20 Slay the Spire Strategies to Win Your Next Run

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Learn how to build decks and defeat enemies with our full guide

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1 Get familiar with your character’s play style.

2 Plan your route at the start of each Act.

3 Choose riskier encounters early in your run.

4 Prioritize blocking damage when you can.

5 Deal a lot of damage to end battles quickly.

6 Study the enemy attacks and patterns.

7 Take time planning your turn.

8 Pick cards that will help you immediately.

9 Add cards that target single and multiple enemies.

10 Opt for cards that add buffs and debuffs.

11 Upgrade your cards for stronger effects.

12 Keep your deck small.

13 Remove unhelpful cards from your deck.

14 Challenge most Elites to collect relics.

15 Visit merchants to spend your gold.

16 Claim relics that give you extra energy.

17 Rest at campfires when you need to heal.

18 Use potions frequently.

19 Allow yourself to take damage during Acts 1 and 2.

20 Choose less dangerous encounters in Act 3.

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Co-authored by Hunter Rising Reviewed by Ashton Wu

Last Updated: August 17, 2025 Fact Checked

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Slay the Spire is one of the most popular games out there because it combines tactical decision-making with fun card abilities that are different every run. Even though winning a game of Slay the Spire can be pretty tough, there are tons of pro strategies that will make your run more successful. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through how to plan your run, choose cards, and beat all the bosses so you can win!

Quick Slay the Spire Tips and Tricks

• Plan which route you’re taking at the start of your runs.
• Complete as many Elite encounters as you can to earn relics.
• Focus on blocking attacks before dealing any damage.
• Learn how enemies behave and what special moves they have.
• Choose cards that are helpful now instead of going for specific builds.
• Limit your deck to 15-20 cards.
• Avoid battles and enemies as best as possible during Act 3.

Steps

1

Get familiar with your character’s play style.

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1. 
   Each character has a unique build and abilities that influence your game. There are four playable characters to choose from each time you start a new game, and each one plays a little differently. Characters have different sets of cards and starting relics that grant special powers, so pick one that fits the way you like to play the game.

   • The Ironclad: The Ironclad uses a good balance of offensive and defensive attacks that is perfect for beginners. It also has the most health out of all the characters and a relic that heals after every battle so you’re able to survive longer.
   • The Silent: The Silent slowly chips away at health using sneak attacks that utilize poison or power-ups to weaken enemies. The Silent’s starting relic also allows it to draw two extra cards at the start of a battle for more play options.
   • The Defect: The Defect generates elemental orbs that trigger throughout the battle and deal different effects to the opponents. The Defect’s relic automatically generates a Lightning orb at the start of each battle for a more offensive strategy.
   • The Watcher: The Watcher is a monk that has abilities that let it draw more cards, keep cards in your hand, and create energy for larger plays. She also has different attack stances that can deal double damage at the risk of a weaker defense.
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2

Plan your route at the start of each Act.

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1. Check the entire map before starting your first encounter. When you start a run, you can see all of the paths and potential encounters you could face. Take a second to look over the different branches along the path. Try to prioritize battling enemies as many times as you can so you earn the most rewards, but keep your eyes out for campfires, “?” encounters, and merchants later in the Act.

   • Knowing what to expect after each encounter can help you make more strategic decisions during a battle. For example, if you know you have an Elite encounter after a normal enemy battle, you may try to preserve your health so you’re able to survive stronger attacks.

3

Choose riskier encounters early in your run.

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1. Opt for battles at the start of an Act to earn rewards. When you’re just starting an act, avoid going to “?” encounters, merchants, or other non-combat points because they are less rewarding. Going into battles early on ensures you can start adding new cards to your deck right away and develop a stronger strategy.
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4

Prioritize blocking damage when you can.

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1. 
   Blocking damage helps you survive longer without needing to heal. When the enemy you’re facing is gearing up for an attack, do your best to block as much damage as you can. While it’s okay to take a little damage, sacrificing too much health may force you to heal at rest sites instead of using them to upgrade your cards.

   • Try to keep a good balance of offensive attacks and defensive blocks in your deck so you can consistently deal damage and prevent attacks no matter what cards you draw.

5

Deal a lot of damage to end battles quickly.

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1. Heavy hits can take out an enemy before they hurt you. When an enemy isn’t making an offensive attack during a battle, stack as many high-damage attacks as you can during your turn. Taking out large chunks of enemy health can speed up the battle and make them easier to take out. Remember that you take actions before the enemies, so even if they’re planning on attacking you, you may be able to defeat them with a few powerful blows.

   • Best Ironclad attacks: Headbutt, Body Slam, Anger, Uppercut, Whirlwind
   • Best Silent attacks: Dagger Throw, Predator, Die Die Die, Glass Knife
   • Best Defect attacks: Ball Lightning, Barrage, Doom and Gloom, Core Surge, Hyper Beam
   • Best Watcher attacks: Crush Joints, Empty Fist, Sands of Time, Tantrum, Wheel Kick
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6

Study the enemy attacks and patterns.

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1. Learning how enemies behave can help you on future runs. Enemies have different types of attacks and buffs, but they follow similar patterns across every run. As you’re facing off against an enemy, pay attention to what it’s planning to do on its turn so you can prepare your counterattack. Some enemies also have special abilities, like summoning minions or healing damage, so try to take them down before their turn activates.

   • You’re able to see the final boss of each act ahead of time, but you won’t know which enemies you’re facing in standard and elite encounters until you select them.
   • If you lose a run, try to remember how an enemy behaves so you can try a different tactic the next time you face off against them.

7

Take time planning your turn.

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1. Plot out what cards you’re playing to maximize your blocks and damage. There’s no time limit when you’re playing Slay the Spire, so take as long as you need checking the cards in your hand and planning combos. Look for cards that work together, such as playing one ability that boosts damage before an attack or adding extra energy to your reserve so you can cast a stronger card.

   • There isn’t an Undo button in the game, so there’s no going back once you play a card.
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8

Pick cards that will help you immediately.

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1. Look for synergies in your current deck when you select rewards. After each battle, you’re able to add a new card to your deck from a random selection. While it can be tempting to pick certain cards and try for a specific deck build, there’s no guarantee you’ll get the other cards you need to make it work. Instead, look at the cards you currently have and choose new ones that complement and combo with your deck.

   • Example Ironclad Combo: If you have Body Slam in your deck that deals damage equal to your block, pair it with a Barricade card that retains your block between hands.
   • Example Silent Combo: If you have Poison Stab that already adds poison damage to an enemy, pick Catalyst to multiply the poison damage.
   • Example Defect Combo: If you have a lot of cards that generate orbs in your deck, select Capacitor to increase the number of orb slots you can have during a battle.
   • Example Watcher Combo: If you have an attack-heavy deck, put Follow-Up in your deck to deal damage and regain an energy if you played an attack early in your turn.

9

Add cards that target single and multiple enemies.

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1. 
   Varying attack types comes in handy during your later encounters. As you get further in your run, some enemy battles have multiple enemies or minions that attack you at once. While it’s important to have single cards that deal heavy damage to one target, keep a good balance of cards that can hit all of the enemies at the same time so you can chip away at their health.

   • When you’re in an encounter with multiple enemies, get rid of the ones that deal the most damage or heal other enemies first so you’re not at risk later in the battle.
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10

Opt for cards that add buffs and debuffs.

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1. Buffs and debuffs make your attacks stronger while weakening enemies. There are multiple status conditions that cards can apply to your character or your enemies during an attack. Look for cards that give you buffs like Strength or Dexterity to deal extra damage and gain more block. On the flip side, use debuffs like Poison, Weak, or Vulnerable on enemies to reduce their damage and lose more HP when they’re hit.

   • When a buff or debuff keyword appears on a card, hover over it to check the effect that’s applied.

11

Upgrade your cards for stronger effects.

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1. Upgraded cards deal more damage or have different abilities. Whenever you visit a campfire on the map, select the Smith option whenever you’re able to. Look through your deck and choose one of the cards to upgrade so you’re more powerful during your next battle.

   • Some “?” encounters also allow you to upgrade the cards in your deck.
   • Some encounters may deal a negative effect when you upgrade a card, such as lowering your health or spending gold.
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12

Keep your deck small.

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1. A thinner deck lets you play powerful cards more frequently. When you have more cards in your deck, it’s harder to predict what you’ll draw during each hand. Limit yourself to only having around 15-20 cards in your deck at a time so you’re more likely to hit strong combos during an encounter.

   • If none of the reward cards pair well with the other cards in your deck, just skip the reward. You’ll have opportunities to add more synergistic cards later on in your run.

13

Remove unhelpful cards from your deck.

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1. 
   Weaker cards only take up space in your deck. Merchants and some other encounters let you get rid of cards from your deck that don’t fit your strategy. Once you have a few powerful cards added to your deck, visit a merchant to get rid of one of the weaker cards that isn’t helping your strategy. That way, you’re more likely to draw the cards you need on a turn.

   • Removing cards costs 75 gold, but the price increases by 25 gold each time you use it.
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14

Challenge most Elites to collect relics.

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1. Elite battles reward you with powerful abilities for the rest of your run. While Elites are more powerful than standard enemies, they also give out relics that give you active bonuses during your battles. When you’re playing through Acts 1 and 2, try to battle as many Elites as you can handle so you get the most relics to add to your arsenal.

   • The relics that you earn are completely randomized, so try to choose one that complements the cards that you currently have in your deck so you can have powerful combos.

15

Visit merchants to spend your gold.

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1. Merchants let you buy new cards, relics, and potions. Wait until you’ve amassed around 200 gold before visiting a merchant so you have a lot of spending power. Merchants always have a selection of new cards or powerful relics you can add to your deck or run, so look for any cards or abilities that work well around the deck you’ve been building.

   • New cards may cost anywhere from 45-200 gold.
   • Relic prices vary, but they usually cost between 150 and 315 gold.
   • Potions range from 50-105 gold.
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16

Claim relics that give you extra energy.

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1. Energy relics let you play more cards during your turn. Energy is an important resource later in the game because playing more cards means you can deal more damage or block heavy attacks. If you see a relic after beating an Elite or visiting a merchant that adds to your energy pool, add it to your collection.

   • Some energy relics also give you negative effects, but the benefit of having extra energy usually outweighs the cost.

17

Rest at campfires when you need to heal.

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1. Resting at a campfire heals 30% of your max HP. While you should try to upgrade cards as much as you can at campfires, it’s important to keep your health above half during most of your run. If you’ve lost a lot of HP, check for a campfire along your route and make sure to select the Heal option once you get there.

   • Some relics can boost the healing power.
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18

Use potions frequently.

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1. Potions grant one-time abilities that can help you during tough battles. Potions are really handy because they offer a lot of effects that aid your run, but you can only carry three at a time. If you ever notice that your potion slots are full, use a potion so you don’t have to give up any that you earn as a reward later on.

19

Allow yourself to take damage during Acts 1 and 2.

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1. It’s okay to get hurt early on as long as you have 1 HP. While you should still play carefully and minimize the damage you’re taking, it’s okay if you lose a little HP in the earlier acts. There are multiple opportunities for you to heal throughout the game. Plus, when you finish an Act, you’re immediately healed back to your full HP so you’re ready to take on the next one.

   • If you ever drop below 50% of your max health, consider your next moves more carefully because you could risk losing your run if you’re unable to block big attacks.
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20

Choose less dangerous encounters in Act 3.

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1. 
   Make the last act easy so you save health for the final boss. When you reach Act 3, try to preserve as much health as you can. If you’re able to, choose paths with fewer combat encounters and look for opportunities to visit “?” encounters, campfires, treasures, and merchants so you can heal, get new relics, and upgrade cards you already have.

   • Check the paths when you first start Act 3 to find the safest route, and if you get hurt, don’t be afraid to adapt and change the path you’re taking.

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Tips

• Slay the Spire is meant to be really tough, so don’t get discouraged if you lose a lot of your games. Use every game as a new learning experience so you can make improvements during your next run.
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• Every time you play a round of Slay the Spire, try out a new tactic to see what works and what doesn’t.
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