Current Events > I'm terrible at Slay The Spire. Help?

(+) Yeah! (+)

@Garioshi

What are the cards I should be looking for with both the Robot and the character that switches stances?

With the Robot I've done many, many runs, and have tried different things, but I can't find the right balance. I've gone full Lighting when I get the one that let's me hit everyone, got the Thunderbolt card that does X = to Lighting Orbs I have summoned, and things that go with it. But then I end up dying because I can't defend enough.

I've done full Frost, and tried to turtle and chip away, but that never works for me. I've tried to do both, did well, and then ran into a boss that was hard for me to beat [Like the Time Lord one where I run out of time].

And with the other character, the one that switches stances, I always end up in the wrong stance. I don't know how to juggle everything.

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For Defect, you want Defragment, Glacier, Electrodynamics, Biased Cognition, and Echo Form. I'd also recommend picking up Seek whenever you can. Defect lives and dies by Focus and orb slots, so if you can get more of either, take it.

For Watcher, upgrade Eruption ASAP. Look for Cut Through Fate, Tantrum, Flurry of Blows, Meditate, Talk to the Hand, Vault, Wallop, Empty Fist, Rushdown, and Fear no Evil. If you have the energy, I'd take Wheel Kick and Fasting as well.

Remove cards at every opportunity (unless you can get an energy relic), especially over getting new ones. The smaller your deck is, the more consistent it is; only get multiples if it's a Power with no drawback.

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^ agreed on the list of cards. If you find biased cognition, you'll also want to pick up a source of artifact or orange pellets. Creative AI is a ton of fun when it gets going, but its a too expensive and slow for most hallway fights, but against bosses, it can lead to absolutely ridiculous scaling.

I'd also add blasphemy to the list of premium watcher cards. The side effect sounds scary, but you can do a shit ton of damage in one turn with it, and the upgraded version retains, so you don't need to worry about it clogging up your deck. Also, personally, I'm a big fan of battle hymn, but from what i've seen of garoshi's runs, he's got a faster playstyle than I do.

I can post some screenshots of some of my A20 watcher and defect wins if you want.

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I'll have to record me playing soon so I can upload it and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong, lol. It's not so much I don't know what cards to look out for, it's mostly getting those cards, and cracking down and figuring out the patterns of the mobs. Like if there are 3 of them, which one is going to hit hard on turn 3, for example.

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Defense first, always. Defend, defend, defend. Be patient. It's so enticing to throw out those attacks, but you aren't gonna win if you are dead. Even if a 5 defense card blocks 1 damage total, it's worth it. I was playing way too aggressive and saying "i'd rather take 2 damage and attack for 12 instead of block the 2 damage" and it just wasn't working in the deeper runs. My first potential victory failed by 3 hit points, the final boss of the game had 20 health. If I had played just one more defensive card that run I would have won.

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You want your deck lean and mean. You want to take out the starter cards if you can hit the shop at the right timing. Usually around 15 cards is about right but people can correct me on that.

the other thing is try to take on an elite or two. The artifacts they can give boost you up before a final boss. I use to ignore them but to get deep you need as many artifacts as you can get!

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Going into the first boss with the Robot

Tier 1 -

Defend x4
Leap x2
Dualcast

Tier 2 -

Zap
The Bomb
Glacier

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Should I take the Bites?

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I take them if I want more healing, i'm not adding too may cards to my deck, and losing the max HP won't affect my current HP, or I have the blood vial (which lets you get them without losing the max HP.


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Bad_Mojo posted...

I'll have to record me playing soon so I can upload it and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong, lol. It's not so much I don't know what cards to look out for, it's mostly getting those cards, and cracking down and figuring out the patterns of the mobs. Like if there are 3 of them, which one is going to hit hard on turn 3, for example.

enemy patterns are partially random and partially conditional. enemies generally will have some combinations of weaker attacks, stronger attacks, and some sort of buff/debuff to use. They'll generally do not use the stronger attacks or buff/debuff more than two turns in a row (and some buffs are never used consecutively, or are only once per fight), and the weaker attacks three times in a row, and some attacks will go off only on certain turns.

ToadallyAwesome posted...

You want your deck lean and mean. You want to take out the starter cards if you can hit the shop at the right timing. Usually around 15 cards is about right but people can correct me on that.

the other thing is try to take on an elite or two. The artifacts they can give boost you up before a final boss. I use to ignore them but to get deep you need as many artifacts as you can get!

No idea how garoshi manages to do it, i've never had a winning deck less than 22 or 23 cards. My decks tend to fall between 25-30 cards. I tend to aim for 2-3 elites per act, sometimes four if I've got a super strong deck or a really solid path with good branches. in addition to the relic, elites also give you more gold and a higher chance for a rare card.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Defense first, always. Defend, defend, defend. Be patient. It's so enticing to throw out those attacks, but you aren't gonna win if you are dead. Even if a 5 defense card blocks 1 damage total, it's worth it. I was playing way too aggressive and saying "i'd rather take 2 damage and attack for 12 instead of block the 2 damage" and it just wasn't working in the deeper runs. My first potential victory failed by 3 hit points, the final boss of the game had 20 health. If I had played just one more defensive card that run I would have won.

Some fights hard counter this strategy, and the enemies will out scale you if you try this. The gremlin nob elite fight in chapter 1 for example.

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^ Is that the red bastard with the big sword that gets stronger each time I use a skill? Yeah, when I have a Skill-based run going, I always end up fighting this guy. Or when I have a Lightning build going I run into that three-mob Elite fight with the ones that look like crystals.

Whatever build I'm going for, the game throws me the counter, lol. Of course this isn't true, I'm just terrible, so it feels that way. Like the run I have going right now [The one I wrote about last night, I went to sleep after the first floor, so I'm still on that run], I ran into the Red bastard, and all I had was Skill cards, so every card I played make him gain strength.

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Defect is a hard character to get a grasp on, so don't be discouraged if the game kicks your ass.

Also consider picking up Ball Lightning, Cold Snap, Coolheaded, Skim, Sweeping Beam, Capacitor, Chaos, Chill, Consume (if you have the orb slots), Static Discharge, Rainbow, and possibly Melter. You want to get your orb generation up ASAP.

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Bad_Mojo posted...

^ Is that the red bastard with the big sword that gets stronger each time I use a skill? Yeah, when I have a Skill-based run going, I always end up fighting this guy. Or when I have a Lightning build going I run into that three-mob Elite fight with the ones that look like crystals.

Whatever build I'm going for, the game throws me the counter, lol. Of course this isn't true, I'm just terrible, so it feels that way. Like the run I have going right now [The one I wrote about last night, I went to sleep after the first floor, so I'm still on that run], I ran into the Red bastard, and all I had was Skill cards, so every card I played make him gain strength.

Yeah that's him. Well, minus the sword, not sure who you're thinking of with that, the act 2 boss, the champ?. Generally a bad idea to prioritize skills until you've grabbed some decent attacks.

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https://i.imgur.com/UHiRWm8.png

So, yeah, all defense and still cant block 40+ damage a round. Bomb saved me in the end, but very next fight was against the Shadow with 999 and does less damage the more you do to it, which is almost nothing with this one, so I was taking massive damage in that one too, with all protection.

I have to be missing something because this game is fn ruthless to me, and Im on zero Ascension, not 10+

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Some general goals:

Prioritize offense for the first floor. The elites are brutal without it, and you're very unlikely to be able to both defend and kill them. Try and grab at least one crowd hitting card, it'll be useful throughout.

Removing cards early is king. Remove defends first then strikes. You want your deck no bigger than 15 to 20 cards generally, though powers and exhausting cards may change this.

Don't aim for specific cards, but instead see what your deck needs. Most card offers you should skip.

Monster train is the same style of game but better imo.

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Relient_K posted...

Monster train is the same style of game but better imo.

I should add im garbage at both games so my opinion doesn't matter much anyway.

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Bad_Mojo posted...

https://i.imgur.com/UHiRWm8.png

So, yeah, all defense and still cant block 40+ damage a round. Bomb saved me in the end, but very next fight was against the Shadow with 999 and does less damage the more you do to it, which is almost nothing with this one, so I was taking massive damage in that one too, with all protection.

I have to be missing something because this game is fn ruthless to me, and Im on zero Ascension, not 10+

that fight in the image is freaking brutal, those guys ramp up faster than almost every other enemy in the game. i almost always wind up skipping it. You can't afford to try and tank against those guys, you need to do as much damage as possible, as fast as possible.


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Skipping it? Okay, Ill just predict the future, lol.

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Bad_Mojo posted...
Skipping it? Okay, Ill just predict the future, lol.

that event gives you the option to not fight.

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PMarth2002 posted...

Skipping it? Okay, Ill just predict the future, lol.

that event gives you the option to not fight.

Ohh, thats right

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Beat it with the Robot!

Level 1 -

Strike X3
Duelcast
Glacier
Electrodynamics
Melter
Cold Snap
Self Repair
Hologram

Level 2 -

Zap
Blessed Cognition
Darkness
Rainbow
Seek
Capacitor

Level 3+

Genetic Algorithm [Block 34, always started with it]

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What the hell are these things Im picking up now? I put together a triangle or some shit. Got all 3 of them.

Even on Steam where Ive beat the game with everyone but the Watcher, just like now, I never saw this before.

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Fuck, Im never in the correct stance. Even when I can keep the cars that lets me Calm myself, I still cant get Wrath or whatever when I have attack cards. Only defense

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Bad_Mojo posted...

Even when I can keep the cars that lets me Calm myself, I still cant get Wrath or whatever when I have attack cards. Only defense

the game tests us to see if we're worthy. unfortunately not yet.
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Bad_Mojo posted...

Fuck, Im never in the correct stance. Even when I can keep the cars that lets me Calm myself, I still cant get Wrath or whatever when I have attack cards. Only defense

Are you thinning your deck?

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Garioshi posted...

Are you thinning your deck?

OMG, yes! I guess you're only reading this topic, but I'm been struggling with this deck for a very long time.

On Steam -

https://i.imgur.com/WjI0N2A.png

337 hours and I have NEVER beat it with The Watcher. I've beaten it a few times with the other characters. Right now I'm playing on my Switch so I can play while I'm at work.

But anyways, yeah, this isn't my first topic about this god damn fucking game, lol. I know ALL about keeping my deck small. I play MTG, I know the benefits of having the least cards you can.

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omg. . .OMG. . .OMG! I did it! I beat it with The Watcher! Well, kind of. I finally beat the 3rd Floor for the first time with it, got those 3 things I never saw before, and then ALMOST beat the real [?] final boss

I didn't write all the cards down, but it was basically this -

Wrath - Card Draw - Going "Ghost" [1hp damage] - Save up that one card to do big damage, go f'n crazy. Wrath wasn't important because I was still only taking 1 HP of damage, but I wasn't even taking that because I had that Relic that gave me defense if in the unlikelihood I ended my turn without any.

Also had that one gold card that updated all of my cards.

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TC, you can view summaries of past runs and take screenshots of them, just FYI.

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congrats on getting to the heart with the watcher.


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Need to take a bit of a break now, so I re-downloaded Guild Of Dungeoneering. Haven't played in years.

I do have the game that was mentioned near the start of the topic, and then another game called Grift Lands or something on my Steam Wishlist. Just waiting for a sale

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You guys keep saying thin decks, but for the life of me, i just cannot keep my decks thin. They almost always wind up around 25-30 cards, occasionally in the low 20s, sometimes higher than 30. I've never won with a deck that was under 20 cards.

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