The team at Mega Crit shares a selection of deck-building tips for those brave enough to challenge the Spire.
Update: This story originally ran on May 13, 2019. Slay the Spire is available now on PS4, and available to PlayStation Plus members at no additional cost from April 5 to May 2, 2022.
Hi! I am Anthony Giovannetti, one of the two developers behind Slay the Spire, which is releasing on PS4 May 21 and is now available for pre-order. In Slay the Spire, you will climb a living spire filled with bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and craft a unique deck from hundreds of different cards each journey up the Spire.
Dynamic Deck Building
Every run of Slay the Spire procedurally generates a new Spire for you to climb. After every battle you will make a critical decision, choosing a new card to add to your deck. Like the rest of the Spire, these card choices will be different every run. Instead of developing a stale best strategy and never changing, Slay the Spire forces you to adapt and experiment with new decks and cards.
Slay the Spire has three playable characters with completely different card pools and play styles, but today, we’ll just be focusing on one of them: the Ironclad.
The Ironclad
The Ironclad is the sole remaining warrior of his tribe, capable of drawing fiendish power from his demonic benefactors. By increasing his own strength during combat or making short work of his foes with an arsenal of powerful attacks, the Ironclad boasts the ability to challenge any enemy.
Wielding an impressive array of strong defensive options, the Ironclad also has the ability to shield himself from the mightiest attacks. While there are many ways to build the Ironclad, today we’re specifically highlighting a more defensive build that was created by one of our all-star community members, Quincunx.
Infinite Combos
Want to trap your opponent in a never-ending combo of destruction? Then keep an eye out for free cards like Flash of Steel or cards that generate card draw like Dropkick.
Going Aggressive
Like to hit things in the face really hard? Then try getting aggro. Look for cards that can combo to dish out high amounts of damage.
Barricade
You shall not pass. Sometimes inching out a victory is the best way to go. Become undefeatable by looking for these drops.
Turtling Up
This deck relies heavily on defensive options, ensuring that our Ironclad hero never takes lethal damage. By guaranteeing you don’t take damage each turn, we can squeak out damage and eventually grind our way to the top of the Spire. We also will bake in some simple win-condition opportunities to finish each fight consistently.
Some Tips
Keep That Decklist Small
We want our decks to be consistent. Too many options can lead to poor card draws and we want to make sure that when we draw a card, we are drawing an answer to our problems. Maintaining a decklist smaller than 20 cards is ideal and can help guarantee we’re drawing solutions.
Save Those Potions!
Dexterity potions allow you to gain more block when you cast block-related spells. These are especially useful doing boss battles where lethal damage can accumulate quickly and they can be used in a pinch.
Upgrade Your Cards
These are the cards you’re going to want to upgrade first to ensure you are maximizing your defensive and offensive capabilities.
Great Picks
Here are a few cards you should keep an eye out for on your journey up the Spire!
Other Playable Characters
We also have a few other characters in addition to the Ironclad, each with their own unique quirks and build opportunities. Here are a few teases to get the mind wandering.
The Silent
A deadly huntress that eradicates her enemies with skill and precision. She makes use of poisons to deal continuous damage, or to weaken enemies’ attacks to be ineffective. The Silent is also capable of playing out a rapid-fire number of cards in a turn, effectively swamping the monsters she encounters in a deluge of blades.
The Defect
A combat automaton that has become self-aware, it now seeks to destroy what it used to protect. The defect makes use of powerful elemental orbs, evoking their powers to annihilate the denizens of the Spire. The Defect also makes the most use of a strong collection of powers — cards with an affect that lasts the whole combat – to combine into an unbeatable force.
Each of these characters have a host of different strategies and unique play styles to explore. When playing Slay the Spire, remember to explore and try and discover all the various synergies that are possible.
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