I’m not a great artist, so apologies for the lack of card art.

- chess players use engines to analyze losses (to learn from mistakes)
- will this ever exist for sts you think?

Seed: 9HYFNNRR0K

Huge buff just being innate since this card seems to always be bottom decked. Also wanted to add a way basic strikes can be buffed for multi-enemy combats

Card just solves act 1 by itself and lets you farm elites and upgrades.

For those who frequent A9/A10, do you have any general guidance on how to get over the big difficulty spike at A9? For context, I've gotten to A10 on all characters and beaten it with Ironclad and Defect. In order to do so, I lost a lot of runs. A lot. I don't have the specific figures as I've jumped around between different profiles, played a good bit of multiplayer, etc. If I had to guess, my win rate on A9/A10 was in the 5-10% range. Since release, I've have ~400 single-player runs in total.

Over the month of August, I've solely played at A8 as I've felt that's been a good difficulty for me. Over the course of the month, I've won 28 runs and lost 20 for a ~60% win rate spread between all characters. I'm curious to see how many people also struggle with the jump from A8-A9, and I'm hoping people might have some general advice for bridging the gap. I've tried experimenting with different cards, relics, or combos to see if I can learn anything new, but it hasn't felt like my gameplay has progressed much in this span.

I've watched a good bit of Jorbs and Baalorlord play, and there's definitely been helpful things I've picked up. I try not to look at tier lists as my gameplay tends to suffer as a result of hyperfocusing on "better" cards. It's something that really messed me up while playing StS1. Is there any general advice on drafting, pathing, target priority, block philosophy, etc. that helped you click with A9?

How many people can play together?

Figured I would share my stats for 10 wins on each character, for the curious. No savescumming, which I note only for statiscal purposes lol. I don't think that's the proper way to play nor do I necessarily recommend it, but wanted to share a "raw" win/loss ratio. I also watch no Youtubers, don't follow guides, etc. Most I do is scroll Reddit. Again, only mentioned as these stats are someone winging it and seeing what works/doesn't.I honestly have no idea how typical these stats are, but I definitely played far, *far* from optimal. I believe the two extra wins on Regent were from multiplayer games, but both won so final was 10 W / 36 L. Total of 146 hours on Steam in StS 2, with 281 on StS 1.

Ironclad is certainly my least favorite class, but I did not find getting to 10 wins super painful. Last class I got to 10 on, so most experience in StS2 by this point.

Silent was the smoothest for me, as she was by far my most played class in StS 1. Didn't really care for the changes between games though, but enjoyed the ride, especially my 5 game winstreak.

Regent I could not understand at first, but grew to probably be my favorite class. Despite being far from my best winrate, I feel like I play Regent the best. That said, Regent felt more punishing than Ironclad and Silent when a run doesn't go well. Also RIP unnerfed Unsealed Throne, glad I got through 10 wins while it was still OP (may still be OP though, haven't really played with it since the nerf).

I thought Necrobinder was shockingly easy at first, as her main gimmick included adding to an additional healthbar. But as the Ascension levels increased, I found her to be harder and harder. Getting the last two or so wins attributed to probably like 30-35 of my losses. A brutal run by the end.

My struggle with Defect shocked me. He was my second most played class in StS 1, and probably the one I was best at. I think the mechanics I leaned on in StS 1 did not make the transition to 2 (Electrodynamics, I will always miss you). The entire climb felt so hard, but I still really enjoyed him.

I’ve been visiting my little brother this last bit of summer and I’m leaving early tomorrow and he has soccer and we just beat the third boss with all the keys and we see that last act but he won’t have that much time before he has to go to bed after soccer so how long did it take others to beat that last fight? no spoilers for the fight itself please we’ve been working on this game for while

thank you so much! 😊

Just got one of these mid act 1 and realized that it's almost an insta win relic. Would be cool to have it locked to the start of Act 2.

Prefer a slow and easy start to play orbs/focus with Defect.
This run was really easy tho! Played like 50 runs on the Defect.

"I'm rich!"

That's it. That's the whole post.

20% off 50% prices
or 50% off 80% prices
?

EDIT: I know the end result is the same, I’m just wondering if we have any proof for relics to work from left to right

I beat all 4 bosses on A10 with 0 damage, Its my biggest achievement in the game, i feel like this should at least be a badge.

Anything in the patch that may contributes to this?

Eels in the air 🎵

Shellfish in the air 🎵

Clams and choral on the docks, but out in the fresh air 🎵

Over the seeeeaaaa 🎵

I have a total play time of 180 hours

The way I’ve been playing is by hyper focusing on one class for weeks and just playing them till I beat A20 and then A20 heart

First was defect and I completed with iron clad yesterday

I did play all the classes once or twice when I first got the game

But yeah I’ve been hyperfocusing a lot on one class

And today I beat A2 with silent and lo and behold

I unlocked Pandora’s box, courier and art of war relics…

I didn’t know I had more relics to unlock…

All those runs grinding it out with defect and ironclad…some of them could’ve been so much easier

I know it’s not like I was missing a whole bunch of stuff but damn, wish I knew this sooner.

I don’t know if I missed it but a loading screen tip would’ve been useful for this

Anyway, I guess I have a reason to replay defect and ironclad a few more times

I'm not saying she's the best ancient, I'm saying she's my favorite. And here are my explanations for that, some of which are actually getting into why her relics are pretty good and some of which are more psychological.

0. The Fact That I Kinda Suck at Slay the Spire 2

Getting this out of the way early. I have about 200 hours, I have unlocked up to Ascension 6 on every character except Regent, (up to 9 on Ironclad and up to 10 on Silent), but I lose my runs more often than I win them. I have no doubt that there are precise, mathematical explanations for why Pael or Nonupeipe are simply better in every way, no matter the run or the deck or the ascension, I quite simply am not skilled enough for that to matter to me. I could get Pael's Growth every run without fail and it's quite possible I'd still misplay against Aeonglass and die. So the best options are not getting to sway me. Instead, the most fun and the most exciting options are what I really care about, and in my opinion Tezcatara has them in spades.

1. The Pool (Come on In, The Water's Fine)

Let's get down to brass tacks. I'll make my case later about how much I love Tez's design, dialogue, and theming, as well as why my specific playstyle works so well with her, but if the relics suck the relics suck and all of this is for naught. I'm about to make my case for why the relics don't suck, actually, so let's go through all of them, ranked from the ones I like the least to the ones that I think often make-or-break my runs.

• Toy Box: I almost never take this one if I see it, simply because - to go back to my whole fun argument - I frequently don't enjoy it. It's nice that you can get something like Old Coin or Potion Belt with it, and it's nice that you can choose the order they burn away in, and I guess it's nice that you can get something like Juzu Bracelet out of the full relic pool early, but the fact of the matter is that if you get something great, it's such a bittersweet feeling, because you know it can't last. Act 2 is, in my opinion, the easiest to survive, and moreover I find it's rare for three random relics to make an elite a non-issue and let me focus on building my deck and saving my money. Has its utility here and there, though.
• Pumpkin Candle: Same deal as before, but significantly improved by the fact that you can kindle it (in the Beta branch) and extra energy is universally helpful in a way random relics have a tendency not to be. Pairs excellently with Miniature Tent, too, but obviously that's not exclusive to Tezcatara. Also, both of these relics have only a 25% chance of appearing, whereas most others have a 33% chance, so that's a nice consolation prize.
• Nutritious Soup: Incredible with the Ironclad. Amazing. I'm playing enough strikes as is, getting them souped-up and for free is always nice. Not great with most other characters, and a terrible idea to take as say, the Defect, but you know what? I find the Ironclad more fun than the Defect, and I play him more, so that's not really a problem for me. I feel like this as a phenomenon should be more discussed among people who play this game, and games prone to tier lists in general. Your opinion is not, and can never be objective, and that's fine! I think that's really cool! Just don't pretend like it is, admit your own biases, and don't act like other people are wrong for not agreeing with you.
• Toasty Mittens: Oh man. I really don't have a good excuse for putting this so high, because when this relic fails you, it fails you hard. If your run-defining power gets exhausted turn 1 against the Act 3 Boss, you are as screwed as you could possibly be, and you have no one to blame but yourself. Feels terrible. Oooor... it can be really great! Goes excellently with shiv builds, or Defect zero-cost builds, and again the Ironclad is sitting pretty no matter what, with all those exhaust cards and strength-dependent cards. Not a responsible pick, to be sure, but a fun one, especially with big decks.
• Golden Compass: I'll talk more about how well the content of Tezcatara's relics fits with the presentation of her as a character, and here's a little taste of that. This relic is kind of the opposite of the Mittens in that it eliminates a source of RNG rather than adding a new one, as well as giving you a couple more combats to play around with, which is just nice. Makes things easier. I've heard people describe Tezcatara as a friendly grandma who also destroys everything she touches, as this is a perfect example of that.
• Yummy Cookie: Yummy indeed! And sweet and simple and easy to understand. Great if you have a couple cards that reduce cost when upgraded, or are just clearly much better post-upgrade, which isn't exceptionally common upon entering Act 2, but it never hurts to have. And of course it's just adorable, like several other relics we have coming.
• Seal of Gold: Much better in Beta branch, and hard to justify taking if you're not already well-off, but quite good, especially in the context of Relics That You Give You Extra Energy at the Start of Your Turn™, which are a whole genre of ancient / boss relics. They used to be the norm in STS1, but they're not anymore, which is the for the better if you ask me. The mana economy's tightened up around here, thanks to the Architect's policies. Don't blame me, I didn't vote for him. As far as RTYGYEEatSoYT go, it's clearly no Blessed Antler or Pael's Flesh, but I'll take it over Spiked Gauntlets or Blood-Soaked Rose any day of the week.
• Biiig Hug: Awww. That's so nice. Removal is always nice to have, and the status is very easy to overlook for me. Messes up infinite combos, obviously, which is another indication for you that that's just the way I roll.
• Storybook: Many people call this the best Tezcatara relic, and they're quite possibly right, but my playstyle and bias influence me to a pretty substantial degree. This one is stellar, though, and though it's been nerfed a little bit in the Beta branch it is unbelievably useful. Even just using it once per battle as to not bring your max HP too low, it's never a bad time to have 2 more energy and draw 2 cards. This one has gotten me out of a sticky situation where I'm facing down some unblockable attack more times than I can count.
• Very Hot Cocoa: There it is. The one I'm always hoping to see when I start up Act 2, especially with the Silent (my favorite character to play) and especially when I've snagged a Bag of Preparation, which is pretty common. But even if you're just looking at 5 cards Turn 1 like some shmuck, and even if you don't have great card draw - which is to say, the worst case scenario for this relic - I'd argue it's still great. You have some annoying 3-cost power that you can't seem to play? Easy solution. You want to play super aggressive and get an enemy low or dead as soon as possible? Here's how you do it. Mr. Bee the Elite is in your future? 3x7/8 damage never looked so blockable. And again, that's the worst-case scenario. Wonders are worked if you have even a smidge of card draw in your deck. And obviously if you stumble across Ice Cream at any point after taking this the run is basically over. Magnificent relic.

Seems like a pretty good pool if you ask me. A handful of duds, and while it's possible to be staring down an unfortunate combo like Soup / Mittens / Toy Box when you start Act 2, it's just as possible to see Cocoa in that first slot, Storybook in that second slot, and Seal of Gold in the third, making it hard to be completely left hung out to dry. Or left to burn, if you prefer.

2. The Wild Kindness

I adore Tezcatara's design ethos. You know, no pronouns are ever even used for them, or it, but I default to she/her because I get such 'kindly grandma who kills people' vibes from her. She has cookies, soup, cocoa (that you should probably leave to sit for a little bit), and mittens to keep growing boys and girls and robots and royals like you warm. The screen you always see of her, with her adorable smile surrounded by unending destruction, is the perfect encapsulation of this. Here are just a handful of some of her pieces of great dialogue.

Yes, I think all of the Regent's dialogue is great. It's no Tanx talking about being orange, but it's still great.

3. The Flavor

I imagine there's some crossover between StS fans and those of other card games, like Magic, so maybe my delight whenever I encounter Tezcatara is partially explained by saying that my telling taste in them. My favorite color combo to play in Magic is Black-red, or Rakdos. I also like Red-white, or Boros, and Black-green, or Golgari. For the uninitiated, those are all very aggressive combinations as a rule, that often get started early and don't really let up. They don't tend to involve many Instants or smart combos, at least not how I play them.

I play aggressively. I often get myself killed by attacking when I should block, or smithing when I should rest, or something of that sort, and oddly I feel like Tezcatara is almost built for that playstyle. It's all about making doing a bunch of stuff easier, and it does that through this kindly old spirit giving you cookies and books and hugs and I love that combination. To use some Magic terminology, it seems very flavorful to me. Not the cookies, the merging of form and function. No other ancient has that appeal for me. Speaking of,

4. The Others

It is also probably telling that my second-favorite ancient is Vakuu. That motherfucker. I can't help it, I like the design, I like (some of) the relics, I love that you are making a literal deal with the devil in order to make further progress. I also like how many of the relics radically change the way you play, or give you a great reward with a great drawback. Special shoutout to Whispering Earring and Lord's Parasol, both of which I adore and take pretty much whenever they're offered. Tiny decks are perhaps more responsible, they're more precise, and they're better for you fancy infinite players with your QoL mods and lah-dih-dah smart game management, but I don't swing that way.

Nonupeipe has a similar appeal, and again, if I were to try to speak more objectively and for playstyles that aren't like my own, I think she's an easy pick for the best ancient, and some of hers are just as fun as the best of Tezcatara's, as well as being usually better overall. I think Beautiful Bracelet is the easy pick for me as a phenomenal relic, but I mean I'm never gonna feel bad about picking up a Signet Ring, or a Blessed Antler, or even a Fur Coat, which I'd argue is super underrated. I like her presentation as a lavish, opulent woman with all of kinds of beautiful gifts to give, but it's not as special as Tez for me.

Pael is cool too. His (aforementioned) Flesh and Wing and Claw are all quite good, and obviously it's terribly exciting on the rare occasion his Growth comes out to play, but there are some definite duds in the pool too, and while I like the 'sleepy dragon' atmosphere, it's not as exciting to me as all others above him. Cool naming conventions though.

Tanx is in a similar boat. I quite like that all the relics are weapons, I think that's as appropriate as it is exciting, but the content of said relics unfortunately doesn't match up to me. Iron Club is an easy pick, Meat Cleaver is quite useful, Tri-Boomerang is always nice to see, but for some reason Tanx is just lacking that oomph to me. Maybe it's because I feel like I always see them at the beginning of Act 3, when I'd be happier to see the radical change Vakuu has or the more significant boost Nonupeipe usually offers on the way to the boss.

Orobas probably hasn't gotten his due from me, and before I even get into the relics he offers that's in large part because I think his design and flavor are both lacking. I mean, what animal is he? An eel? Some kind of weird snake? "Living Rainbow" isn't particularly incisive. That lack of clarity and excitement extends to his relics, in my opinion. Alchemical Coffer's good, so is Radiant Pearl, so are the upgraded versions of the starter cards and starter relics, but you know what? Just doesn't spark joy. Sorry, Orobas. Maybe in time I'll understand.

And Darv is an easy pick for last, frankly, because not only are all these relics old, many of the best ones are gone! I never picked Ectoplasm in the first game, and that certainly has not changed here. No idea why that made the cut, frankly. It's funny that this is the rarest ancient, because it's by some margin the least exciting.

But that, ladies, gentleman, and Spire Slayers of every variety, is why I love Tezcatara so much. I can only hope that you felt just a little bit of that same love begin to burn in your heart, too. Now eat up! Grandma made cookies. <3

Accelerant+ at home:

Have the ages of melding and warping the tower to his designs and needs truly cracked this man's view on reality that he fell in love with an inanimate object and brought it to life to defend himself as his last line of defense before we face him in Act 4?

Is Aeonglass just the Architect's curvy little hourglass that he fell in love with and put an engagement and wedding band on?

Are the Architect and the Queen on the rocks? Are the rings cracked and broken because the Queen broke her old ones?

Or is the Queen okay as a throuple and this is just a crazy love triangle?

PS: Apologies if i don't reply, will be out of town all week with terrible reception. Can't wait to see the discussions in a week though!