Compound recipes and strategy

Eight recipes with ordinary cards

“H × 2” in the table means two ordinary H cards. All compounds are level 1, with no enhancements or tools. The first-in-run column includes the 20-point bonus before multiplication. Final-reaction inert bonuses and effects from held cards are excluded.

Scroll the table horizontally on small screens.

The element quantities must match exactly. Adding a spare card can change the result to another compound, a set or a single-element result. Read the notebook's name before reacting.

See why first-in-run and repeat scores differ, with the water screenshot →

Three comparisons to help you keep the right cards

Water or hydrogen peroxide?

H₂O uses three ordinary cards; H₂O₂ uses four. Both need two H, but peroxide spends an extra O. If water already reaches the target, keeping that O may help your next hand. If you need more points now, consider peroxide. Tools and compound levels can change this comparison.

Water or carbon dioxide?

Both H₂O and CO₂ use three ordinary cards. Water spends two H, while carbon dioxide spends two O, leaving you with different elements. If C often remains in your hand, remembering CO₂ gives you an option when H does not come together.

Fewer cards need not mean fewer points

NaCl uses just Na and Cl. Their card values are 23 and 35; each compound also has its own bonus and multiplier. Card count alone therefore does not determine the score. When these elements become available, check the short recipes too. No particular element is guaranteed to appear in every hand.

Read card count and atom count separately

An ordinary H card represents one H. An H×2 bundle represents two H while occupying one card slot. One H×2 card plus one ordinary O can therefore match H₂O.

A bundle cannot be split. You cannot take only two H from an H×3 card to make water. Check the printed quantity as well as the element.

The initial play limit is five cards. Bundles let you match larger formulas using fewer cards, but they do not simply multiply the score. When scoring a compound, a card's mass contribution is capped at four units. A tool that works “per card” counts physical cards. Do not use the ordinary-card table as an unchanged score table for bundles.

Choose tools together with your recipes

Hydrogen Tank adds 10 points for every H card you play. Water made with two ordinary H cards gains 20 points before multiplication. With all other conditions matching the guide's first-in-run example, (78 + 20) × 4 = 392 points. Using one H×2 bundle instead means one H card, so the tool adds 10 points.

Iron adds 80 points per played card with atomic number 20 or higher. It does not trigger for H or O. Consider how often the condition fits your deck rather than how powerful the name sounds.

A new element can open more recipes, but the required partners must still appear together. Before buying one, look through your deck and name the cards you would pair it with.

About these values and the collection

Compounds you make are recorded in the game's collection, and used elements light up on the periodic table. These eight examples were checked against the game data and scoring implementation on 9 October 2026. The table describes game points and multipliers, not laboratory reaction conditions or material properties.

When tools or compound levels change, check the actual scoring sequence. See How to play for controls and Support for saves or loading problems.