Card Database

Card Category

Zero-Cost Cards

Complete guide to zero-cost cards in Slay the Spire 2 — free-to-play cards that enable high-efficiency turns and combo strategies.

Zero-cost cards in Slay the Spire 2 are cards that cost 0 energy to play. These efficient cards, while individually modest in power, create tremendous value when combined with the right synergies. They form the backbone of some of the game's most powerful archetypes and enable turns where you can play 8+ cards while your energy-expensive enemies struggle to keep up.

Every zero-cost card trades raw power for efficiency. A zero-cost attack typically deals 3-4 damage — less than a Strike — but provides additional effects like card draw, debuffs, or synergy with other cards. Zero-cost skills offer free block or utility, enabling you to spend all your energy on scaling cards or expensive powers.

The Silent has the deepest zero-cost card pool, centered around Shivs generated by Blade Dance, Cloak and Dagger, and Infinite Blades. These zero-cost attacks gain immense value with Strength scaling and effects that trigger on card play. Finisher, a Silent zero-cost attack, scales its damage based on cards played this turn, easily reaching 20+ damage in Shiv-heavy builds.

Zero-cost cards synergize exceptionally well with card draw and energy generation. Having a hand full of free cards means every card drawn is effectively additional "energy" compared to decks with expensive cards. Cards like Skim (draw 3) and Calculated Gamble (discard hand, draw that many) become even more powerful with zero-cost cards providing the fuel.

115 cards

Adrenaline

Rare · Skill · Silent

0

Gain . Draw 2 cards.

Alignment

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

0

Gain .

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.

Assassinate

Rare · Attack · Silent

0

Deal 10 damage. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Astral Pulse

Common · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 14 damage to ALL enemies.

Backstab

Uncommon · Attack · Silent

0

Deal 11 damage.

Battle Trance

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

0

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

Beam Cell

Common · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 3 damage. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Believe in You

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Another player gains .

Big Bang

Rare · Skill · Regent

0

Draw 1 card. Gain . Gain . Forge 5.

Bloodletting

Common · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 3 HP. Gain .

Bolas

Rare · Attack · Colorless

0

Deal 3 damage. At the start of your next turn, return this to your Hand.

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 .

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.

Bully

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

0

Deal 6 damage. Deals 2 additional damage for each Vulnerable on the enemy.

Byrd Swoop

Event · Attack · event

0

Deal 14 damage.

Calculated Gamble

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

0

Discard your Hand, then draw that many cards.

Chill

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

0

Channel 1 Frost for each enemy.

Clash

Event · Attack · event

0

Can only be played if every card in your Hand is an Attack. Deal 14 damage.

Claw

Common · Attack · Defect

0

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

Cloak of Stars

Common · Skill · Regent

0

Gain 7 Block.

Collision Course

Common · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 9 damage. Add a Debris into your Hand.

Comet

Rare · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 33 damage. Apply 3 Weak. Apply 3 Vulnerable.

Dark Shackles

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Enemy loses 9 Strength this turn.

Decisions, Decisions

Rare · Skill · Regent

0

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

Deflect

Common · Skill · Silent

0

Gain 4 Block.

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.

Dramatic Entrance

Uncommon · Attack · Colorless

0

Deal 11 damage to ALL enemies.

Drum of Battle

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

0

Draw 2 cards. At the start of your turn, Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.

Enlightenment

Event · Skill · event

0

Reduce the cost of ALL cards in your Hand to 1 this turn.

Eradicate

Rare · Attack · Necrobinder

0

Deal 11 damage X times.

Escape Plan

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

0

Draw 1 card. If you draw a Skill, gain 3 Block.

Expose

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

0

Remove all Artifact and Block from the enemy. Apply 2 Vulnerable.

Falling Star

Basic · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 7 damage. Apply 1 Weak. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Feeding Frenzy

Event · Skill · event

0

Gain 5 Strength this turn.

Fetch

Uncommon · Attack · Necrobinder

0

Osty deals 3 damage. If this is the first time this card has been played this turn, draw 1 card.

Finesse

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Gain 4 Block. Draw 1 card.

Flash of Steel

Uncommon · Attack · Colorless

0

Deal 5 damage. Draw 1 card.

FTL

Uncommon · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 5 damage. If you have played fewer than 3 cards this turn, draw 1 card.

Fuel

Token · Skill · token

0

Gain . Draw 1 card.

Gamma Blast

Uncommon · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 13 damage. Apply 2 Weak. Apply 2 Vulnerable.

Go for the Eyes

Common · Attack · Defect

0

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

Grand Finale

Rare · Attack · Silent

0

Can only be played if there are no cards in your Draw Pile. Deal 50 damage to ALL enemies.

Heavenly Drill

Rare · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 8 damage X times. Double X if it's 4 or more.

Helix Drill

Rare · Attack · Defect

0

Deal 3 damage for each previously spent this turn.

Hidden Daggers

Uncommon · Skill · Silent

0

Discard 2 cards. Add 2 Shivs into your Hand.

Hotfix

Common · Skill · Defect

0

Gain 2 Focus this turn.

Impatience

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

If you have no Attacks in your Hand, draw 2 cards.

Jack of All Trades

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Add 1 random Colorless card into your Hand.

Know Thy Place

Common · Skill · Regent

0

Apply 1 Weak. Apply 1 Vulnerable.

Largesse

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

0

Another player adds 1 random Colorless card to their Hand.

Luminesce

Token · Skill · token

0

Gain .

Lunar Blast

Uncommon · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 4 damage for each Skill already played this turn.

Make It So

Rare · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 6 damage. Every 3 Skills you play in a turn, put this into your Hand.

Malaise

Rare · Skill · Silent

0

Enemy loses X Strength. Apply X Weak.

Master of Strategy

Rare · Skill · Colorless

0

Draw 3 cards.

Meteor Shower

Ancient · Attack · Regent

0

Deal 14 damage to ALL enemies. Apply 2 Weak and Vulnerable to ALL enemies.

Minion Sacrifice

Token · Skill · token

0

Gain 9 Block.

Minion Strike

Token · Attack · token

0

Deal 7 damage. Draw 1 card.

Misery

Rare · Attack · Necrobinder

0

Deal 7 damage. Apply any debuffs on the enemy to ALL other enemies.

Modded

Rare · Skill · Defect

0

Gain 1 Orb Slot. Draw 1 card. Increase this card's cost by 1.

Monologue

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

0

Whenever you play a card this turn, gain 1 Strength this turn.

Multi-Cast

Rare · Skill · Defect

0

Evoke your rightmost Orb X times.

Neurosurge

Rare · Power · Necrobinder

0

Gain . Draw 2 cards. At the start of your turn, apply 3 Doom to yourself.

Neutralize

Basic · Attack · Silent

0

Deal 3 damage. Apply 1 Weak.

Oblivion

Rare · Skill · Necrobinder

0

Whenever you play a card this turn, apply 3 Doom to the enemy.

Offering

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

0

Lose 6 HP. Gain . Draw 3 cards.

Omnislice

Uncommon · Attack · Colorless

0

Deal 8 damage. Damage ALL other enemies equal to the damage dealt.

Overclock

Uncommon · Skill · Defect

0

Draw 2 cards. Add a Burn into your Discard Pile.

Pact's End

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

0

Can only be played if you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile. Deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.

Panache

Uncommon · Power · Colorless

0

Every time you play 5 cards in a single turn, deal 10 damage to ALL enemies.

Panic Button

Uncommon · Skill · Colorless

0

Gain 30 Block. You cannot gain Block from cards for 2 turns.

Particle Wall

Uncommon · Skill · Regent

0

Gain 9 Block. Return this card to your Hand.

Poke

Common · Attack · Necrobinder

0

Osty deals 6 damage.

Precise Cut

Uncommon · Attack · Silent

0

Deal 15 damage. Deals 2 less damage for each other card in your Hand.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which character benefits most from zero-cost cards?

The Silent benefits most, with access to Shiv-generating cards and Finisher. However, all characters can benefit from specific zero-cost cards. The Defect's Claw becomes stronger with each Claw played, and zero-cost skills like Deflect are valuable in any deck.

Are zero-cost cards always good?

Not always. Zero-cost cards can dilute your deck if they don't contribute to your strategy. A hand full of weak zero-cost cards without synergy can leave you lacking the impact needed for difficult fights. They are best in dedicated builds with supporting cards like Accuracy, Finisher, or card draw engines.

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