Fox Builds/Scale Early (With Early Unlocks) Fox Build
Ideal is if you get extra projective from a shrine early and get a key or two, keys are the game here, especially if you find a microwave to duplicate more keys.
The more keys you have the more chests you can open without paying for it and with the luck gained from level ups you will be finding better and better loot and by end of stage two or in stage three chests will just be free loot for easy legendary items.
Difficulty is your friend, more enemies will spawn from it but they will still be just as easy to kill, so more exp, more gold, faster scaling. And activate all the boss curse shrines, more bosses more loot, more legendaries.
And for one of your shrines, just get one +5 shield, you don't need more than that. The shield acts as a buffer, because it soaks infinite damage, damage never overlows to your HP, +5 shield can block a 1000 damage hit on you and make you able to kite around in the start and survive a lot better.
Remember to also get at least +2 in extra jumps, it will make you able to move around the map faster, faster you move around the map the faster you can get shrines, free items from the statues, chests, more skulls, more everything.