Answer first
Affinities are now common enough in community guides to deserve their own route map: use them as direction signals, not rigid tier-list commands.
Codex
Affinity Route Map Guide
Affinities are now common enough in community guides to deserve their own route map: use them as direction signals, not rigid tier-list commands.
Affinity quick map
| Affinity | Route signal | First page to open |
|---|---|---|
| Predator | Physical damage, fast clears, forward pressure. | Physical Predator |
| Imposing | Size, HP, plating, Body Slam, and mistake budget. | Chonk Body Slam |
| Prey | Avoidance, food safety, sustain, and slower stable clears. | Smol Dodge |
| Trickster | Ability damage, poison, status tools, and conditional payoff. | Poison Trickster |
| Gregarious | Charm, allies, Pack, Social scaling, and spacing relief. | Social Pack |
| Carcinisation | Special food-rarity reward with incoming-damage risk. | Full Crab Carcinisation |
Use this as a route-reading layer. It explains why cards are clustering; it does not replace boss, food, movement, or damage checks.
Run checklist
- Read the first three evolution choices as an affinity signal: Predator for physical aggression, Imposing for size and mitigation, Prey for avoidance and food safety, Trickster for ability/status tools, and Gregarious for allies and social support.
- Carcinisation is a special risk-reward tag rather than a normal safe affinity; do not stack it just because the run has a theme.
- If a Steam or wiki guide calls one affinity best for a boss, translate that into the underlying need: burst, open lanes, sustain, allies, or terrain control.
- When the route is drifting across too many affinities, fix food, movement, and one damage plan before forcing another themed pick.
Recommended builds
Related achievements
This page is not tied to one achievement, but it works as preparation for this guide family.
You May Also Need
These related pages connect the current topic to concrete builds, achievements, or mechanics for the next run.
Codex
Unlock tracking for evolutions, genetics, achievements, challenges, animals, and patch-sensitive Codex totals.
Read guideBeginner First Clear
A conservative first-clear route for players who feel stuck on the first level or early Pressure climbs: stabilize food, movement, regeneration, and one simple damage plan before chasing fancy branches.
Read guideUnlock Tracker
Use a tracker mindset for evolutions, genetics, achievements, challenges, and animals so patch changes do not hide missing work.
Read guideBuilds
Detailed archetypes with core evolutions, genetics, phases, risks, and related route links.
Read guideHow to verify
Counts, challenge rules, boss behavior, and platform status can change with patches; use the in-game Codex or official storefronts as final verification.
Evidence and verification
The links below support specific dated claims, mechanics, or player-route observations on this page; after a patch, use the current in-game text for exact values.
Related pages
Continue Reading
Related pages connect nearby problems so a failed run becomes a concrete next adjustment.
Unlock Tracker
Use a tracker mindset for evolutions, genetics, achievements, challenges, and animals so patch changes do not hide missing work.
Read guideEvolution Crosswalk
The crosswalk connects evolution names, icons, affinities, build pages, and player search phrases.
Read guideGenetics Matrix
The genetics matrix keeps starting modifiers connected to unlock goals, build shells, and high-pressure repetition.
Read guide