll need plenty of both.

Okay, so listen up, fellow gamers! If you happen to get a skill or passive gem that just doesn’t fit your build, *always* break it down or sell it. Selling is great, but honestly, you’re often limited by how many skill slots you have, so dismantling is usually the way to go.

Concentrate Your Upgrades

Generally, it’s more effective to focus on maxing out a single skill rather than trying to improve several at once. Dream Dust is valuable, so getting one or two key skills to level 9 is usually a better use of it than spreading it thin. However, if you happen to get several really strong skills for your character, leveling them up more equally can be a good strategy.

Fight the Hunters

If you choose a skill that gets stronger as you get more kills – like the Butcher skill – it can be better to actively seek out and defeat Hunters instead of running away. Hunters appear in groups, letting you quickly build up stacks for skills that improve with each kill.

Look, I’m really enjoying getting stronger, but a word of warning from my experience: don’t get *too* ambitious! The enemies, the Hunters, they get way tougher as you progress. If you try to take on someone you’re not ready for, you’ll end up getting sent back to the beginning – trust me, I’ve learned that the hard way!

Balance Your Skills

It’s easy to want to pack your ability bar with lots of damage-dealing skills, but you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed by incoming damage if you do. Focus on having a balanced set of abilities, including at least one defensive option, for longer runs. Look for skills that can both hurt enemies and heal you – they’re especially useful!

Upgrade Your Economy First

When deciding which Constellation upgrades to get first, focus on those that help you earn more resources during a run. Just like in other roguelike games, boosting your gold and Dream Dust income is very powerful. If you find upgrades that let you reroll rewards, grab those immediately – they’re incredibly valuable.

While extra damage and cool new skills are helpful, you’ll really become powerful by finding great skills and items during each playthrough. If you focus on building a strong economy, you’ll reduce the luck involved in finding items, making it easier to create powerful and consistent builds.

Take Things Slow

To succeed in *Shape of Dreams*, you’ll need to be both clever and skilled. Rushing into battles without a plan will likely result in damage, but if you carefully choose your fights, you can win without getting hurt.

Different characters have unique playstyles. Shell is best at quickly attacking and then retreating, due to his slower attack speed. Vesper can play more aggressively because he heals automatically and has strong defenses. Understanding what your character does well will help you succeed.

2025-09-16 17:35