Upright and reversed are separate build pieces
The normalized game data contains 44 tarot face records. Upright and reversed faces have separate descriptions, rarities, conditions, and relationships; a reversed face is not simply a stronger or weaker version of the upright one.
Read the exact orientation before planning around a familiar arcana name. Two faces may reward different moments—such as a recurring combat trigger versus dismantling an item that carries a matching term—and therefore belong in different builds.
Compare both orientations and their official localized text in the Tarot database.
Translate each face into trigger, target, and payoff
Trigger
Identify the exact event: entering a stage, ending battle, firing the first or final shot, triggering a Transmutation, dismantling a relic, or another defined condition. A face has no practical value until the build can create that event.
Target
Determine what the effect acts on: the hunter, an enemy, a relic with a matching term, a specific orientation relationship, or the next combat window. This prevents a broadly worded plan from claiming coverage the card does not provide.
Payoff
State what changes and for how long. Separate direct damage, control, trigger repetition, dismantle value, and persistent attributes. If duration or enemy state matters, keep the effect in a conditional scenario.
Verify every timing word in the Mechanics glossary before pairing the face with a weapon or relic.
Five slots require a priority order
A legal loadout supports five tarot slots. Begin with one face that strengthens the primary loop, then add coverage for a weakness or a second reliable trigger. Avoid filling all five slots with effects that depend on different rare events.
A useful slot audit asks which face creates value in an ordinary room, which one needs a specific pickup, and which one only matters after a future forge or dismantle sequence. The third category is the first to cut when the build needs immediate power.
Model the five-slot limit alongside weapons and relics in the Build Planner.
Relic relationships can change the correct order of play
Some relic hidden passives reference tarot, and some tarot effects care about dismantling relics with a particular trigger vocabulary. Check both records before acting. The card may need to be owned first, the relic may need the matching term, and the dismantle event may be the moment that consumes the opportunity.
Treat the sequence like a recipe: required face, required relic property, activation event, expected result. If any step is missing from the exact text, do not spend the item based on memory.
Use the Relics database to check hidden tarot relationships and dismantle text side by side.
Do not confuse rarity with orientation value
The useful orientation is the one whose condition the current run can meet. Rarity can influence the size or availability of an effect, but it does not convert an inactive trigger into value. Compare coverage first, then payoff, then the five-slot opportunity cost.
Frequently asked questions
How many tarot faces are in the current Pass the Fear data?
The current normalized build contains 44 tarot face records across upright and reversed orientations.
How many tarot slots can a build use?
A legal loadout supports five tarot slots.
Is a reversed tarot always better than its upright face?
No. Upright and reversed are separate effects with different triggers and uses. The better choice is the one your current build can activate and exploit reliably.