Chaos Zero Nightmare Deck Builder Calculator Guide: Master Card-Level Save Data Optimization

Why Use the Deck Builder Calculator Over Quick Calculators?

The Chaos Zero Nightmare Deck Builder Calculator is designed for players who need precise, card-level control over their Save Data optimization. While the quick Save Data Calculator works well for fast cap checks with aggregate counts (e.g., "I have 8 Neutral cards total"), the Deck Builder treats every card as an individual entity with its own properties.

When to Use the Deck Builder

The Deck Builder is the right tool when:

• Planning Divine Epiphany allocations: You need to decide which specific 2-3 cards out of 12 should receive Divine upgrades
• Tracking base vs added cards: You need to identify which cards are base/starting cards to optimize convert-then-remove strategies
• Managing conversions precisely: You want to track which specific cards have been converted (not just a total count)
• Building for high tiers (10-13): Every point matters and aggregate counting lacks the precision needed
• Sharing or documenting builds: You want to export or share exact deck configurations with card-level detail
• Experimenting with card swaps: You're testing "what if I replace this Monster with a Neutral?" scenarios

Deck Builder vs Quick Calculator Comparison

How to Use the Chaos Zero Nightmare Deck Builder Calculator

The Deck Builder interface is organized around card rows—each row represents one card in your current deck. You'll build your deck card-by-card, setting properties for each, and the calculator will show real-time Save Data totals.

Step 1: Set Tier and Nightmare Toggle

Just like the quick calculator, start by selecting your tier level (1-13) and enabling the +1 Tier toggle if you're playing Nightmare or Deep Trauma difficulty. This sets your maximum cap.

Step 2: Add Card Rows to Build Your Deck

Click "Add Card" to create a new card row. Each row includes:

• Card Name (optional): Label the card for reference (e.g., "Shadow Dagger", "Hunter's Mark")
• Card Type: Dropdown to select Neutral (20 pts), Forbidden (20 pts), or Monster (80 pts)
• Epiphany State: Dropdown for None (0), Normal Epiphany (+10), Divine Epiphany (+30 total), or Unique Spark (0)
• Converted Checkbox: Mark if this card has been converted (+10 pts)
• Base Card Checkbox: Mark if this was a starting card (affects removal penalty)
• Removed Checkbox: Mark if you've removed this card (drops card/Epiphany costs, adds ladder cost)
• Duplication Count: Enter total copies (e.g., 2 = original + 1 duplicate)

Add rows for every card currently in your deck (or planned for your deck). If you have 12 cards, create 12 rows.

Step 3: Configure Per-Card Properties

Go through each card row and set:

1. Card Type: Is this card a Neutral, Forbidden, or Monster?
2. Epiphany State: Does it have no Epiphany, Normal, Divine, or Unique?
3. Is it Converted? Check if you converted it during the run.
4. Is it a Base Card? Check if it was in your starting deck (not added during the run).
5. Is it Removed? If you removed this card, check the removed box.
6. Duplication Count: If you duplicated this specific card, enter the total copies.

The calculator automatically updates as you modify each row, showing real-time Used vs Cap totals.

Step 4: Review Breakdown and Status

The Deck Builder displays:

• Used Total: Sum of all card costs, Epiphany costs, conversion costs, removal costs, and duplication costs
• Cap: Your tier cap (with optional +10 for Nightmare)
• Remaining / Overage: How many points you have left or are over by
• Status: Safe (green), Near Cap (yellow), Over Cap (red)
• Cost Breakdown: Chart or table showing where your points are going (cards, Epiphanies, conversions, removals, duplications)

Use the breakdown to identify optimization opportunities. If "Epiphany Costs" shows 80 points and you're over cap, downgrade 1-2 Divine Epiphanies to Normal. If "Removal Costs" are spiking, reduce the number of removals.

Step 5: Iterate and Optimize

The Deck Builder's strength is rapid iteration. Try scenarios like:

• "What if I downgrade this Divine to Normal Epiphany?" (saves 20 pts)
• "What if I replace this Monster with a Neutral?" (saves 60 pts)
• "What if I convert this base card before removing it?" (saves 10 pts)
• "What if I skip duplicating this card?" (saves ladder cost)

Adjust card rows, watch the Used total update, and iterate until you reach Safe status with optimal card selection.

Per-Card Tracking Features Explained

Card Type (Neutral / Forbidden / Monster)

Each card row has a type dropdown. Card type determines the base cost:

• Neutral: 20 points
• Forbidden: 20 points
• Monster: 80 points

The Deck Builder lets you track exactly which cards are Monsters, making it easy to see at a glance how many high-cost cards you have. For example, if your deck has 2 Monsters, you can immediately see they're consuming 160 points—more than the entire Tier 13 cap (150) before any upgrades.

Epiphany State (None / Normal / Divine / Unique)

The Epiphany dropdown offers four options:

• None: No Epiphany upgrade, 0 additional points
• Normal Epiphany (Spark): +10 points
• Divine Epiphany (God-Spark): +20 points (stacks with Normal for +30 total)
• Unique Spark: 0 points (character-specific free upgrade)

This granular control lets you plan exactly which cards get Divine upgrades. For instance, in a 12-card deck, you might allocate Divine to only your 2 most impactful cards, leaving others at Normal Epiphany or none, optimizing Save Data spend across the deck.

Converted Flag (Yes / No)

The Converted checkbox marks whether a card has been converted. Conversion costs +10 points per card and is permanent—even if you remove the card later, the +10 conversion cost remains.

Per-card conversion tracking is critical for the convert-then-remove optimization. If a card is marked as both Base Card and Converted, the calculator knows to apply +10 conversion cost but avoid the +20 base-card removal penalty if you later check the Removed box.

Base Card Flag (Yes / No)

The Base Card checkbox identifies cards that were in your deck at the start of the Chaos run (your starting deck). This flag is essential because removing a base card incurs a +20 penalty per card on top of the removal ladder cost.

The Deck Builder uses this flag to:

• Calculate removal penalties accurately when the Removed box is checked
• Suggest convert-then-remove optimizations (if base card + not converted + removed, the calculator may flag it as suboptimal)
• Separate base vs added cards visually, helping you prioritize which cards to remove

Removed Checkbox (Yes / No)

Marking a card as Removed changes its contribution to your Save Data total:

• Card cost is removed: Neutral (20), Forbidden (20), or Monster (80) no longer counts
• Epiphany costs are removed: Normal (+10) or Divine (+30) no longer counts
• Conversion cost remains: If the card was converted, +10 still applies
• Removal ladder cost is added: The card's removal contributes to the cumulative ladder (0 → 10 → 30 → 50 → 70)
• Base-card penalty is added: If Base Card is checked, +20 penalty applies (unless card is also marked Converted)

The Deck Builder automatically handles these calculations, making it easy to see the net effect of removing specific cards.

Duplication Count (Number)

The Duplication Count field tracks how many total copies of this specific card exist. For example:

• Count = 1: Original card only, no duplicates, 0 duplication cost
• Count = 2: Original + 1 duplicate, contributes 1 step to the duplication ladder
• Count = 3: Original + 2 duplicates, contributes 2 steps to the duplication ladder

The Deck Builder sums duplication counts across all cards to calculate the total duplication ladder cost. This lets you track which specific cards you've duplicated, making it easier to plan duplication priorities (e.g., duplicate your best card twice, leave others at single copies).

Epiphany and Divine Epiphany Planning Strategies

Divine Epiphany Allocation Priority

Divine Epiphanies cost +30 points per card (+10 Normal + 20 Divine), making them one of the most expensive upgrades in the game. Strategic allocation is critical, especially at mid-tiers (6-9) where your cap is 80-110 points.

Priority framework for Divine allocation:

1. Win-condition cards: Cards that are central to your deck's strategy (e.g., key damage dealers, enablers)
2. High-frequency cards: Cards you draw and play most often during a run
3. Synergy anchors: Cards that trigger or enhance other cards' effects (e.g., Hugo's Hunt Stack generators, Veronica's card draws)
4. Low-cost cards with high impact: Zero-cost or 1-cost cards that you can play every turn

Avoid allocating Divine to:

• Situational cards that only shine in specific encounters
• Cards you plan to remove later in the run (waste of Epiphany points)
• Cards that are already strong without Divine (diminishing returns)
• Monster cards at low tiers—a Divine Monster (110 pts) can exceed your entire cap

Tier-Based Divine Budgets

Use these guidelines for how many Divine Epiphanies you can afford per tier:

These are maximums assuming you're running lean decks with minimal Monsters, moderate removals/duplications, and efficient conversions. If you're running 2+ Monsters or performing 5+ removals, reduce Divine count by 1-2.

Unique Spark Optimization

Unique/character sparks cost 0 points, making them the most efficient upgrade in the game. When planning Divine allocations, prioritize adding Divine to cards that already have Unique sparks:

• Unique + Divine: 0 (Unique) + 20 (Divine) = 20 total points
• Normal Epiphany + Divine: 10 (Normal) + 20 (Divine) = 30 total points

Applying Divine to a Unique-sparked card saves 10 points compared to a Normal Epiphany card. If you have 2 Divine upgrades to allocate and one card has Unique spark while another has Normal Epiphany, give Divine to the Unique card first.

Epiphany + Monster Card Caution

Monster cards (80 pts) with Divine Epiphany (+30 pts) total 110 points per card. This combination should only be attempted at Tier 9+ (110 cap) or Tier 8 with Nightmare +1 tier (110 cap).

If you're planning a Divine Monster, use the Deck Builder to verify you have enough headroom. At Tier 9 (110 cap), a single Divine Monster leaves you with 0 points for the rest of your deck—completely impractical. Tier 10+ (120-150 caps) provides the headroom needed for 1-2 Divine Monsters.

Base-Card Identification and Removal Optimization

What Are Base Cards?

Base cards (also called starting cards) are cards that were in your deck before you entered the Chaos zone. These are typically:

• Character-specific starting cards assigned at deck initialization
• Default Neutral cards included in starter decks
• Cards from previous runs that persisted via Vivid Memory

Cards you add during the Chaos run (from events, shops, rewards, or card-add mechanics) are not base cards—they are "added cards" or "run cards."

Why Base Cards Matter: The +20 Removal Penalty

Removing a base card incurs a +20 penalty per card on top of the removal ladder cost. This penalty represents the game's resistance to deleting your core deck identity.

For example, removing 3 base cards:

• Removal ladder: 0 + 10 + 30 = 40 points
• Base-card penalties: 3 × 20 = 60 points
• Total: 100 points

This penalty is severe, especially at low-mid tiers. However, there's a trick to avoid it entirely.

The Convert-Then-Remove Trick (Detailed)

The convert-then-remove optimization is the most important Save Data trick in the game:

In the Deck Builder, this optimization is easy to implement:

1. Identify cards with Base Card checked
2. Before checking Removed, first check Converted (+10 pts)
3. Then check Removed (ladder cost only, no +20 penalty)
4. The calculator automatically applies +10 conversion instead of +20 penalty, saving 10 points

When to Skip Convert-Then-Remove

The convert-then-remove trick isn't always optimal. Skip it when:

• It's the 1st removal (0 ladder cost): Direct removal only costs +20 penalty, no ladder cost. Converting first adds +10, then removal adds ladder cost (future removals), totaling more than +20.
• You've exhausted conversions: If conversion mechanics are limited (some game modes), you may not be able to convert every base card.
• The card is already removed: You can't convert a card that's no longer in your deck.

In practice, convert-then-remove should be your default for the 2nd+ removal of base cards.

Using the Deck Builder to Track Base Cards

The Deck Builder's Base Card checkbox makes tracking easy:

• Initial deck setup: When building your deck at the start, check Base Card for all starting cards
• Adding new cards: Leave Base Card unchecked for cards added during the run
• Removal planning: Filter or sort by Base Card flag to identify which cards need convert-first treatment
• Cost verification: The breakdown shows whether removal costs include penalties, helping you verify correct flagging

Some advanced Deck Builder implementations offer color-coding or icons to visually distinguish base vs added cards at a glance.

Advanced Deck Building Strategies

1. Deck Thinning for Draw Consistency

Deck thinning—removing low-impact cards to increase the frequency of drawing high-impact cards—is a core deckbuilding strategy in CZN. However, removals consume Save Data points via the ladder (0 → 10 → 30 → 50 → 70).

Optimal thinning approach:

• Limit removals to 3-4 total to stay under the +50 ladder spike
• Prioritize removing truly dead cards (0 synergy, dead draws) rather than marginal cards
• Convert base cards before removing to save +20 penalty per card (10-point savings)
• Use characters with natural thinning mechanics (e.g., Veronica's card draw thinning) to reduce reliance on removal actions

2. Monster Card Budgeting

Monster cards are extremely powerful but cost 80 points each—4× the cost of Neutral/Forbidden cards. Use these budgeting rules:

Always verify Monster allocations in the Deck Builder before committing. A single miscalculation can push you 20-30 points over cap.

3. Duplication vs Removal Trade-Offs

Removals and duplications share the same ladder, so each action type competes for ladder budget:

• Scenario A: 3 removals + 1 duplication = 4 total actions = 0 + 10 + 30 + 50 = 90 points
• Scenario B: 2 removals + 2 duplications = 4 total actions = 0 + 10 + 30 + 50 = 90 points

Both cost the same in ladder points (90), but the strategic value differs. Removals thin your deck (increase draw consistency), while duplications strengthen specific cards (increase power ceiling).

When to prioritize removals: Decks with high natural card quality where removing a few weak cards creates consistency.

When to prioritize duplications: Decks built around specific combo cards or win-conditions where duplicating key cards is more valuable than removing marginal cards.

4. Build Sharing and Deck Templates

The Deck Builder supports build sharing via URL encoding or export features. Use this to:

• Save templates for each character: Pre-configure base decks for Hugo, Veronica, Tressa with typical card distributions and Epiphany allocations
• Share optimized builds: Post builds to community forums, Discord, or Reddit with exact card-level detail
• Compare build variants: Save multiple versions (e.g., "Tier 8 Hugo – Divine variant" vs "Tier 8 Hugo – Monster variant") and compare Save Data efficiency

Some players maintain personal build libraries with 10-15 saved configurations for different tiers, characters, and strategies.

5. Live Run Tracking Workflow

For maximum precision during Chaos runs:

1. Pre-run setup: Load your starting deck into the Deck Builder, mark all cards as Base Cards
2. During run: As you add cards, create new rows and leave Base Card unchecked
3. After each major decision: Update the Deck Builder (added Monster, performed removal, gained Divine)
4. Before run completion: Verify status is Safe (green) with 10+ points headroom
5. Post-run analysis: Export or screenshot the final build for future reference

This workflow prevents over-cap surprises and ensures every deck decision is informed by real-time Save Data totals.

Meta Deck Examples and Templates

Example 1: Hugo Follow-Up Attack Build (Tier 9)

Example 2: Veronica Card Draw Engine (Tier 8 Nightmare)

These examples illustrate why the Deck Builder is critical: manual calculations are error-prone and time-consuming. The calculator handles all the math, letting you focus on strategic decisions rather than arithmetic.

Conclusion: Mastering Card-Level Deck Optimization

The Chaos Zero Nightmare Deck Builder Calculator provides the granular control needed for high-tier optimization and min-max builds. By tracking individual cards with per-card Epiphany states, base-card flags, conversion status, and removal tracking, you gain precision that aggregate calculators can't match.

Key takeaways:

• Use the Deck Builder for Tier 8+ optimization and any build with 2+ Monsters or 3+ Divine Epiphanies
• Mark base cards accurately and apply convert-then-remove for 10-point savings per base removal
• Allocate Divine Epiphanies strategically to win-condition cards, not every qualifying card
• Monitor the cost breakdown to identify optimization opportunities (too many Epiphanies? Too many removals?)
• Track your build live during Chaos runs to catch over-cap situations before it's too late

Master these techniques, and you'll consistently build optimal decks that stay under-cap while maximizing power—avoiding the frustration of random rollbacks deleting your hard-earned Monsters and Divine upgrades.