Choosing the right cards is one of the most important parts of building a strong deck in Slay the Spire 2. Each character has dozens of possible cards, but only a portion of them consistently deliver strong value across most runs.
This tier list ranks the best cards for every character based on how consistently they perform during a run. The rankings consider factors such as damage scaling, defensive value, synergy potential, and reliability in different encounters.
1. Ironclad Best Cards Tier List
Strike cards
The Ironclad is built around Strength scaling, heavy attacks, self-damage mechanics, and Exhaust synergies. Many of his strongest cards either increase long-term damage, convert defensive resources into offense, or enable powerful combo turns.
| Tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Headbutt, Uppercut, Inflame, Breakthrough, Grapple |
| A Tier | Hemokinesis, Whirlwind, Barricade, Dark Embrace, Feel No Pain, Taunt, Ashen Strike, Bloodletting |
| B Tier | Body Slam, True Grit, Second Wind, Iron Wave, Spite, Blood Wall, Unrelenting, Cinder |
| C Tier | Bash, Cleave, Anger, Thunderclap, Heavy Blade |
| D Tier | Clash, Perfected Strike, Searing Blow |
1.1. S Tier Cards
Headbutt card
S Tier cards are the strongest Ironclad picks in almost every run. These cards scale well, provide reliable damage or utility, and often define the direction of a deck.
- Headbutt – Excellent for replaying key cards. Use it to bring back strong attacks, powers, or combo pieces when you need them most.
- Uppercut – One of the best tempo cards. Weak reduces incoming damage while Vulnerable increases your damage on the same turn.
- Inflame – Reliable Strength scaling that improves every attack for the rest of the fight. Works well in almost any Ironclad deck.
- Breakthrough – Strong AoE pressure for fights with multiple enemies. Helps clear groups quickly and prevents early damage from swarms.
- Grapple – Ideal for Block-focused decks. Converts large amounts of Block into meaningful damage, making defensive builds far more threatening.
1.2. A Tier Cards
Stoke card
A Tier cards are strong picks that work well in most decks and provide important support for Ironclad’s main archetypes. They enhance your main strategy while offering flexibility in combat.
- Hemokinesis – Deals high damage at the cost of HP. Use early to remove elites or priority targets quickly. Pairs well with Rupture or Bloodletting for self-damage synergy.
- Whirlwind – Energy-scaling AoE attack. Excellent for multi-enemy fights and works best with Strength or energy-generating relics.
- Barricade – Keeps Block from disappearing at end of turn. Use to stack massive defense over multiple turns. Combines well with Body Slam or True Grit for damage conversion.
- Dark Embrace – Draws a card whenever a card is Exhausted. Central for Exhaust builds, especially with Cinder or Fiend Fire to maintain card flow.
- Feel No Pain – Gain Block when a card is Exhausted. Turns deck-thinning into consistent defense; perfect for long fights in Exhaust decks.
- Taunt – Gain Block and apply Vulnerable. Offers balanced defense and offense; apply early to reduce incoming damage while boosting your own attacks.
- Ashen Strike – Deals high damage, synergizes with Exhaust. Use in Exhaust-heavy decks with Dark Embrace or Cinder to maximize damage output.
- Bloodletting – Lose HP to gain energy. Enables explosive turns when paired with multi-hit or high-damage attacks; key for self-damage Ironclad builds.
1.3. B Tier Cards
Defend cards
B Tier cards are reliable picks that can be strong in the right decks or situations but generally depend on synergies to reach full potential.
- Body Slam – Deals damage equal to your Block. Best used in Barricade or high-Block decks to convert defense into big damage. Less effective in low-Block or aggressive decks.
- True Grit – Gain Block and Exhaust a card. Helps thin your deck while generating defense. Combine with Feel No Pain or Dark Embrace to trigger additional effects.
- Second Wind – Exhaust non-attack cards to gain Block. Useful in skill-heavy decks where repeated defense is needed; works well with Dark Embrace for card draw.
- Iron Wave – Balanced attack and Block. Provides consistent value early in fights; use to maintain tempo while slowly scaling damage and defense.
- Spite – Draw a card when you lose HP. Excellent in self-damage builds to maintain hand size; pairs with Bloodletting or Hemokinesis for explosive turns.
- Blood Wall – Gain large amounts of Block at the cost of HP. Use carefully in self-damage decks to survive while triggering Rupture or other HP-loss synergies.
- Unrelenting – Deal damage proportional to your deck state. Works best in decks with high card draw or combos; less reliable in slow or inconsistent decks.
- Cinder – Deal damage and exhaust cards from your draw pile. Solid for building Exhaust engines and triggering Dark Embrace or Feel No Pain, especially in mid-game setups.
1.4. C Tier Cards
Bash card upgraded
C Tier cards are generally weaker than higher-tier options but can provide value early in a run or in specific situations.
- Bash – Applies Vulnerable to enemies. Useful for early damage amplification but outclassed by other debuff cards later in fights. Use mainly to kickstart damage or combo with Strength builds early.
- Cleave – Deals damage to all enemies. Good for early multi-target clearing but loses effectiveness in mid-to-late game where scaling attacks outperform it.
- Anger – Deal moderate damage and adds a copy of itself to your discard pile. Can generate repeatable attacks, but too many copies can clutter your deck. Use selectively to avoid overfilling.
- Thunderclap – Deals AoE damage and applies Vulnerable. Helps control groups of enemies early, but low damage limits late-game usefulness. Best paired with multi-hit or scaling attacks for synergy.
- Heavy Blade – Deals massive damage when you have high Strength. Effective only in decks heavily invested in Strength; avoid in builds without consistent Strength stacking.
1.5. D Tier Cards
Perfected Strike card
D Tier cards are generally weak and situational. They are usually avoided unless a specific strategy makes them viable.
- Clash – Can only be played if you have no Skills in hand. Extremely restrictive and often clogs your turn. Avoid unless your deck is specifically designed to empty your hand consistently.
- Perfected Strike – Deals more damage the more Strikes are in your deck. Conflicts with deck-thinning strategies, making it unreliable for most builds. Only consider in Strike-heavy archetypes.
- Searing Blow – Scales with upgrades, becoming powerful after multiple enhancements. Early-game and unupgraded versions are weak, so pick only if you plan to upgrade it repeatedly and focus your deck around it.
2. Regent Best Cards Tier List
Venerate card
Regent’s strength lies in balancing Stars and Forge to create explosive turns. Some cards help you generate or spend Stars efficiently, others empower Forge builds, and a few give tempo, defense, or card advantage. Regent decks typically need early Star generation and survivability, then transition into big payoff cards that use your accumulated Stars.
| Tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Glow, Big Bang, Reflect, Comet, Bombardment, Convergence, GUARDS!!! |
| A Tier | Solar Strike, Shining Strike, Black Hole, Seven Stars, Royal Gamble, Void Form, Particle Wall, Genesis |
| B Tier | Gather Light, Hidden Cache, Knockout Blow, Stardust, Glimmer, Astral Pulse, Crescent Spear, Bulwark |
| C Tier | Wrought in War, Cloak of Stars, Alignment, Spoils of Battle, Furnace, Hegemony, Radiate, Prophesize |
| D Tier | Basic Strike, Basic Block, Pale Blue Dot, Spectrum Shift, Parry, I Am Invincible, The Smith |
2.1. S Tier Cards
Neow’s Fury card
Top cards that often define winning runs and are highly impactful in most Regent decks.
- Glow – Generates Stars and card draw; smooths turns and fuels payoff plays. Pick early to stack Stars faster.
- Big Bang – Massive tempo spike: Stars, Forge, energy and a card all in one turn. Use it to swing fights or push huge damage once set up.
- Reflect – Excellent defense that punishes enemies for attacking. Works with slower builds to keep you alive while you generate Stars.
- Comet – Cheap high damage with Weak and Vulnerable; strong payoff card once Star pool is high.
- Bombardment – Huge repeated damage through exhaustion plays; lethal in long fights.
- Convergence – Retains key cards and sets up big turns while giving extra Stars and energy next turn.
- GUARDS!!! – Converts hand into minion sacrifices; gives defense and feeds card creation engines. Great for control while you build resources.
2.2. A Tier Cards
Cosmic Indifference card
Strong cards that work well in many Regent decks and support both Stars and forge strategies.
- Solar Strike – Damage plus Star generation; efficient and flexible.
- Shining Strike – Damage and double Star gain; self-reshuffles for consistency.
- Black Hole – Every Star gain or spend deals AoE damage; great for passive pressure.
- Seven Stars – High AoE output with a heavy cost; keep for big payoff turns.
- Royal Gamble – Massive Star gain in one play; best in builds where you save up and spend all Stars in payoff turns.
- Void Form – First cards each turn are free; great for tempo and big combo turns.
- Particle Wall – Repeatable Block; excellent early survival tool.
- Genesis – Consistent Star generation each turn; fuels long setup.
2.3. B Tier Cards
Hidden cache card
Good cards that support resource generation or board control, but often need specific synergies or timing to shine.
- Gather Light – Provides Block and Stars. Good early defense while you build Stars; pick when you need tempo stabilization.
- Hidden Cache – Grants some Stars now and more next turn. Use it to smooth your early Star income and set up bigger turns.
- Knockout Blow – Deals decent damage with utility. Works as filler when you need extra offense but isn’t a core engine piece.
- Stardust – Deals multiple random hits. Helps with tempo in early fights and can chip away at groups, but can feel unreliable later.
- Glimmer – Card draw and minor stack positioning. Picks up combo cards faster; useful when you need consistency.
- Astral Pulse – Solid damage that spends Stars. Great payoff when your Star pool is moderate; save for turns where you can dump Stars.
- Crescent Spear – Applies Weak or uses Stars; okay utility. Good when you already have solid Star generation and need crowd control.
- Bulwark – Block plus Forge. Works in slower builds that want both survivability and scaling, especially in Forge‑leaning Regent decks.
2.4. C Tier Cards
Radiate card
Situational or less impactful cards that can still fit certain builds but are generally later picks.
- Wrought in War – Deals damage and adds a small amount of Forge. Pick only if you need incremental Forge early; weak without synergy.
- Cloak of Stars – Provides Block and spends Stars. Useful defensively, but too slow unless you have a strong Star pool.
- Alignment – Converts Stars into energy. Good in niche combos, but not core for most decks.
- Spoils of Battle – Grants a Forge boost. Usually outperformed by faster or more efficient Forge cards.
- Furnace – Passively generates Forge each turn. Works in long fights but offers little early impact.
- Hegemony – Gives extra energy next turn. Only valuable if your deck already has heavy Star or energy turns.
- Radiate – Deals random damage depending on Stars. Can help in multi-enemy fights, but inconsistent.
- Prophesize – Draws cards for setup. Helpful for finding combo pieces, but unreliable without sufficient synergy.
2.5. D Tier Cards
Parry card
Weak or restrictive cards that are generally worse than other options.
- Basic Strike & Basic Block – Simple attack and defense. Drop or remove as soon as better options are available.
- Pale Blue Dot – Triggers card draw under certain conditions. Low priority; rarely impactful in most decks.
- Spectrum Shift – Generates a random Colorless card. Unreliable and inconsistent for deck flow.
- Parry – Grants Block when playing certain cards. Only useful in highly specific Forge or Light builds.
- I Am Invincible – Provides a strong effect but requires precise timing. Difficult to trigger consistently.
- The Smith – Adds massive Forge in one turn. Powerful late, but slow to set up and often too late to matter in shorter fights.
3. Silent Best Cards Tier List
Silent Neutralize card
Silent decks thrive on discard synergies, Shivs, Poison, and card cycling. Some cards are powerful in most builds, while others only shine in specific strategies. This tier list ranks the strongest Silent cards based on general versatility, combo potential, and impact on elite/boss fights.
| Tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Well‑Laid Plans, Hidden Daggers, Master Planner, Acrobatics, Backflip |
| A Tier | Footwork, Blade Dance, After Image, Piercing Wail, Corpse Explosion, Reflex |
| B Tier | Accelerant, Bouncing Flask, Crippling Cloud, Shadow Step, Tools of the Trade, A Thousand Cuts |
| C Tier | Deadly Poison, Poisoned Stab, Deflect, Escape Plan, Dodge and Roll, Prepared |
| D Tier | Survivor, Neutralize, Slice, Storm of Steel, Infinite Blades |
3.1. S Tier Cards
Abrassive card
S Tier cards are run‑shaping picks that improve consistency and fuel Silent’s strongest strategies across build types.
- Well‑Laid Plans – Retains key cards between turns, letting you set up combo turns reliably.
- Hidden Daggers – Free discard that generates multiple Shivs instantly, defining the Shiv engine.
- Master Planner – Turns every Skill into a self‑playing combo piece via Sly; core engine card for discard builds.
- Acrobatics – Excellent card draw and discard; fuels both discard and combo turns.
- Backflip – Card draw plus Block; stabilizes early turns while digging for combo pieces.
3.2. A Tier Cards
Acrobatics card
A Tier cards are very strong and flexible; they support multiple Silent archetypes and combo paths.
- Footwork – Boosts Dexterity, improving defense and enabling survivability in longer fights.
- Blade Dance – Adds Shivs directly to your hand; great for both Shiv and combo builds.
- After Image – Grants Block for every card played; excellent in high‑card turns.
- Piercing Wail – Reduces enemy Strength; strong defensive tempo play.
- Corpse Explosion – Triggers AoE damage via kills; great for multi‑enemy boards.
- Reflex – Card draw via Sly; smoothing hands and feeding engines.
3.3. B Tier Cards
Poisoned Stab card
B Tier cards are good but more situational — they shine in certain builds or when paired with specific mechanics like Poison or discard/Sly synergy.
- Accelerant – Increases how often Poison triggers. Pick this in Poison‑focused decks to ramp up damage faster.
- Bouncing Flask – Applies several stacks of Poison to a random enemy. Works well if you already have some Poison setup; less reliable as a sole damage source.
- Crippling Cloud – Applies Poison to all enemies and reduces damage taken. Great in fights with multiple opponents or when combined with other Poison cards.
- Shadow Step – Discard your hand and make your next turn’s attacks deal double damage. Ideal in discard decks that can quickly refill your hand for a big payoff turn.
- Tools of the Trade – At the start of each turn, draws and then discards a card. Helps feed discard effects, accelerates combo engines, and improves consistency.
- A Thousand Cuts – Deals damage for each card played. Good in high‑card turns when combined with draw and discard synergies; less effective in low‑card setups.
3.4. C Tier Cards
Prepared card
C Tier cards are situational or less impactful unless built around specific synergies.
- Deadly Poison – Adds Poison to a single enemy. Useful early, but slow to scale without Catalyst or other Poison buffs.
- Poisoned Stab – Small attack that applies Poison. Minor utility unless you’re stacking multiple Poison effects.
- Deflect – Provides a small amount of Block. Limited value in late-game; mostly early-game filler.
- Escape Plan – Draw and discard cards for hand cycling. Decent for early card flow, but gets outpaced as your deck grows.
- Dodge and Roll – Lightweight Block generation. Acceptable filler if you need extra defense, but weak standalone.
- Prepared – Allows you to draw and choose cards from your deck. Helps with deck-thinning or setup, but provides low direct impact in fights.
3.5. D Tier Cards
Silent Neutralize card
D Tier cards are weak or restrictive and rarely worth picking outside niche builds.
- Survivor – Provides small Block and discards a card. Mostly early-game filler; low value in late runs.
- Neutralize – Applies a small Weak to an enemy. Outclassed by better debuff or multi-hit cards.
- Slice – Small attack for one energy. Too weak to scale and rarely worth taking.
- Storm of Steel – Discards cards to generate Shivs. Slow and inconsistent unless your deck is specifically built around discard synergies.
- Infinite Blades – Adds a single Shiv each turn. Minimal value without other Shiv or multi-attack synergies.
4. Necrobinder Best Cards Tier List
Necrobinder Strike card
Necrobinder revolves around Doom stacking (delayed damage), Osty summons, and resource engines like Souls/Ethereal mechanics. Cards that help you build Doom quickly, stabilize with block or tempo, or turn Doom into lethal damage consistently are ranked highest.
| Tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Death’s Door, Neurosurge, Time’s Up |
| A Tier | Enfeebling Touch, Graveblast, Severance, Veilpiercer, Blight Strike, Deathbringer, Friendship, Negative Pulse, Putrefy |
| B Tier | Fear, Bone Shards, Drain Power |
| C Tier | Starter Strikes/Defends, High Five, Pull Aggro, Reap, Snap |
| D Tier | Oblivion, Shared Fate, Call of the Void, Danse Macabre, Reanimation |
4.1. S Tier Cards
Death door card
These cards define a strong Necrobinder run by either stabilizing your turns, accelerating your resources, or turning Doom stacks into massive damage. They are consistently valuable from early setup through late‑game payoff and should be high‑priority picks in most builds.
- Death’s Door – Offers reliable Block and scales with Doom application; great for staying alive while building your engine.
- Neurosurge – Zero‑cost acceleration that boosts energy and draw, setting up powerful combo turns and keeping tempo strong.
- Time’s Up – Deals damage equal to an enemy’s Doom total, turning your Doom stacking into one‑turn payoff damage.
4.2. A Tier Cards
Enfeebling Touch card
These cards are highly valuable and support most Necrobinder strategies. They either improve your Doom pressure, provide needed tempo or defense, or help smooth your setup so your core engine can activate consistently.
- Enfeebling Touch – Reduces enemy Strength; helps control incoming damage while you build your board.
- Graveblast – Recycles key cards and fuels Doom; keeps your engine flowing smoothly.
- Severance – Generates Souls alongside damage; strengthens both offensive and resource layers.
- Veilpiercer – Enhances how you convert or recycle Ethereal/tempo cards; improves efficiency.
- Blight Strike – Applies Doom while dealing damage; accelerates pressure in early to mid fights.
- Deathbringer – High Doom application for sustained pressure; good when stacking Doom aggressively.
- Friendship – Provides consistent energy growth; keeps tempo alive during longer turns.
- Negative Pulse – Solid Block and spreads Doom to enemies; balances defense with offense.
- Putrefy – Applies Poison/Vulnerable while offering utility; works in control‑leaning builds.
4.3. B Tier Cards
Dredge card
B Tier cards are solid picks but often rely on specific synergies or setups to reach full potential. They’re useful for supporting a strategy rather than defining it. Choose these when they complement your deck’s main engine or cover a weakness.
- Fear – Ethereal attack that applies Vulnerable; works well in decks that can repeatedly play Ethereal cards.
- Bone Shards – Generates value when paired with offensive/defensive synergies; good for mid-game scaling.
- Drain Power – Deals damage and can gain extra effects with upgrades; slower payoff but useful for steady pressure.
4.4. C Tier Cards
These cards tend to be weaker unless your deck is very specifically built around Osty/Osty board control or early defense:
- Basic starting Strikes and Defends — useful early but fall off quickly.
- High Five, Pull Aggro, Reap, Snap — early Osty support or minor tempo tools with limited long‑term scaling.
4.5. D Tier Cards
Capture Spirit Card
Cards are generally considered too slow, inconsistent, or outclassed by better picks in most builds.
Oblivion, Shared Fate, Call of the Void, Danse Macabre, Reanimation — niche tools that are usually not worth picking as a priority early or mid‑run.
5. Defect Best Cards Tier List
Defect defend card
The Defect builds revolve around Orbs, Focus scaling, Powers, and card draw/Orb synergy. Cards that expand your Orb economy, boost Focus, or double your impact are the ones that consistently carry runs.
| Tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Claw, Defragment, Echo Form, Storm, All for One |
| A Tier | Loop, Machine Learning, Compile Driver, Darkness, Capacitor, Biased Cognition |
| B Tier | Ball Lightning, Barrage, Charge Battery, Hologram, Skim, White Noise |
| C Tier | Beam Cell, Cold Snap, FTL, Tesla Coil, Tempest |
| D Tier | Strike, Defend, Boost Away, Sweeping Beam |
5.1. S Tier Cards
Zap Card
These cards define powerful Defect decks and are high‑priority picks most of the time.
- Claw – Free 0‑cost attack that permanently increases its own damage; forms the backbone of consistent Claw spam decks.
- Defragment – Grants permanent Focus; boosts every Orb’s effectiveness and accelerates passive damage.
- Echo Form – Doubles the first card you play each turn; huge payoff when paired with key attacks or Powers.
- Storm – Channels Lightning whenever you play a Power; passive offensive engine in Power‑heavy builds.
- All for One – Refills your hand with all 0‑cost cards from your discard; explosive draw engine for Claw and 0‑cost strategies.
5.2. A Tier Cards
Leap card
A Tier card boosts Defect’s core engines, improves consistency, or expands passive output.
- Loop – Triggers your rightmost Orb every turn for free; strong passive growth in Orb decks.
- Machine Learning – Permanent card draw increase; helps maintain tempo and find key cards.
- Compile Driver – Deals damage and draws cards based on unique Orbs; excellent in mixed Orb builds.
- Darkness – Channels a Dark Orb and triggers all Dark Orbs; big burst damage in Dark setups.
- Capacitor – Adds Orb slots; expands your passive action economy significantly.
- Biased Cognition – Big temporary Focus burst; ideal for heavy damage turns or finishing fights.
5.3. B Tier Cards
Charge battery card
Reliable picks that help in tempo, defense, or combo support, but aren’t deck‑defining on their own.
- Ball Lightning – Channels Lightning for targeted offense; strong early source of damage.
- Barrage – Deals damage for each Orb channeled; synergizes well with big Orb decks.
- Charge Battery – Provides Block plus power next turn; assists tempo.
- Hologram – Recovers a card from discard; improves consistency.
- Skim – Card draw to help smooth hands.
- White Noise – Adds a random Power for free; deck‑flow support.
5.4. C Tier Cards
Beam Cell card
They’re decent supports or filler when your deck already has a strong core build (such as Claw or Orb/Frost/Lightning engines), but shouldn’t be prioritized over more reliable picks.
- Beam Cell – 0‑cost attack that deals damage and applies Vulnerable. Useful in Claw/zero‑cost spam decks or to trigger vulnerable setups, but low raw output compared to core synergy picks.
- Cold Snap – Deals damage and channels a Frost Orb. Solid Block + offense for Orb decks early, but becomes less impactful once your strategy is fully established.
- FTL – 0‑cost attack that can draw a card when played early in a turn. Good for deck cycling in Claw or 0‑cost cores, but limited outside quick draws.
- Tesla Coil – Triggers all Lightning against a single enemy. Helpful in Lightning‑centric decks where you already have multiple Lightning Orbs, but underwhelming without them.
- Tempest – X‑cost skill that channels multiple Lightning Orbs. Strong payoff in high‑energy, Orb builds but costly and situational unless you plan around big X turns.
5.5. D Tier Cards
Strike card
Cards here are generally weak or easily replaced as your deck develops.
- Strike & Defend – Basic starter cards; drop when better options are available.
- Boost Away – Block at the cost of a status card; low payoff.
- Sweeping Beam – AoE damage and card draw; overshadowed by stronger draw or Orb cards.
