Montabi Walkthrough: Step-by-Step Run Progression Guide - Guide

Montabi Walkthrough: Step-by-Step Run Progression Guide

Master Montabi with this complete walkthrough covering starter picks, team building, combat tactics, and boss progression strategies.

2026-08-07
Montabi Wiki Team
Quick Guide
  • Montabi walkthrough covers the full roguelike loop from starter selection to boss encounters
  • 3x3 tactical grid means positioning decisions are just as important as card choices
  • Three-Montabi teams require complementary roles rather than stacking pure damage
  • 570+ cards exist, but deck efficiency comes from keeping your pool focused
  • Taming new creatures mid-run can reshape your deck and open new synergy paths

Montabi Walkthrough: Core Run Loop

A successful Montabi walkthrough begins with understanding how creature collecting, deckbuilding, and 3x3 tactical positioning interconnect. Each roguelike run revolves around building a three-Montabi team, improving its card pool through rewards and taming, and adapting your strategy to randomized encounters. The game launched on August 6, 2026, featuring over 60 collectible creatures, 22 starter choices, and more than 570 cards across its roster.

Video Highlights:

  • Official launch trailer showcasing core gameplay systems
  • 3x3 grid combat in action with positioning mechanics
  • Creature taming and evolution previews
  • Card-driven tactical battles and team synergies

The core loop follows a repeating cycle: choose encounters, fight battles on the 3x3 grid, earn rewards, strengthen your deck, tame new Montabi, and prepare for increasingly difficult elite and boss fights. Every decision should make your three-Montabi team more prepared for the next major encounter.

First Run Priority

Your first few runs should focus on learning how cards interact with grid positioning. Pick starters with flexible cards and straightforward attack patterns before attempting complex synergy builds.

Choosing Your Starter Montabi

With 22 starter Montabi available, your opening choice sets the direction for your entire run. Starters should be evaluated by their starting card packages, positioning flexibility, evolution potential, and how well they synergize with creatures you might tame later. Raw damage output alone rarely determines a starter's true value.

TierLabelKey CriteriaRecommended For
SBest Beginner StartersStrong from turn one, flexible positioning, useful cards without combo requirementsNew players learning all systems
AStrong and FlexibleReliable card package, good synergy potential, minor setup requirementsPlayers comfortable with basic synergies
BBuild-DependentEffective with correct support, positioning-sensitive, rewards key upgradesPlayers willing to adapt around a pick
SpecialistCombo-FocusedNarrower tactical interactions, requires card sequencing knowledgeExperienced players testing specialized builds

Flexible Starters

  • Work in multiple grid positions
  • Cards remain useful across team compositions
  • Forgiving for players learning positioning
  • Strong evolution paths that don't require specific teammates

Specialist Starters

  • Designed around specific card interactions
  • Requires deeper knowledge of sequencing
  • Rewards careful 3x3 grid management
  • Becomes powerful when paired with correct partners
Common Starter Mistake

Avoid choosing a starter purely based on its visual design or base stats. A creature with lower raw damage but versatile cards and flexible positioning will carry you further in most runs.

Building Your Three-Montabi Team

Your active team contains exactly three Montabi, and the strongest compositions treat creatures and their shared deck as one interconnected system. A well-built team has a clear damage plan, enough defensive or positional control to survive, and a focused deck that consistently draws the cards responsible for your strongest interactions.

Build TypeDifficultyCore StrategyDeck Priority
Balanced BeginnerBeginnerComplementary offense, defense, and utility rolesReliable low-condition cards, basic damage, defensive options
Positioning ControlIntermediateExploits 3x3 grid placement for maximum valueMovement effects, position-dependent attacks, formation preservation
Synergy ComboIntermediateThree Montabi reinforcing one core mechanicCombo enablers, consistency tools, low-value card removal
Evolution-FocusedAdvancedScales around late-run evolution interactionsPost-evolution synergy pieces, survival tools, high-impact late cards
Team Identity Rule

Choose one clear team identity and let each Montabi contribute a complementary function: damage, setup, movement, protection, or utility. Spreading your team across unrelated strategies weakens every aspect of your run.

When evaluating a new tame during a run, ask whether its cards strengthen an existing strategy or pull the deck in a completely different direction. A new Montabi is most valuable when it solves a weakness your current formation struggles with.

3x3 Combat and Positioning Tactics

Montabi battles take place on a 3x3 tactical grid where creature placement directly affects how attacks and abilities resolve. The strongest turns come from reading enemy positions, protecting vulnerable teammates, moving into advantageous spaces, and sequencing cards so each action sets up the next one.

Tactical ConceptHow It WorksPractical Advice
Grid ReadingCheck where every friendly and enemy creature stands before actingIdentify exposed Montabi, threatened spaces, and useful attack lanes
Card-Position LinkSome cards gain value based on targeting, placement, or movementReview your hand before committing to movement or attacks
Formation DefenseLeaving a key Montabi exposed invites devastating counterattacksMove threatened creatures and use formation to block enemy targeting
SequencingSetup cards played first multiply the impact of payoff cardsPlay movement and utility before committing offensive cards
Enemy ResponseConsider what the battlefield looks like when the enemy actsAvoid finishing a combo with your team clustered and exposed
1

Read the Battlefield

Start each turn by checking where every friendly and enemy creature is positioned on the 3x3 grid. Identify exposed Montabi, threatened spaces, and useful attack lanes before touching any cards.

2

Review Your Hand

Look for cards whose value depends on targeting, placement, movement, or another card that can be played first. Plan your sequence before committing to any single action.

3

Protect Vulnerable Montabi

Move threatened creatures when necessary and use the rest of your formation to reduce the enemy's best attack opportunities. Never sacrifice a key team member for small immediate damage.

4

Create Better Positions

Use movement and positioning effects to place your team where its cards become more effective. Think one action ahead so a repositioning card prepares a stronger attack next turn.

5

Execute and Adapt

Play setup and utility effects first, then commit your main offensive cards. If the ideal combo is unavailable, use safe positioning and flexible cards to rebuild for a stronger later turn.

Positioning Is Part of the Deck

Treat movement as a deckbuilding concern, not a separate mechanic. Keep enough positioning tools to recover from unfavorable formations, especially before elite and boss encounters.

Run Progression and Boss Preparation

A Montabi run develops through a chain of randomized encounters and upgrade decisions rather than a fixed battle sequence. Progress depends on improving the team, strengthening the deck, choosing useful rewards, and entering elite or boss encounters with a coherent strategy instead of unrelated upgrades.

Progression StagePriorityKey Decisions
Early-Run BuildingEstablish team identityChoose encounters that test your core strategy, prioritize rewards that support it
Taming PhaseEvaluate creature fitCompare new Montabi cards against existing deck needs before changing lineup
Card RewardsImprove consistencyTake cards that strengthen proven combos or solve specific weaknesses
Items and UpgradesReinforce buildChoose upgrades based on current strategy, not isolated value
Elite BattlesTest deck efficiencyEnter with clear primary combo and enough flexibility for bad draws
Boss EncountersFinal team checkVerify all three Montabi have roles, deck reaches key cards, movement tools ready

Early Run

  • Test your core strategy
  • Prioritize rewards supporting team identity
  • Avoid spreading upgrades across unrelated plans
  • Learn which encounters expose weaknesses

Mid Run

  • Refine the deck
  • Fix the most important weakness revealed so far
  • Tame creatures that fill missing roles
  • Prepare positioning tools for elite fights

Late Run

  • Optimize consistency
  • Focus on drawing key cards reliably
  • Add solutions for specific boss threats
  • Avoid changing team identity without strong reason
Elite Battle Preparation

Enter elite fights with a clear primary combo and enough flexibility to respond when the ideal hand does not appear. Preserve important resources and avoid unnecessary deck additions immediately before a difficult battle.

Boss Preparation Checklist:

  • All three Montabi have clearly defined combat roles
  • Deck can consistently reach key combo cards
  • Team has enough movement tools for unfavorable formations
  • Defensive options exist for surviving bad opening draws
  • No unnecessary cards diluting important draws

Deckbuilding Strategy and Card Management

Montabi links its 570+ card pool directly to the creatures you collect and field. Because your active Montabi determine a significant portion of your available cards, strong runs come from choosing creatures whose card packages work together, adding only cards that support a clear plan, and avoiding unnecessary additions that make key actions harder to draw.

Deckbuilding ConceptTactical RoleKey Advice
Montabi-Linked CardsDefines attacks, utility, movement, and combos availableChoose creatures whose cards support the same battle plan
Taming and ExpansionIntroduces new offensive, defensive, or positioning toolsEvaluate whether new cards strengthen or dilute existing strategy
Three-Montabi SynergyCombines creature roles into one tactical planGive each Montabi a complementary function
Deck EfficiencyImproves consistency of important drawsAvoid taking cards simply because they are available
Positioning CardsCreates favorable angles and moves Montabi to safetyKeep enough movement tools to recover bad formations
Combo CardsMulti-card turns produce more value than isolated playsBuild around a small number of repeatable interactions
Deck Efficiency Rule

Adding more cards increases possible draws but reduces how often your most important cards appear. Prioritize cards that improve an existing combo, solve a weakness, or provide a needed tactical option. Decline cards that sound interesting but serve no purpose in your current build.

Montabi Walkthrough FAQ

Q: How many Montabi can I have on my active team?

Your active team contains exactly three Montabi. The strongest compositions combine creatures whose cards, positioning requirements, and abilities support one another rather than filling the team with three creatures that perform the same job.

Q: What makes the 3x3 grid important in this Montabi walkthrough?

The 3x3 tactical grid means positioning affects how attacks and abilities work. Checking targeting patterns before committing cards keeps your Montabi in useful positions for subsequent actions. Good placement can turn an ordinary card into the key move of a battle.

Q: Should I add every card reward to my deck during a run?

No. Montabi contains more than 570 cards, but adding every available card makes a run less consistent. Prioritize cards that strengthen your team's main strategy and avoid unnecessary cards that dilute important draws.

Q: How does taming new Montabi affect my deck?

Taming a new Montabi changes your team options and introduces additional card interactions into the run. Before taming, consider whether its cards strengthen an existing strategy or force the deck in a completely different direction.

Q: Which starter Montabi is best for beginners?

The strongest beginner starters provide reliable cards without requiring specific combo pieces, work in several grid positions, and fit multiple team compositions. Avoid build-dependent starters until you understand card sequencing and positioning deeply.