The longer the battle takes, the more damage you’re guaranteed to receive in the process. This means you not only hit less hard (dragging the fight on even further) but also block less damage. As the fight with this Elite drags on, it begins to use Siphon Soul, which drains the player’s Power and Dexterity. the sleeping shellfish) is a perfect example. This is because, with few exceptions, Slay the Spire enemies either weaken you over time or grow stronger themselves. You will almost always die more assuredly by dragging fights out than by taking a little damage while you kill the opponent.

It might even sound counterintuitive! But it’s true.

It’s a hard lesson to learn in a game where death comes so very quickly. Slay the Spire doesn’t want you to turtle up. It’s a risk, but once you get the hang of it, it’s one of the best ways to complete a run. More Elites means more Relics and other goodies. It’s not always possible, but you can sometimes plan a particular route that will let you face three of these super-units in a single zone (without using the Ascension mechanic that unlocks after beating a run). Personally, I also like to use this method when hunting for Elites. You might get something that lets you heal each time you visit a merchant, for instance, which gives you more available options than just resting. Especially once you start getting some location-based Relics. This is obviously useful for planning routes. Yet you can scroll (using the analog stick or the mouse while the map is open) to see the rest.

By default, the game only shows you a small sliver of the total zone leading up to that area’s boss. Well, not the entire structure, but at least the region you’re on at the moment. You can see the entire Spire from the map. This is a tiny little tip, but still feels worth mentioning. The knowledge you gain will be worth it on all subsequent characters. If you’re struggling to finish your first run, try to teach yourself about the Spire by sticking to the Silent for a while. She doesn’t hit as hard, but moves much faster and deals damage over time with poison. And, more importantly, the Silent is comparatively very straightforward to us. This second playable character unlocks after losing a run as the Ironclad. You won’t be able to properly build your deck around these concepts until you get a better handle on what enemies and bosses do. That’s bad! Unless you pair it with “Evolve” and/or “Fire Breathing” - which benefit you each time these cards are drawn. “Wild Strike” and “Power Through,” for instance, give you unplayable Wound cards that clog up your deck. The Ironclad is deeply built around the idea of risk and reward: sacrificing health and cards or giving themself status effects in exchange for high payoff. It’s just that they’re also deceptively complicated. They’re just as powerful as any other character in the game. The game sets you up to fail by making you play the Ironclad. However, there’s a bit more to it than just heavy difficulty spikes and the need to unlock more cards or Relics. The game doesn’t want you to win right away! That’s the spirit of a roguelike for you. Your first run in Slay the Spire will almost certainly end in failure. So let’s get started with our Slay the Spire tips guide! The Silent is the True “Starting” Character Whether you’ve Ascended more often than you care to count, just picked up the fan-made “Downfall” expansion, or are just picking up the game for the first time: we hope we can help you think about the game in new ways. Which is why we’ve decided to post a few Slay the Spire tips for players still making their way through the titular tower for the first time. Yet its roguelike mechanics go out of their way to push you back down - over and over again. Good Slay the Spire tips are easy to provide once you spend enough time, trial, and error with the seminal deckbuilder.

Slay the spire cards