Slay the Spire: B&B GOTY 2018, 2020, 2021, and Forum Pariah 2019 - The Bear and Badger

b0r1s

Not sure specifically where you are failing so this is opinion without specifics but...

If you’re worried about blocking look for frost producing cards. Glacier, especially upgraded, is solid. As is Cold Snap. Attack and produces block.

It sounds like you are a bit unlucky to not be getting Capacitor (the card that gives extra orbs) as it’s quite common. As are focus cards/relics.

But you can also be more aggressive on a lot of runs rather than worrying about blocking. Depending on how your early card draw goes you could quickly build up a lot of lightning which can easily burn through enemies. If you get a chance upgrade zap and dualcast. Combined with hologram you can burn through a lot of lower level enemies.

Also depending on your deck I find power cards extremely, well, powerful. More so than with other classes. The downside to going for a strong power deck is you tend to get the ascended one, which means you need to be careful with its first form as it gains strength every time you use a power card.

b0r1s

Pseudoscot wrote:

Just can't get past asc5 with defect. I've been so close, so many times. Just can't get enough block going and it feels like the focus or expand slot cards/relics are a thing of the past. Any suggestions?

QFPT

b0r1s

Also relics that I find synergise well with Defect, beyond the class specific ones, are Mummified Hand and Bird-faced Urn.

Dead beach, the usual favourite, is less useful.

hunk

Also, upgraded 0 cost claw cards. Lots of em.

b0r1s

Oh yeah, claw plus hologram and all for one. I always find I rarely get a claw hand to predictably win, but when it comes together it’s ridiculous fun.

hunk

The pyramid relic is also very effective with defect. Combine this with upgraded energy cards, claw cards, glacier for building block and orb rotating cards and he can tear trough enemies and bosses..

In fact, on trying to asc you have to keep rotating your orbs to keep switching from offense to defense and back. If you don't adapt, you'll get snuffed out eventually.

b0r1s

I always forget about Pyramid. I tend to get it when I get an energy relic, so tend not to choose it.

SpaceGazelle

b0r1s wrote:

Just can't get past asc5 with defect. I've been so close, so many times. Just can't get enough block going and it feels like the focus or expand slot cards/relics are a thing of the past. Any suggestions?

QFPT

Edit: IGNORE. Was thinking of Silent.

Just focus on block early on BUT pick up a poison card or two (poison stab is good) if poss because the Act1 elites will fuck you if you've got nothing to bring them down with. Infinite blades, Caltrops, Terror are all good cards for a block heavy deck in act1. If you get lucky with a relic focus on that. I find Deflect really handy early doors.

If you get leg sweep you can afford to go a bit more attack heavy nd if you get Fumes you'll be ok even with little attack.

b0r1s

Great advice for Silent SG ;-)

SpaceGazelle

b0r1s wrote:

Great advice for Silent SG

I always think Silent is called Defect!

SpaceGazelle

Only played 1000 hrs so it's easy to get confused.

b0r1s

Ha ha. I’ve lost count mate. I must find out at some point. Last time I looked I was about 500 hours combined.

hunk

Also, with Silent always go Caltrops when hoarding block cards. So effective against enemies trying to land multi hit combos on you.

b0r1s

Book of Stabbing... hate the bastard. It always manages to take a good chunk off me. I think I have a mental block against it.

equinox_code

I think in most cases if your deck has more than one claw you've likely not been making optimal deck building decisions.

hunk

Accumulative overkill can be good especially when learning the interactions between cards.
Especially if card cost is 0.

SpaceGazelle

I love this game so much. It's about as perfect as any game I've ever played. We'll still be talking about it in 10 yrs time.

b0r1s

Yep and I still blame Tempy for recommending this crack.

Facewon

I got to final boss on AC20 just now with a frosty deck.

Don't usually take blizzard, but got it early on a transform card option so when glacier and a few other frost cards showed up, I leant heavy that way. Worked well. Had to spice it up with some more focus and a couple of big hp attacks, but could block just about anything for a long stretch.

SpaceGazelle

Nice.

hylian_elf

b0r1s wrote:

Yep and I still blame Tempy for recommending this crack.

Pseudoscot

Finally managed to clear asc5 with Defect with one health left. Finally got a capacitor card on the last fight before the final boss, don't think I would have won without it. I did manage to get pyramid relatively early though which was very helpful.

b0r1s

Finally the heart goes down to Defect. Not sure why I found this so difficult compared to Silent and Ironclad. Watcher next. Then 20 everyone and sure I can then put this game down.

Gremill

Yeah, sure you can.

b0r1s

hylian_elf

Jeez and here I was happy that I finally beat asc10 with IC.

hunk

Picked up watcher again. I suspect the key is in her stances. You have to lliterally learn to dance with her to maximise energy between turns. I am entertained.

Facewon

hunk wrote:

. I suspect the key is in her stances. .

Ya think?

Facewon

I would be a lot more successful at this game if I was less of a gambler.

? Rooms, transform card options at the start. Everything. Even though at higher AC the game literally tells you the odds are worse, still I do it. Even simple card selection, so often, I'll take a card I like that's so dependant on getting some other stuff I don't have, and still, there I go...

Good lols are had though.

hunk

In the past I always went for mantra cards. The strategy is effective up to a certain point. Her defense and damage output are a lot more stable when not relying on mantra but on bomb instead. In bomb we trust.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories