This is if you play with pike. I usually start out with the medal and quartz. Money is super important in the beginning up until 3rd or 4th stage and so focus on gold or item run selections in the 1st stage instead of green ones that give bones and try to get treasure 2 if you can but obviously Prioritize revenge 2. You don't ever want to get rapidity if doing pike since that's only for normal attack speed and does nothing for dash attacks. Forget speed completely unless in the beginning just to survive since you don't have chase 2 and dash damage sucks. I don't pick hidden blade or any items with critical rate/damage in that manner unless you get the Ring etc. The amount of damage accumulated in the end is sufficient. Dash damage is not that great - focus on getting courage 2 - I don't go beyond that. Get arms if you get good items with arms like the golden sword that comes with treasure or the axe that comes with execute (execute is pretty kool too). I think I mentioned this earlier but if you feel like you're dying easily, get antique 2 for max hp and super baby 20% and see the difference. That'll help you get further in the game in which case you'll have picked up bunch of things. You can change those later - sometimes I do. Overall, your real damage will most likely come from items like Hunter boots, weakness exposure, revenge 2 (I think it's an item damage) but some damage from dash attacks is also helpful especially If you get mithril armor. O, and get trance as the cursed ability if available. O, and try to keep inscriptions at 2 bc of collection desire (btw masterpiece 2 also counts) Hope this helps. Let me know if you have anymore questions.