Less death defiances taught me to play better

Just got my first chronos rivals win and that too without using a single DD on him and I played much better throughout simply because I forgot to bring a pet. I was gonna end the run after hecate (to farm a nightmare) when i realised i had no toula. However I decided to see how far i could get even after losing a DD to hecate. Beause of low DDs I was far more patient in regards to how i played. Granted, the healing selene boon was goated during the chronos fight and i essentially ended with full health and 4 to 5 uses of still left. This has made want to try strength arcana out and I feel it would definitely make me improve a lot.