Don Duality Guide: Tips and Strategies

Don Duality is a unique card-based roguelite and management/sim game. Developed by Königsborgs, the game features a unique card mechanic that allows you to influence the outcome of events. For example, you can use a card to increase your chances of success on a heist. But you will need to be careful how you use your cards, as they are a limited resource.

Don Duality is an amazing addition to the rogue-lite genre, and in this guide, we’ll share some tips to help you build and expand your crew.

Different Levels of Gaming

Unlike most roguelites, Don Duality has three levels of gaming, all of which are loosely connected to each other.

1. Legit Restaurant – The first level is the restaurant minigame, where you run a legit business, which is also a front to launder dirty in-game money earned from the shady part of your empire.

2. Mafia – Here you hire mobsters who head out to do your dirty bidding, such as running off with paintings, cars, and pets, and even bribing the authorities when the heat is too high.

3. Conquering Territories – Once you have money and power, you must expand your territory. You’ll be actively competing with three other families in the region. There will be gunfights, and to win them, you need to hire more mobsters.

Every level of the game is controlled by cards that you randomly draw from your deck. Used cards are sent to the discard pile, and shuffled back into the deck once all the cards run out.

All Cards Explained

There are different kinds of cards in Don Duality, and knowing how to use them ensures the swiftest path to victory. You draw five cards at the beginning of each day and keep drawing more as you play them. They fall into one of the following categories.

1. Restaurant Cards – Let you interact with the restaurant on the upper floor. You can buy tables, hire waiters and chefs, and even buy upgrades to unlock more dishes and serve them in your restaurant.

2. Mafia Cards – In Don Duality, Mafia cards let you hire thugs and buy items that upgrade your underlings, sending them out on “errands”. These activities also increase your heat level, and you’ll be summoned to court if it’s maxed out.

3. Event Cards – Event cards are red and randomly appear in your deck. They trigger once all the alarm bells are filled up, but you can avoid them by using an ‘Avoid a Random Event’ card. However, they are not always available, and you’ll have to face most of the penalties.

4. Alarm Cards – These are alarm cards, and they increase the alarm level of the red event cards when drawn.

5. Cutscene Cards – These cards trigger cutscenes. They appear rarely during the game and offer no advantages or disadvantages.

6. Fight Cards – These are also red cards but have a timer at the bottom and are unavoidable. The event triggers once it runs out, and you’ll have to fight the opposing family.

Currency

There are two currencies in the game. You earn clean, golden money from the restaurant.” You can only buy stuff with clean money.

The gray-colored coins are earned from “other activities” (you know what I mean). This money is mostly used to pay the crew. Some of it is also laundered at the end of the day.

Tips to Manage Your Empire Successfully

Grabbing the Important Traits

Hire individuals with the following traits:

– Cooks – At least one with Famous Chef to attract VIP customers, and the rest with Ninja Chef.

– Waiters – One Persuader, one Pretty Eyes, and the rest Speedy.

– Gangster – All Lucky Boys for better odds in criminal activities.

Note: You can reroll your choices by closing the selection screen and clicking again on the respective cards. Repeat until you have the desired traits.

The Efficient Way to Level Up Your Restaurant

1. Buy three Tables.

2. Hire two waiters.

3. Buy the fourth table.

4. Hire the third waiter.

5. Hire the second and third cooks.

6. Buy the fifth table.

7. Hire the fourth and fifth waiters.

8. Upgrade tables

9. Buy items that unlock the premium dishes.

Advertisement Expenses

TV and Newspaper ads are already overkill. You only have five tables, so spending extra money on newspaper ads is a waste.

Preparing for a Shootout

Make sure all your crew are available before an encounter. You never know about the enemy’s numbers, so it’s better to be prepared.

How to Avoid Triggering Event Cards

Buy Shelves and Buy Knives are one-offs and are removed from the deck once you use them. Hire Gangster is removed from the deck once you have five of them. All of these cards trigger events, so use them as soon as possible. However, Rob the Store offers little payout given the risk, so it’s better not to use or discard it.

There are other cards, such as Get Out of Prison or Scare a Cop, that also trigger events, but you can’t control when you draw into them. So getting rid of the first few ASAP increases your odds of a better game.

Most Profitable Activities

1. Bribing a Police Officer

2. Get Out of Prison

3. Scare the Cop

4. Steal a Car

Don’t Attract unnecessary Attention to your Business

All in-game lawbreaking activities increase your heat level, some more than others. It’s important to maintain a balanced set of cards in your hand. If you have a high heat level, don’t activate criminal cards. Instead, focus on restaurant activities such as advertising, concerts, and buying stuff.

If you lack the necessary cards, don’t play anything and let the day end. You’ll still be earning money from the restaurant, and it should be enough to pay the salaries.

Rolling for Survival

Remember that during the trial, you can lock certain symbols on the slot machine. However, the cost of rerolling increases based on the number of locked symbols. One locked symbol costs 500 gold, and two cost 2500 gold. So make sure to have at least 5,000-6,000 spare gold before going to trial.

Rerolling once unlocks all the symbols, so remember to re-lock them before attempting for the second and third time. Nevertheless, even with the best outcome (95%), there is a 5% chance that the judge will rule against you, so be prepared to get arrested.