Deskrawl Starter Build: Gear, Skills and First Walls

A level-20 progression discussion recommends using the inventory Details panel to see which damage bonuses the equipment actually supplies. That is a sensible starting point: a good-looking skill choice gains little from a pile of unrelated bonuses.

You do not need one fixed build for an entire playthrough. Choose a main attack or damage plan, then address the sustain needed to keep it running and reassess when a meaningful item or skill becomes available. Avoid spending every resource to imitate gear you have not found.

These are starting directions, not a tested class tier list. A claim that one class is “100 times easier” in a comment is opinion, not a benchmark worth building your character choice around.

Warrior players describe a Thorns build becoming stronger with specific supporting armor, but others in the same thread still struggle with it. That is a good reason to check your whole setup before switching simply because one legendary dropped. Its special effect can matter more than its color, and missing support can matter more than its name.

Keep a useful alternative while trying a new direction. The point of a starter build is to reach the next dependable farm, not to force an endgame item checklist into the first few hours.

The level-20 thread advises returning to an earlier boss for equipment when the next boss cannot be beaten. Decide what you want to improve before doing so: the weapon slot, recovery, relevant damage bonuses or a progression service. “Leave it running longer” is less useful than knowing what an upgrade should fix.

Check after a few runs that the loop is actually stable and that useful loot is being kept. A single lucky clear is not enough to trust a long unattended session.