I’ve been raising up the ascension with ironclad. I can’t fathom doing it without the healing.

Not getting any poison cards can be rough, but as good as poison is at scaling it isn’t the be all and end all as Face says. Innate/first turn burst potential is high, don’t discount simple things like cloak and dagger/dodge and roll/blur. Silent also has two of the more powerful utility powers in Footworks and Caltrops - you can go far with her if you just have a decent spread of cards that do regular work rather than poison, things like Crippling Cloud and Piercing wail look vaguely bad to a casual eye but jesus are they amazing, especially if you have some kind of holdover. Watch out for shivs though, I find they need too much going on to work well. All in I think she struggles a fair bit.

I went back to this a day or two ago, last played June 2019 so I unticked all my Ascensions, and decided to go through each character one by one for a win.

Got an absurd double (triple?) Limit Break Ironclad deck that only had an Inflame until a late act 3 Flex pickup, but still he’s hardy enough with his post fight regen and feed meant I was a big chonker by act 3. Heavy blade and sword boomerang go brrrrrr.

Silent ended up winning thanks to runic pyramid. Why yes I would like to hold onto my upgraded Wraith Form
until the bad attack enemy turn, thank you very much!

2 for 2 was fun but then I had a slew of bad Defect runs. In the end a predictable lightning orb generating power deck won, especially as I got mummified hand later one. 3 innate powers on turn one? Aye sure, go for it, make my whole hand free. Rainbow for Zero cost is silly. I find Defect the most boom and bust given what I know about it, but also orbs make brain think hard.

Tired the Watcher for the first time eve too. What an inspired card pool she has! I love the rhythmic back and forth of stances, and Wrath is so fucking satisfying when you pop it on the right turn. My first run was the best, even though I lost, as discovering cars and combos was fun - lots of Flurry of Blows triggered by stance changing, backed up by Cut Through Fate to discard Flurry of Blows just to pull it back. I am having trouble coalescing on a strategy with her though as I am unfamiliar with her deck and also lack the last few unlocks which I suspect will give me the bigger picture.

All in all, fun to be playing again, but I think I am too dumb for ascension runs really. I understand the theory of the game but I struggle to put it into practice.

I am defo too dumb for ascensions. Been on 4 with IC for a while, although I don’t play anywhere near as much as some of you.

I’m crap at explaining stuff to people, but I seem to just feel when a deck is right or not for me. I can kind of feel when I’m on to a winner. Then it’s only my stupid fault for not winning that game. I’m guessing it’s just the amount of time I’ve played you get a feel for the game. Struggling with IC at 18 though. Been a hard slog.

Roujin wrote:

Everyone who wants to improve, if you can, watch some Jorbs runs with a character you are stuck on, will deffo help out.

Aight. Was just thinking about him this morning (that I should watch his stuff). Had couple of shit runs last night and got frustrated.

equinox_code wrote:

mistercrayon wrote:

.

When people restart what do the choose?

For me first choices are a rare relic, money, or choosing a rare card. A curse is fine too if there’s a shop not far from the start. Some of the easiest runs I ever had involved buying the relic that grants you 5 more cards early

Transforming a card or 2 is often really good too, but occasionally makes life harder.

I cheat the beginning quite often as somehow it doesn’t feel like cheating. If I’m offered a choice of cards I will check to see what they are and quit if I don’t like the options given. This helps increase the chances of starting with hand of greed, which makes for some really fun runs

I wouldn’t ever choose enemies to start with 1 health except with silent

I can live with curses and with IC and the right relics you will probably want them. I’ve done the 1 health enemies on the higher levels to build a hand quickly and see where my deck is going. I also try to do it to get the first Elite by gambling on ?’s. But I’d only take it if the other options weren’t very good.

It’s worth getting to the first boss at least.

True, true.  I still don't get how to use discarding and drawing well.  Need to learn to experiment more.  I am stuck in my attack-block ways. 

I did have one run last night where a couple of the routes had no or only one elite.  So I chose the route with 4 elites and not a campfire in sight.  It was... interesting and... challenging!  Managed to actually get to the 4th elite with a few HP. 

Man, this game is crack cocaine, even when I'm doing shit.  In fact, it's more addictive when I'm doing shit?

Roujin wrote:

equinox_code wrote:

I wouldn’t ever choose enemies to start with 1 health except with silent

Interesting... I check the map if I get offered it and if it's possible to get to two elites with it (obviously ? rooms can fuck you) I will often take it, 2 easy relics and elite fight card picks and potentially bonfires with guaranteed upgrades appeals a lot to me.

I do it if it's even one elite.

YEAH BAYBEE!

At high ac, I like doing it because I can then be at actual full health for a bit too.

hylian_elf wrote:

Funny.  I just thought I'd get a cheeky few minutes in while 'WFH'.  Chose 1HP for 3 enemies, beat 2 elites.  Got lucky on the ? rooms.

Erm.  So I was playing here and there while 'working'.  Erm.  Easily beat Asc4 with IC.  Had to check that Ascension wasn't turned off as it seemed too easy!  Kept a tight deck with Corruption, strength increasing cards and the heavy damage card (I forget names).  Deca and Donu didn't stand a chance.

Yeah but now I have to work more hours as I didn't get as much work done! 

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