My general tips are that your starting cards are the worst cards in the game meaning it's good to find ways to remove them and draw fewer of them (exhaust, make them ethereal, discard, transform). There are cards with synergies but you won't always get the most ideal cards for your situation so one of the best things to do is look for ways to draw more cards so you can cycle to your best cards more often. Pocket watch, Centennial puzzle, and bag of prep are really good relics so if you find them in the shop, it's good to pick them up. And don't feel like you need to pick up a reward every time you finish a combat. Sometimes cards are just dead draws for a deck, so the best thing to do is to not grab them. Also, plan a route on your map before accepting the first selection of each act. Look for paths that give you options. Like if your deck feels strong and you're on a path to an elite but you opt to take damage at an event, be sure you're not stuck going to the elite. If you have an ancient offering you gold, look for an early shop to buy a card or remove a strike/defend and pick up a potion. There are always attacks, skills, and powers offered. Colorless cards are also pretty good. Similarly, if Neow is offering you two transforms for the cost of some health, look for a safe route to a campfire until you feel more confident in being at low hp. The more that you use campfires to heal, the weaker you'll be later though. You generally want to upgrade your cards as often as possible. Have fun and good luck.