Card Database

Card Category

Common Cards

Complete guide to Common cards in Slay the Spire 2 — the foundational cards that form the basis of every deck.

Common cards in Slay the Spire 2 are the most frequently appearing cards and form the foundation of every deck. While they lack the flashy effects of rarer cards, commons provide the reliable damage, block, and utility that get you through the early game and remain useful throughout a run when properly supported.

Every character starts with basic commons — Strikes and Defends — that define their early game capabilities. These starter cards are deliberately weak to incentivize card rewards and removal events. Act 1 is largely about replacing or supplementing these starter cards with better commons and early uncommons that give your deck direction.

Strong commons like Dagger Spray (Silent AOE), Pommel Strike (Ironclad damage + draw), and Ball Lightning (Defect damage + orb) provide immediate power that can carry you through Act 1 elites. These cards are efficient, straightforward, and require no special synergy to be effective — making them reliable picks in nearly any context.

Common cards also include basic utility options like Deflect (zero-cost block), True Grit (Exhaust + block), and Beam Cell (Vulnerable + damage). These cards provide specific functionality that remains valuable even in late-game decks. Zero-cost commons, in particular, gain value with any card that rewards playing many cards per turn.

Don't underestimate commons when building your deck. A well-chosen common that addresses a specific need — AOE damage, single-target burst, reliable block — can be more valuable than a rare that doesn't fit your strategy. Many winning runs are built on a foundation of strong commons with a few key uncommons and rares providing the scaling.

100 cards

Acrobatics

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Draw 3 cards. Discard 1 card.

Afterlife

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Summon 6.

Anger

Common · Attack · Ironclad

0

Deal 6 damage. Add a copy of this card into your Discard Pile.

Anticipate

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Gain 3 Dexterity this turn.

Armaments

Common · Skill · Ironclad

1

Gain 5 Block. Upgrade a card in your Hand.

Astral Pulse

Common · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 14 damage to ALL enemies.

Backflip

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 5 Block. Draw 2 cards.

Ball Lightning

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 7 damage. Channel 1 Lightning.

Barrage

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 5 damage for each Channeled Orb.

Beam Cell

Common · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 3 damage. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

BEGONE!

Common · Attack · Regent

1

Deal 4 damage. Choose a card in your Hand to Transform into Minion Dive Bomb.

Blade Dance

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.

Blight Strike

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 8 damage. Apply Doom equal to damage dealt.

Blood Wall

Common · Skill · Ironclad

2

Lose 2 HP. Gain 16 Block.

Bloodletting

Common · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 3 HP. Gain .

Body Slam

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Deal damage equal to your Block.

Boost Away

Common · Skill · Defect

0

Gain 6 Block. Add a Dazed into your Discard Pile.

Breakthrough

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Lose 1 HP. Deal 9 damage to ALL enemies.

Celestial Might

Common · Attack · Regent

2

Deal 6 damage 3 times.

Charge Battery

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 7 Block. Next turn, gain .

Cinder

Common · Attack · Ironclad

2

Deal 17 damage. Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.

Claw

Common · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 3 damage. Increase the damage of ALL Claw cards by 2 this combat.

Cloak and Dagger

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 6 Block. Add 1 Shiv into your Hand.

Cloak of Stars

Common · Skill · Regent

0

Gain 7 Block.

Cold Snap

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 6 damage. Channel 1 Frost.

Collision Course

Common · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 9 damage. Add a Debris into your Hand.

Compile Driver

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 7 damage. Draw 1 card for each unique Orb you have.

Coolheaded

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Channel 1 Frost. Draw 1 card.

Cosmic Indifference

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Gain 6 Block. Put a card from your Discard Pile on top of your Draw Pile.

Crescent Spear

Common · Attack · Regent

1

Deal 8 damage. Deals 2 additional damage for ALL your cards that have a cost.

Crush Under

Common · Attack · Regent

1

Deal 7 damage to ALL enemies. All enemies lose 1 Strength this turn.

Dagger Spray

Common · Attack · Silent

1

Deal 4 damage to ALL enemies twice.

Dagger Throw

Common · Attack · Silent

1

Deal 9 damage. Draw 1 card. Discard 1 card.

Deadly Poison

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Apply 5 Poison.

Defile

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 13 damage.

Deflect

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Gain 4 Block.

Defy

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 6 Block. Apply 1 Weak.

Dodge and Roll

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 4 Block. Next turn, gain 4 Block.

Drain Power

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 10 damage. Upgrade 2 random cards in your Discard Pile.

Fear

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 7 damage. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Flatten

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

2

Osty deals 12 damage. This card costs 0 if Osty has attacked this turn.

Flick-Flack

Common · Attack · Silent

1

Deal 7 damage to ALL enemies.

Focused Strike

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 9 damage. Gain 1 Focus this turn.

Gather Light

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Gain 7 Block. Gain .

Glitterstream

Common · Skill · Regent

2

Gain 11 Block. Next turn, gain 4 Block.

Glow

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Gain . Draw 2 cards.

Go for the Eyes

Common · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 3 damage. If the enemy intends to attack, apply 1 Weak.

Grave Warden

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 8 Block. Add a Soul into your Draw Pile.

Graveblast

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 4 damage. Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.

Guiding Star

Common · Attack · Regent

1

Deal 12 damage. Next turn, draw 2 cards.

Gunk Up

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 4 damage 3 times. Add a Slimed into your Discard Pile.

Havoc

Common · Skill · Ironclad

1

Play the top card of your Draw Pile and Exhaust it.

Headbutt

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Deal 9 damage. Put a card from your Discard Pile on top of your Draw Pile.

Hidden Cache

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Gain . Next turn, gain .

Hologram

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 3 Block. Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.

Hotfix

Common · Skill · Defect

0

Gain 2 Focus this turn.

Invoke

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Next turn, Summon 2 and gain .

Iron Wave

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Gain 5 Block. Deal 5 damage.

Know Thy Place

Common · Skill · Regent

0

Apply 1 Weak. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Leading Strike

Common · Attack · Silent

1

Deal 7 damage. Add 1 Shiv into your Hand.

Leap

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 9 Block.

Lightning Rod

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 4 Block. At the start of the next 2 turns, Channel 1 Lightning.

Molten Fist

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Deal 10 damage. Double the enemy's Vulnerable.

Momentum Strike

Common · Attack · Defect

1

Deal 10 damage. Reduce this card's cost to 0 .

Negative Pulse

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 5 Block. Apply 7 Doom to ALL enemies.

Patter

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Gain 8 Block. Gain 2 Vigor.

Perfected Strike

Common · Attack · Ironclad

2

Deal 8 damage. Deals 2 additional damage for ALL your cards containing “Strike”.

Photon Cut

Common · Attack · Regent

1

Deal 10 damage. Draw 1 card. Put 1 card from your Hand on top of your Draw Pile.

Piercing Wail

Common · Skill · Silent

1

ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.

Poisoned Stab

Common · Attack · Silent

1

Deal 6 damage. Apply 3 Poison.

Poke

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

0

Osty deals 6 damage.

Pommel Strike

Common · Attack · Ironclad

1

Deal 9 damage. Draw 1 card.

Prepared

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Draw 1 card. Discard 1 card.

Pull Aggro

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

2

Summon 4. Gain 7 Block.

Reap

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

3

Deal 27 damage.

Reave

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 9 damage. Add a Soul into your Draw Pile.

Refine Blade

Common · Skill · Regent

1

Forge 6. Next turn, gain .

Ricochet

Common · Attack · Silent

2

Deal 3 damage to a random enemy 4 times.

Scourge

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Apply 13 Doom. Draw 1 card.

Sculpting Strike

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

1

Deal 8 damage. Add Ethereal to a card in your Hand.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should I take commons over rarer cards?

Take commons when your deck has an immediate gap in a specific area — damage, block, or utility. A common that solves a problem now is often better than a rare that might be great later. Also prioritize commons that scale or provide utility that remains relevant, such as zero-cost cards or those with debuffs.

Are starter Strikes and Defends worth upgrading?

Upgrading Strikes and Defends is generally a low priority. They gain only +3 damage and +3 block respectively, which is minimal compared to upgrading synergistic cards. Only upgrade starter cards if you have no better options at a campfire and the immediate power is necessary for an upcoming elite or boss fight.

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