Info about Across the Obelisk: Tulah, the Spider Queen:

Official game description:
Deep in the shadows, Tulah, the Spider Queen has been waiting. This brand-new hero brings a new deck-building strategy with her ability to summon spiderlings — tiny allies that weave their way into your hand, reshaping combat in new and unexpected ways.
This Hero Pack Includes:
------------------------
*   New Hero: Tulah, the Spider Queen – A fresh playstyle featuring spiderlings and deck-swarming mechanics.
*   Exclusive Pet: The Cocoon – A mysterious pet that evolves based on your talent choices.
*   3 Thematic Skins – Style Tulah in different, chilling outfits.
*   3 Unique Cardbacks – Spin a web of style with new deck designs.
*   5 New Emotes – Share your eight-legged excitement.
*   Expanded Event Interactions – New, custom dialogue for Tulah as she weaves her way through world events.

Release date: Jun 11, 2025

Categories: Deckbuilding, Roguelike Deckbuilder, Card-based Combat, Class-based Combat, Cooperative Multiplayer, Meta-Progression, Fantasy


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The direct price comments concern a character add-on rather than the base game, so they cannot set a base-game price directly and DLC pricing is excluded from the estimate. They do show the community accepts paid content when it feels replayable and fairly valued; the weakest defensible inference is that a full base game should cost more than a minor character add-on. This supports a broad indie base-game range of about $15-$25, but confidence is low because no review addresses the base-game price itself.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The reviews mention substantial playtime in the broader game and intent to keep using Tulah across runs, but they do not report DLC-specific completion time, story length, session length, or endgame duration. The 500+ hours and intended hundreds more are general game playtime claims, not practical playtime metrics for the Tulah DLC itself, so all playtime metrics are null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Creative Deck Architect (buy)
    - Motivation: Express creativity through themed, synergistic deckbuilding.
    - Playstyle: Builds insanity and dark-themed decks, focusing on sound card synergy.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Build Viability Analyst (no buy)
    - Motivation: Find well-supported, viable builds that justify their card pool and execution demands.
    - Playstyle: Compares character builds against existing options and tests internal synergy.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Difficulty-Modifier Challenger (sale)
    - Motivation: Master high-difficulty modifiers and verify whether recommended builds hold up.
    - Playstyle: Stacks Madness and game changers, then tests builds against high-difficulty runs.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Post-Launch Support Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Support fair post-launch practices and finished updates over new paid content.
    - Playstyle: Checks patch history and DLC priorities before deciding whether to buy.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Versatile team fit (weight 0.4): She fits cleanly into many standard compositions as a support/healer and can adapt to various team types including Insane-stacking, Poison-stacking, or Sanctify-based builds. Her flexibility makes her a meaningful addition to several teams.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.33): Many players find her fun to play, with enjoyable level-ups, cool animations, and a satisfying gameplay loop. Her design and playstyle contribute to an engaging experience.
- Strong synergy with Nezglekt (weight 0.32): The character works exceptionally well with Nezglekt, doubling up on Insane buildup and enabling powerful status effect combinations. This synergy is highlighted across multiple clusters.
- Good visual design and skins (weight 0.3): The character has a nice visual design, and all three skins are stunning. The spiders also look good with her, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal.
- High late-game damage potential (weight 0.26): As a hyper carry, she starts weak but scales to deal massive damage late by spawning free damage spells. Perfect card draws can deal over 100 damage in a single turn on the third map.
- Excellent support and healing (weight 0.26): Her unique kit with spiders and sanctify provides more than enough healing, and she functions as an amazing support/healer in standard compositions. Carry setups are on par or better than other single-class healers.
- Unique spider mechanics (weight 0.25): The spider-based kit, including shuffling spiders and customization potential, provides a unique and interesting gameplay effect. This mechanic sets her apart and adds depth to her support role.
- New build options (weight 0.25): She provides new build options with cards based on Vanish, Poison, Healing, Insanity, and Mind. This opens up creative team combos and replayability.
- Good theme and concept (weight 0.23): The character has a good theme and is interesting in concept. She is well-made and adds flavor to the game.
- Deck versatility and lean builds (weight 0.19): Her deck is fun and versatile, allowing players to build purely for utility while keeping it lean. She functions like a healer/scout depending on stat allocation.
- Enables poison synergies (weight 0.18): She enables team-wide poison synergies, adding another dimension to team compositions. This makes her valuable in poison-stacking builds.
- Creative use of existing mechanics (weight 0.18): She helps highlight creative use of existing mechanics, such as using the vanish pile as a resource for damage output. This adds variety and depth to the game.
- Monoclass heroes excel (weight 0.17): Monoclass heroes can still excel, and this character demonstrates that with potent starting decks and powerful carry setups. She proves that single-class teams can be viable.
- Versatile with tech (weight 0.17): She is versatile with tech that works on Madness 13, indicating viability in high-difficulty content. There is no bad way to run her.
- Powerful DLC character (weight 0.1): As a DLC character, she is very powerful and adds significant value to the game. Her inclusion is seen as a strong addition.
- Synergy with Laia (weight 0.09): She works great with Laia on a sanctify and fire combo, creating a powerful partnership. This specific synergy is noted as effective.
- Slight power creep concern (weight 0.09): There is a slight power creep from other mono healers, suggesting she may not be the absolute top choice. However, this is a minor concern.
- Good value for price (weight 0.09): She is neat enough for the price, offering a positive return on investment. Players find her a worthwhile addition.
- Regen and sanctify builds viable (weight 0.09): Good damage can still be achieved with regen and sanctify builds, showing alternative build paths. This adds to her versatility.

Common complaints:
- No clear role (weight 0.74): The character lacks a defined purpose; her damage, healing, and support are all poor. Every role she could fill is done better by another hero, so there is always a better option.
- Underwhelming as a healer (weight 0.52): She is consistently described as weaker than every other healer and outclassed by existing options. Her healing lacks value, especially at higher madness, and she offers no unique advantage.
- Spiderlings clog decks (weight 0.52): Spiders added to teammates' decks are weak, deal negligible poison damage, and disrupt card order. They cannot be removed and hurt flow, particularly in cost-reduction teams.
- Unpolished and sloppy (weight 0.4): The character seems released before being fully polished, with spelling errors and general sloppiness. Level 5 upgrades are disappointing and miss the mark.
- Outclassed by other DLC (weight 0.33): She is notably less powerful than other paid DLC characters like Yogger and Amelia. Her price is acceptable but she feels overvalued compared to them.
- Left side synergy fails (weight 0.33): The left path combines sanctify and poison but lacks cards or effects to enable synergy. It is a mishmash of two things that don't work together, and poison feels like an afterthought.
- Right side worse Nezzy (weight 0.33): The right side is a discount version of Nezglekt, with no meaningful healing or damage. It requires another character to heal off her insane stacks, and Nezglekt doesn't contribute to poison stacking.
- Weak damage output (weight 0.33): Her damage options are lackluster and lack significant damage boosts. Free damage cards, including pet attacks, feel too weak, and mind damage in general is not looking good.
- Misses archetype expectations (weight 0.31): The character doesn't live up to the expectations set by the archetype and feels a bit empty. The mechanical representation of the theme is disappointing.
- Sanctify build done better (weight 0.27): Her sanctify build is outperformed by Ottis, and her bless build by Reginald. She does almost no damage when stacking sanctify, unlike those characters.
- Vanish mechanics feel odd (weight 0.27): The vanish-discount healer mechanics do not fit a spider theme. Using vanish heals to boost Deja Vu damage is an unappealing mechanic, and mind damage with vanishing cards feels odd.
- No new cards added (weight 0.27): She didn't come with any new cards or change existing cards, unlike previous DLC characters. There are no new mechanisms to support her intended playstyle.
- Spiders not central (weight 0.27): All the spiders are burn cards rather than a central component. You can't build around them effectively, and other heroes use her spiders more than she does.
- Needs significant buffs (weight 0.27): The character is incredibly weak and needs her numbers tweaked hard. Her first level-up ability on the left path does nothing except increase exhaust cost.
- Developers out of touch (weight 0.24): The last major update came out in a terrible state, and developers focused on a new DLC instead of fixing it. An official 'how to play' guide suggests they are out of touch with the mature deck-building meta.
- Direct heals feel bad (weight 0.19): Direct healing cards provide almost no value for her left-side traits, making them feel bad to use. Her healer side also lacks allied card vanishing.
- Synergies locked behind DLC (weight 0.19): Her strongest synergies are often locked behind other DLC characters. Team composition constraints mean you'll rarely make full use of all her strengths.
- Confusing for new players (weight 0.19): She is confusing at times; internal synergies are hard to perform and not new-player friendly. The description is deceptive about introducing a new deckbuilding strategy.
- Pet upgrade inconsistency (weight 0.19): Only the Lianty pet is replaced at levels 3 and 5 instead of getting a free upgrade, which feels inconsistent. Her level 1 passive forces a useless card into all teammates' decks.
- Limited zero-cost cards (weight 0.11): She can at most add two zero-cost damage/heal cards to decks for a single combat. This limited impact makes her feel weak and purposeless.

Gameplay feedback:
- Spider-themed support/hyper carry (weight 0.52): The character can be built either as a support or a hyper carry, with spiders as a core part of her kit. She uses spiders as burn cards and has spider customization.
- Healing and sanctify paths (weight 0.51): The character has healing, sanctify, bless, and mind damage with vanishing card build paths. She is a mono healer with carry and support builds.
- Poison synergies and team combos (weight 0.33): The character enables team-wide poison synergies and introduces team combo mechanics. She has synergies with specific heroes and card mechanics like insane buildup, sanctify, and fire.
- Deckbuilding game (weight 0.32): The game is a deck-building game where players build and manipulate decks. It features maps, card drawing, and card order manipulation.
- Plays like second Nezglekt (weight 0.25): The character plays similarly to Nezglekt, sharing an insanity caster archetype and mind damage focus.
- Pet and starter deck (weight 0.19): The hero has a pet, a starter hero card, and a spider that goes into the team deck. The starting deck and card are potent.
- Uses Deja Vu, Vanish, Regen, Sanctify (weight 0.19): The character utilizes mechanics such as Deja Vu, Vanish, Regen, and Sanctify, offering diverse build options.
- Deck stacking and spiderling mechanics (weight 0.19): The character has deck stacking and spiderling mechanics, with spiderling cards added to hero decks at battle start.
- Left side combines sanctify and poison (weight 0.19): The left side trait tree combines sanctify and poison mechanics, focusing on direct healing cards and raw healing.
- Not focused on poison (weight 0.19): Despite spiders traditionally being linked to poison in the game, the spider queen character currently does not focus on poison.
- Madness 13 difficulty (weight 0.18): The game has a Madness 13 difficulty setting, providing a challenging experience for players.
- Free damage spells late game (weight 0.11): In the late game, the hyper carry build spawns free damage spells, providing significant damage output.
- Support with spiders and sanctify (weight 0.11): The support build uses spiders and sanctify for healing and utility deckbuilding, enhancing team survivability.
- DLC adds unique card mechanics (weight 0.11): The character DLC adds a new playable character with unique card mechanics, expanding the game's roster and strategies.
- Vanish pile as damage resource (weight 0.11): The character uses the vanish pile as a resource for damage output, turning removed cards into power.
- Card advantage mechanics (weight 0.11): The character involves card advantage mechanics, allowing for efficient resource management during battles.
- Level ups and shuffling spiders (weight 0.11): The character has level ups and a mechanic that shuffles spiders into decks, adding a dynamic element to gameplay.
- Characters fill different niches (weight 0.11): Characters can fill different niches, allowing for varied team compositions and strategies.
- Pet Lianty replaced at levels (weight 0.11): The pet Lianty gets replaced at levels 3 and 5, changing the character's pet as she progresses.
- Level 1 passive adds card (weight 0.11): The character's level 1 passive adds a card to all teammates' decks, providing immediate team support.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Tulah worth the price (weight 0.25): Multiple reviewers feel Tulah justifies her cost, especially due to replayability and overall value. They state she is worth every cent.
- Tulah feels underwhelming (weight 0.18): Some players find Tulah underpowered and say she needs tweaks to be viable. One reviewer would only recommend if she is improved.
- Strong recommendation for Tulah and DLC (weight 0.18): Several reviewers highly recommend Tulah and other DLC, urging others to ignore negative reviews. They express strong adoration for the new character.
- Use Tulah as support (weight 0.17): Reviewers suggest using Tulah in a support role rather than as a replacement. They also mention including her in the party for variety.
- Recommended for creative deckbuilders (weight 0.17): Players who are creative and skilled at sound deckbuilding will enjoy Tulah. Comparisons are made to building Nezglekt or Sanctify Otis.
- DLC anti-consumer practices criticized (weight 0.08): One reviewer cannot recommend the DLC due to anti-consumer practices. This is a niche concern but noted.

Other player notes:
- Paid DLC character criticized (weight 0.19): The character is sold as paid DLC, which some players view negatively. This is the core complaint about monetization.
- Released after buggy update (weight 0.18): The DLC released right after an update that introduced many bugs. This compounds frustration with the game's state.
- Compared unfavorably to other characters (weight 0.18): The character is compared unfavorably to Reginald, Ottis, and Nenukil, described as lacking rocket boots or caltrops. This highlights perceived inferiority.
- Price seen as acceptable (weight 0.17): Some find the price point acceptable, though maybe a bit overvalued. It is also noted as lower than many indie and AAA DLCs.
- Poison synergy with Bernard (weight 0.17): Bernard is very good for Poison, and it is better to pivot into a Dark composition with Thuls, Bernard, and Navalea as tank. This provides team-building advice.
- Developer focus criticized (weight 0.11): The developer released a major update in a terrible state and then focused on a new DLC instead of fixing it. This is seen as poor prioritization.
- Content creators not excited (weight 0.11): Content creators who received the DLC for free in advance were not much excited about the character. This suggests underwhelming reception.
- Spider content overpromised (weight 0.1): The trailer promised 'spiders, so much spiders', but actual spider content is limited. This creates disappointment.
- Speed comparable to mage (weight 0.09): With full specialization, the character's 14 speed is comparable to a mage's speed. This is a notable stat observation.
- Ideal for Sanctify setup (weight 0.09): Laia is considered ideal for a Sanctify setup. This is a positive synergy note.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.41): The character's core concept of mixing sanctify and poison is not functional, leaving her weak and outclassed by other healers. Her mechanics fail to deliver the promised deckbuilding strategy, and her strengths are locked behind other DLC characters, making her feel empty and underpowered.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Players are frustrated that a paid DLC character is the worst in strength, with abilities and upgrades that feel useless compared to other characters. The lack of synergy between sanctify and poison feels like a design oversight, and spiderling cards disrupt card order without a way to remove them.
- Confusion (weight 0.1): Some players are confused by negative reviews calling the character bland or bad, especially when they question if their build is wrong due to low strength. The character's role and purpose are unclear, leading to uncertainty about why others think she is not worth it.
- Fun (weight 0.08): Players have fun with the spider queen character, enjoying her cool ability animations and team combos. Even on high difficulty like Madness 13, playing Tulah is a blast for some.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Some players find the new character well-made and worth the price, feeling she is neat enough for the cost. They consider her a satisfying addition to the game.
- Liking (weight 0.03): Players like the character's synergistic gameplay with other heroes and card mechanics, appreciating how she fits into team compositions.
- Underwhelmed (weight 0.03): Players feel underwhelmed because the spiders deal negligible damage and offer barely any healing, making the character's core mechanic ineffective.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): The gameplay loop is very enjoyable for some players, providing a fun and engaging experience.
- Dismissiveness (weight 0.03): Some players dismiss negative reviews about damage and deck pollution, indicating they disagree with those criticisms.
- Adoration (weight 0.03): Players adore the new character's design and gameplay, expressing strong positive feelings towards her.
- Obsession (weight 0.03): Players are obsessed with playing insanity and dark builds with Tulah, finding those playstyles highly engaging.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Players are excited about Tulah's versatile deck and build options, looking forward to exploring different strategies.
- Impressed (weight 0.03): Players are impressed by the DLC's ability to deal over 100 damage in a single turn, highlighting the character's potential for high burst damage.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Players are angry because the character's poor design and unhelpful passive make the game frustrating, leading to strong negative emotions.}