ASSIMILATEGene Card Guide — Drafting & the Archive
How the in-run draft works, what rarities mean, and why the permanent Gene Archive is your long game.
The draft
Every few waves you choose one of three Gene Cards. The boost lasts only the current run — but the card itself is permanently added to your Gene Archive, where it can be leveled with Gene Essence to strengthen every future appearance. Draft what the RUN needs; level what your BUILD wants.
Reading a card
Cards speak a small effect language: multipliers, flat adds, flags, grants and hooks. Rarity scales with depth — pushing deeper waves offers rarer drafts. Some cards are gated behind progression unlocks, so the pool itself grows as you clear campaign stages.
Archive strategy
Essence is scarce early: level broad multipliers first (damage, biomass income), then the cards that define your favorite archetype. A leveled common you see every run outperforms a legendary you see once a session.