- Depth Incremental tier list: Upgrades ranked by depth, resource, and Boss value.
- S-Tier: Depth and progression upgrades dominate every stage of growth.
- A-Tier: Resource efficiency and character strength shine in mid and Boss play.
- B-Tier: Situational picks fill gaps once core priorities are funded.
- Rule of thumb: Buy upgrades that fix your current bottleneck, not the cheapest option.
How This Depth Incremental Tier List Works
This tier list ranks upgrade categories in Depth Incremental by how reliably they move your run forward. Because the game is built around a loop of buying Steps, diving, collecting resources, upgrading, and challenging Bosses, an upgrade's value depends entirely on what is currently slowing you down: depth access, resource income, or combat power.
Rankings are split by game stage rather than presented as one flat list, and every tier notes its best use case alongside its weaknesses.
| Tier | Category | Priority | Best For | Main Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Depth and Progression Upgrades | Highest | Early progression, unlocking deeper areas | Does not fix resource shortages alone |
| A | Resource Efficiency Upgrades | High | Mid game farming, funding costly upgrades | Low value when depth is the only gate |
| A | Character Strength Upgrades | High | Boss challenges, surviving deep runs | Inefficient when resources are the bottleneck |
| B | Situational Growth Options | Medium | Filling specific build weaknesses | Heavily stage-dependent value |
A B-Tier upgrade that solves your exact problem can outperform an S-Tier pick that does not. Always identify whether depth, income, or combat is blocking you before spending.
S-Tier: Depth and Progression Upgrades
Depth-focused upgrades sit at the top of the tier list because reaching greater depth is the game's central objective. They stay relevant whenever your current runs stop making consistent progress, and their value carries across both exploration and future farming.
Core Depth Value
- Directly supports the main goal
- Keeps runs progressing consistently
- Scales with every new area unlocked
Best Stage
- Early progression
- Depth-gated content pushes
- Rebuilding after a rebirth
Watch Out For
- No resource income boost
- Weak when a Boss is the immediate gate
Buying only depth upgrades can leave you unable to fund the next tier of purchases. Balance at least one resource upgrade before pushing a new depth threshold.
A-Tier: Resource Efficiency and Character Strength
Two categories share A-Tier because they answer the two most common mid-game bottlenecks: slow farming and Boss walls.
| Category | Best For | Key Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Efficiency | Repeated farming runs, expensive upgrade tiers | Shortens time to afford improvements, raises value of every dive | Delays depth or combat buys when those are urgent |
| Character Strength | Boss fights, surviving deeper runs | Converts resources into reliable combat progress, breaks combat gates | Wasteful when income, not power, is the blocker |
Resource Efficiency upgrades grow in importance as upgrade costs rise, making them the backbone of mid progression. Character Strength upgrades should be matched to the actual Boss requirement in front of you rather than bought blindly.
Use Boss attempts as progress checks. If you fail, upgrade the weakest attribute tied to that fight, build a resource buffer, then retry — do not spam low-probability attempts.
B-Tier: Situational Growth Options
Situational options round out the list. They provide strong value when chosen for a clearly identified weakness, but they underperform compared to the core three categories when purchased early or at random.
- Filling specific weaknesses: Best after depth, resource, and Boss priorities are funded.
- Adjusting an established build: Useful for fine-tuning late progression.
- Stage-dependent value: Performance swings heavily based on your current bottleneck.
If a situational upgrade directly addresses your active blocker — for example, survivability before an advanced Boss — treat it as a temporary top priority until the gate is cleared.
How to Apply the Tier List Each Run
Follow this decision flow at the start of every upgrade cycle to put the tier list into practice.
Identify Your Bottleneck
Ask whether depth, resource income, or a Boss is currently blocking progress. This single question determines which tier to buy from.
Buy the S-Tier Core
If runs are stalling before new depth, prioritize depth and progression upgrades to restore forward movement.
Fund Efficiency in Mid Game
Once depth access is stable, shift spending toward resource efficiency so repeated dives fund higher upgrade tiers faster.
Prepare for Boss Gates
When a Boss blocks the next area, invest in character strength matched to that fight, then test with a single attempt.
Fill Gaps Last
Spend remaining resources on situational options that patch specific weaknesses or fine-tune late progression.
| Stage | Primary Tier Focus | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Early | S: Depth and progression | Attempting Bosses before the core loop is established |
| Mid | A: Resource efficiency | Spreading upgrades across too many low-impact options |
| Late | A: Character strength + rebirth bonuses | Pushing with an outdated setup after requirements rise |
Upgrade Cycle Checklist:
- Identify the current bottleneck (depth, income, or Boss)
- Purchase one S-Tier depth upgrade when runs stall
- Maintain at least one active resource efficiency upgrade
- Match character strength buys to the next Boss requirement
- Reassess priorities after every rebirth and version update
Rebirth resets temporary progression but keeps permanent rewards. After a rebirth, return to S-Tier depth upgrades first — they rebuild run momentum fastest, then efficiency picks up the pace again.
FAQ
Q: What is the best upgrade in the Depth Incremental tier list?
Depth and progression upgrades rank highest overall because reaching greater depth is the game's core objective. However, the best purchase at any moment is the one that fixes your current bottleneck, whether that is depth access, resource income, or Boss combat power.
Q: Should I buy resource upgrades or character strength first?
Buy resource efficiency upgrades when farming feels slow and upgrades are hard to afford. Buy character strength when a Boss is blocking the next area. In mid game, a balanced approach outperforms stacking either one alone.
Q: How does rebirth change upgrade priorities?
Rebirth resets temporary run progress while keeping permanent rewards. After resetting, prioritize S-Tier depth upgrades to rebuild momentum quickly, then return to efficiency and strength picks as costs rise.
Q: Are B-Tier upgrades ever worth buying?
Yes. Situational growth options deliver strong value when they target a specific, identified weakness — especially in late progression fine-tuning. They simply lack the universal value of the core depth, resource, and Boss categories.