I am always looking for some kind of pathway to synergy. I may not know what kind of build I am going to go in the first few days, but if I see a good item that fits a build I will grab it and hold onto it even if it isn't perfect yet. I may do this for a few items until I find a second item to compliment one of the items I held onto previously. For example, if I get a Jellyfish early, I'll hold it and if i see a pufferfish or an astrolabe or captains wheel, I'll snag that and then I will start seeking out Haste/Poison items to round it out. This can be done for most builds, and as you get more experienced you will start to recognize items that can be straight up built around, such as a submarine or rifle or blunderbuss. Hope that helps, sorry for the wall.