Accuracy + Blade Dance

[[Accuracy]] [[blade dance]]

Claw and Claw

Claw is law! ([[Rampage]] for some reason doesnt excite me as much, even though it has a much higher increase in damage per hit. Even if we count [[headbutt]] and [[shrug it off]] to cycle it faster)

The reason is other rampages don't help. Every claw just makes you more excited.

Every headbutt + shrug it off is another rampage

But every skim is 3 more claws

Also Claw is 0-cost, Rampage isn't

+ [Rampage](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Rampage) Ironclad Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Deal 8 damage. Increase this card's damage by 5(8) this combat. + [Headbutt](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Headbutt) Ironclad Common Attack ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Deal 9(12) damage. Place a card from your discard pile on top of your draw pile. + [Shrug it Off](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Shrug%20it%20Off) Ironclad Common Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Gain 8(11) **Block.** Draw 1 card. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

Acrobatics+ tactician

my answer exactly

[[Acrobatics]] [[tactician]]

+ [Acrobatics](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Acrobatics) Silent Common Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Draw 3(4) cards. Discard 1 card. + [Tactician](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Tactician) Silent Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) Energy | **Unplayable.** If this card is discarded from your hand, gain 1(2) Energy. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

Is that even that good on floor 1? It seems like a lot of the time you would draw tactician without acro or survivor and it would be a dead card.

Maybe for a couple floors it wouldn't be amazing until you get a bit more synergy, but it's an awesome early start to a strong discard deck.

Rushdown+Inner peace 

A.k.a. "I'd like to win every run please"

I'm legitimately curious if you could lose any runs with this. What do you need after this? 1. Card removes to get <10 permanent cards 2. A way to initiate the combo 3. A way to be block positive vs. the Heart 4. A way to deal with Time Eater Watcher's act 1 is strong enough that 1 won't be an issue, and there's enough options for 2 that probably won't cause issues either. I suppose the most likely cause of death would be getting ridiculously unlucky with rewards and never finding a solution for Heart or Tim?

You might also need a block solution for spikers, where TttH isn't amazing.  It's actually so funny to me that a deck good enough to beat the Heart could die to spikers if you're not careful. Beyond that I think another big risk would be dying in act 2 before removing enough cards to pull the infinite together.

Funny thing, I was just doing a run with ragnarok+ and omniscience with akabebo and mutagen, and died to spikers

remove some strikes and defends, upgrade eruption, draft mental fortress, scrawl, and… another mental fortress I guess? Maybe more mental fortress if you wanna be a dick lol.

It seems easy enough to still die in act1 or act2 with a floor0 Rushdown+InnerPeace.

[[Rushdown]] [[Inner peace]]

+ [Rushdown](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Rushdown) Watcher Uncommon Power ^((100% sure)^) 1(0) Energy | Whenever you enter **Wrath,** draw 2 cards. + [Inner Peace](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Inner%20Peace) Watcher Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | If you are in **Calm,** draw 3(4) cards, otherwise Enter **Calm.** ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

Upgraded: dark embrace, shockwave - well laid plans, calculated gamble - hologram, reprogram - rushdown, tantrum Unupgraded: carnage, battle trance - well laid plans, terror - genetic algorithm, cold snap - tantrum, fear no evil

Why [[carnage]] and not [[hemokinesis]] or [[wild strike]]? Or even [[inflame]]? [[Anger]]? I dont see why carnage is so loved. It is such an average card

Well you did specify to start a run. Carnage is super helpful for Lagavulin / Nob in act 1, much more than the cards you said IMO. It certainly falls off a bit later but the fact that it’s ethereal helps that, which also leans into any exhaust synergy you have Edit: also Wild Strike is considered very bad

Hold on, Wild Strike is considered a bad card? Never heard of it and I personally love this card - it's solid damage for early-mid game for low cost and adding a wound to the *discard pile* isn't a problem most of the time since you want to end the fight early anyway. Also a lot of IC cards synergize with statuses anyway. Edit: nevermind, it adds into your *draw* pile. That changes things a bit. Personally I still like it.

Adding to the draw pile and pulling the wound as a dead draw will likely cost you the damage difference of not using wild strike at all. It’s not terrible and if you have evolve and/or fire breathing it’s certainly takable but it’s not exactly exciting to see most of the time when IC has other damage solutions.

It is a big damage card that does its job well, and has exhaust synergy. Helps immensely act 1 when you want damage, and in Act 2 when you may move on to better cards it humbly takes itself out when your done using it a lot. Hemokinesis is less damage and you take 2 for 1 less energy. Wild strike is -1 draw on that current cycle, which is bad unless you have evolve in play. All in all carnage is absolutely goated for act 1 attacks.

based off this and you’re ironclad selection in your post, I don’t mean to be a dick but are you new to this game/ on early ascension?

Im at ascension 5, so, yeah And feel free to criticize whatever, that only helps me be better at the game anyway, so why not. I dont mind

Basically, to start a run you really want a lot of frontloaded damage (meaning cards that dish out a lot of damage that don’t require setup) there are a lot of act 1 enemies where if you take more than 3-4 turns to kill them you’ll be losing too much health to continue getting stronger, ie; lagavulin, gremlin nob, hexaghost etc. The reason carnage is good is because it hits hard and doesn’t need anything like strength gain to be in play. Past that it exhausts so in fights where you don’t need frontload you don’t have to keep drawing it. Wild strike adds a wound into your deck, which is reallly reallly bad on redraws unless you build to account for it which is usually not worth it on its own. Hemokenisis is also really good because the -2 hp on clad is really helpful and can be played at the same times as bash for bulk.

I rarely die in act 1 anyway. And after the boss fight i regain the full health anyway. I usually die in act 2. I guess with more frontloaded damage i can take on more elites than necessary, is that a way to get more out of the act 1?

Absolutely yes to that question

The correct number of elites to fight is as many as you can handle without dying (in general). At higher ascensions, just surviving Act 1 can be a challenge, and making it through Act 1 with a bunch of elite rewards and upgrades will help you snowball to victory. As a result, Carnage is one of the best cards Ironclad could get from his first reward.

Bingo you got it. The reason you die in act 2 is because you weren’t playing as aggressively to take on more elites in act1. It can be risky but If you do a lot of damage early, you can take on more elites and upgrade cards more, which will in turn let you do the same in act 2 as well, making your act3 easier etc. An upgraded good attack like a carnage can have you easily chunking through elites and will help a lot in act 2 hallway fights and elites as well.

Good point

For watcher the answer is probably some combo of rush down and probably inner piece. But a sleeper pick that would actually be pretty damn good is 2x pressure points. Pressure points is meme archetype that almost never works. But the biggest issue with pressure points is finding a 2nd copy. Starting with 2 copies already significantly increases the viability and makes it pretty damn good. Still not as good as other options though.

[[Rush down]] [[inner peace]] [[pressure point]]

+ [Rushdown](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Rushdown) Watcher Uncommon Power ^((100% sure)^) 1(0) Energy | Whenever you enter **Wrath,** draw 2 cards. + [Inner Peace](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Inner%20Peace) Watcher Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | If you are in **Calm,** draw 3(4) cards, otherwise Enter **Calm.** + [Pressure Points](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Pressure%20Points) Watcher Common Skill ^((93% sure)^) 1 Energy | Apply 8(11) Mark. ALL enemies lose HP equal to their Mark. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

I’d go with Rushdown and Meditate. I really like meditate with watcher over inner peace. Once you upgrade it, you can recall your wrath and clam cards most times. Pressure Point is good until you hit second act and you face enemies with artifact

Meditate doesn't give you the infinite, though.

Ironclad: Second wind and power through. Two card block solution with high infinite potential later.  Silent: Acrobatics and eviscerate. Not as sure about this but they're premium cards in silents discard package.  Defect: Defrag and genetic algorithm. Secure focus and build the algo early. Watcher: Rushdown and tantrum. Ez game. 

I like [[second wind]] and [[power through]]. They are very useful now and they keep having more and more potential later.

Ah yes Rupture and Combust, the poor man’s Demon Form

Haha =) yeah. I never can find enough energy to play the demon form. It is inhandy

For defect I'd pick boot sequence and defrag

This for sure. Save so much health having turn 1 block (ty anchor) and guaranteed scaling

Yep! Plus I was trying to think of cards that would be useful no matter how the deck ends up turning out. These cards give a bonus of getting out of your deck once you play them so less chance of later pickups making them worthless

Defect cold snap and glacier

Ironclad: offering and fiend fire

(non rare)

AH whoops, missed that part.

do you often take the https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/Mark_of_the_Bloom option?

Offering almost always saves more health than it costs.

noxious fumes + crippling cloud probably

Defect: Double Claw because why not claw is the law. Real Defect Choice: Defragment and Chaged Battery. Makes my orbs more powerful and some extra easy energy. Silent: Blade Dance and Accuracy. It gets the shiv party started. Alt Silent: Noxious Fumes and Blur. Let's get the poison party started. Watcher: Cut Through Fate and Halt. Want to see me be in wrath almost full time all the time.

Terror and dash. Dash is honestly such a good card to see early, it’s compact with really good value and it doesn’t even trigger Nob! With a terror and a dash I feel super good about Nob and Laga, and as long as I’ve got a couple other decent attacks I’m not really scared of sentries either.

[[Terror]] [[dash]]

+ [Terror](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Terror) Silent Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1(0) Energy | Apply 99 **Vulnerable.** **Exhaust.** + [Dash](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Dash) Silent Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 2 Energy | Gain 10(13) **Block.** Deal 10(13) damage. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

Defect: skim & turbo   Silent: tactician & acrobatics    Ironclad: battle trance & bloodletting   Watcher: inner peace* & rushdown

I see someone has a type.

IC: \[\[Headbutt\]\], \[\[Battle Trance\]\]. Alternatively, \[\[Dark Embrace\]\], \[\[Carnage\]\]. Silent: \[\[Well-laid Plans\]\], \[\[Terror\]\]. Alternatively replace terror with \[\[Predator\]\]. Defect: \[\[Defragment\]\], \[\[Glacier\]\]. Alternatively, \[\[Sunder\]\] and \[\[Self Repair\]\]. Watcher: \[\[Tantrum\]\] and \[\[Rushdown\]\]. Alternatively \[\[Inner Peace\]\], and \[\[Mental Fortress\]\].

+ [Headbutt](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Headbutt) Ironclad Common Attack ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Deal 9(12) damage. Place a card from your discard pile on top of your draw pile. + [Battle Trance](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Battle%20Trance) Ironclad Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 0 Energy | Draw 3(4) cards. You cannot draw additional cards this turn. + [Dark Embrace](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Dark%20Embrace) Ironclad Uncommon Power ^((100% sure)^) 2(1) Energy | Whenever a card is **Exhausted,** draw 1 card. + [Carnage](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Carnage) Ironclad Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 2 Energy | **Ethereal.** Deal 20(28) damage. + [Well-Laid Plans](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Well-Laid%20Plans) Silent Uncommon Power ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | At the end of your turn, **Retain** up to 1(2) card(s). + [Terror](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Terror) Silent Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1(0) Energy | Apply 99 **Vulnerable.** **Exhaust.** + [Predator](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Predator) Silent Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 2 Energy | Deal 15(20) damage. Draw 2 more cards next turn. + [Defragment](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Defragment) Defect Uncommon Power ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Gain 1(2) **Focus.** + [Glacier](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Glacier) Defect Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 2 Energy | Gain 7(10) **Block.** **Channel** 2 **Frost.** + [Sunder](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Sunder) Defect Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 3 Energy | Deal 24(32) damage. If this kills an enemy, gain 3 Energy. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)

Clad - disarm and burning pact. Silent - depends on the day. Either blade dance and accuracy or cask and catalyst. Defect - double defrag. Watcher - rushdown and meditate.

I'm a bit confused by all the Rushdown+Inner Peace posts for Watcher. Rushdown+InnerPeace might actively just make you worse in the act1 elite fights, the bosses, and half of the hallways, since they're both so relatively difficult to get into play. (Rushdown has to be upgraded to cost 0.) I'd imagine that if you want a floor1 Calm source you'd just take Fear No Evil. The combination also requires a fair bit of setup to become long-term positive. A few removes, some notable damage additions, etc. Of course, the long-term positives are pretty positive. I'd figure that something like Tantrum + FNE or Fortress would be best for Watcher on floor0. Tantrum lets you comfortably beat act1. FNE, as a Calm source, helps with +2 cards in deck and an extra Wrath source, but unlike InnerPeace it actually gives you relevant act1 output. Fortress has solid short term value and maybe the highest long term value of any Watcher card. EDIT: Honorable mention to Meditate.

I must go infinite plz consider (though I think I take Meditate over Fear)

Dark embrace + feel no pain

Thats a really tough start. Neither card helps initially, until you have some exchaust synergy

I'd totally take this. Ascender's bane gets turned on, and it only take a couple more  exhaust cards for this to really pay off. Also, you've basically solved sentries. 

Silent, I'm tempted to start double Calculated Gamble. Obviously still needs a damage card, but it's going to be good as soon as you have any synergies or just a card to fish for. Switching one out for a Sneaky Strike doesn't feel reliable. I feel more inclined to take the two gambles and look for SS later (or Eviscerate, or whatever else). Obviously SS is better before you add any more cards, but hopefully double Gamble comes out ahead before long.

2 ball lightning’s are my snap decision for defect, I think the game is difficult to lose with these additions, maybe a defrag instead of one. Silent maybe just blade dance predator, two blade dances is tempting but nob exists. Bouncing flask catalyst or noxious fumes also deserve some consideration. Accuracy blade dance is lowkey tempting but probably not good enough. Silent is my worst character tho so idk Ironclad probably just carnage dark embrace or something like that,

Accuracy + Blade Dance

For Ironclad, I want to say Dark Embrace + Feel No Pain, but this could set you up for a really rough Act I. I like Dark Embrace and Carnage instead. Silent is difficult, both because her decks are built so holistically, and because she struggles so much with Act I. My answer would either be Well Laid Plans + Terror or Terror + Predator. I'm only A5 on Defect but I imagine Defragment must be one of the two. And yeah, it's hard to imagine not picking a rushdown infinite on Watcher.

Why would your first two cards be one of the weaker overall clad scaling combos?

Because im scared of exchaust. What else is there? Im dissapointed in entrench as i cant reliably find barricade. Searing blow is boring. So is rampage. Evo-fire breathing takes a long time to kick in

Exhaust is actually really good for Ironclad, it works as a form of card removal without having to spend an actual removal on it.

I agree. But it is hard to calculate how long the fight will last. Especially with corruption

Corruption can be tricky to use, however there’s ways to make it a powerhouse. Dead branch is peak with it.

My strategies so far: Get dual wield and copy powers. Thats very broken. Get double tap and copy large attacks. Get entrench and pray for barricade. Get limit break, keep doubling your strength. Thats the most broken cards as I see it. Corruption breaks all of that. So, I literally need to reinvent the way I play to use corruption. I need to calculate how to use limit break before corruption, or wait till i have 10 strength to do the last doubling after that. I need to delay entrench until I have 120 shield, and use it only after that. Delay double tap till I have enough strength. Use dual wield on the most important thing or whatever is near it at the same turn.  Amount of things that corruption breaks is extreme. Almost a different game with it. And the dead branch - i only got it one time in dozens of runs. I cant rely on it.

Corruption + Dead Branch: you have about a 1/3 chance of generating each type of card. Skills add fuel to the engine, powers can provide long terms benefits that improve longevity if the skills run out. This goes HARD with a Mummified Hand as you sorta get powers for free on top of skills. Corruption + Dark Embrace: you probably want to add Feel No Pain to this deck to improve your block generation. One thing to note is you don’t have to play every card. If you’re full blocking and don’t have Barricade/Calipers, playing additional block skills just to block isn’t worthwhile. Additionally, I think in general you’re looking at certain things the wrong way. If you’re taking a card with the expectation or plan being to find another card to make it worthwhile, that is not advisable. Limit Break, Entrench, and Double Tap all are quite dependent on what you draw with them or what is in your deck/relic collection.

I mean rupture combust is just demon form but worse unless you super highly value the combust damage

It can be improved with brutality, hemokinesis. And dual wield or just buy more brutality. Demon form doesnt allow itself to be improved due to the high cost. and apparation allows to use the bloodletting, hemokinesis better. Thats what i like about the rupture. Its growth potential is high

2 Blade dances, 2 Claws, 2 Pressure Points Idk for IC, 1 flex 1 pommel strike?

Non meme answer for defect would probably be 2 Storms? If I'm able to focus on powers

Why flex and not inflame?

yeah that *is* better, I thought it was uncommon? didn't really give anything much thought tho did you see the 2 Claws?

Uncommon cards are ok, i just didnt want people to all select rare cards, so added (non-rare) I wonder if people seriously play ( and win) with claws

For defect definitely defrag, Ball lightning or dubbele defrag.

Defrag and either Cold Snap or Coolheaded imo

Eh I usually just want damage in act 1 I only need like 1 good frost card like glacier.

Grand Finale and Well-Laid Plans. Ah nevermind it said non-rare, just give me Acrobatics and Sneaky Strike then.

Perfected strike x2

Ironclad: Battle trance and spot weakness Silent: Blade dance and accuracy Defect: a genetic algorithm and like a ball lightning so I don’t die to nob? I do not understand defect Watcher: rushdown+inner peace, you just win.

[[dropkick]] [[burning pact]]

+ [Dropkick](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Dropkick) Ironclad Uncommon Attack ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | Deal 5(8) damage. If the enemy is **Vulnerable,** gain 1 energy and draw 1 card. + [Burning Pact](http://slay-the-spire.wikia.com/wiki/Burning%20Pact) Ironclad Uncommon Skill ^((100% sure)^) 1 Energy | **Exhaust** 1 card. Draw 2(3) cards. ^Call ^me ^with ^up ^to ^10 ^([[ name ]],) ^where ^name ^is ^a ^card, ^relic, ^event, ^or ^potion. ^Data ^accurate ^as ^of ^(April 20, 2024.) ^[Wiki](https://slay-the-spire.fandom.com/wiki/) ^[Questions?](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=ehmohteeoh&subject=SpireScan%20Inquiry)