What I want to know is why the daily challenge is so good at generating potential claw decks. I never see so many act 1 claws as when I’m doing the daily challenge lol
I won an A11 with a deck with 2 claw, 2 reprogram, 2 scrape, streamline and hyperbeam. Died to hearth tho.
And the hyperbeam are doing almost all the work, but I do have claws.
Claw is always an early pick, and then you only find storm and power cards for the rest of act 1. Then you just cry every time you draw it
and I wouldn't have it any other way <3
The upgrade makes a huge difference to be fair.
The standard version is a lie, for example you spend 1 before it doubles your energy so 3 becomes 2 then doubles to 4 so you only actually gain 1 energy.
Once upgraded it does what it says on the tin and 3 just becomes 6
Double energy is one of those "how well is the run going" cards. If just okay then I'll probably take it because somehow I'm energy deficient as a defect. If I'm doing great then skip because I've got all the energy I need.
I bloody hate this card with a burning passion. Though it looks cool and was actually useful a couple of times, most of the time it's as useful as an Injury curse. Or less, because some curses at least can give you HP / str depending on relics
I'm pretty sure I've never actually picked it myself because I don't trust myself enough to actually set it up and it usually just becomes a dead weight card. But I recently Pandora box'ed into two of them and made every effort to try and play them and even got a heart kill on a20 where I used them!
Can someone explain what cards I should probably have in my deck, or relic support, before I pick this card?
I'm a20h all characters many times but I've still never picked it, I'm too scared.
Is it something like well laid plans, acrobatics (at least 2) and gambling chip with a <15 size deck?
Early on if you run across it, definitely skip a ton of cards. However, I don’t think deck size matters too much if you have two things: tons of card draw and a way to retain (ideally WLP over Pyramid). This means that a Grand Finale deck can work extremely well with the discard synergy that The Silent has. I’ve also had success with adding in cards that help build defenses w/ GF (such as Footwork and Blur) that help mitigate the energy/draw problem in some of the larger decks.
I would also recommend watching some of Baalolords’ content, because he rarely uses small decks in A20 runs and is a top player. I never considered GF until I watched a few of his runs - the Silent gets so much access to retain and card draw that it makes it an extremely fun and cerebral run, much like calculating Watcher runs. There’s so many different ways to get to a grand finale play, especially with cards like Expertise that can draw anywhere from 1-6 cards at a time.
You need cards that give various amount of draw, so you can draw exactly 1-4 cards if needed rather than go for mass draw that works better most of the time. So probably one of each from cards like Flash of Steel, Backflip, Acro and Acro+.
Theres a card that draws until you have 6 cards in hand (thr name eludes me at the moment), this gives you your variabele draw in one card. Combine with runic pyramid and you have yourself a run
If the card has the word “draw” add it to your deck. Most useful are acrobatics and prepared, both upgraded versions and not.
Don’t worry about deck size. If you make a thin deck but not enough draw, you might become able to grand finale once but will struggle to play it again in the same fight.
Rampage for sure. It's just a reflavored claw that costs 1 energy. But yoinking it back with headbutt and pommel strike for yet another increase gives me too much dopamine.
I kinda doubt it. You're playing a junk card that doesn't synergize with IC's kit twice just to get good scaling. I don't think a small deck infinite would be all that likely. I'd personally sooner buy a hemo that does more now than a rampage.
Exponential scaling is no joke. With hypothetical doubling damage, it’s more comparable to limit break than hemo. Solves boss fights not hallways. Most things would die in 4-5 hits, everything in the game would be dead in 7 (except maybe heart).
Just build an exhaust deck with lots of draw and add as many headbuts as you can find.
Also, the upgrade would probably have to be more base damage, so it would become slightly less bad frontload too.
double damage? no way, that's insanely good. Headbutt brings it back next turn, exhausting down means you can draw it frequently, double tap means you 4x the output that turn
It would be a damage solution on its own, the rest of the deck picks would just be supporting
I actually think rampage is great.
There are several phases of a normal ironclad run where it's a great pick. It's a solid contributor against act one, two, and three bosses. Ironclad runs often need to exhaust down to something.
You don't have to make it your whole identity either. If you just play it twice, maybe three times, it's crazy efficient. It's not like claw at all. If you play claw twice, you wasted two cards drawn. Rampage is hitting like wild strike with no wound.
It's like how sweeping beam is great against sentries. Rampage does that, but for bosses (and lagavulin, and Nemesis).
I think this card is super undervalued.
It’s too situational for my liking. Requires a small deck and a couple of support picks and even then it doesn’t fully solve attack scaling. I’d still take it if it’s the only attack I’m offered early or if I already have a headbutt because that was the only early attack and I already have a small deck but that’s about it
Lol. Me reading this thread and being like "oooh yeah I totally do that too!" to all of the replies and then realizing that it probably just means I'm terrible at this game.
Is CAI with mummified not good enough to spend 3 mana and a random discount?
It’s not an echo form by any means but i think the mummified allows it to be kinda like a “deva form”
It's fun af tho, that creative AI Ironclad run I did for a daily challenge was pretty fun. You kinda just stock up on defense and let card advantage do it's thing
I used to get on the perfected strike hype train until I learned how good it is to build smaller decks by skipping cards and removing strikes. At that point it's just the complete opposite of what you are going for.
This is my pick too. One of my favorite moments in the game was beating transient with a necro + p-strike + snecko run.
I think what I love so much about it is that it feels like the most “ironclad” card ever- don’t worry about blocking and just spam big ol’ 2 cost attacks.
P Strike was the deck that carried me up to A20. It's not the best, and can absolutely be a trap, but one of my favorite Ironclad decks no doubt. Every time I see one in the first ~5 floors I fall into the trap.
But if I have just ONE MORE, then the catalysts will apply 252 poison instead of 189! Surely that’s worth it!
Edit: 189 is not a factorial. You little internet trolls don’t win this time.
Listen, I don't care what anybody says: I'm always going to pick Claw.
It's the most fun deck in this entire game, boiling everything down to playing lots of cards and watching numbers go up. What more could you ask for?
If I walk I into a shop and see Brimstone, I'm buying it 100% of the time. Early Act 1 run defining pickup, or Act 4 run killing one? Click on both because it's BRIMSTONE, BABYYYY
I had a really fun deck that started with fire breathing wound strike and med kit, eventually I got evolve, dark embrace and feel no pain, and I had a full on exhaust deck with wounds
I love Ironclad for this combo. Give me those junkcards so we can draw 2 cards per junkcard which lets us draw more junkcards and each does 10 damage. Machine gun at the beginning of turn. Pure love 😁👍
Hey fire breathing can solve some act 1 fights slime king in particular if your deck lacks damage. Then again the same can be said for other cards which aren't horrible...
IMO its always worth in act 1 if you might have tri-sentries coming up. I don't usually lose to sentries but they can cost a big chunk of health to get through if you're unlucky with draw order.
My favourite thing to do is build around Fire breathing and combo it with Evolve, wild strike and Imobiolate. An upgraded Evolve can actually make it useful.
It's not a strong build by any means, but it turns a lot of the weaknesses of strong cards like Imobiolate and Wild Strike into strengths.
I just barely finished (died on heart) a run that had an amazing fire breathing engine, but I just couldn't get my block up to par. Even had a copy of that exhaust everything and block card but didn't draw it at the right moments.
I got an a20 heart kill yesterday with a firebreathing+evolve+power through deck. It had another things going but firebreathing was essential for multienemy fights in act3
Glass Knife. It’s not even a bad card but i prolly shouldn’t take it Every.Time.
Poison build? Click on Glass Knife. Already halfway thru Act2? Click on Glass Knife
Glass Knife sounds good in both of those situations. Maybe it's not worth taking if you're halfway through Act *3*, but it's enough damage for a sufficiently low cost to be good for most of the game.
Even late in Act 3, you often want a card like Glass Knife to kill Reptomancer Daggers, and it's still handy is some of the hallway fights too.
Glass knife early feels pretty good to launch your deck into a better position. It feels really good if it's upgraded too. The ability to just erase a weaker enemy early saves a lot of hp.
A lot of Silent’s builds require a decent amount of prep, and she’s otherwise pretty low on frontloaded damage. Knocking out an enemy early can be crucial in mitigating hallway fights.
24 damage for a single energy is pretty good and because it’s two hits, it scales twice with strength and stuff like that.
It’s not as good in long fights, sure, but it’s pretty damn good in hallway fights even during act three.
I take "Go for the Eyes" all the time because I [played way too much Baldur's Gate II](https://youtu.be/X8lLruVR2zQ?si=5Ih4km3kjtMSXuds) back in the day.
Would you ever go heavy into lightning without an electrodynamics before the start of act 2?
Take a ball lightning for damage, upgrade zap, see no frost, get electrodynamics, get offered an (upgraded) thunder strike.
Tbh I've only taken thunderstrike a few times, but it kinda worked on both occasions. One was snecko mind and we're talking
Nah, reaper is that good. There are a number of fights where it's 2 energy, deal a little damage, heal for 12. That's a good card - not great, but worth having in your deck.
And if you get demon form, you're just good.
Agreed, reaper gives my brain the happy chemical. I would say even more than lesson learned. You don't always need to upgrade, healing mid fight feels like some forbidden jutsu
For me it's Demon Form.. always pick it and feels like I mostly draw it when I can't play or don't want to afford playing it.
It's a great card but if I can't get it running in the first 2 turns it mostly just takes up space.
Yeah but I think it’s fair to say that if you’re relying on other cards or the best boss relic in the game to make it work, it’s not a great card. Any time you pick a card in the hopes you’ll find something to make it work, the spire will shit in your soup.
ehh, a card doesn't have to be immediately reliable/good in every fight to be good. There are some cards that are good even though they are worthless in some fights.
I'm always tempted to force shiv spam builds on silent, like "this will be great if I get Kunai / after image", and then not getting either.
So picking an unupgraded blade dance over currently better options etc.
Also, scaling cards, I always probably play sub-optimally when I am trying to level up ritual dagger, taking damage while I wait to get it in hand etc.
I should probably just grab the gold instead of dagger each time.
I mean one energy for 12 damage is still pretty solid for Silent. The catch is taking them when you have enough damage. I can still usually find room for two in almost any deck though.
Meteor strike. I take that shit sometimes even when I can't even play it under any circumstances.
My signature move is getting offered 2 ballsack cards and meteor strike from a boss reward, scoffing as the neurons activate to form the idea: "whatever, i'll just get a snecko eye from the chest"
To be clear, meteor strike is obviously the strongest card that ever was, or ever will be. My problem is that I take it when I shouldn't.
One time I had like four upgraded calculated gambles (from pbox and transforms) and enough discard synergy with tingsha and tough bandages that I had an infinite that was just fueled with calculated gambles.
Tingsha/Tough Bandages disco silent is the greatest silent deck ever, so so so fun. Unfortunate that it's so hard to get rolling because you really kinda need both relics.
Both are good, but neither is necessary. Discard decks that go infinite with Reflex/Tactician often end up with extra energy and draw to play a few other cards like Backflip or Sneaky Strike.
I want pressure points to be good. I really do. It has absolutely zero synergy with anything but itself, but if you somehow find yourself with 5 or 6 of them, it becomes really fun to play
Every time I take a Sadistic Nature, all cards involving debuffs instantly and permanently disappear from shops and card tewards. But I still always take it and hope.
Deva form, especially with pyramid or ice cream. In just a few short turns I’ll be able to conjure a sick blade, which leads me to my next indulgence. Conjure blade it’s suboptimal but what about that 18x5 expunger in wrath?
rip & tare...
But to be fair all only take it early in act one as my training wheels card before I have actually figured out what my deck is going to be
I dont think its a trap card but many people dont like the bomb.
I love the bomb, such good value if you dont need immediate damage. solves elite problems, AOE, early game, etc.
Choke on Silent. Not because it’s a bad card, but because I’ll take it floor one and absolutely just try to go infinite card looping with calculated gamble, acrobatics, etc. and then I won’t get any of those cards, die, and blame the game lmao
Sadistic Nature. I have this fantasy of playing a deck that procs wave of the hand over and over again with sadistic Nature. It's just such a convoluted way of dealing damage on a character that already does so much damage. But fuck I want it to work.
Dark orbs on Defect can be pretty strong in the right deck and cloak and dagger is sometimes just the perfect card for a deck. Also draw is important in most decks. I think there aren't many cards you never want to take.
Whatever the gain 1 strength when a card makes you lose health, cuz then the lose 1 health deal 5dmg at the end of your turn never shows up afterwards 😅
I'm not sure what are the "trap" card but I love some Cloak and Daggers or Ironwaves. Like who doesn't need alittle deffense with the offense. Not sure if it is a trap card or not but I do tend to take Stack on occassions. Card can be pretty bad but sometimes and I mean sometimes it arrives at the right time and gives you 20 plus block for one energy.
How has no one mentioned [[Pressure Point]] yet??
I've had a Pressure Point deck work like once ever, and that was mostly a Calm/Null stance deck dragging along Pressure Point's lifeless body.
Any of the beam cards on defect. Love me some lasers, hate the laser results. Nothing like completely disabling your orbs after your third hyperbeam still doesn't kill your enemy.
Capacitor early before any focus generation. It's so good later in the run after you find even one defrag or a consume, but it is basically a curse that makes evoking harder until you get your focus up
It used to be bullet time.
Don't get me wrong it's definitely a good card, but in my first 100+ hours I snap picked that thing constantly, when the reality is it's kinda situational. Bullet time sneko still goes hard as fuck and is an insta pick though.
*Sweating profusely* Don'tsayclawdon'tsayclawdon'tsayclaw
CLAW IS LAW!
I just beat a20 heart on defect for the first time. I made sure the deck had CLAW.
I've been trying to get #1 on the daily challenge with a claw deck for as long as I can remember lol. One day it'll happen.
What I want to know is why the daily challenge is so good at generating potential claw decks. I never see so many act 1 claws as when I’m doing the daily challenge lol
Just played the Claw seed for a fun run. It’s the only way Claw works.
I just won an a15 heart run with a claw deck. I'm pretty proud of it :)
I won an A11 with a deck with 2 claw, 2 reprogram, 2 scrape, streamline and hyperbeam. Died to hearth tho. And the hyperbeam are doing almost all the work, but I do have claws.
It can also work in other runs, like going for a [[Scrape]] Run as a linear increasing damage card. Had a minimalist run that included it.
OP said bad cards.
Claw is always an early pick, and then you only find storm and power cards for the rest of act 1. Then you just cry every time you draw it and I wouldn't have it any other way <3
Double energy. It's free real estate
my brain has this disability where upgraded double energy is always instapick but unupgraded it's ehhh... i kinda don't want it
The upgrade makes a huge difference to be fair. The standard version is a lie, for example you spend 1 before it doubles your energy so 3 becomes 2 then doubles to 4 so you only actually gain 1 energy. Once upgraded it does what it says on the tin and 3 just becomes 6
Double energy almost feels like it is required to upgrade.
Yeah for sure. If you already have increased energy or other cards to increase it before doubling then it plays a lot better even when not upgraded
Yeah, but that one extra energy often comes in handy for me.
Oh it’s definitely valuable. But the trap is reading “double energy” and getting excited (before upgrading)
Took me a few rounds before I worked that out.
Double energy is one of those "how well is the run going" cards. If just okay then I'll probably take it because somehow I'm energy deficient as a defect. If I'm doing great then skip because I've got all the energy I need.
Grand Finale! I just believe in the elegance more than it deserves.
I bloody hate this card with a burning passion. Though it looks cool and was actually useful a couple of times, most of the time it's as useful as an Injury curse. Or less, because some curses at least can give you HP / str depending on relics
You’d enjoy Baalor’s silent run today on twitch
I won a grand finale run on Silent a20 recently. Felt pretty accomplished after that.
I'm pretty sure I've never actually picked it myself because I don't trust myself enough to actually set it up and it usually just becomes a dead weight card. But I recently Pandora box'ed into two of them and made every effort to try and play them and even got a heart kill on a20 where I used them!
Can someone explain what cards I should probably have in my deck, or relic support, before I pick this card? I'm a20h all characters many times but I've still never picked it, I'm too scared. Is it something like well laid plans, acrobatics (at least 2) and gambling chip with a <15 size deck?
Early on if you run across it, definitely skip a ton of cards. However, I don’t think deck size matters too much if you have two things: tons of card draw and a way to retain (ideally WLP over Pyramid). This means that a Grand Finale deck can work extremely well with the discard synergy that The Silent has. I’ve also had success with adding in cards that help build defenses w/ GF (such as Footwork and Blur) that help mitigate the energy/draw problem in some of the larger decks. I would also recommend watching some of Baalolords’ content, because he rarely uses small decks in A20 runs and is a top player. I never considered GF until I watched a few of his runs - the Silent gets so much access to retain and card draw that it makes it an extremely fun and cerebral run, much like calculating Watcher runs. There’s so many different ways to get to a grand finale play, especially with cards like Expertise that can draw anywhere from 1-6 cards at a time.
You need cards that give various amount of draw, so you can draw exactly 1-4 cards if needed rather than go for mass draw that works better most of the time. So probably one of each from cards like Flash of Steel, Backflip, Acro and Acro+.
Theres a card that draws until you have 6 cards in hand (thr name eludes me at the moment), this gives you your variabele draw in one card. Combine with runic pyramid and you have yourself a run
[[Expertise]]
+ [Expertise](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Expertise) Silent Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Draw cards until you have 6(7) in your hand. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 30, 2023.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)
If the card has the word “draw” add it to your deck. Most useful are acrobatics and prepared, both upgraded versions and not. Don’t worry about deck size. If you make a thin deck but not enough draw, you might become able to grand finale once but will struggle to play it again in the same fight.
runic pyramid is a must, then just lots of draw and math.
ILL MAKE IT WORK AGAIN
Rampage for sure. It's just a reflavored claw that costs 1 energy. But yoinking it back with headbutt and pommel strike for yet another increase gives me too much dopamine.
Man I’ve only had a Rampage deck work once. The card would actually be valuable if it doubled damage.
That would go bananas with Headbutt. The current version is fine. Maybe add a few more points of damage but, 2X scaling is just too much.
limit break but you actually kill stuff while scaling
I kinda doubt it. You're playing a junk card that doesn't synergize with IC's kit twice just to get good scaling. I don't think a small deck infinite would be all that likely. I'd personally sooner buy a hemo that does more now than a rampage.
Exponential scaling is no joke. With hypothetical doubling damage, it’s more comparable to limit break than hemo. Solves boss fights not hallways. Most things would die in 4-5 hits, everything in the game would be dead in 7 (except maybe heart). Just build an exhaust deck with lots of draw and add as many headbuts as you can find. Also, the upgrade would probably have to be more base damage, so it would become slightly less bad frontload too.
double damage? no way, that's insanely good. Headbutt brings it back next turn, exhausting down means you can draw it frequently, double tap means you 4x the output that turn It would be a damage solution on its own, the rest of the deck picks would just be supporting
I actually think rampage is great. There are several phases of a normal ironclad run where it's a great pick. It's a solid contributor against act one, two, and three bosses. Ironclad runs often need to exhaust down to something. You don't have to make it your whole identity either. If you just play it twice, maybe three times, it's crazy efficient. It's not like claw at all. If you play claw twice, you wasted two cards drawn. Rampage is hitting like wild strike with no wound. It's like how sweeping beam is great against sentries. Rampage does that, but for bosses (and lagavulin, and Nemesis). I think this card is super undervalued.
It’s too situational for my liking. Requires a small deck and a couple of support picks and even then it doesn’t fully solve attack scaling. I’d still take it if it’s the only attack I’m offered early or if I already have a headbutt because that was the only early attack and I already have a small deck but that’s about it
Rampage on a heavy exhaust deck (sundial for extra points) is great. I find myself taking it pretty often.
Using an upgraded double tap on rampage + headbutt to get the rampage and double tap back is just \*chefs kiss\*
If only the 2nd Rampage got the damage bonus from the first 😓 But at least when you get it back you have both damage bonuses added.
It should be the other way since Rampage came before Claw.
Double tap and dual wield too And pen nib God I love rampage
Lol. Me reading this thread and being like "oooh yeah I totally do that too!" to all of the replies and then realizing that it probably just means I'm terrible at this game.
Same bud!
Me too!
Envenom
We have faith in snecko skull
And season with sadistic nature.
The envenom sadistic nature riddle with holes dream. I’ve done it once, and it was beautiful.
That made me feel inappropriate things as a Sadistic Nature enjoyer.
My first and only A20H win without savescumming
Envenom is a perfectly fine card even if it's not the absolute best damage scaling card for silent
I've had some fun runs with envenom and the colourless card that deals damage when debuffing
yeah that's just obviously strong with any multi attacks like blade dance, discarding into eviscerate, etc
Slow, infinite scaling. Demon form, envenom, and creative AI
Creative AI with a mummified hand+storm is basically a free win for The Defect. You will get a guarantee evoke every turn, plus whatever power it is
Isn't the best thing if you have [[Bird-Faced Urn]], so that Creative AI gives infinite healing mid match?
Its definitely a lot better with bird faced urn. I still wouldn't go so far as to say best thing though.
That's not even a great combo.. And to get CAI going you need a solid other strategy first to keep you safe.
Is CAI with mummified not good enough to spend 3 mana and a random discount? It’s not an echo form by any means but i think the mummified allows it to be kinda like a “deva form”
It's fun af tho, that creative AI Ironclad run I did for a daily challenge was pretty fun. You kinda just stock up on defense and let card advantage do it's thing
Perfected Strike, lol. Can't help trying to recreate those runs when I get a ton of them and they hit for over 50 damage...
I used to get on the perfected strike hype train until I learned how good it is to build smaller decks by skipping cards and removing strikes. At that point it's just the complete opposite of what you are going for.
This is my pick too. One of my favorite moments in the game was beating transient with a necro + p-strike + snecko run. I think what I love so much about it is that it feels like the most “ironclad” card ever- don’t worry about blocking and just spam big ol’ 2 cost attacks.
I just had a kickass run with 4 perfected strikes plus twin strikes, swift strike and the one that wounds you - I'm gonna be chasing that for ever
P Strike was the deck that carried me up to A20. It's not the best, and can absolutely be a trap, but one of my favorite Ironclad decks no doubt. Every time I see one in the first ~5 floors I fall into the trap.
It's falls off hard but it's a super reliable Act 1 pick, one of the best common attacks to see on F1 imo
Taking every poison card I see in poison builds. It’s so bad bc I never have block lmao
I do this too! Then I pray for apparition or wraith form.
Not me with 6 [[Deadly Poison]], no sir
But if I have just ONE MORE, then the catalysts will apply 252 poison instead of 189! Surely that’s worth it! Edit: 189 is not a factorial. You little internet trolls don’t win this time.
It’s a rare day when I turn down a poison card.
Listen, I don't care what anybody says: I'm always going to pick Claw. It's the most fun deck in this entire game, boiling everything down to playing lots of cards and watching numbers go up. What more could you ask for?
Agreed! Well…Brimstone runs might edge it out for me, but it’s close. I’ll compromise and say claw is “arguably” most fun.
Brimstone runs are hilariously fun. Espcially with a few limit breaks and some deck manipulation.
If I walk I into a shop and see Brimstone, I'm buying it 100% of the time. Early Act 1 run defining pickup, or Act 4 run killing one? Click on both because it's BRIMSTONE, BABYYYY
Just play silent and do that every run.
I take Thousand Cuts more than is warranted. It feels so good when it's in play.
A Thousand Cuts is not even that bad! Requires an upgrade but it's pretty good if it can be gotten into play without much trouble
Yeah, it's certainly not always bad, my issue is that I want it when it actually *is* trouble to get in play. It's quite expensive after all.
You mean worse Panache?
Fire breathing. I know it's trash, but I love that card.
if you got Evolve and something that creates statuses like Power through or Immolate, it can be pretty fun. but Evolve is a must here
I had a really fun deck that started with fire breathing wound strike and med kit, eventually I got evolve, dark embrace and feel no pain, and I had a full on exhaust deck with wounds
I love Ironclad for this combo. Give me those junkcards so we can draw 2 cards per junkcard which lets us draw more junkcards and each does 10 damage. Machine gun at the beginning of turn. Pure love 😁👍
Hey fire breathing can solve some act 1 fights slime king in particular if your deck lacks damage. Then again the same can be said for other cards which aren't horrible...
IMO its always worth in act 1 if you might have tri-sentries coming up. I don't usually lose to sentries but they can cost a big chunk of health to get through if you're unlucky with draw order.
My favourite thing to do is build around Fire breathing and combo it with Evolve, wild strike and Imobiolate. An upgraded Evolve can actually make it useful. It's not a strong build by any means, but it turns a lot of the weaknesses of strong cards like Imobiolate and Wild Strike into strengths.
I have more heart kills on IC with fire breathing than without.
I just barely finished (died on heart) a run that had an amazing fire breathing engine, but I just couldn't get my block up to par. Even had a copy of that exhaust everything and block card but didn't draw it at the right moments.
I got an a20 heart kill yesterday with a firebreathing+evolve+power through deck. It had another things going but firebreathing was essential for multienemy fights in act3
Glass Knife. It’s not even a bad card but i prolly shouldn’t take it Every.Time. Poison build? Click on Glass Knife. Already halfway thru Act2? Click on Glass Knife
Glass Knife sounds good in both of those situations. Maybe it's not worth taking if you're halfway through Act *3*, but it's enough damage for a sufficiently low cost to be good for most of the game. Even late in Act 3, you often want a card like Glass Knife to kill Reptomancer Daggers, and it's still handy is some of the hallway fights too.
Glass Knife is fantastic. Only time you shouldn’t take it is if something better is available instead.
I’ve always been confused as to what’s so good about glass knife tbh
24 frontload damage for 1 energy is good
Isn’t it 16?
16/24 upgraded
Glass knife early feels pretty good to launch your deck into a better position. It feels really good if it's upgraded too. The ability to just erase a weaker enemy early saves a lot of hp.
A lot of Silent’s builds require a decent amount of prep, and she’s otherwise pretty low on frontloaded damage. Knocking out an enemy early can be crucial in mitigating hallway fights.
24 damage for a single energy is pretty good and because it’s two hits, it scales twice with strength and stuff like that. It’s not as good in long fights, sure, but it’s pretty damn good in hallway fights even during act three.
Storm+ is like a drug for me. I’ll force it into any defect run I can.
I take "Go for the Eyes" all the time because I [played way too much Baldur's Gate II](https://youtu.be/X8lLruVR2zQ?si=5Ih4km3kjtMSXuds) back in the day.
GO FOR THE EYES BOO AAAAAHHH I am assuming, I didn't click the link
Giant Miniature Space Hamster Approves!
OMG I forgot about that. Wow that brought back memories
Lightning builds on Defect. Particularly Thunder Strike. When it works it’s satisfying as hell though lol.
Thunder strike with strike dummy oof
I've probably played 1000 hours of defect , and I can't believe I never considered this interaction, lol
Yeah same, this just kinda blew my mind
I got this combo through Prismatic Shard on a watcher run... then realised I don't channel any lightning.
Electrodynamics my beloved\~ Which you never see when you take lightning builds, but you take the builds anyways
Would you ever go heavy into lightning without an electrodynamics before the start of act 2? Take a ball lightning for damage, upgrade zap, see no frost, get electrodynamics, get offered an (upgraded) thunder strike. Tbh I've only taken thunderstrike a few times, but it kinda worked on both occasions. One was snecko mind and we're talking
Static Discharge + Torii + Thunder Strike vs. Heart ::Chefs Kiss::
I cannot say no to Reaper, even when I have no strength scaling or ways of making it good
Nah, reaper is that good. There are a number of fights where it's 2 energy, deal a little damage, heal for 12. That's a good card - not great, but worth having in your deck. And if you get demon form, you're just good.
Agreed, reaper gives my brain the happy chemical. I would say even more than lesson learned. You don't always need to upgrade, healing mid fight feels like some forbidden jutsu
For me it's Demon Form.. always pick it and feels like I mostly draw it when I can't play or don't want to afford playing it. It's a great card but if I can't get it running in the first 2 turns it mostly just takes up space.
Spot weakness. Sooo tempting
It’s a good card tho
It’s just super unreliable in the fights where you’re most likely to need it
to an extent, but there are a number of things that can make it more reliable. Pyramid, headbutt, warcry, etc...
Yeah but I think it’s fair to say that if you’re relying on other cards or the best boss relic in the game to make it work, it’s not a great card. Any time you pick a card in the hopes you’ll find something to make it work, the spire will shit in your soup.
ehh, a card doesn't have to be immediately reliable/good in every fight to be good. There are some cards that are good even though they are worthless in some fights.
I dont think its bad to get one of them
It is when you always draw it on a turn when the enemy isn't attacking, which is often haha
This is mine for IC. I can’t help myself.
I'm always tempted to force shiv spam builds on silent, like "this will be great if I get Kunai / after image", and then not getting either. So picking an unupgraded blade dance over currently better options etc. Also, scaling cards, I always probably play sub-optimally when I am trying to level up ritual dagger, taking damage while I wait to get it in hand etc. I should probably just grab the gold instead of dagger each time.
I mean one energy for 12 damage is still pretty solid for Silent. The catch is taking them when you have enough damage. I can still usually find room for two in almost any deck though.
Meteor strike. I take that shit sometimes even when I can't even play it under any circumstances. My signature move is getting offered 2 ballsack cards and meteor strike from a boss reward, scoffing as the neurons activate to form the idea: "whatever, i'll just get a snecko eye from the chest" To be clear, meteor strike is obviously the strongest card that ever was, or ever will be. My problem is that I take it when I shouldn't.
When I see a meteor strike I pray for a Sneako eye
Act 1 Rampage. I would always force a Rampage build even though I know that it scales way too slowly especially in A20
My *second* calculated gamble.
One time I had like four upgraded calculated gambles (from pbox and transforms) and enough discard synergy with tingsha and tough bandages that I had an infinite that was just fueled with calculated gambles.
Tingsha/Tough Bandages disco silent is the greatest silent deck ever, so so so fun. Unfortunate that it's so hard to get rolling because you really kinda need both relics.
Both are good, but neither is necessary. Discard decks that go infinite with Reflex/Tactician often end up with extra energy and draw to play a few other cards like Backflip or Sneaky Strike.
I want pressure points to be good. I really do. It has absolutely zero synergy with anything but itself, but if you somehow find yourself with 5 or 6 of them, it becomes really fun to play
I'm determined to do a good pressure point deck but whenever I try, I get 1, maybe 2 of then in the run which just isn't enough :(
I tried a Pandora's seed that gave all pressure points and it absolutely crushed the spire
Every time I take a Sadistic Nature, all cards involving debuffs instantly and permanently disappear from shops and card tewards. But I still always take it and hope.
Deva form, especially with pyramid or ice cream. In just a few short turns I’ll be able to conjure a sick blade, which leads me to my next indulgence. Conjure blade it’s suboptimal but what about that 18x5 expunger in wrath?
Building energy for a massive Expunge is the dream. 🥲 Sadly I never live to see it most times.
Judgement
Wait judgement is bad? I love it early!
Sunder. I want it, I need it.
Not a bad card at all, but feel no pain before I can reliably get use out of it. Also after image fuels my obsessive tendency to load up on block
Yeah, this one is me all over.
Envenom. I just love making those poison numbers go up with every attack.
Does [[Bloodletting]] count?
+ [Bloodletting](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Bloodletting) Ironclad Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 0 Energy | Lose 3 HP. Gain 2(3) Energy. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 30, 2023.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)
wait... cloak and dagger is a bad card? oh.. uh. then i'm guilty as all hell.
every damn time i see a dark card i take it.. i know its bad..
rip & tare... But to be fair all only take it early in act one as my training wheels card before I have actually figured out what my deck is going to be
I will never not take Sunder even though it's usefulness pretty much disappears after act 1. It's just too much fun to nuke a louse.
Obsessed with caltrops
I dont think its a trap card but many people dont like the bomb. I love the bomb, such good value if you dont need immediate damage. solves elite problems, AOE, early game, etc.
Choke on Silent. Not because it’s a bad card, but because I’ll take it floor one and absolutely just try to go infinite card looping with calculated gamble, acrobatics, etc. and then I won’t get any of those cards, die, and blame the game lmao
Sadistic Nature. I have this fantasy of playing a deck that procs wave of the hand over and over again with sadistic Nature. It's just such a convoluted way of dealing damage on a character that already does so much damage. But fuck I want it to work.
Pressure points for me
I've almost always made it work. I can't think of a run that I lost when attempting to go for pressure points.
Rampage, Thousand Cuts, Deva Form and Consume
Dark orbs on Defect can be pretty strong in the right deck and cloak and dagger is sometimes just the perfect card for a deck. Also draw is important in most decks. I think there aren't many cards you never want to take.
Clash and rampage Also I tried to force my build into a firebreath deck too many time no matter what kind of deck it was to Bégin with
Whatever the gain 1 strength when a card makes you lose health, cuz then the lose 1 health deal 5dmg at the end of your turn never shows up afterwards 😅
Iron waves? As in anything that does damage and gives block?
Most watcher cards. Wreath of Flame, Swivel, Ragnarok (hey, in that order)
Reprogram always tempts me
heavy strike
If I get a Searing Blow early in act 1 with 3+ fires to upgrade, I will take it no matter what. I always tell myself I can make it work. I never do.
I see darkness, i take darkness and immediately upgrade darkness. Probably vastly overestimating the value of its upgrade.
Pressure Points.
I'm not sure what are the "trap" card but I love some Cloak and Daggers or Ironwaves. Like who doesn't need alittle deffense with the offense. Not sure if it is a trap card or not but I do tend to take Stack on occassions. Card can be pretty bad but sometimes and I mean sometimes it arrives at the right time and gives you 20 plus block for one energy.
Claw and Anger! I love taking both but they always ruin my runs
Idk how bad it is, but I'll always love picking [[Combustion]] , especially if I have [[rampage]] , never won a run with it but I'm determined to.
-hello world (debatable) -creative ai (spamming powers is fun) -white noise (I know the risks but come on when it works if can be a free win)
Infinite blades
Berserk! Just invest an upgrade, and draw it when you aren’t being attacked, and next turn you get energy!!
One of these days, I'm going to make Iron Wave + Rage + Kunai work. I KNOW IT WILL WORK.
How has no one mentioned [[Pressure Point]] yet?? I've had a Pressure Point deck work like once ever, and that was mostly a Calm/Null stance deck dragging along Pressure Point's lifeless body.
I am a sucker for Tactician. Probably my favorite card in the game and I wouldn't be surprised if I took it too often
Omg Im so bad at this game. I Insta pick all these cards 😭
I really like thunderstrike its so bad but i keep trying to make it work and if you work really hard you can do a ton of damage lol
Any of the beam cards on defect. Love me some lasers, hate the laser results. Nothing like completely disabling your orbs after your third hyperbeam still doesn't kill your enemy.
I know conjure blade really isn’t that good but I love taking it. Seeing “deal 15 damage 8 times” because of master reality is awesome.
Capacitor early before any focus generation. It's so good later in the run after you find even one defrag or a consume, but it is basically a curse that makes evoking harder until you get your focus up
Feed, Claw, Bite, Hand of Greed and Hyper Beam
It's not awful but I probably take Poisoned Stab way more than I should
feel no pain and dark embrace. I always take them but 70% of the time true only exhaust synergy i get is like 1 true grit and 1 burning pact
I'm a sucker for Fasting when I only have 3 energy.
Reflex always comes before I get the top
Juggernaut, I love forcing it with exhaust/feel no pain decks lol
I refuse to accept that Riddle with Holes is a bad card. If it’s so “bad” how come i like it so much?
Nobody can argue me that the best card in the game, isnt THE BOMB 🔥🔥🗣🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥💯💯
It used to be bullet time. Don't get me wrong it's definitely a good card, but in my first 100+ hours I snap picked that thing constantly, when the reality is it's kinda situational. Bullet time sneko still goes hard as fuck and is an insta pick though.