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Slay the Spire - PS4, Switch and Xbox One |OT| Heart of the Cards
- Thread starter TeamLeftMatch
- Start date
A0 ? Very good score for a no ascension, wow.Did a couple of Act IV runs to get on the new Switch leaderboards.
The leaderboards are ... underpopulated, at the moment. My Defect score of 1433 was rank 145, and I assume that's worldwide.
I might try to see how I do. I'll post the horrible outcome if I succeed ha ha.
Edit. Did a run with Defect :
I'm 175th I think with this run.
Guess I can do better with some practice.
How weird, going from no heart to heart gave me like 400 points even though heart kill only gives 250.
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You also got credit for a 4th boss kill, which is another 125 points.
I do all my act IV runs on A1 so I can get more relics out of elites.
Also: nice run.
I think my favorite run was when I had Black Star, Preserved Insect and Shovel and just absolutely stacked up the relics. That was so much fun, just smashing through elites.
Oh my...
I don't think my actual deck can get past the heart on A20.
Hope for A tier shop.
Forgot about A1. Thanks !
I don't think my actual deck can get past the heart on A20.
Hope for A tier shop.
Ha yeah !
Forgot about A1. Thanks !
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Oh my...
I don't think my actual deck can get past the heart on A20.
Hope for A tier shop.
Well? Did you make it?
The heart killed me, as expected.
I got it to what ~200hp but I was too long and it was beginning to attack me with 90+ attacks.
I had a too good defense at the beginning but lack of quick scaling. If you don't have good strength and can't find dead branch I really don't know how to deal with that fight.
It's crazy hard. I had quite a strong deck overall, with 2 great cards bottled to be used straight away, offering and feel no pain+, as well as bag of preparation, for a big turn one.
I was able to kill the act 2 boss and maybe also time eater with a perfect.
I probably needed a few inflames or barricade and/or body slam to make use of my decent blocking especially early in the fight. I skipped a body slam in early act 3 I think. Kind of regretting no picking.
By the end, had 3 feel no pain (one +), several cards generating status, evolve, 2 true grit +, 2 burning pact +.
Also 3 disarm (2 +), but going through 2 artifacts after each buff was impossible si it helped at first only.
Maybe I should have taken the coffe dripper instead of astrolabe of the extra energy... not sure.
I don't like rupture synergies, feels like secondary at best, I'll probably avoid it forever except if I get like, 3 reapers maybe...
How many decent strats does the silent have?
Granted i haven't unlocked all his cards yet but i find him really limited compared to the other two.
The only real options i have found so far are shiv+finisher or posion. He does have insane draw power with a good set-up though.
Granted i haven't unlocked all his cards yet but i find him really limited compared to the other two.
The only real options i have found so far are shiv+finisher or posion. He does have insane draw power with a good set-up though.
Confident enough to use Runic Dome now. It rules. Just did a full run with it and realized I know attack patterns well enough that I stayed above 50% health the entire run. What a relic.
You don't have to do archetypes. It depends on your relics also. You build with what you find.
Look at this run I did recently for example :
Only poison card is Envenom, and for shivs, Blade Dance (with 3 shivs from Ninja Scroll on turn 1).
I don't remember everything but I'm pretty sure I just won from using a lot of cards per turn making it easy to block at the same time.
I see Dash in the deck, that's a card you get sometimes early, it covers attack and defense well, works for every Act 1 Elite... so I was able to get some trickier cards like concentrate + after and some draw...
So just a bit of poison, a bit of attacks and decent draw with energy (concentrate + ×2, tactician +).
The Silent is the best at blocking, that's why it feels hard. But it's important to not set your goals too far. Focus on one act without getring cards that would only help for even later if you're not yet set for act 1.
Weak status is important so you can buy some time with the overall weaker attacks of the character.
You didn't mention Screwer but it can be extremely powerful with ways to make energy and some strength or vulnerable (which is not the main point of the silent of course) or even on its own. That's where you have to decide what becomes your main cards and what is just "random damage cards" later. Depends on relics and synergies.
Backstab and Doppleganger work well with Skewer. Corpse Explosion could be your only poison card and it would still be a good AoE.
Choke + can be strong with concentrate, prepared +, shivs of course, and so on also. You have a few discard synergies that are interesting and make Eviscerate actually usable, more than I thought it would before trying it recently.
And Time Eater can be killed even with a deck that plays lots of cards. You're just more careful and prepare for the fight during act 3. Playing cards 12 by 12 is not hard. Or just stop when you blocked just enough until you get key cards or whatever...
If you have more questions, please ask. Hope I answered in a way that can help.
Very stressful in high difficulty though lol.
I'm always very wary when picking it or not.
Some battles like Goblin Leader can be a bit of a gamble sometimes. And there are one or 2 worse enemies which can basivally either deal tons of damage or just block without any way to know, especially on a dangerous turn one.
You don't know which one to kill sometimes...
Ironclad can at least check a monster Spot Weakness but that's it.
I feel like it's best when used with a character who can easily block for a good amount each turn or heal.
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You are a much better player than I am.
I picked Runic Dome once and I was blown away by how difficult the game is without intents. This is coming from someone that's put hundreds of hours into two versions of the game.
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After 400+ hours, I have a completely opposite view. The Silent has the most varied runs for me which is why it is my favorite class. There are so many different ways to make a strong deck.
I am eagerly awaiting the fourth character that is still being developed. Some of the bosses are just so frustrating when you do not have the right cards/buffs.
What do you mean ? Do you have examples ?
If you do enough battles/visit shop you normally have a good rate to find enough cards in each act.
That's why very good players can regularly win in the hardest difficulty. And to be honest never lose in the lowest difficulty is very easy. I can't yet win on hardest much but lowest is always an easy win. 100% easy on act 3 and not too hard on act 4.
That's why I'd like details ha ha. If you don't mind.
I'm with you on that. It feels pretty daunting when you have it, except against very obvious guys like cacaw birds which work like a clock.
I'm not that good at the game, but I will give you an example next time I do another run. I failed on Act 4 last time.
Ok cool.
Each run you do is making you better anyway.
And act 4 is really tricky indeed.
I actually was thinking like you at some point, then same but for another character until it stabilizes.
I'm not that good, only on A10. Most enemies have simple patterns - you can wiki them if you're unsure - plus unless it's an enemy that you need to rush to beat it's almost always better to play it safe. If you've got Blur or Barricade it's easier, there's really no risk in loading up in block. It depends on your deck, although in my last two runs I got it early and built around it.
Reading up online it looks like it's actually better in higher difficulties because enemy attacks are more predictable in A15+.
I finally did a run with the 4th yesterday in the BETA, and wow... It was fun! I can't wait for them to iron out all the cards. But I really really like the mechanics. The game feels new all over again!
Beat the game for the first time, with the Ironclad, unlocking Ascension mode. Took many attempts, but have at least unlocked everything for said character. Will move on to the Silent now. Great game.
Edit: Also, is there a specific Slay the Spire OT for PC players or is this the one?
Edit: Also, is there a specific Slay the Spire OT for PC players or is this the one?
OP
OP
This OT is for every version of the game, the title was just updated to reflect the console releases (and soon to be mobile releases).
My Apple Arcade subscription is dead as soon as the mobile version drops, my social life dead too
Holy crap - picked this up this weekend and played like crazy. Just got my first win with the first (red) character this morning on my 15th run. I legitimately almost lost my mind when the Act 3 boss
I still have to figure out what this 20 level ascension (seems to be difficulty based?) is...I also just discovered there's a 4th Act. This game has been incredibly fun so far and worth every penny - it's not often that games live up to the hype like this for me.
resuscitated back to 300 HP
I still have to figure out what this 20 level ascension (seems to be difficulty based?) is...I also just discovered there's a 4th Act. This game has been incredibly fun so far and worth every penny - it's not often that games live up to the hype like this for me.
Congrats! Was anticipating what you spoiler tagged in my first successful run mentioned above. Was crazy OP though. Had something like 30 or maybe even double STR (had multiple Limit breaks and boosters) and cards that got quintupled damage effect from STR. So drew one of those at that stage and that was pretty much it.
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After you beat Act III with a class you can now launch a game with that class in Ascension mode 1. When you beat Act III on a particular ascension mode you unlock the next ascension mode. There are 20 ascension modes and each one adds a modifier that makes the game more difficult.
Ascension 1 is the "easiest" thanks to more Elites, meaning more opportunities to get relics and better cards.
When you begin to know the game, you can easily go through low/no ascension runs with 100% win rate.
Glad to hear you're enjoying the game! Remember, you can always skip choosing a card if none of the ones offered will improve your deck.
Thanks! That's awesome on the combo that you had with strength - I just probably had the polar opposite with my most recent run with The Silent where I played the poison/shiv attrition game and built very high defense seemingly every turn. It's awesome that there's seemingly so many builds/viable strategies to get through the game and there's a real sense of skill in literally dealing with the hand (cards) you're dealt.
It felt great playing as The Silent for the first time this morning and getting my second straight win. It's amazing how understanding some basic mechanics helped make the game feel so much less daunting and more rewarding. I read a quick (beginner's) tips article on Kotaku between my two winning runs (and I'm sure there's a ton of info in this thread that I'll eventually comb through on a free weekend) which was really helpful.
I also managed to get what felt like a pretty powerful synergy going on this run, which never really happened with my first winning run. I was getting a lot of shivs and had the card that added one shield for every card played.
Eventually, I'll hopefully learn enough about the different characters/cards to routinely get some synergies going.
A couple of valuable things I learned before playing as The Silent which really helped me:
-Elites always drop relics
-Power type cards usually (always?) have a passive effect that lasts for the whole fight (not just one instance)
Ah, I haven't launched a run after my winning run with the Ironclad (nor The Silent now) after getting my winning runs. Thanks for the clarification! I'll probably go for a win with the 3rd base character and once I get a win there, try out the lowest Ascension mode thereafter!
Neat - thanks for the info! it's crazy how just before my first winning run, I was thinking I was really going to struggle to get a single win but now my mindset is starting to shift. This happened to me with the Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, as well, which is the only other rogue-lite/rogue-like that has ever gotten its hooks into me. I can already safely say that Slay the Spire is on that list now as well, haha, and I can easily see myself reaching the 100-150 hour mark (which for me is insanely rare with one game).
Ascension 1 is the "easiest" thanks to more Elites, meaning more opportunities to get relics and better cards.
When you begin to know the game, you can easily go through low/no ascension runs with 100% win rate.
Thanks for the tip - I've skipped picking up cards on occasion. So far I've tended to pick up any cards that seem good or the best card available regardless of it "fitting" my existing deck.
I've tended to go with the build a large deck with as many useful cards as possible route rather than the super small deck which can get cycled through quickly, mainly due to the difficulty/cost of removing cards from one's deck. I certainly understand how awesome a small deck with awesome cards that cycles quickly, is, though!
A couple of newb questions if anyone can help (apologies if these have been answered in the thread already - took me forever to type this post after minimizing my browser a million times at work) :
-Is there a button that lets you see what relics do during a run? I know the compendium tells you the effects of relics outside of a run, but it would be nice to see them during a run and not have to memorize them/reference another source while playing.
-How exactly does the platinum armor (and/or thorns) mechanic work? I had a relic that presumably gave me +4 platinum armor at the start of a fight, but it eventually decreased then disappeared all together mid-fight. Not sure if this was related to enemy debuffs or repeated uses.
If you're on PC, you can mouse over the relics to get a pop up description of its effect. You can similarly mouse over your character or an enemy to see what buffs and debuffs are currently in effect. On Switch, just use the stick or dpad instead.
On Plated Armor: if you have +4 plated armor, you will get +4 armor at the beginning of your turn. If you have a relic that does this, you get this every battle. Potions will do it only for one battle. But every time an enemy hits you, you lose one armor. So if you get hit once on the enemy's turn, then your armor will be reduced to +3. If you get hit by a multi-hit attack ( birds in act 2 do this), then you will lose 1 armor for every hit. If you get hit for 5x1 (5 hits at 1 damage each), you will lose the +4 armor for the remainder of the battle.
Perfect - thanks! Playing on the Switch. Ah, the getting hit thing makes sense, assuming that means breaking through total armor to zero/taking hp damage. Thanks for also including the multi-hit example - that's a really useful piece of information.
I was routinely getting my defense into the high 30/low 40 range and got as high as mid sixties, I think, and most battles at the end, I was taking no actual damage.
Plated armor is only reduced by an attack that does unblocked damage.
So if you have 14 block, including 4 plated armor, and get hit by an attack for 12, you will take no damage and you plated armor won't be reduced at all.
If you have 4 block, all from 4 plated armor and you get hit by a bird for 5x1, you will take 1 damage and your plated armor will be reduced to 3.
You can observe this with the Shelled Parasite enemy, it has plated armor that behaves in exactly the same way that the player's plated armor does.
Thanks for the clarification! I was typing in a hurry on my phone and forgot to mention this.
That's good, it means you're getting little by little "too good" for Ascension 0 and will be prepared for higher.
Very quick summary of useful way to get better results :
- For bonus, a common relic, an upgrade or money is basic good starting bonus. Max HP up works also as a safe decent choice. Chosing cards can work but is a bit more random, can still make the first act if lucky. Common white cards especially are pretty random, with lots of not so useful skills early on. You can get cursed if a shop is close and sell it if needed. Trading for boss relic is... really a roll of the dice.
- First get some good attacks (2 to 4 depending on type and quality), upgrade the best one before fighting the first Elite. Avoid skills especially with Silent and a bit with Defect. Ironclad might need. Act 1 Elites need to be killed asap.
Examples :
Defect = Ball Lightning (anything that attacks and generate an orb is cool)...
Ironclad : upgrading Bash, adding anger or strong cost 2 attacks with or without weak/vulnerable...
Defect : Skewer, Dash...
- Follow with anything to help with the act one boss (does it do big attack or combo, is it the slime, only one making AoE useful...), power and skills usually. Getting some draw can be really useful like Battle Trance or anything to help controlling your deck like Well Laid Plan, Seek...
And last but not least, checking the balance of the deck so that there's a good amount of block cards, while having ways to damage well, more or less fast enough (guardian can be fought with less attack and more defense, the 2 others less).
Glacier, Leg Sweep, Flame Barrier, Shrug it off...
- Ponder risk vs reward during this act. Can you kill one more Elite or do you need a campfire for a very urgent upgrade/heal. Should you lose HP or get a curse against a nice relic/event...
- An energy relic is almost always the best but depending on what you already have some other like pyramid could be better. Snecko Eye is often amazing as long as you have a few high cost cards already to mitigate the randomness. It still lets you draw 7 cards instead of 5 every turn, which is big. Ironclad and Defect love Snecko especially.
Ok that wasn't quick and I don't even feel like I said nearly enough lol.
It's good that you're focusing on "best cards" without trying to aim for a specific build. It's not so far from what is "best" to do. It makes it easier to adapt to different situations while learning.
I wouldn't trade for boss relic with Ironclad, his starting relic is way too good but for the other two I feel like it's in your favor like 75% of the time (I'm sure someone has worked out the exact odds). Leads to some really entertaining runs too.
Oh yeah sure. Clearly Ironclad as an amazing relic. But 75% for the 2 others, not so sure (at least no with the current update I have which doesn't have newest change)... and it's still a gamble. If you get one of the least good you're very screwed and I don't think it's a good option when learning how to play, that's what I was considering.
Like if you get the current kite I
Or bell I have, the run is ruined.
Just looking at the boss relics, I'd say the Current Kite is probably the only one that would screw you over right from the start. Crown and Bell would be rough, although I've done it with Crown. About half of them are just straightforward positive upgrades, and the others are a little more random or will force you to build differently. But building with a boss rune in mind from the start is a big help compared to after the first or second boss.
For an experienced player you'd be able to adjust. But yeah as a newbie a lot of them will definitely throw you.
I'll probably try the option more after the Switch gets the 1.1 update.
I learned a lot from keeping ring of snake. I overlooked how nice it can be to prepare a very good first turn. And the Defect's is making him have the best damage early on but yeah, it becomes meh later.
Maybe I won't lose to the heart anymore in A20...
I learned a lot from keeping ring of snake. I overlooked how nice it can be to prepare a very good first turn. And the Defect's is making him have the best damage early on but yeah, it becomes meh later.
Maybe I won't lose to the heart anymore in A20...
Any word (or predictions) on when the fourth class will arrive on Switch? Maybe judging from the Defect beta timeline?
It took a bit over a month for Defect to join on pc. They're already at patch number 5 for Watcher so it's getting closer.
Maybe November or late October ?
Better expect late than early but we'll see.
Watcher might take more time than Defect.
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Just got my second every victory. This one with Defect. I could build crazy amounts of block by the end, the last boss barely scratched me. It was so satisfying. Now on to try and get my first win with the silent.
What a game.
What a game.
It's really solid. If I have ten minutes to myself, I end up picking up my Switch and starting a round. It's sucking up all my gaming time.
That is amazingly consistent. Myself, I'm currently in an eight-loss streak with The Defect At A7.
Not having the same result with Ironclad. I think it's easier thanks to how Silent blocks for so much and can be more ok without added energy.
The boss relics kinda determine how far I go.
The boss relics kinda determine how far I go.
At more or less the same floors or anywhere ?
I've been dying in act II, mostly. Usually at the boss or at an elite that I clearly should not have chosen to fight.
I'm sure my luck will change.
It happens to me all the time lol.
Last one was giant head with Ironclad.
Edit : My bad, I actually turned off the game when seeing the inevitable doom but managed some absolute miracle win with a 285 bodyslam, thanks to pyramid, warcry on normality to get rid of it, impervious, defend entrench, after an uppercut on previous turn with a Sword Boomerang (9 strength) blah blah... it was very very close.
You should come to the discord of the game. We could do a "let's play together". You can post your card choices, map, shops... and you get advices or thoughts from people. It's not crowdes of answer but it's also lively enough so it helps a lot.
I might be there too to see how you play.
I did one for fun and despite an awful run I went up to the heart in A20.
Began with coffee dripper with Silent and went to 3hp at the first Elite. You imagine the trouble lol.
Finishing first act was a miracle.
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