Choose the resource loop you want to manage
Playstack describes commanders as different combinations of abilities, perks, artifact synergies and XP scaling. The official spotlights below explain those identities; they were published before launch, so check the current tooltip before relying on a precise balance value. This is a playstyle reference, not a performance tier list. The opposing StarVaders pilots can disrupt the plan, which makes a commander’s resource loop only one part of a run.
Roxy: reroll before trying Budge
In Tyler’s release run, Roxy starts the Base Dice cracked. He cannot budge them until he spends Chrono to reroll; afterward, he can adjust a value and make his pair. If Budge appears unavailable in this situation, check the cracked modifier before abandoning the column plan. This describes the recorded encounter, not an immunity or workaround for every pilot effect.
Frozen dice need a different resource decision
A later pilot in Tyler’s run freezes the Base Dice and prevents them from unfreezing. Chrono therefore cannot reroll those dice, but he still uses Budge to form pairs. Chrono can also remain useful for shop refreshes or an on-spend effect. Read the active restriction: a resource can lose one use without losing every use, and the cracked-dice solution should not be carried over automatically.
Chapter 6 changed in patch 1.0a
The official October 2 UTC patch gives Bud two locked perk slots while keeping the first available. Tippy now follows a fixed counter-clockwise blocking pattern from the bottom-right grid and shows the next direction with an arrow. The STAR adds a turn at each passed threshold, for three extra turns in total. These changes also apply to Ultimate Earth. Use the visible next-move arrow to plan around Tippy’s upcoming block. The announcement’s proposed later difficulty is a plan, not a feature confirmed in this patch.
Sources
Sources checked October 4, 2026. Player reports remain attributed; this site has not performed the gameplay tests.