Start at T0/T1 to learn rooms, spawns, and timer discipline, not to “make bank.” The Abyss is three rooms under a strict 20-minute total timer, so your first job is learning target priority, movement, and when to stop looting and start leaving. Your fit needs three things: consistent damage, a tank that doesn’t fold instantly, and enough speed/control to manage bad spawns. The whole point of early tiers is muscle memory and not panicking when the room looks ugly.
Tier Upgrades Are Earned, Not Felt
Move up tiers when you’re clearing comfortably, not when you’re “feeling confident.” Confidence is free. Consistency costs reps. If you’re finishing runs with time to spare, your tank isn’t living on prayer, and you’re not sweating every spawn, that’s the signal to step up.
A Simple Progression Ladder (T0 to T4+)
Think of the path like this: T0/T1 = fundamentals, T2/T3 = this is real now, T4+ = mistakes get expensive. Treat upgrades like a checklist: skills are online, ship and fit are stable, and your clears are repeatable without near-death moments. If you’re scraping the timer or barely surviving, you’re not “ready,” you’re gambling with extra steps.
T5/T6: Discipline Over Vibes
At T5/T6, it’s specialization and discipline, not experiments. You don’t try new things mid-run, you don’t chase every piece of loot, and you don’t take fights you don’t need to take. You scale tiers by tightening execution: faster clears, cleaner piloting, and knowing which enemies are the real threat the second you land in a room.