About This Guide
This guide covers the main build archetypes for each character — key cards, relics, weaknesses, and how to play around them. Builds are directional starting points. Every run offers different cards, so flexibility is essential. Don't force a build; build around what the run offers.
Ironclad
High HP, built-in self-healing. The most forgiving character. Three primary builds.
Build 1: Strength Scaling — S-Tier
The most consistent Ironclad archetype. Stack Strength every turn, then close with multi-hit attacks that scale with each point.
Core Concept: Use Demon Form and Limit Break to build Strength exponentially. Heavy Blade and Whirlwind multiply every Strength point across each hit. The win condition is 10+ Strength with one or two Limit Break activations — most bosses fold in two to three Heavy Blade swings after that.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Demon Form | +2 Strength per turn (+3 upgraded). Alone, this wins games given enough time |
| Limit Break | Double current Strength. Upgraded: no longer Exhausts — repeat every turn |
| Whirlwind | X-cost, hits all enemies X times. Devastates with high Strength |
| Heavy Blade | Single target with Strength ×3 multiplier — primary finisher once scaling is up |
| Inflame | Easy Power that gives +2 Strength immediately |
Key Relics:
- Vajra: +1 Strength at the start of each combat — unconditional permanent value
- Ruined Helmet: Draw 1 extra card each turn for free
- Paper Phrog: Increases the Vulnerable damage multiplier
Gameplan: Act 1 — collect attacks and prioritize card removal. Act 2 — find Demon Form and pair it with Limit Break. Act 3 — let Demon Form snowball; close before the boss can respond.
Weaknesses: Low damage before Strength is established. Add 2–3 Inflame early or use Anger for extra attack volume to bridge the gap.
Build 2: Barricade Block — A-Tier
A defensive build where your Block becomes your damage source.
Core Concept: Barricade prevents Block from expiring at turn end. Each turn you stack more. Body Slam converts current Block into damage — defense and offense in a single card.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Barricade | Block no longer expires. The engine |
| Body Slam | Deals damage equal to current Block. Upgraded: no longer Exhausts |
| Juggernaut | Deals 5 damage whenever you gain Block |
| Entrench | Doubles your current Block — creates spike turns |
| Shrug It Off | Cheap, reliable Block source |
Key Relics:
- Anchor: 10 Block on turn 1 — immediate value
- Horn Cleat: 14 Block on turn 2 — stacks with Anchor for an early wall
- Calipers: Retains 25 Block at turn end — partially replaces Barricade if found first
Weaknesses: Without Barricade the build is just a slow Block deck. Prioritize finding it in Act 1–2 Shops. Block-piercing attacks bypass the defense entirely — keep 1–2 attacks to deal with those threats.
Build 3: Exhaust — S-Tier
Use Corruption to make all Skills free (but they Exhaust), then feed Feel No Pain and Dark Embrace for explosive Block and draw.
Core Concept: Corruption zeros out all Skill costs but forces them to Exhaust on play. Feel No Pain generates Block per Exhaust, Dark Embrace draws per Exhaust. Together these three cards turn every Skill in your hand into simultaneous Block and card draw — the turn loops until hand and deck run dry.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Corruption | Skills cost 0 but Exhaust. The engine's core — do not play without support in hand |
| Feel No Pain | +4 Block per Exhaust (+6 upgraded) — the defensive payoff |
| Dark Embrace | Draw 1 per Exhaust — the draw engine |
| True Grit | Exhaust 1 card, gain 4 Block — works independently before Corruption |
| Burning Pact | Exhaust 1 card, draw 2 — lubricates the engine |
Key Relics:
- Dead Branch: Gain a random card whenever you Exhaust — infinite supply through the loop
- Charon's Ashes: Deal 3 damage to all enemies per Exhaust — turns every loop tick into offense
- Strange Spoon: 50% chance Exhausted cards return to discard instead — prevents deck death
Gameplan: In Act 1, pick up Feel No Pain and True Grit early — they work independently. Find Corruption in Act 2 from Shops or Elite rewards. Never activate Corruption without at least one payoff piece already in hand.
Weaknesses: Corruption alone does nothing. Playing it without Feel No Pain or Dark Embrace just burns all your Skills for zero value. Set up the payoff cards first.
Silent
Tactical character built around Poison, Shivs, and the STS2-exclusive Sly discard archetype.
Build 1: Shiv — A-Tier
0-cost attack spam that comes online immediately in Act 1.
Core Concept: Generate large numbers of 0-cost Shivs each turn. Stack 3–4 Accuracy and each Shiv deals 16+ damage before Strength. The thinner the deck, the more Shivs you see per turn.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Infinite Blades | Power: add 1 Shiv to hand each turn — passive generation |
| Blade Dance | Add 3 Shivs to hand |
| Accuracy | +4 damage to every Shiv — the damage multiplier |
| After Image | Gain 1 Block per card played — Shiv spam becomes a defensive engine |
| Storm of Steel | Convert entire hand to Shivs + draw 1 |
Key Relics:
- Shuriken: 3 attacks in a turn → +1 Strength permanently
- Kunai: 3 attacks in a turn → +1 Dexterity permanently
- Ornamental Fan: 3 attacks in a turn → 4 Block
Weaknesses: Weak AoE against multi-enemy encounters. Prioritize Blade Dance for wider Shiv spread. Against enemies with Block-scaling abilities, raw Shiv spam can stall.
Build 2: Poison — A-Tier
Stacking damage-over-time that culminates in a Catalyst detonation.
Core Concept: Stack Poison heavily over multiple turns, then detonate with Catalyst (doubles all Poison stacks). Combine with Burst to fire two Catalysts in the same turn for exponential scaling.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Deadly Poison | Apply 5 Poison (+7 upgraded) — primary stacker |
| Noxious Fumes | Power: apply +2 Poison at turn start automatically |
| Catalyst | Double all Poison on target. The win condition |
| Burst | Next Skill plays twice — enables double-Catalyst in one turn |
| Poisoned Stab | Damage + Poison in one card — efficient filler |
Key Relics:
- Snecko Skull: Applying Poison adds +1 extra stack — all Poison sources scale up
- Spiral Darts: Damage scales with enemy's Poison stacks
Weaknesses: Takes time to set up — you take damage while Poison stacks accumulate. Include block cards early to bridge the gap. Immune enemies make this build useless; keep 1–2 non-Poison attacks for those cases.
Build 3: Sly Discard — A-Tier
An STS2-exclusive archetype based on the Sly keyword — cards that play for free when discarded from hand during your turn.
Core Concept: Sly cards trigger for free when discarded. Tactician generates Energy on discard, Untouchable generates Block, and Abrasive gives Dexterity plus Thorns. Tools of the Trade forces one draw + one discard every turn, guaranteeing a Sly trigger each turn. A mature Sly deck generates 8–10+ free card plays per turn.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Tools of the Trade | Power: draw 1, discard 1 per turn — the primary Sly enabler |
| Tactician | Sly: gain +1 Energy — the Energy source that funds further plays |
| Acrobatics | Discard 3, draw 1 — triggers multiple Sly cards simultaneously |
| Calculated Gamble | Discard entire hand, redraw — mass Sly trigger |
| Abrasive | Sly: +1 Dexterity + 4 Thorns — passive defense and damage |
Key Relics:
- Tingsha: Deal 3 damage to all enemies per discard — passive offense from every trigger
- Tough Bandages: +3 Block per discard — the primary passive defense source
Gameplan: Thin the deck aggressively — remove Strikes at the first available opportunity. Find Tools of the Trade in Act 2 for consistent triggers. Stack 2–3 Tactician copies for near-infinite Energy.
Weaknesses: Without enough Sly cards, discarding just wastes cards. Don't force mass-discard plays until you have 5–6 Sly cards in the deck. Cycling too fast without Sly density generates nothing.
Defect
Orb-channeling character. In STS2, Focus is temporary rather than permanent — spike turns rather than permanent stacking. Stacking orb cycling speed matters more than raw Focus.
Build 1: Claw — S-Tier
Ignores Orbs entirely and is the Defect's strongest current archetype. Commit fully — mixing Claw and Orbs kills both.
Core Concept: Claw (0-cost, 3 damage) permanently increases the damage of all Claws in your deck by 2 every time you play it. Fill the deck with 0-cost Attacks, then use All for One to replay everything in your discard for a kill turn.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Claw | 0-cost, 3 damage — every play permanently buffs all Claws by 2. Run 4–6 copies |
| All for One | Play all 0-cost cards from discard pile — the finisher turn |
| FTL | 0-cost attack; first card played draws 3 — massive cycle |
| Hologram+ (upgraded) | 0-cost: retrieve a card from discard + draw — enables consistent All for One setup |
| Go for the Eyes | 0-cost attack + Weak debuff — passive offense |
Key Relics:
- Frozen Eye: See the deck's order — optimize All for One timing precisely
- Inserter: Auto-channel one Orb every 2 turns — passive effect without needing Orb cards
- Data Disk: +1 Focus at combat start — generic value
Gameplan: Prioritize 0-cost Attacks from Act 1. Take zero Orb cards. With 3–4 Claws assembled, the deck accelerates in Act 2. One All for One copy is sufficient.
Weaknesses: No Orbs means zero passive Block. Keep a few Frost or Skill-based Block cards. Act 2 Elites can be punishing without a defensive floor.
Build 2: Lightning Orb — A-Tier
Chain Lightning Orbs for consistent, scalable damage.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Defragment | +1 Focus (+2 upgraded) — amplifies all Orbs; top priority in any Defect run |
| Voltaic | Channel Lightning equal to Lightning channeled this combat |
| Multi-Cast | Evoke Orbs multiple times — damage ceiling for this build |
| Electrodynamics | Lightning Orbs hit all enemies — game-ending on multi-enemy fights |
| Synchronize | +8 temporary Focus when all four Orb types are active |
Key Relics:
- Inserter: Auto-channel 1 Orb per 2 turns
- Runic Capacitor: +3 Orb slots — hold more Lightning simultaneously
Weaknesses: Inconsistent single-target damage. Electrodynamics can be inefficient against solo bosses. Keep Multi-Cast in hand as a burst option when needed.
Build 3: Dark Orb Execute — A-Tier
Charge Dark Orbs over multiple turns, then Evoke for massive single-target burst.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Dark Shackles | Evoke Dark Orb — deals damage equal to all Energy it stored in the slot |
| Doom and Gloom | Channel Dark + deal damage to all enemies |
| Runic Dome | +1 Energy per turn (drawback: enemy intents hidden) — exceptional Dark fuel |
| Creative AI | Add a random Power to hand each turn — flexible combo extension |
Weaknesses: Slow start — little offense until Dark charges. Use Frost Orbs to stall while charging. Without extra Orb slots, a single Dark slot charges slowly; prioritize Orb-expanding relics.
Necrobinder
Minion-driven playstyle with two primary mechanics: Souls and Doom.
Build 1: Soul Scaling — S-Tier
The fastest and most powerful Necrobinder archetype. Generate Souls to chain-draw, then Haunt converts every Soul play into direct damage.
Core Concept: Souls are 0-cost Exhaust cards that draw 2 cards when played. Haunt deals 6 damage to a random enemy per Soul played. Combine Capture Spirit and Dirge to flood your hand with Souls, then chain 4–6 Souls per turn for 24–36 damage while drawing into more Souls. By turns 5–6 against bosses, this routinely deals 100+ damage per turn.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Capture Spirit | 1 energy, create 3 Souls — the highest-efficiency Soul generator |
| Grave Warden | 1 energy, create 1 Soul + gain Block — dual-purpose filler |
| Dirge | X energy, create X Souls + increase Osty's HP |
| Haunt | When you play a Soul, deal 6 damage to a random enemy — the win condition |
| Soul Storm | Deal damage equal to 2× Souls in exhaust — finisher supplement |
Key Relics:
- Undying Sigil: Near-mandatory Shop purchase — survive to 1 HP once per combat
- Bone Flute: +2 Block whenever Osty attacks
- Bookmark: Retained cards cost 1 less — hand management support
Gameplan: Prioritize Soul generation cards and Haunt above all else in Act 1. Haunt without Souls is useless; Souls without Haunt are just a draw engine. If Haunt doesn't appear, pivot to the Doom build. Use Dirge to grow Osty's HP while churning Souls.
Weaknesses: Without Haunt the build is entirely non-functional as a damage source. Until Haunt is secured, build in parallel toward Doom so the run isn't lost. Early combats can be slow — take extra Block sources to survive until the engine is online.
Build 2: Doom Execution — A-Tier
Stack Doom on enemies and trigger instant kills when their HP reaches or falls below their Doom count.
Core Concept: Doom is a death mark — when an enemy's HP is at or below their Doom stacks at end of their turn, they die immediately. Stack Doom rapidly and sync the execution timing. Effective on bosses.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Scourge | Apply Doom + draw — efficient setup |
| No Escape | Apply Doom 10; +5 per 10 existing Doom — escalating stacker |
| End of Days | Apply Doom 29, instantly kill any enemy at or below their Doom count |
| Borrowed Time | Apply Doom 3 to yourself, gain +1 Energy — near-free Energy source |
| Blight Strike | Apply Doom while gaining Block — multifunctional filler |
Key Relics:
- Ivory Tile: Core Osty-enhancing relic (Annihilation Epoch reward)
- Bone Flute: +2 Block per Osty attack
Gameplan: Borrowed Time applies Doom 3 to yourself — self-Doom is easily managed and the Energy gain is worth it. The ideal close is No Escape → End of Days to execute most bosses. Before End of Days, damage the enemy down close to your current Doom stack.
Weaknesses: Doom stacking alone doesn't kill — you must either damage the enemy below Doom count or use End of Days for the direct execute. In Act 2 standard enemies die before Doom stacks matter; keep direct attack cards alongside the Doom package.
Regent
Dual-resource management character. Balance Energy and Stars across two form mini-decks. Core decision: choose Stars or Forge at the start of the run — mixing both kills the run.
Build 1: Sovereign Blade — S-Tier
Forge the Sovereign Blade repeatedly, then use it as the run's single win condition.
Core Concept: Sovereign Blade gains permanent damage every time it's Forged. Trim the deck to its minimum, Retrieve the Blade back to hand each turn, and delete enemies in one swing. Masterwork is the highest-value single Forge card (+8 damage, +11 upgraded).
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Sovereign Blade | The win condition — gains damage permanently per Forge |
| Masterwork | +8 damage per Forge (+11 upgraded) — highest Forge efficiency |
| Retrieval | Return Sovereign Blade from discard to hand — ensures every-turn access |
| Block cards (2–3) | The deck skews attack-heavy — Block is mandatory to survive |
Key Relics:
- Crown of Stars: Start combat with 3 Stars — accelerates form transitions
- Astrolabe: Upgrade cards in deck — improves Sovereign Blade quality directly
Gameplan: Decide Forge over Stars by the end of Act 1. Remove cards aggressively — a thin deck is the only way to guarantee Sovereign Blade in hand every turn. Never split focus between Forge and Stars.
Weaknesses: Extremely thin deck means brittle defense. Always maintain 2–3 Block cards minimum. No AoE means multi-enemy rooms require a separate plan.
Build 2: Star Engine — A-Tier
Generate Stars continuously with low-cost generation cards, then spend on devastating big-cost abilities.
Core Concept: Stars are Regent's second resource, generated by specific cards and spent by others. Lunar Pastry provides free passive Star generation each turn. The win condition is aligning a high-Energy turn with a high-Stars turn to fire Astral Pulse or equivalent finishers.
Key Cards:
| Card | Role |
|---|---|
| Solar Strike | Generate Stars + deal damage — combines offense and generation |
| Gather Light | Generate 2 Stars at low cost — the primary accumulation card |
| Lunar Pastry | Passive +1 Stars per turn — free generation that compounds over time |
| Astral Pulse | Spend large Stars for devastating damage — the finisher |
| Particle Wall | Convert Stars into Block — dual-purpose resource use |
Key Relics:
- Crown of Stars: Start combat with 3 Stars — immediately threatening from turn 1
- Meteor Strike: Additional damage from Stars expenditure
Gameplan: Always think in terms of Stars budget — know how many Stars you need for your finisher and plan generation accordingly. Maintain roughly a 3:1 generation-to-spending ratio until the finisher turn.
Weaknesses: Accumulation turns leave offense light — use Particle Wall to convert Stars into Block defensively during those turns. Stars generation without spending cards (or vice versa) is completely non-functional; balance both sides of the equation.
Character Overview and Difficulty
| Character | Recommended Build | Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ironclad | Strength / Exhaust | Low | Everyone, especially new players |
| Silent | Shiv / Poison | Medium | Players who enjoy combos |
| Defect | Claw / Lightning | Medium | Players who like resource management |
| Necrobinder | Soul / Doom | High | Players who want unique mechanics |
| Regent | Sovereign Blade | Highest | Advanced players; multi-resource management |
Universal High-Value Relics
Relics that are strong across all characters:
| Relic | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Philosopher's Stone | +1 Energy per turn; all enemies gain +1 Strength | Energy is the game's most valuable resource |
| Runic Pyramid | Cards in hand are not discarded at turn end | Enables hand-building combos across turns |
| Snecko Eye | Draw 2 extra cards; card costs become random | High-ceiling if your deck has many cheap cards |
| Black Star | Elites drop an extra Relic on top of normal reward | Doubles Elite value — take the Elite branches |
| Odd Mushroom | Max HP +14; Strength −1 | HP increase compounds across the entire run |
Card balance changes with each patch. Check the Patch Notes page for the latest updates.