Card Category
Rare Cards
Complete guide to Rare cards in Slay the Spire 2 — the most powerful cards with game-changing effects across all characters.
Rare cards in Slay the Spire 2 are the most powerful cards in the game, distinguished by their gold border and dramatic effects that can single-handedly define a deck's strategy. These cards appear less frequently in card rewards and have the highest potential to transform an average run into a winning one.
Each character has a suite of rare cards that exemplify their mechanical identity. The Ironclad's rare cards include game-changers like Corruption, Barricade, and Demon Form — each capable of supporting an entire archetype. These cards are often referred to as "build-around" cards because a single rare card pick can determine the direction of your entire run.
The Silent's rare cards — Wraith Form, After Image, and Die Die Die — provide solutions to the Silent's biggest challenges: burst survivability, chip damage defense, and area-of-effect damage. Wraith Form is widely considered one of the best cards in the game at high ascension levels, providing intangible that can negate the most dangerous enemy turns.
The Defect's rare cards — Echo Form, Electrodynamics, and Thunder Strike — each enable distinct strategies. Echo Form doubles card value in longer fights, Electrodynamics enables Lightning orb AOE builds, and Thunder Strike provides scaling single-target burst that grows with Lightning orb damage.
Rare cards are intentionally costly — most cost 2 or 3 energy — making them significant commitments. Taking a rare card early can be risky if it doesn't fit your emerging strategy, but passing on a powerful rare can feel like a missed opportunity. The skill of rare card evaluation — knowing when to take them and when to skip — is essential for high-level play.
Abrasive
Rare · Power · Silent
Gain 1 Dexterity. Gain 4 Thorns.
Accelerant
Rare · Power · Silent
Poison is triggered 1 additional time.
Adaptive Strike
Rare · Attack · Defect
Deal 18 damage. Add a 0 copy of this card into your Discard Pile.
Adrenaline
Rare · Skill · Silent
Gain . Draw 2 cards.
Afterimage
Rare · Power · Silent
Whenever you play a card, gain 1 Block.
Aggression
Rare · Power · Ironclad
At the start of your turn, put a random Attack from your Discard Pile into your Hand and Upgrade it.
Alchemize
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Procure a random potion.
All for One
Rare · Attack · Defect
Deal 10 damage. Put ALL 0 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
Anointed
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Put every Rare card from your Draw Pile into your Hand.
Arsenal
Rare · Power · Regent
Whenever you play a Colorless card, gain 1 Strength.
Assassinate
Rare · Attack · Silent
Deal 10 damage. Apply 1 Vulnerable.
Banshee's Cry
Rare · Attack · Necrobinder
Deal 33 damage to ALL enemies. Costs less for each Ethereal card played this combat.
Barricade
Rare · Power · Ironclad
Block is not removed at the start of your turn.
Beacon of Hope
Rare · Power · Colorless
Whenever you gain Block on your turn, other players gain half that much Block.
Beat Down
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Play 3 random Attacks from your Discard Pile.
Beat into Shape
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 5 damage. Forge X. Forges an additional 5 for every other time you've hit the enemy this turn.
Big Bang
Rare · Skill · Regent
Draw 1 card. Gain . Gain . Forge 5.
Blade of Ink
Rare · Skill · Silent
This turn, whenever you play an Attack, gain 2 Strength this turn.
Bolas
Rare · Attack · Colorless
Deal 3 damage. At the start of your next turn, return this to your Hand.
Bombardment
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 18 damage. At the start of your turn, plays from the Exhaust Pile.
Brand
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 1 HP. Exhaust 1 card. Gain 1 Strength.
Buffer
Rare · Power · Defect
Prevent the next time you would lose HP.
Bullet Time
Rare · Skill · Silent
You cannot draw additional cards this turn. ALL cards in your Hand are free to play this turn.
Bundle of Joy
Rare · Skill · Regent
Add 3 random Colorless cards into your Hand.
Burst
Rare · Skill · Silent
This turn, your next Skill is played an extra time.
Calamity
Rare · Power · Colorless
Whenever you play an Attack, add a random Attack into your Hand.
Call of the Void
Rare · Power · Necrobinder
At the start of your turn, add 1 random card into your Hand. It gains Ethereal.
Cascade
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Play the top X cards of your Draw Pile.
Colossus
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 5 Block. You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.
Comet
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 33 damage. Apply 3 Weak. Apply 3 Vulnerable.
Conflagration
Rare · Attack · Ironclad
Deal 10 damage to ALL enemies. Deals 2 additional damage for each other Attack you've played this turn.
Consuming Shadow
Rare · Power · Defect
Channel 2 Dark. At the end of your turn, Evoke your leftmost Orb.
Coolant
Rare · Power · Defect
At the start of your turn, gain 2 Block for each unique Orb you have.
Corrosive Wave
Rare · Skill · Silent
Whenever you draw a card this turn, apply 3 Poison to ALL enemies.
Crash Landing
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 21 damage to ALL enemies. Fill your Hand with Debris.
Creative AI
Rare · Power · Defect
At the start of your turn, add a random Power into your Hand.
Crimson Mantle
Rare · Power · Ironclad
At the start of your turn, lose 1 HP and gain 8 Block.
Cruelty
Rare · Power · Ironclad
Vulnerable enemies take an additional 25% damage.
Dark Embrace
Rare · Power · Ironclad
Whenever a card is Exhausted, draw 1 card.
Decisions, Decisions
Rare · Skill · Regent
Draw 3 cards. Choose a Skill in your Hand and play it 3 times.
Defragment
Rare · Power · Defect
Gain 1 Focus.
Demesne
Rare · Power · Necrobinder
At the start of your turn, gain and draw 1 additional card.
Demon Form
Rare · Power · Ironclad
At the start of your turn, gain 2 Strength.
Devour Life
Rare · Power · Necrobinder
Whenever you play a Soul, Summon 1.
Dying Star
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 9 damage to ALL enemies. ALL enemies lose 9 Strength this turn.
Echo Form
Rare · Power · Defect
The first card you play each turn is played an extra time.
Echoing Slash
Rare · Attack · Silent
Deal 10 damage to ALL enemies. Repeat this effect for each enemy killed.
Eidolon
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Exhaust your Hand. If 9 cards were Exhausted this way, gain 1 Intangible.
End of Days
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 29 Doom to ALL enemies. Kill enemies with at least as much Doom as HP.
Entropy
Rare · Power · Colorless
At the start of your turn, Transform 1 card in your Hand.
Envenom
Rare · Power · Silent
Whenever an Attack deals unblocked damage, apply 1 Poison.
Eradicate
Rare · Attack · Necrobinder
Deal 11 damage X times.
Eternal Armor
Rare · Power · Colorless
Gain 7 Plating.
Fan of Knives
Rare · Power · Silent
Shivs now hit ALL enemies. Add 4 Shivs into your Hand.
Feed
Rare · Attack · Ironclad
Deal 10 damage. If Fatal, raise your Max HP by 3.
Fiend Fire
Rare · Attack · Ironclad
Exhaust your Hand. Deal 7 damage for each card Exhausted.
Flak Cannon
Rare · Attack · Defect
Exhaust ALL your Status cards. Deal 8 damage to a random enemy for each card Exhausted.
Foregone Conclusion
Rare · Skill · Regent
Next turn, put 2 cards from your Draw Pile into your Hand.
Genesis
Rare · Power · Regent
At the start of your turn, gain .
Genetic Algorithm
Rare · Skill · Defect
Gain 1 Block. Permanently increase this card's Block by 3.
Glimpse Beyond
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
ALL players add 3 Souls into their Draw Pile.
Gold Axe
Rare · Attack · Colorless
Deal damage equal to the number of cards played this combat.
Grand Finale
Rare · Attack · Silent
Can only be played if there are no cards in your Draw Pile. Deal 50 damage to ALL enemies.
GUARDS!!!
Rare · Skill · Regent
Transform any number of cards in your Hand into Minion Sacrifice.
Hammer Time
Rare · Power · Regent
Whenever you Forge, all allies Forge as well.
Hand of Greed
Rare · Attack · Colorless
Deal 20 damage. If Fatal, gain 20 Gold.
Hang
Rare · Attack · Necrobinder
Deal 10 damage. Double the damage ALL Hang cards deal to this enemy.
Heavenly Drill
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 8 damage X times. Double X if it's 4 or more.
Heirloom Hammer
Rare · Attack · Regent
Deal 17 damage. Choose a Colorless card in your Hand. Add a copy of that card into your Hand.
Helix Drill
Rare · Attack · Defect
Deal 3 damage for each previously spent this turn.
Hellraiser
Rare · Power · Ironclad
Whenever you draw a card containing “Strike”, it is played against a random enemy.
Hidden Gem
Rare · Skill · Colorless
A random card in your Draw Pile gains Replay 2.
Hyperbeam
Rare · Attack · Defect
Deal 26 damage to ALL enemies. Lose 3 Focus.
I Am Invincible
Rare · Skill · Regent
Gain 9 Block. At the end of your turn, if this is on top of your Draw Pile, play it.
Ice Lance
Rare · Attack · Defect
Deal 19 damage. Channel 3 Frost.
Ignition
Rare · Skill · Defect
Another player Channels Plasma.
Impervious
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 30 Block.
Jackpot
Rare · Attack · Colorless
Deal 25 damage. Add 3 random 0 cards into your Hand.
Juggernaut
Rare · Power · Ironclad
Whenever you gain Block, deal 5 damage to a random enemy.
Knife Trap
Rare · Skill · Silent
Play every Shiv in your Exhaust Pile on the enemy.
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