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Saros, developed by the creators of Returnal, is a challenging roguelike shooter that pushes your movement skills and reaction time to the limit. Expect to die repeatedly, but there’s more to improve than just your reflexes. The game features a skill tree with various stat boosts and perks you can unlock to help you progress.
This skill tree is called the Armor Matrix, and you’ll access it from your hub after reaching a certain point in the story. To upgrade, you’ll need Lucenite and Halcyon, which are scattered across different biomes. In this guide, we’ll cover some of the best Armor Matrix upgrades to prioritize early on in Saros.
### Best Armor Matrix Upgrades to Unlock First
The Alterations tree in Saros is mostly straightforward, with a few branches appearing as you advance. We’ll focus on specific upgrades that are especially useful, but keep in mind you’ll need to unlock certain nodes before you can purchase others.
| Matrix Upgrade | What It Does | Cost | Why It’s Important |
|————————-|————————————————————–|—————–|—————————————————————-|
| Greater Integrity | Increases your maximum armor integrity by +30 | 200 Lucenite | Enemies can quickly drain your health, so boosting armor is vital. Some upgrades may cost Halcyon instead of Lucenite. |
| Shield Amplifier | Your shield can now trap and absorb power from corrupted projectiles | 1 Halcyon | When faced with Corrupted projectiles that lower your health, this helps you gain some benefit from them. |
| Second Chance | Revives you once after being knocked out during a run | 2 Halcyon | Saros can be tough. This upgrade, earned after defeating the first boss, extends your chances and survival in runs. Keep in mind, getting up affects your overall run results. |
| Lucenite Saver | Reduces the amount of Lucenite lost upon death | 1 Halcyon | Since many nodes require Lucenite, saving it makes a big difference for your progression. |
| Proficiency Enhancement | Boosts Proficiency by 1, unlocking higher-level weapons | 300 Lucenite | Better weapons and higher levels are key to being well-equipped for tough encounters. |
| Increased Power | Adds +5 to your maximum Power stat | 200 Lucenite | Power influences your weapon damage. Focusing on this increases your offensive capabilities. |
| Key Storage | Starting a run with a key | 2,000 Lucenite | Helps you open more containers early on, saving time and resources. |
| Prophet | Gains +1 Resilience, +1 Command, and +1 Drive per Proficiency level | Defeat Prophet | Boost your essential attributes before starting each run by defeating this boss. Enhances your overall performance. |
| Restoration Upgrade | Makes Aether, your healing item, more effective | 1 Halcyon | Aether heals your health, so boosting its efficacy can prevent big damage setbacks from attacks. |
| Second Chance Enhancement | Increases the health you recover upon revival | 1 Halcyon | Improves your chances of surviving after being knocked down, especially useful in tough fights. |
Remember, the upgrades you choose are permanent and cannot be refunded later. It’s a good idea to learn where to farm Halcyon and Lucenite effectively to make the most of these enhancements as you progress through Saros.




