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.

Acrobatics
Common · Skill · Silent
Draw 3 cards. Discard 1 card.

Adrenaline
Rare · Skill · Silent
Gain . Draw 2 cards.

Afterlife
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 6.

Alchemize
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Procure a random potion.

Alignment
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain .

Anointed
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Put every Rare card from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Anticipate
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 3 Dexterity this turn.

Apotheosis
Ancient · Skill · event
Upgrade ALL your cards.

Apparition
Ancient · Skill · event
Gain 1 Intangible.

Armaments
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 5 Block. Upgrade a card in your Hand.

Backflip
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 5 Block. Draw 2 cards.

Battle Trance
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Draw 3 cards. You cannot draw additional cards this turn.

Beat Down
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Play 3 random Attacks from your Discard Pile.

Believe in You
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Another player gains .

Big Bang
Rare · Skill · Regent
Draw 1 card. Gain . Gain . Forge 5.

Blade Dance
Common · Skill · Silent
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.

Blade of Ink
Rare · Skill · Silent
This turn, whenever you play an Attack, gain 2 Strength this turn.

Blood Wall
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 2 HP. Gain 16 Block.

Bloodletting
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 3 HP. Gain .

Blur
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Gain 5 Block. Block is not removed at the start of your next turn.

Bodyguard
Basic · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 5.

Boost Away
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 6 Block. Add a Dazed into your Discard Pile.

Boot Sequence
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 10 Block.

Borrowed Time
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 3 Doom to yourself. Gain .

Bouncing Flask
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Apply 3 Poison to a random enemy 3 times.

Brand
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 1 HP. Exhaust 1 card. Gain 1 Strength.

Brightest Flame
Ancient · Skill · event
Gain . Draw 2 cards. Lose 1 Max HP.

Bubble Bubble
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
If the enemy has Poison, apply 9 Poison.

Bullet Time
Rare · Skill · Silent
You cannot draw additional cards this turn. ALL cards in your Hand are free to play this turn.

Bulwark
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 13 Block. Forge 10.

Bundle of Joy
Rare · Skill · Regent
Add 3 random Colorless cards into your Hand.

Burning Pact
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Exhaust 1 card. Draw 2 cards.

Burst
Rare · Skill · Silent
This turn, your next Skill is played an extra time.

Calculated Gamble
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Discard your Hand, then draw that many cards.

Capture Spirit
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Enemy loses 3 HP. Add 3 Souls into your Draw Pile.

Cascade
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Play the top X cards of your Draw Pile.

Catastrophe
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Play 2 random cards from your Draw Pile.

Chaos
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 random Orb.

CHARGE!!
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Choose 2 cards in your Draw Pile to Transform into Minion Strikes.

Charge Battery
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 7 Block. Next turn, gain .

Chill
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Frost for each enemy.

Cleanse
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 3. Exhaust 1 card from your Draw Pile.

Cloak and Dagger
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 6 Block. Add 1 Shiv into your Hand.

Cloak of Stars
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain 7 Block.

Colossus
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 5 Block. You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.

Compact
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 6 Block. Transform all Status cards in your Hand into Fuel.

Conqueror
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Forge 3. Sovereign Blade deals double damage to the enemy this turn.

Convergence
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Next turn, gain and . Retain your Hand this turn.

Coolheaded
Common · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Frost. Draw 1 card.

Coordinate
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Give another player 5 Strength this turn.

Corrosive Wave
Rare · Skill · Silent
Whenever you draw a card this turn, apply 3 Poison to ALL enemies.

Cosmic Indifference
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain 6 Block. Put a card from your Discard Pile on top of your Draw Pile.

Dark Shackles
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Enemy loses 9 Strength this turn.

Darkness
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Dark. Trigger the passive ability of all Dark Orbs.

Deadly Poison
Common · Skill · Silent
Apply 5 Poison.

Deathbringer
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 21 Doom and 1 Weak to ALL enemies.

Death's Door
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 6 Block. If you applied Doom this turn, gain Block 2 additional times.

Decisions, Decisions
Rare · Skill · Regent
Draw 3 cards. Choose a Skill in your Hand and play it 3 times.

Defend
Basic · Skill · Defect
Gain 5 Block.

Defend
Basic · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 5 Block.

Defend
Basic · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 5 Block.

Defend
Basic · Skill · Regent
Gain 5 Block.

Defend
Basic · Skill · Silent
Gain 5 Block.

Deflect
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 4 Block.

Defy
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 6 Block. Apply 1 Weak.

Delay
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 11 Block. Next turn, gain .

Demonic Shield
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 1 HP. Give another player Block equal to your Block.

Dirge
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 3 X times. Add X Souls into your Draw Pile.

Discovery
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Choose 1 of 3 random cards to add into your Hand. It costs 0 this turn.

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

Dodge and Roll
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 4 Block. Next turn, gain 4 Block.

Dominate
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 1 Strength for each Vulnerable on the enemy.

Double Energy
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Double your Energy.

Dredge
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Put 3 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.

Dual Wield
Event · Skill · event
Choose an Attack or Power card. Add copies|a copy} of that card into your Hand.

Dualcast
Basic · Skill · Defect
Evoke your rightmost Orb twice.

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.

Energy Surge
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
ALL players gain .

Enfeebling Touch
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Enemy loses 8 Strength this turn.

Enlightenment
Event · Skill · event
Reduce the cost of ALL cards in your Hand to 1 this turn.

Entrench
Event · Skill · event
Double your Block.

Equilibrium
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain 13 Block. Retain your Hand this turn.

Escape Plan
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Draw 1 card. If you draw a Skill, gain 3 Block.

Evil Eye
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 8 Block. Gain another 8 Block if you have Exhausted a card this turn.

Expect a Fight
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Gain for each Attack in your Hand.

Expertise
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Draw cards until you have 6 in your Hand.

Expose
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Remove all Artifact and Block from the enemy. Apply 2 Vulnerable.

Feeding Frenzy
Event · Skill · event
Gain 5 Strength this turn.

Fight Through
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 13 Block. Add 2 Wounds into your Discard Pile.

Finesse
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain 4 Block. Draw 1 card.

Flame Barrier
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 12 Block. Whenever you are attacked this turn, deal 4 damage back.

Flanking
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
The enemy takes double damage from other players this turn.

Foregone Conclusion
Rare · Skill · Regent
Next turn, put 2 cards from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Forgotten Ritual
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
If you Exhausted a card this turn, gain .

Fuel
Token · Skill · token
Gain . Draw 1 card.

Fusion
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Plasma.

Gather Light
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain 7 Block. Gain .

Genetic Algorithm
Rare · Skill · Defect
Gain 1 Block. Permanently increase this card's Block by 3.

Glacier
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 6 Block. Channel 2 Frost.

Glasswork
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 5 Block. Channel 1 Glass.

Glimmer
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Draw 3 cards. Put 1 card from your Hand on top of your Draw Pile.

Glimpse Beyond
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
ALL players add 3 Souls into their Draw Pile.

Glitterstream
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain 11 Block. Next turn, gain 4 Block.

Glow
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain . Draw 2 cards.

Grave Warden
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 8 Block. Add a Soul into your Draw Pile.

GUARDS!!!
Rare · Skill · Regent
Transform any number of cards in your Hand into Minion Sacrifice.

Hand Trick
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Gain 7 Block. Add Sly to a Skill in your Hand this turn.

Havoc
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Play the top card of your Draw Pile and Exhaust it.

Haze
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Apply 4 Poison to ALL enemies.

Hidden Cache
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain . Next turn, gain .

Hidden Daggers
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Discard 2 cards. Add 2 Shivs into your Hand.

Hidden Gem
Rare · Skill · Colorless
A random card in your Draw Pile gains Replay 2.

Hologram
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 3 Block. Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.

Hotfix
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 2 Focus this turn.

Huddle Up
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
ALL allies draw 2 cards.

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.

Ignition
Rare · Skill · Defect
Another player Channels Plasma.

Impatience
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
If you have no Attacks in your Hand, draw 2 cards.

Impervious
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 30 Block.

Infernal Blade
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Add a random Attack into your Hand. It's free to play this turn.

Intercept
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain 9 Block. Redirect all incoming attacks that would be dealt to another player this turn to you.

Invoke
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Next turn, Summon 2 and gain .

Jack of All Trades
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Add 1 random Colorless card into your Hand.

Knife Trap
Rare · Skill · Silent
Play every Shiv in your Exhaust Pile on the enemy.

Know Thy Place
Common · Skill · Regent
Apply 1 Weak. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Largesse
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Another player adds 1 random Colorless card to their Hand.

Leap
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 9 Block.

Leg Sweep
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Apply 2 Weak. Gain 11 Block.

Legion of Bone
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
ALL players Summon 6.

Lift
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Give another player 11 Block.

Lightning Rod
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain 4 Block. At the start of the next 2 turns, Channel 1 Lightning.

Luminesce
Token · Skill · token
Gain .

Malaise
Rare · Skill · Silent
Enemy loses X Strength. Apply X Weak.

Manifest Authority
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 7 Block. Add 1 random Colorless card into your Hand.

Master of Strategy
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Draw 3 cards.

Melancholy
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 13 Block. Reduce this card's cost by whenever ANYONE dies.

Metamorphosis
Event · Skill · event
Add 3 random Attacks into your Draw Pile. They're free to play this combat.

Mimic
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Gain Block equal to the Block on another player.

Minion Sacrifice
Token · Skill · token
Gain 9 Block.

Mirage
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Gain Block equal to Poison on ALL enemies.

Modded
Rare · Skill · Defect
Gain 1 Orb Slot. Draw 1 card. Increase this card's cost by 1.

Monologue
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Whenever you play a card this turn, gain 1 Strength this turn.

Multi-Cast
Rare · Skill · Defect
Evoke your rightmost Orb X times.

Negative Pulse
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 5 Block. Apply 7 Doom to ALL enemies.

Nightmare
Rare · Skill · Silent
Choose a card. Next turn, add 3 copies of that card into your Hand.

No Escape
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 10 Doom, plus an additional 5 Doom for every 10 Doom already on this enemy.

Oblivion
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Whenever you play a card this turn, apply 3 Doom to the enemy.

Offering
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Lose 6 HP. Gain . Draw 3 cards.

One-Two Punch
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
This turn, your next Attack is played an extra time.

Outmaneuver
Event · Skill · event
Next turn, gain .

Overclock
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Draw 2 cards. Add a Burn into your Discard Pile.

Panic Button
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain 30 Block. You cannot gain Block from cards for 2 turns.

Parse
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Draw 3 cards.

Particle Wall
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 9 Block. Return this card to your Hand.

Patter
Common · Skill · Regent
Gain 8 Block. Gain 2 Vigor.

Piercing Wail
Common · Skill · Silent
ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.

Prepared
Common · Skill · Silent
Draw 1 card. Discard 1 card.

Primal Force
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Transform all Attacks in your Hand into Giant Rock.

Production
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain .

Prolong
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Next turn, gain Block equal to your current Block.

Prophesize
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Draw 6 cards.

Pull Aggro
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 4. Gain 7 Block.

Purity
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Exhaust up to 3 cards in your Hand.

Putrefy
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 2 Weak. Apply 2 Vulnerable.

Quadcast
Ancient · Skill · Defect
Evoke your rightmost Orb 4 times.

Quasar
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Choose 1 of 3 random Colorless cards to add into your Hand.

Rage
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Whenever you play an Attack this turn, gain 3 Block.

Rainbow
Rare · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Lightning. Channel 1 Frost. Channel 1 Dark.

Rally
Rare · Skill · Colorless
ALL players gain 12 Block.

Reanimate
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 20.

Reboot
Rare · Skill · Defect
Shuffle ALL your cards into your Draw Pile. Draw 4 cards.

Refine Blade
Common · Skill · Regent
Forge 6. Next turn, gain .

Reflect
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 17 Block. Blocked attack damage is reflected to your attacker this turn.

Reflex
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Draw 2 cards.

Relax
Ancient · Skill · event
Gain 15 Block. Next turn, draw 2 cards and gain .

Resonance
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 1 Strength. ALL enemies lose 1 Strength.

Restlessness
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
If your Hand is empty, draw 2 cards and gain .

Royal Gamble
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 9 .

Sacrifice
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
If Osty is alive, he dies and you gain Block equal to double his Max HP.

Scavenge
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Exhaust a card. Next turn, gain .

Scourge
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Apply 13 Doom. Draw 1 card.

Scrawl
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Draw cards until your Hand is full.

Seance
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Transform a card in your Draw Pile into Soul.

Second Wind
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Exhaust all non-Attack cards in your Hand. Gain 5 Block for each card Exhausted.

Secret Technique
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Put a Skill from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Secret Weapon
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Put an Attack from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Shadow Shield
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 11 Block. Channel 1 Dark.

Shadow Step
Rare · Skill · Silent
Discard your Hand. Next turn, Attacks deal double damage.

Shadowmeld
Rare · Skill · Silent
Double your Block gain this turn.

Shared Fate
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Lose 2 Strength. Enemy loses 2 Strength.

Shockwave
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Apply 3 Weak and Vulnerable to ALL enemies.

Shrug It Off
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 8 Block. Draw 1 card.

Signal Boost
Rare · Skill · Defect
The next Power you play is played an additional time.

Skim
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Draw 3 cards.

Snakebite
Common · Skill · Silent
Apply 7 Poison.

Soul
Token · Skill · token
Draw 2 cards.

Splash
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Choose 1 of 3 random Attacks from another character to add into your Hand. It's free to play this turn.

Spoils of Battle
Common · Skill · Regent
Forge 10.

Spur
Uncommon · Skill · Necrobinder
Summon 3. Osty heals 5 HP.

Stack
Event · Skill · event
Gain Block equal to the number of cards in your Discard Pile|}.

Stoke
Rare · Skill · Ironclad
Exhaust your Hand. Draw a card for each card Exhausted.

Storm of Steel
Rare · Skill · Silent
Discard your Hand. Add 1 Shiv into your Hand for each card discarded.

Summon Forth
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Forge 8. Put Sovereign Blade into your Hand from anywhere.

Supercritical
Rare · Skill · Defect
Gain .

Survivor
Basic · Skill · Silent
Gain 8 Block. Discard 1 card.

Synchronize
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Gain 2 Focus this turn for each unique Orb you have.

Tactician
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Gain .

Taunt
Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 7 Block. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Tempest
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Channel X Lightning.

Terraforming
Uncommon · Skill · Regent
Gain 6 Vigor.

The Bomb
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
At the end of 3 turns, deal 40 damage to ALL enemies.

The Gambit
Rare · Skill · Colorless
Gain 50 Block. If you take unblocked attack damage this combat, die.

The Smith
Rare · Skill · Regent
Forge 30.

Thinking Ahead
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Draw 2 cards. Put 1 card from your Hand on top of your Draw Pile.

Toric Toughness
Event · Skill · event
Gain 5 Block. Gain 5 Block at the start of the next 2 turns.

Transfigure
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Add Replay to a card in your Hand. It costs an extra .

Tremble
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Apply 2 Vulnerable.

True Grit
Common · Skill · Ironclad
Gain 7 Block. Exhaust 1 card at random.

TURBO
Common · Skill · Defect
Gain . Add a Void into your Discard Pile.

Ultimate Defend
Uncommon · Skill · Colorless
Gain 11 Block.

Undeath
Rare · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain 7 Block. Add a copy of this card into your Discard Pile.

Untouchable
Common · Skill · Silent
Gain 9 Block.

Up My Sleeve
Uncommon · Skill · Silent
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand. Reduce this card's cost by 1.

Venerate
Basic · Skill · Regent
Gain .

Voltaic
Rare · Skill · Defect
Channel Lightning equal to the Lightning already Channeled this combat.

White Noise
Uncommon · Skill · Defect
Add a random Power into your Hand. It's free to play this turn.

Wish
Ancient · Skill · event
Put a card from your Draw Pile into your Hand.

Wisp
Common · Skill · Necrobinder
Gain .

Zap
Basic · Skill · Defect
Channel 1 Lightning.