Before you rest, read the damage preview. Threat raises the cost of refreshing your exploration hand; Warmth can offset that cost. Ignite campfires or other valid objects, fix structures that create Warmth, and spend useful actions first. A rest is not free downtime — it is part of the run’s health economy.
Version note: This page is written for the September 10, 2026 Early Access launch. Shroom and Gloom is actively changing, so treat older demo videos as historical unless the same behavior appears in launch footage or official notes.
Why a rest can hurt
Exploration is intentionally unsafe. As Threat rises, the interface can show damage if you rest again. Launch footage demonstrates the penalty changing as Warmth is added, including sequences where generating Warmth reduces a multi-point rest hit to a much smaller one.
Warmth is mitigation
Igniting flammable objects, using camp-related effects and certain Facility structures can create Warmth. The exact source varies by room, but the decision is consistent: make available Warmth before you pay the rest cost.
The correct order before resting
- Look at the displayed rest damage.
- Spend zero/low-cost useful Explore actions.
- Reveal objects that may expose an Ignite/Fix interaction.
- Generate Warmth if possible.
- Heal only if the next rest/fight justifies spending the food.
- Rest when the new hand is worth the remaining health cost.
When taking the damage is fine
Sometimes your current hand simply cannot progress. If the run is healthy and a new hand can open a valuable station or route, paying a small amount of health is a rational trade. The mistake is resting automatically before checking for free value.
Common failure: solving combat, dying in camp
A high-damage deck can still lose because repeated exploration rests quietly drain health. Treat health as a shared budget across combat and exploration.
Keep the Run Planner open if you want the rest checklist without rereading this page.