Choosing Level-Up Cards
Part 4 of 8
In Endless Curse, every time you collect enough experience to level up, the game pauses and you pick one of three cards. How strong you get in a run comes down almost entirely to these choices. Here's every kind of card, broken down.
01Four kinds of cards
- New skill: learn a new skill and put it in your skill bar. The bar holds up to four skills (your basic attack doesn't count). Skills from the same school show up more often.
- Upgrade: level up a skill you already have. Each skill goes up to level 5 (4 upgrades).
- Stat card: a stat boost that lasts for this run only and is gone the next.
- Evolution (gold): always shows up among the three cards once you meet its requirements.
Press 1 2 3 or click a card to choose.
02Three upgrade paths
Each skill offers two of the three paths. Pick one:
| Path | Effect | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| ⚡ Speed | −20% cooldown, +16% damage | 3 times (2 for skills that stun) |
| ✚ Count | One more shot / one more of it; per-hit damage is adjusted to match | Depends on the skill |
| ◎ Area | +18% area, +20% damage | 3 times |
The path marked ★ is the recommended one and gives an extra 6.5% damage. Once a path is used up, its button turns into "Mastery": damage ×1.25.
03Stat cards
On each level-up, stat cards are drawn at random from the list below, with up to five types in the running; the one an evolution needs is always among them.
| Card | Effect | Max picks |
|---|---|---|
| Vigor | +20 max HP and heals 20 | No limit |
| Power | +10% damage | 40 |
| Sprint | +7% movement speed | 8 |
| Reflexes | −6% cooldown | 8 |
| Armor | +6% damage reduction (70% total at most) | 12 |
| Synthesis | Regenerate 0.9 HP per second | No limit |
| Magnet | +30% pickup radius | 6 |
| Learning | +12% experience | 8 |
04Evolution requirements
An evolved skill becomes a stronger version of itself. There are three requirements, and all of them must be met at once:
- The skill is at level 5 (max level).
- You have taken its specific stat card at least once this run.
- Its partner skill (from the same school) is at least level 2.
Once all three are met, a gold evolution card is guaranteed on your next level-up. Here's the Knight as an example:
| Skill | Evolves into | Stat card needed | Partner skill |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cleave | Devastating Cleave | Power | Sundering Strike |
 Sundering Strike | Armorbreaker | Vigor | Cleave |
 Sword Wave | Rending Wave | Reflexes | Impale |
 Impale | Run Through | Power | Sword Wave |
 Shield Bash | Bastion Strike | Armor | Steel Rampart |
 Shield Throw | Echoing Shield | Reflexes | Shield Bash |
 Shield Charge | Unstoppable Charge | Sprint | Shield Throw |
 Steel Rampart | Unbroken Rampart | Armor | Shield Bash |
 War Banner | Royal Standard | Armor | Phalanx |
 Dancing Blades | Blade Storm | Synthesis | War Banner |
 Falling Swords | Sword Graveyard | Power | Dancing Blades |
 Phalanx | Iron Wall | Vigor | War Banner |
Other classes' evolution tables are on each hero page, for example the Sorcerer and the Necromancer.
05Rerolls and bans
- Reroll: one free reroll per run. Press R or "Reroll" to replace all three cards. The Card reroll upgrade in town adds 1 more per level, up to 5 extra.
- Ban: each level of the Ban upgrade lets you ban 1 skill (up to 3), and banned skills never show up on level-up cards. Choose which ones on the Upgrades screen in the main menu.
There's no "skip": you always have to pick a card when you level up.
06Card tips for beginners
- In the first few levels, grab two or three skills that clear monsters, ideally from the same school so evolutions come together more easily later.
- Choose one main skill and upgrade it first. When you see ★, take the recommended path.
- When your main skill is close to max level, remember to grab the stat card it needs and get its partner skill to level 2.
- Take a Magnet early: a bigger pickup radius for experience means much faster leveling.
- Every level-up fully heals you: when your health is low, grab experience fast.
Every class's skills and recommended builds are in the hero guides; the full game overview is on the Endless Curse home page.
07FAQ
What's the max level for a skill?
Each skill goes up to level 5, which means 4 upgrades.
Why won't my skill evolve?
You need all three at once: the skill at level 5, its specific stat card taken this run, and the partner skill at level 2 or higher.
How many rerolls do I get?
One free per run, and the Card reroll upgrade in town adds up to 5 more.
Do I have to fill my skill bar?
No. The more skills you have, the longer each one's cooldown and the lower its damage: with all four slots filled, cooldowns are ×1.4 and damage ×0.9.
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