Griftlands Beginner's Guide: Sal's Negotiation, Combat, and Surrender Choices
Edition: PC (Steam) full release, early Sal campaign. Does not cover win rates at the highest Prestige, Rook- or Smith-specific builds, or story endings. Card names are given in English. Sources checked: October 14, 2026. These steps have not been retested through gameplay.
Before choosing a job, check whether your combat HP or negotiation Resolve is depleted. In negotiations, inspect arguments with dangerous effects instead of focusing every attack on the opponent's core. If an enemy surrenders after combat, consider both the reward and the possibility of making their friends your enemies.
What to check before accepting your first job
| Where to read | What to check | Your next choice |
|---|---|---|
| Job description and rewards | Whom you will help or oppose, and whether you gain money, cards, Grafts, or other rewards | Even for a job that rewards equipment, first assess whether your current HP and allies can handle the fight |
| HP and Resolve | Combat and negotiation use separate resources | Do not heal only one resource while continuing difficult encounters that use the other |
| Options for allies, pets, and hiring | Who can accompany you and how much it costs | If you take too many attacks alone, consider allies as well as improving your hand |
| Descriptions of healing, food, and drink | Effects such as status cards added to your deck alongside healing | Do not choose solely by the amount healed; check whether your next combat or negotiation hand could become clogged |
A negotiation turn: choose what to attack and defend
Normally, plan around three actions, though cards and effects can change this. That does not guarantee you can play three cards: check each card's cost before deciding the order.
- Read the Resolve of the opponent's central core and the effects of the surrounding arguments. Even though the objective is to reduce the core to zero, consider removing arguments that cause problems every turn if left alone.
- Follow the opponent's attack-intent arrows to see whether they target your core or an argument you want to preserve. Use cards that grant Composure to defend against those attacks.
- If your build has obtained or chosen Hostile Instincts, read the options for gaining Dominance before following up with Hostility attacks such as Threaten. Do not leave your buff cards until after attacking.
- If the opponent creates a dangerous argument such as Escalation, read its effect and reconsider your target. Compare whether your remaining actions can destroy it, taking your cards' minimum damage into account.
- Use Quick Thinking when you need more options, then choose what your current attack or defense needs from the offered cards. Do not spend all your actions assuming you can select the same card every time.
- Before ending the turn, check what the next attack will do to your core and remaining arguments. Avoid both missing a winning attack on the core and leaving a dangerous argument unchecked.
Negotiation card examples: align your effects
| Approach or card | Purpose | What to check before taking it |
|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy and Influence | Build your Diplomacy attacks | Check early offers and the upgrade choices for Sal's Instincts, then keep matching cards |
| Hostility and Dominance | Strengthen Hostility attacks | Combine the buff gained through Hostile Instincts with cards such as Threaten. Do not expect the same effect on Diplomacy cards |
| Keep Cool | An option for adding defense through Composure | Secure cards that can handle incoming attacks before adding more damage cards |
| Quick Thinking | Use Improvise to gain options on the spot | Choose after seeing the candidates. Do not treat it as a guaranteed way to obtain one specific card |
A combat turn: count incoming damage before playing cards
- Check enemy attack intents and the allies being targeted. Distinguish damage you can prevent by killing an enemy first from damage you need to absorb with Defense.
- Keep enough actions for defensive cards such as Feint. Avoid playing three attacks and only then realizing you cannot defend.
- If you have Fight Dirty, choose the attack or support needed against the current enemy from the offered candidates. Do not assume it retrieves any card you want from your deck.
- Use the upgrade choices for Sal's Daggers and the first few card rewards to decide whether to develop Bleed or Combo. Do not remove all your starting defense before you have supporting cards.
- If Feint of Hesh appears as a Feint upgrade, compare its ability to remove debuffs as well. Read your current status effects instead of choosing solely by the amount of Defense.
- If an opponent surrenders, read the effects and relationship consequences of killing or sparing them. The final choice is part of the battle's outcome; finishing them off is not always best.
Surrender and cooperation: immediate rewards and relationships
| Choice | Benefits and costs | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Kill an enemy | Benefits such as loot, balanced against possible hatred from their friends | Consider their connections and the effect on your next jobs, not just that individual |
| Spare an opponent who surrendered | An option that can reduce damage to relationships, but leaves that person in the world | Read the choice's description instead of assuming they will become a friend or never retaliate |
| Help the same faction | Develop relationships and create opportunities for assistance or a Social Boon | Do not choose a job against someone you have just helped solely for its monetary reward |
| Buy someone a drink or hire an ally | Spend money to gain relationships or combat support | Leave a budget for needed allies instead of spending everything on cards |
Use your losses to improve how you choose the next job
| Symptom | What to check | What to change next |
|---|---|---|
| The opponent's attacks become strong partway through a negotiation | Arguments you left in play and their effects | Pause attacks on the core and retain cards that can handle dangerous arguments |
| You have plenty of cards but cannot do anything | Remaining actions and each card's cost | Prioritize defense, buffs, and attacks within the usual three-action budget |
| You are strong in combat but worn down in negotiations | Your negotiation deck and Resolve | Direct your next rewards, healing, and card removals toward the weaker deck |
| You win, but gain more hostile relationships | Whom you killed and whose friends you opposed | Review surrender choices and the factions involved in jobs. Do not choose to finish someone off just for loot |
Frequently asked questions
Should I attack only the opponent's core in negotiations?
Reducing the core's Resolve is the objective, but surrounding arguments may need to be removed if they cause harmful effects. Choose your target by checking the opponent's effects, incoming attack intents, and remaining actions.
Is killing a surrendered opponent always more profitable?
Not always. Weigh the loot against the possibility of being hated by that person's friends. Sparing someone does not guarantee friendship either, so read the choices and check relationships.