Card Database

Card Category

Skill Cards

Complete guide to Skill cards in Slay the Spire 2 — all block, utility, and support cards across every character.

Skill cards in Slay the Spire 2 are green-bordered cards that provide block, utility, status effects, and support functions. While attack cards deal damage, skills are the backbone of any successful deck's defensive and synergistic capabilities. Mastering skill card selection is often what separates winning runs from losing ones.

Block skills are the most common and crucial category. Cards like Shrug It Off, Leg Sweep, and Glacier provide direct block generation. Some block skills offer additional benefits — drawing cards, applying debuffs, or generating orbs. The efficiency of block skills determines how much damage you can mitigate each turn, directly impacting your survival through tough encounters.

Utility skills provide temporary or permanent advantages that shape combat outcomes. Powers — a subset of skills with persistent effects — include build-defining cards like Demon Form, Wraith Form, and Echo Form. These cards represent long-term investments that pay dividends across entire fights. Other utility skills apply debuffs (Weak, Vulnerable), remove debuffs, or manipulate cards in hand and draw pile.

Every character relies on skills differently. The Silent has the deepest skill pool, with an emphasis on poison application, card draw, and discard synergies. The Ironclad's skills often involve self-damage or status-inflicting mechanics that turn penalties into advantages. The Defect's skills focus on orb generation and Focus manipulation.

Skill card cost efficiency varies widely. Zero-cost skills like Deflect provide free block, while high-cost skills like Impervious offer premium protection. Block-to-cost ratios, additional effects, and synergy potential all factor into a skill card's true value. The Corruption + Dead Branch interaction demonstrates how skills can become exponentially more powerful under the right conditions.

230 cards

Acrobatics

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Draw 3 cards. Discard 1 card.

Adrenaline

Rare · Skill · Silent

0

Gain . Draw 2 cards.

Afterlife

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Summon 6.

Alchemize

Rare · Skill · Colorless

1

Procure a random potion.

Alignment

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

0

Gain .

Anointed

Rare · Skill · Colorless

1

Put every Rare card from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Anticipate

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Gain 3 Dexterity this turn.

Apotheosis

Ancient · Skill · event

2

Upgrade ALL your cards.

Apparition

Ancient · Skill · event

1

Gain 1 Intangible.

Armaments

Common · Skill · Ironclad

1

Gain 5 Block. Upgrade a card in your Hand.

Backflip

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 5 Block. Draw 2 cards.

Battle Trance

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

0

Draw 3 cards. You cannot draw additional cards this turn.

Beat Down

Rare · Skill · Colorless

3

Play 3 random Attacks from your Discard Pile.

Believe in You

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Another player gains .

Big Bang

Rare · Skill · Regent

0

Draw 1 card. Gain . Gain . Forge 5.

Blade Dance

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.

Blade of Ink

Rare · Skill · Silent

1

This turn, whenever you play an Attack, gain 2 Strength this turn.

Blood Wall

Common · Skill · Ironclad

2

Lose 2 HP. Gain 16 Block.

Bloodletting

Common · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 3 HP. Gain .

Blur

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 5 Block. Block is not removed at the start of your next turn.

Bodyguard

Basic · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Summon 5.

Boost Away

Common · Skill · Defect

0

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

Boot Sequence

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

0

Gain 10 Block.

Borrowed Time

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

0

Apply 3 Doom to yourself. Gain .

Bouncing Flask

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

2

Apply 3 Poison to a random enemy 3 times.

Brand

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 1 HP. Exhaust 1 card. Gain 1 Strength.

Brightest Flame

Ancient · Skill · event

0

Gain . Draw 2 cards. Lose 1 Max HP.

Bubble Bubble

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

1

If the enemy has Poison, apply 9 Poison.

Bullet Time

Rare · Skill · Silent

3

You cannot draw additional cards this turn. ALL cards in your Hand are free to play this turn.

Bulwark

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

2

Gain 13 Block. Forge 10.

Bundle of Joy

Rare · Skill · Regent

2

Add 3 random Colorless cards into your Hand.

Burning Pact

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

1

Exhaust 1 card. Draw 2 cards.

Burst

Rare · Skill · Silent

1

This turn, your next Skill is played an extra time.

Calculated Gamble

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

0

Discard your Hand, then draw that many cards.

Capture Spirit

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Enemy loses 3 HP. Add 3 Souls into your Draw Pile.

Cascade

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

-1

Play the top X cards of your Draw Pile.

Catastrophe

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

2

Play 2 random cards from your Draw Pile.

Chaos

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

1

Channel 1 random Orb.

CHARGE!!

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

1

Choose 2 cards in your Draw Pile to Transform into Minion Strikes.

Charge Battery

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 7 Block. Next turn, gain .

Chill

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

0

Channel 1 Frost for each enemy.

Cleanse

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Summon 3. Exhaust 1 card from your Draw Pile.

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.

Colossus

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

1

Gain 5 Block. You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.

Compact

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 6 Block. Transform all Status cards in your Hand into Fuel.

Conqueror

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

1

Forge 3. Sovereign Blade deals double damage to the enemy this turn.

Convergence

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

1

Next turn, gain and . Retain your Hand this turn.

Coolheaded

Common · Skill · Defect

1

Channel 1 Frost. Draw 1 card.

Coordinate

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

1

Give another player 5 Strength this turn.

Corrosive Wave

Rare · Skill · Silent

1

Whenever you draw a card this turn, apply 3 Poison to ALL enemies.

Cosmic Indifference

Common · Skill · Regent

1

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

Dark Shackles

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Enemy loses 9 Strength this turn.

Darkness

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

1

Channel 1 Dark. Trigger the passive ability of all Dark Orbs.

Deadly Poison

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Apply 5 Poison.

Deathbringer

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

2

Apply 21 Doom and 1 Weak to ALL enemies.

Death's Door

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 6 Block. If you applied Doom this turn, gain Block 2 additional times.

Decisions, Decisions

Rare · Skill · Regent

0

Draw 3 cards. Choose a Skill in your Hand and play it 3 times.

Defend

Basic · Skill · Defect

1

Gain 5 Block.

Defend

Basic · Skill · Ironclad

1

Gain 5 Block.

Defend

Basic · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 5 Block.

Defend

Basic · Skill · Regent

1

Gain 5 Block.

Defend

Basic · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 5 Block.

Deflect

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Gain 4 Block.

Defy

Common · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Gain 6 Block. Apply 1 Weak.

Delay

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

2

Gain 11 Block. Next turn, gain .

Demonic Shield

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 1 HP. Give another player Block equal to your Block.

Dirge

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

0

Summon 3 X times. Add X Souls into your Draw Pile.

Discovery

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

1

Choose 1 of 3 random cards to add into your Hand. It costs 0 this turn.

Distraction

Event · Skill · event

1

Add a random Skill into your Hand. It's free to play this turn.

Dodge and Roll

Common · Skill · Silent

1

Gain 4 Block. Next turn, gain 4 Block.

Dominate

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

1

Gain 1 Strength for each Vulnerable on the enemy.

Double Energy

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

1

Double your Energy.

Dredge

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Put 3 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.

Dual Wield

Event · Skill · event

1

Choose an Attack or Power card. Add copies|a copy} of that card into your Hand.

Dualcast

Basic · Skill · Defect

1

Evoke your rightmost Orb twice.

Eidolon

Rare · Skill · Necrobinder

2

Exhaust your Hand. If 9 cards were Exhausted this way, gain 1 Intangible.

End of Days

Rare · Skill · Necrobinder

3

Apply 29 Doom to ALL enemies. Kill enemies with at least as much Doom as HP.

Energy Surge

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

1

ALL players gain .

Enfeebling Touch

Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder

1

Enemy loses 8 Strength this turn.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important skill card type?

Block skills are universally important — every deck needs reliable block generation to survive. Beyond block, skills that provide card draw or energy generation are the most impactful, as they enable you to access your key cards more consistently.

How many skills vs attacks should I take?

Aim for roughly 40-50% skills in most decks, though this varies by character. The Silent tends toward more skills, the Ironclad toward more attacks. The key ratio to maintain is enough block to survive elite and boss encounters while having sufficient damage to end fights before your resources run out.

What makes a skill card worth taking?

A skill card is worth taking if it (1) provides efficient block for its cost, (2) offers utility that your deck needs (draw, debuffs, scaling), or (3) enables powerful synergies with your existing cards. Skills that do multiple things — block + draw, block + debuff, or block + orb generation — are particularly valuable.

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