If You’ve Only Played…

Progressive-disclosure index. Given what you’ve actually played, here’s what to read next.

If you’ve only played solo (true solo, 1 spirit)

Your gap: multiplayer dynamics + partner-spirit thinking.

Read next:

• Archetype Index — how spirits combine.
• Two-Player Dynamics — the jump from solo to 2P.
• Mixed-Skill Tables — likely your first real-MP format.

Skip for now: Part VII chapters on conventions and strangers.

If you’ve only played multi-handed (1 player, 2+ spirits)

Your gap: communication + real-MP etiquette. Multi-handed lets you alpha yourself; real MP forbids it.

Read next:

• Alpha-Player Problem — the core MP challenge.
• Two-Player Dynamics.
• Post-Game Debrief.

Skip for now: convention-norms until you plan to attend.

If you’ve only done quick-teaches

Your gap: teaching at scale + layered teaching.

Read next:

• Teaching Methods in full — Hook, Quick, Full, Layered tiers.
• Teaching Anti-Patterns.

Skip for now: stats chapters; they’re not learning-loop-relevant for teaching.

If you’ve only played the base box

Your gap: expansion awareness.

Read next:

• Spirits index — see what expansions add.
• Priority order: Branch & Claw (Sharp Fangs, Keeper + 4 scenarios + events) before Jagged Earth.

Which expansion to buy first: Branch & Claw. Adds events, blight deck, 2 spirits, 4 scenarios, France adversary. Low complexity add; high value.

If you’ve only beaten L0–L1

Your gap: adversary mechanics kick in at L2–L3.

Read next:

• The adversary chapter for whatever you’re playing.
• Tempo — L3+ requires tempo discipline.

Try next: L3 on your current adversary. Don’t jump to L5+.

If you’ve only played 1–2 spirits

Your gap: spirit breadth.

Read next:

• Per Brett priorities: Shadows, Thunderspeaker, Ocean, Green, Bringer (all authored).
• Pick one unfamiliar spirit and read the chapter before next session.

Try next: rotate spirits every game for 10 games. Then return to a favorite with new perspective.

If you’ve never played with aspects

Your gap: aspect mechanics + when to suggest in a group.

Read next:

• Aspects chapter (see next section — authored M2).

Try next: base Shadows first, then Shadows with Madness aspect. Compare.

If you’ve never played Nature Incarnate

Your gap: Incarna mechanic + NI spirits.

Read next: NI spirit chapters will be in M4. Until then, the Wiki’s Nature Incarnate page.

If you’ve never played against France / Russia

Your gap: dahan-hostile + fear-suppression adversaries.

Read next: France and Russia adversary chapters (authored M3).

Warning: these adversaries fight specific archetypes structurally. Don’t bring Thunderspeaker to France without preparation.

If you have a 50+ game history with no playlog

Your gap: unaggregated experience.

Read next: Self-Tracking — the playlog schema + how to backfill.

Try next: log your last 5 games from memory; see patterns.

If you’ve been stuck at the same win-rate for 20+ games

Your gap: unknown — needs diagnosis.

Read next:

• Diagnosis approach in Reader Self-Assessment.
• Run 5 games via si-daily-challenge and use si-post-game to surface blind-spots.
• Read the chapter for your most-lost matchup.

The minimum viable reading path

If you only read 5 chapters in this whole book, read these:

1. The Core Loop
2. Tempo
3. Major vs. Minor
4. The spirit chapter for your most-played spirit
5. The adversary chapter for your most-played adversary

Those 5 chapters cover ~80% of what the book teaches.

Last revised: 2026-04-19