Royal Road is excellent and definitely worth it.
In terms of the essential move list, for ME:
Shuffle Controls (this can escalate to full deck false shuffles if you use setups, or can just keep the top card on top)
A False Cut
A force
A double lift
Two moves that are slightly more difficult but also fairly universal are the Top Change and a Palm. I found the pass VERY difficult at first, but it is without question a super utility move. Color Changes are nice and (for the most part) not that difficult. With those basics, you start to get a sense of how to handle the pack, the cards, individual cards, double cards, spectator attention, and misdirection. From there, it is about adding techniques, refining your skills, and thinking about how to create an impossible situation for your audience.
A book that I wish I had found earlier in my learning process was Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz. Both that book and Designing Miracles (also Ortiz) provide a really strong background on the way to think about creating and presenting magical effects.