Character Skills - Slay the Spire

"content": "# Character Skills Guide for \\\"Slay the Spire\\\"

This guide covers every card (Skill, Attack, Power) for all four playable characters: Ironclad, Silent, Defect, and Watcher. Each entry includes the card's name, type, base cost, effect, upgrade, common synergies, and usage notes. Character-specific mechanics (Stances, Orbs, Poison, Exhaust) are explained. Since Slay the Spire has no cooldowns, energy cost and deck cycling are the primary constraints. All information is based on the base game (no mods). For quick reference, cards are grouped by rarity within each character.

General Card Types

Attack: Deals damage (sometimes with secondary effects). Cost usually 1–3 Energy.

Skill: Provides Block, buffs, debuffs, or utility. Cost variable.

Power: Persistent effect for the rest of the combat. Cost often 1–3 Energy. Can be stacked.

Status / Curse: Negative cards added to deck; not player choices.

Ironclad

Core Mechanic: Exhaust – many cards and relics benefit from removing cards from combat. Also focuses on Strength scaling and Vulnerability.

Common Cards

Name	Type	Cost	Effect	Upgrade	Synergies	Notes
Strike	Attack	1	Deal 6 damage	Deal 9 damage	Base	Remove via transform events when possible.
Defend	Skill	1	Gain 5 Block	Gain 8 Block	Base	Same as above.
Bash	Attack	2	Deal 8 damage; Apply 2 Vulnerable	Deal 10 damage; Apply 3 Vulnerable	Vulnerable synergies, Heavy Blade, Perfected Strike	Key early debuff.
Anger	Attack	0	Deal 6 damage; Shuffle a copy into your draw pile	Deal 8 damage; Shuffle a copy	Unlimited Hand, Strength	Great with Strength and card draw.
Clash	Attack	0	Deal 14 damage; Can only be played if every card in your hand is an Attack	Deal 18 damage	All Attack decks, Vajra	Requires careful deck building.
Cleave	Attack	1	Deal 8 damage to ALL enemies	Deal 11 damage to ALL enemies	Multi-enemy fights, Spinning Top	Efficient AoE.
Heavy Blade	Attack	2	Deal 14 damage; Strength affects 3 times	Deal 14 damage; Strength affects 5 times	Strength Stacking	Core scaling attack.
Iron Wave	Attack	1	Deal 5 damage; Gain 5 Block	Deal 7 damage; Gain 7 Block	Balanced stats	Early hybrid card.
Perfected Strike	Attack	2	Deal 6 damage; +2 damage for each Strike in your deck	Deal 6 damage; +3 damage for each Strike	Strike Stacking (Necronomicon, Molten Egg)	Build around multiple Strikes.
Pommel Strike	Attack	1	Deal 9 damage; Draw 1 card	Deal 12 damage; Draw 2 cards	Card draw, Strength	Excellent utility.
Reaper	Attack	2	Deal 5 damage to ALL enemies; Heal for unblocked damage	Deal 5 damage; Heal for double unblocked	Strength, Vampire	Sustain for Strength decks.
Searing Blow	Attack	2	Deal 12 damage; Upgrade on Smith (infinite scaling)	Upgraded damage increases per upgrade	Egg relics, infinite scaling	Can become extremely powerful if upgraded many times.
Shrug It Off	Skill	1	Gain 8 Block; Draw 1 card	Gain 11 Block; Draw 2 cards	Block synergies, card draw	Staple block card.
True Grit	Skill	1	Gain 7 Block; Exhaust a random card in your hand	Gain 9 Block; Exhaust a card of your choice	Exhaust, deck thinning	Upgrade priority in Exhaust builds.
Wild Strike	Attack	1	Deal 12 damage; Add a Wound into your discard pile	Deal 17 damage; Add a Wound	Status synergy (Fire Breathing, Evolve)	Risk-reward; pair with status synergies.

Uncommon Cards

(Abbreviated for space – full list in practice, but here key ones)

Battle Trance (Skill, 0): Draw 3 cards; you cannot draw additional cards this turn. Upgrade: 4 cards. Synergies: Hand size, energy generation.

Blood for Blood (Attack, 4(3)): Costs 1 less for each time you lose HP this combat. Base 18(22) damage. Synergies: Self-damage, Hemokinesis.

Body Slam (Attack, 1(0)): Deal damage equal to your current Block. Synergies: High block, Barricade.

Corruption (Power, 3): Skills cost 0; when you play a Skill, Exhaust it. Upgrade: 2 cost. Synergies: Dead Branch, Feel No Pain, Dark Embrace. Core for Exhaust builds.

Disarm (Skill, 1): Enemy loses 2(3) Strength. Synergies: Time Eater, Champ, bosses.

Entrench (Skill, 2(1)): Double your current Block. Synergies: Barricade, high block.

Evolve (Power, 1): Draw 2(3) cards when a Status card is drawn. Synergies: Status-heavy decks (Wild Strike, Immolate).

Feed (Attack, 1): Deal 10 damage; if fatal, gain max HP. Upgrade: 12 damage. Synergies: Sustain, max HP scaling.

Feel No Pain (Power, 1): Gain 3(4) Block whenever a card is Exhausted. Synergies: Corruption, Fiend Fire, Exhaust.

Fiend Fire (Attack, 2): Exhaust all cards in your hand; deal 7(10) damage per Exhausted card. Synergies: High hand size, Exhaust.

Fire Breathing (Power, 1): When you draw a Status or Curse, deal 6(10) damage to ALL enemies. Synergies: Status generation.

Flame Barrier (Skill, 2): Gain 12(16) Block; whenever attacked this turn, deal 4 damage to the attacker. Synergies: Multi-hit enemies.

Ghostly Armor (Skill, 1): Gain 10(13) Block. Ethereal (exhaust at end of turn). Synergies: Exhaust.

Havoc (Skill, 1): Play the top card of your draw pile; Exhaust it. Upgrade: 0 cost. Synergies: Exhaust, random effects.

Headbutt (Attack, 1): Deal 9(12) damage; put a card from your discard pile on top of your draw pile. Synergies: Setup, recursion.

Hemokinesis (Skill, 1): Lose 2 HP; gain 10(15) Block. Upgrade: lose 1 HP. Synergies: Self-damage, HP sponge.

Infernal Blade (Skill, 1): Shuffle 2(3) random Attacks into your draw pile; they cost 0 this turn. Synergies: Attack heavy.

Inflame (Power, 1): Gain 2(3) Strength. Synergies: All attack decks.

Intimidate (Skill, 1): Apply 1(2) Vulnerable to ALL enemies. Synergies: AoE debuff.

Juggernaut (Power, 2): Whenever you gain Block, deal 5(7) damage to a random enemy. Synergies: High block generation.

Metallicize (Power, 1): Gain 3(4) Block at the end of your turn. Synergies: Passive block.

Offering (Skill, 0): Lose 6 HP; gain 2 Energy; draw 3(5) cards. Exhaust. Synergies: Energy generation, burst.

Power Through (Skill, 1): Gain 15(20) Block; add 2 Wounds to your hand. Synergies: Status synergies.

Rampage (Attack, 1): Deal 8 damage; each time played this combat, damage increases by 5(8). Synergies: Card cycle, Headbutt.

Reckless Charge (Attack, 0): Deal 7(10) damage; add a Dazed into your discard pile. Synergies: Status.

Rupture (Power, 1): Whenever you lose HP from a card, gain 1(2) Strength. Synergies: Self-damage (Hemokinesis, Offering).

Second Wind (Skill, 1): Exhaust all non-Attack cards in your hand; gain 5(7) Block for each card Exhausted. Synergies: Exhaust, block.

Seeing Red (Skill, 1): Gain 2(3) Energy. Exhaust. Synergies: Energy.

Sentinel (Skill, 1): Gain 5(8) Block; if this card is Exhausted, gain 2(3) Energy. Synergies: Exhaust.

Sever Soul (Attack, 2): Deal 15(20) damage; Exhaust all non-Attack cards in your hand. Synergies: Exhaust.

Shockwave (Skill, 2): Apply 3(5) Vulnerable and 3(5) Weak to ALL enemies. Exhaust. Synergies: Debuff.

Sword Boomerang (Attack, 1): Deal 3 damage 3(4) times to random enemies. Synergies: Strength, multi-hit.

Thunderclap (Attack, 1): Deal 7(9) damage; apply 1 Vulnerable to ALL enemies. Synergies: AoE, debuff.

Uppercut (Attack, 2): Deal 13(18) damage; apply 1(2) Vulnerable and Weak. Synergies: Debuff.

Rare Cards

Barricade (Power, 3(2)): At the end of your turn, don't lose your Block. Synergies: Block stacking, Body Slam, Entrench.

Berserk (Power, 0): Enter Berserk state; take 2 damage at the start of each turn; gain 2(3) Energy per turn. Synergies: Self-damage, energy.

Bludgeon (Attack, 3): Deal 32(42) damage. Synergies: Big numbers.

Brutality (Power, 0): Draw 1 card; lose 1 HP each turn. Upgrade: lose 0 HP. Synergies: Self-damage.

Dark Embrace (Power, 2(1)): Whenever a card is Exhausted, draw 1 card. Synergies: Corruption, Fiend Fire.

Demon Form (Power, 3): At the start of each turn, gain 2(3) Strength. Synergies: Scaling.

Double Tap (Power, 1): This turn, your next Attack is played twice (three times upgraded). Synergies: High-impact attacks.

Exhume (Skill, 1(0)): Return an Exhausted card to your hand. Synergies: Reuse key cards.

Immolate (Attack, 2): Deal 21(28) damage to ALL enemies; add a Burn to your discard pile. Synergies: AoE, status.

Impervious (Skill, 2): Gain 30(40) Block. Exhaust. Synergies: Burst block.

Limit Break (Skill, 1): Double your Strength; Exhaust. Upgrade: gain 2 Strength after doubling. Synergies: Strength.

Reaper (Attack, 2): (Already covered in common due to mix-up? Actually Reaper is Rare, not common. Correction: Reaper is Rare. I'll adjust.)

Reaper (Attack, 2): Deal 4(5) damage to ALL enemies; heal for unblocked damage (not twice). Synergies: Strength, sustain.

Master of Strategy (Skill, 0): Draw 3(4) cards; Exhaust. Synergies: Card draw.

Ironclad Builds

Strength Scaling

Block / Body Slam

Exhaust

Status / Fire Breathing

Silent

Core Mechanic

Silent Common Cards (Abbreviated)

Strike (Attack, 1) 6(9) damage.

Defend (Skill, 1) 5(8) Block.

Neutralize (Attack, 0) 3(4) damage; apply 1(2) Weak. Excellent early.

Slice (Attack, 1) 8(11) damage.

Sneaky Strike (Attack, 2) 12(16) damage; if you discarded a card this turn, gain 2 Energy.

Backstab (Attack, 0) 11(15) damage; Innate. Good for hallway fights.

Bane (Attack, 1) 7(10) damage; if enemy is Poisoned, deal triple damage.

Poisoned Stab (Attack, 1) 6(8) damage; apply 3(4) Poison.

Deadly Poison (Skill, 1) Apply 5(7) Poison.

Dagger Spray (Attack, 1) Deal 4(6) damage to ALL enemies twice.

Dash (Attack, 2) Deal 10(13) damage; gain 10(13) Block.

Escape Plan (Skill, 0) Draw 1(2) cards; if it is a Skill, gain 3(5) Block.

Flying Knee (Attack, 1) Deal 8(11) damage; gain 1 Energy next turn.

Infinite Blades (Power, 1) At the start of each turn, add a Shiv (4 damage) to your hand. Upgrade: Shiv deals 6 damage.

Outmaneuver (Skill, 1) Gain 1(2) Energy next turn.

Piercing Wail (Skill, 1) ALL enemies lose 6(8) Strength this turn. Exhaust. Crucial for high-damage turns.

Prepared (Skill, 0) Draw 1(2) cards; discard 1(2) cards.

Quick Slash (Attack, 1) Deal 8(12) damage; draw 1 card.

Slice already covered.

Sucker Punch (Attack, 1) Deal 7(10) damage; apply 1(2) Vulnerable.

Silent Uncommon and Rare (Key Cards)

Acrobatics (Skill, 1): Draw 3(4) cards; discard 1 card.

After Image (Power, 1): Gain 1(2) Block every time you play a card.

A Thousand Cuts (Power, 2): Whenever you play a card, deal 1(2) damage to ALL enemies.

Burst (Skill, 1): This turn, your next Skill is played twice (three times upgraded).

Bullet Time (Skill, 3(2)): Your hand is retained; all cards cost 0 this turn.

Catalyst (Skill, 1): Double (triple) enemy's Poison. Exhaust. Core for Poison builds.

Corpse Explosion (Skill, 2): Apply 6(9) Poison to an enemy; when it dies, deal damage to all enemies equal to its max HP.

Die Die Die (Attack, 1): Deal 13(17) damage to ALL enemies. Exhaust.

Distraction (Skill, 0): Get a random Skill from the pool; it costs 0 this turn.

Doppelganger (Skill, X): Gain X( X+1 ) Energy and draw X( X+1 ) cards next turn. Exhaust.

Envenom (Power, 2(1)): Whenever you deal unblocked attack damage, apply 1 Poison.

Footwork (Power, 1): Gain 2(3) Dexterity.

Glass Knife (Attack, 1): Deal 12(16) damage twice; reduces damage by 2 each time played (resets on upgrade).

Hypnotic (Skill, 0): Enemy deals 0 damage on their next turn; apply weak. Exhaust.

Malaise (Skill, X): Enemy loses X( X+1 ) Strength; apply X( X+1 ) Weak. Exhaust.

Nightmare (Skill, 3(2)): Choose a card in your hand; next turn, add 3 copies of it to your hand. Exhaust.

Phantasmal Killer (Power, 1(0)): This turn, your attacks deal double damage.

Poisoner (Skill, 1): Apply 4(6) Poison to a random enemy 3 times.

Reflex (Skill, 1): When this card is discarded from your hand, draw 2(3) cards.

Riddle with Holes (Attack, 2): Deal 3(4) damage 5 times.

Tactician (Skill, 1): When this card is discarded from your hand, gain 1(2) Energy.

Tools of the Trade (Power, 1): At the start of your turn, draw 1 card; discard 1 card.

Unload (Attack, 2): Deal 18(24) damage; discard all non-Attack cards in your hand.

Venomology (Skill, 1): Get a random Potion (upgraded: two). Exhaust.

Well-Laid Plans (Power, 1): Retain up to 1(2) cards each turn.

Wraith Form (Power, 3): Gain 2(3) Intangible; at the start of each turn, lose 1 Dexterity. Exhaust. Extremely powerful.

Silent Builds

Poison

Shiv

Discard

Burst/Value

Defect

Core Mechanic

Defect Common Cards (Abbreviated)

Strike (Attack, 1) 6(9).

Defend (Skill, 1) 5(8).

Ball Lightning (Attack, 1): Deal 7(10) damage; Channel 1 Lightning.

Beam Cell (Attack, 0): Deal 3(5) damage; apply 1(2) Vulnerable.

Cold Snap (Skill, 1): Deal 6(9) damage; Channel 1 Frost.

Compile Driver (Attack, 1): Deal 7(10) damage; draw 1 card for each Orb type you have (max 2(3)).

Go for the Eyes (Attack, 0): Deal 3(5) damage; apply 1(2) Weak.

Hologram (Skill, 1): Gain 3(5) Block; put a card from your discard pile into your hand (upgraded: into your hand and it costs 0 this turn).

Leap (Skill, 1): Gain 9(12) Block.

Rebound (Attack, 1): Deal 9(12) damage; put a card from your discard pile on top of your draw pile.

Recursion (Skill, 1): Evoke your next Orb; Channel the same Orb. Upgrade: also gain 2 Block. Good for reusing Dark orbs.

Stack (Skill, 1): Gain 7(10) Block; +1 Block for each card in your discard pile (upgraded: +1 per card).

Steam (Skill, 0): Gain 5(8) Block; lose 1(0) Block each time you play it. Ethereal.

Streamline (Skill, 1): Gain 5(8) Block; this card's Block increases by 5(8) each time played.

Sweeping Beam (Attack, 1): Deal 6(9) damage to ALL enemies; draw 1 card.

Turbo (Skill, 0): Gain 2(3) Energy; add a Void (Ethereal, deal 1 damage? Actually Void is a card) into your discard pile.

Undo (Skill, 1): Gain 7(10) Block; if you lose block this turn, gain it back at end of turn.

Defect Uncommon and Rare (Key)

All for One (Attack, 2): Deal 10(14) damage; return all 0-cost cards from your discard pile to your hand.

Amplify (Power, 1): This turn, your next Power is played twice (three times upgraded).

Auto-Shields (Skill, 1): If you are below 50% HP, gain 11(15) Block.

Biased Cognition (Power, 1): Gain 4(5) Focus; at the start of each turn, lose 1 Focus. Synergize with Orange Pellets or Core Surge to negate debuff.

Blizzard (Attack, 2): Deal damage equal to 2(3) times your Frost orb channel count this combat.

Boot Sequence (Skill, 0): Gain 10(14) Block; Innate. Ethereal (exhausts).

Buffer (Power, 1): Gain 1(2) Buffer (prevents next damage).

Capacitor (Power, 1): Gain 2(3) Orb slots.

Chaos (Skill, 1): Channel 1(2) random Orb.

Chill (Skill, 0): Channel 1 Frost for each enemy; if X enemies, X orbs. Upgrade: +1 Frost per enemy.

Claw (Attack, 0): Deal 3(5) damage; this combat, all Claw cards' damage increases by 2(3). Synergies: All for One, Scrape.

Core Surge (Attack, 1): Deal 11(15) damage; gain 1 Artifact (blocks debuffs).

Creative AI (Power, 3): At the start of your turn, add a random Power to your hand (upgraded: it costs 1 less this turn).

Defragment (Power, 1): Gain 1(2) Focus.

Doom and Gloom (Attack, 2): Deal 10(14) damage to ALL enemies; Channel 1 Dark.

Echo Form (Power, 3): Each turn, the first card you play is played twice (upgraded: costs 2). Very powerful.

Electrodynamics (Power, 2): Lightning now hits ALL enemies; channel 2(1) Lightning on play. Enables AoE with lightning.

Fission (Skill, 0(sun? cost: 1? Actually cost 1?).

Fission (Skill, 1): Evoke all your Orbs; gain 1 Energy for each Orb evoked and draw 1(2) cards for each Orb type. Exhaust.

Force Field (Skill, 4): Cost reduced by 1 for each Power card in your discard pile. Gain 12(16) Block.

FTL (Attack, 0): Deal 5(8) damage; draw 1 card. Each time you play FTL this turn, increase damage by 3(5).

Genetic Algorithm (Skill, 1): Gain 1 Block; when you play this card, permanently increase its Block by 2(3) for the rest of the combat. Exhausts.

Glacier (Skill, 2): Gain 7(10) Block; Channel 2(3) Frost.

Heatsinks (Power, 1): Whenever you play a Power, draw 1(2) cards.

Hello World (Power, 1): At the start of your turn, add a random Common card to your hand (upgraded: upgraded common).

Hyperbeam (Attack, 2): Deal 26(34) damage to ALL enemies; lose 3 Focus.

Loop (Power, 1): At the start of your turn, trigger your next Orb (upgraded: next 2 Orbs) passive effect.

Machine Learning (Power, 1): At the start of your turn, draw 1(2) additional cards.

Meteor Strike (Attack, 5): Deal 24(30) damage; Channel 3 Plasma. Extremely expensive but powerful.

Multi-Cast (Skill, X): Evoke your next Orb X (X+1) times.

Rainbow (Skill, 2): Channel 1 Lightning, 1 Frost, 1 Dark (upgraded: also channel 1 Plasma).

Rebound (already common).

Recycle (Skill, 1): Exhaust a card in your hand; gain 1 Energy of that card's cost (upgraded: also gain Block).

Reinforced Body (Skill, X): Gain 8(12) Block X times.

Reprogram (Power, 0): Gain 1 Strength and 1 Dexterity; lose 1(0) Focus. Synergizes with non-orb builds.

Rip and Tear (Attack, 1): Deal 7(10) damage to a random enemy 2 times.

Scrape (Attack, 1): Deal 7(11) damage; draw up to 2(3) 0-cost cards from your draw pile.

Self Repair (Power, 1): At the end of combat, heal 7(10) HP.

Skim (Skill, 1): Draw 3(4) cards.

Static Discharge (Power, 1): Whenever you take attack damage, Channel 1(2) Lightning.

Storm (Power, 1): Whenever you play a power, Channel 1(2) Lightning.

Sunder (Attack, 3): Deal 24(32) damage; if fatal, gain 3(4) Energy.

Tempest (Skill, X): Channel X Lightning (X+1 upgraded).

Thunder Strike (Attack, 2): Deal 7(12) damage; hits a random enemy for each Lightning channeled this combat.

White Noise (Skill, 1): Add a random Power to your hand; it costs 0 this turn (upgraded: 0 cost, also draw 1 card?).

Defect Builds

Frost / Blizzard

Lightning / Electrodynamics

Dark / Orb Evoke

Claw / 0-Cost

Power Spam

Watcher

Core Mechanic

Watcher Common Cards (Abbreviated)

Strike (Attack, 1) 6(9).

Defend (Skill, 1) 5(8).

Bow Your Head (Skill, 1): Enter Calm; gain 1(2) Mantra. (Actually Bow Your Head is an attack? Let me check: Watcher strikes: Eruption (Skill? Actually Eruption is an Attack that puts you in Wrath). I need accuracy – I'll provide key common cards known:

Eruption (Attack, 1): Deal 10(14) damage; enter Wrath. Upgrade: costs 1 -> 0? Actually upgrade reduces cost to 0 and damage to 14? Yes. Core.

Vigilance (Skill, 2