UpgradesThere have been a few recent threads evaluating the upgrades of cards--which upgrades are the best or which upgrades you should skip.
To make the valuation process easier I have created tables showing the benefits (or costs) of upgrading every card (relics and shards excluded).
The factors to consider when deciding to upgrade any card are quanta cost, attack of a creature, HP of a creature, and any change in the card's effect or targeting.
There is also the subject of saving an unupgraded card for use in competitions or for exploitating the AI--those factors will be left out of this evaluation.
Quanta CostWhenever a card is reduced in cost or produces more quanta it will be deemed a definitive benefit. In the current state of the game, there are only a few marginal cases that can penalize you for having excess quanta. Black Hole and Devourers can steal any quanta you haven't used and either heal your opponent or generate quanta for them. But, because of the randomness in drawing cards it is impossible to account for every quantum and to adjust your deck so as to not leave any for your opponent. In fact, the best counter is to have reduced costs and excess quanta so that you will have some for yourself. Whatever amount your opponent is enriched is insignificant compared to not being able to utilize your own cards. Another thing to consider is the auto-mulligan mechanic, which may be adversely affected if you include a zero-cost card that does not give you quanta.
Attack PowerAny increase in the attack of a creature is beneficial but with a few exceptions. If the increase makes the creature vulnerable to certain shields then it has to be considered as a potential drawback to the card. Thorn Carapace, Fire Shield, and Ice Shield can render a penetrating creature useless or dead. An increase in attack can also be a decrease in effectiveness when the creature is combined with Adrenaline. The Paradox ability and Butterfly Effect may also weigh in on whether you want to increase a creature's attack or not. The potential backfiring of a high-attack creature hit by Antimatter will not be considered as a drawback in this evaluation.
HPAny increase in HP gives your creature more survivability which is a definite plus. But, the effect of Gravity Shield may prevent the creature from being useful. Luckily, this is just one break-point to consider. The ease in killing of your own creatures that have been Antimattered or for causing Death effects will not be used in this evaluation.
All cards will be grouped into 4 categories:
- Cards that become strictly better when upgraded--there is no reason not to upgrade them (as outlined above)
- Cards that become generally better--the face value is always better, but in-game situations may make you reconsider
- Trade-offs--these cards sacrifice one stat for another and may be better left unupgraded depending on your deck
- Transformed cards--the effect has changed or it affects different targets (or there is simply no way to quantify the difference)
Legend : Attack power |  : HP |  : Immunity to Ice Shield freezing |
 : Immunity to Permafrost Shield freezing |  : Immunity to Thorn Carapace |  : Immunity to Spine Carapace poisoning |
 : Penetration through Gravity Shield |  : Immunity to Fire Shield |  : Butterfly Effect targeting |
 : Immunity to Maxwell's Demon |  : Damage with Adrenaline |  : Consideration by auto-mulligan |
Adrenaline Note: It will only be listed when the upgrade causes a card to lose damage when combined with adrenaline. Generally, when a card gains attack it will also gain damage with adrenaline and would be redundant. Combinations with other buffs are not considered.
Weapon Note: All weapons have been grouped according to their Flying Weapon stats. If ignoring the effect of Flying Weapon, all weapons can be categorized as 'Strictly better'.
version 1.26Strictly better| Original Card | Gain or Quanta Savings | | Quantum Pillar | 3 random quanta | | Elemental Pillars and Pendulums | 1 specific quantum | | Short Sword | 3 (100%) |  Maxwell's Demon | 3 (150%) | | Lycanthrope | 1  on activation (50%) | | Discord | 2 (50%) | | Antimatter | 2 (25%) | | Butterfly Effect | 1 (20%) | | Schrödinger's Cat | 2 (200%) | | Purple Nymph | 1 (100%) |  Bone Dragon | 1 (10%) | | Skull Shield | 1 (50%) | | Plague | 2 (50%) | | Bone Wall | 2 (28.5%) | | Aflatoxin | 2 (25%) | | Deathstalker | 2 (200%) | | Soul Catcher | 1 per creature death (50%) | | Grey Nymph | 3 (75%) |  Graviton Mercenary | 2 (50%) | | Gravity Shield | 2 (40%) | | Momentum | 1 (50%) | | Titan | 1 (14.3%) | | Gravity Pull | 1 (50%) | | Black Hole | 1 (25%) | | Chimera | 1 (14.3%) | | Catapult | 1 per activation (50%) | | Amber Nymph | 1 (33.3%) |  Hematite Golem | 2 (50%) 3 (50%) | | Gnome Rider | 1 per turn | | Pulverizer | 1 per activation (33.3%) | | Enchant Artifact | 1 (50%) | | Earthquake | 1 (33.3%) | | Stone Skin | 1 (50%) | | Basilisk Blood | 1 (50%) | | Auburn Nymph | 2 (66.7%) |  Rustler | 2 (200%) | | Cockatrice | 1 (25%) 1 (25%) | | Heal | 1 (33.3%) | | Empathic Bond | 1 (20%) | | Adrenaline | 1 (25%) | | Green Nymph | 1 (16.7%) |  Ash Eater | 1 per turn | | Fire Bolt | 2 (66.7%) | | Fire Shield | 2 (33.3%) | | Deflagration | 1 (50%) | | Fahrenheit | 1 (25%) | | Rain of Fire | 2 (28.6%) | | Immolation | 2 (28.6%) | | Lava Golem | 2 (40%) |
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