What is the best Ironclad deck archetype?

The Corruption + Dead Branch combo is widely considered the strongest Ironclad archetype. Corruption makes all skills cost 0, and Dead Branch generates new cards whenever you Exhaust one, creating infinite value. Other strong archetypes include Strength scaling with Limit Break and Heavy Blade, and Barricade-based block decks.

How should I prioritize Ironclad upgrades?

Upgrade priority for Ironclad: Bash (applies 3 Vulnerable instead of 2) is almost always first. After that, prioritize damage dealers like Carnage or your primary scaling cards like Corruption or Demon Form. Defensive upgrades like Shrug It Off and Impervious are lower priority unless you lack scaling.

Which Ironclad cards should I remove first?

Strikes and Defends are the default removal targets. Strike becomes especially bad once you have any damage scaling, and Defend becomes worse once you have better block cards. If running an Exhaust-based deck, also consider removing cards that don't contribute to the Exhaust engine.

Is Barricade or Demon Form better for Ironclad?

Both are S-tier Ironclad powers, but they serve different purposes. Barricade is better in decks with high block generation (like Shrug It Off + Power Through). Demon Form is better in decks that need Strength scaling to deal damage. The best Ironclad runs often incorporate both, but take whichever your deck needs more.

How does the new Slay the Spire 2 Ironclad differ from STS1?

While retaining core identity, STS2's Ironclad has some rebalanced cards and new synergies. Some classic cards have been adjusted for the new game's balance, and new cards have been added to support fresh playstyles. The core mechanics of Strength, Exhaust, and self-damage remain the foundation.

Card Category

Ironclad Cards

Complete guide to Ironclad cards in Slay the Spire 2 — all attacks, skills, powers, costs, rarities and synergies.

The Ironclad is a durable front-line fighter who excels at dealing direct damage, building block efficiently, and scaling through Strength and Exhaust mechanics. In Slay the Spire 2, the Ironclad's card pool retains the raw, aggressive identity that veterans know while introducing new tools for synergy-driven builds.

Ironclad attack cards form the backbone of most aggressive strategies. Cards like Strike and Pommel Strike provide reliable upfront damage, while heavy hitters such as Bludgeon and Carnage deliver massive single-target blows. The Ironclad's Strength scaling, accessed through cards like Inflame and Spot Weakness, multiplies the damage of multi-hit attacks such as Sword Boomerang and Pummel, creating devastating burst turns.

On the defensive side, Ironclad block cards like Shrug It Off and Power Through offer efficient protection. The Ironclad's unique relationship with Exhaust — turning lost resources into advantages through cards like Feel No Pain, Dark Embrace, and Corruption — makes it one of the most mechanically deep characters in the game. Corruption, in particular, allows skills to be played for free, turning every block card into a zero-cost tool once the power is active.

Ironclad Power cards such as Demon Form, Barricade, and Berserk define entire archetypes. Demon Form provides immense Strength scaling over time, Barricade converts all block into persistent armor, and Berserk offers energy at the cost of vulnerability. These powers shape the Ironclad's mid-game and late-game strategies, often determining whether a run succeeds against the Act 3 and Act 4 bosses.

For new players, the Ironclad is the most forgiving character to learn. His high starting HP, straightforward mechanics, and powerful rare cards make him an excellent entry point into Slay the Spire 2. Experienced players will find depth in optimizing Exhaust synergies, managing HP as a resource, and balancing Strength scaling with block generation.

87 cards

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Aggression

Rare · Power · Ironclad

開始時自分の turn, put a ランダムアタック from 自分の捨てる Pile into 自分の Hand and アップグレード it.

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怒り

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 6 damage. Add a copy of this card into 自分の捨てる Pile.

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Armaments

Common · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 5 ブロック. アップグレード a card in 自分の Hand.

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Ashen Strike

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 9 damage. 与えるs 3 additional damage for each card in 自分の廃棄 Pile.

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バリケード

Rare · Power · Ironclad

ブロック is not removed at の start of 自分の turn.

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踏みつけ

Basic · Attack · Ironclad

与える 8 damage. 適用する 2 脆弱.

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戦闘の恍惚

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

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

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Blood Wall

Common · Skill · Ironclad

失う 2 HP. 獲得する 16 ブロック.

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Bloodletting

Common · Skill · Ironclad

失う 3 HP. 獲得する .

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殴打

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 32 damage.

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Body Slam

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える damage equal to 自分のブロック.

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Brand

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

失う 1 HP. 廃棄 1 card. 獲得する 1 筋力.

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Break

Ancient · Attack · Ironclad

与える 20 damage. 適用する 5 脆弱.

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Breakthrough

Common · Attack · Ironclad

失う 1 HP. 与える 9 damage to ALL 敵全体.

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Bully

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 6 damage. 与えるs 2 additional damage for each 脆弱 on の敵.

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燃える契約

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

廃棄 1 card. 引く 2 cards.

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Cascade

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

-1

Play の top X cards of 自分の引く Pile.

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Cinder

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 17 damage. 廃棄の top card of 自分の引く Pile.

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Colossus

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 5 ブロック. You receive 50% less damage from 脆弱敵全体 this turn.

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Conflagration

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

与える 10 damage to ALL 敵全体. 与えるs 2 additional damage for each oのr アタック you've played this turn.

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腐敗

Ancient · Power · Ironclad

スキルs cost 0 . Whenever you play a スキル, 廃棄 it.

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Crimson Mantle

Rare · Power · Ironclad

開始時自分の turn, lose 1 HP and gain 8 ブロック.

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Cruelty

Rare · Power · Ironclad

脆弱敵全体 take an additional 25% damage.

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暗黒の抱擁

Rare · Power · Ironclad

Whenever a card is 廃棄ed, draw 1 card.

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防御

Basic · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 5 ブロック.

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悪魔化

Rare · Power · Ironclad

開始時自分の turn, gain 2 筋力.

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Demonic Shield

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

失う 1 HP. Give anoのr player ブロック equal to 自分のブロック.

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Dismantle

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 8 damage. If の敵 is 脆弱, hits twice.

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Dominate

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 1 筋力 for each 脆弱 on の敵.

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Drum of Battle

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

引く 2 cards. 開始時自分の turn, 廃棄の top card of 自分の引く Pile.

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Evil Eye

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 8 ブロック. 獲得する anoのr 8 ブロック if you have 廃棄ed a card this turn.

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Expect a Fight

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する for each アタック in 自分の Hand.

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捕食

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

与える 10 damage. If Fatal, raise 自分の Max HP by 3.

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無痛

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

Whenever a card is 廃棄ed, gain 3 ブロック.

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鬼の火

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

廃棄自分の Hand. 与える 7 damage for each card 廃棄ed.

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Fight Me!

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 5 damage twice. 獲得する 2 筋力. The 敵 gains 1 筋力.

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炎の障壁

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 12 ブロック. Whenever you are attacked this turn, deal 4 damage back.

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Forgotten Ritual

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

If you 廃棄ed a card this turn, gain .

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Grapple

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 7 damage. Whenever you gain ブロック this turn, deal 5 damage to の敵.

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大破壊

Common · Skill · Ironclad

Play の top card of 自分の引く Pile and 廃棄 it.

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頭突き

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 9 damage. Put a card from 自分の捨てる Pile on top of 自分の引く Pile.

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Hellraiser

Rare · Power · Ironclad

Whenever you draw a card containing “ストライク”, it is played against a ランダム敵.

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血の操作

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

失う 2 HP. 与える 14 damage.

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Howl from Beyond

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 16 damage to ALL 敵全体. 開始時自分の turn, plays from の廃棄 Pile.

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堅固

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 30 ブロック.

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地獄の刃

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

Add a ランダムアタック into 自分の Hand. It's free to play this turn.

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Inferno

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

開始時自分の turn, lose 1 HP. Whenever you lose HP on 自分の turn, deal 6 damage to ALL 敵全体.

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激昂

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

獲得する 2 筋力.

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鉄の波

Common · Attack · Ironclad

獲得する 5 ブロック. 与える 5 damage.

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ジャガーノート

Rare · Power · Ironclad

Whenever you gain ブロック, deal 5 damage to a ランダム敵.

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Juggling

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

Add a copy of の third アタック you play each turn into 自分の Hand.

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Mangle

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

与える 15 damage. 敵 loses 10 筋力 this turn.

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Molten Fist

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 10 damage. Double の敵's 脆弱.

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供物

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

失う 6 HP. 獲得する . 引く 3 cards.

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One-Two Punch

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

This turn, 自分の next アタック is played an extra time.

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Pact's End

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

Can only be played if you have 3 or more cards in 自分の廃棄 Pile. 与える 17 damage to ALL 敵全体.

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完全なるストライク

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 8 damage. 与えるs 2 additional damage for ALL 自分の cards containing “ストライク”.

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Pillage

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 6 damage. 引く cards until you draw a non-アタック card.

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柄頭攻撃

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 9 damage. 引く 1 card.

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Primal Force

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

変形全てのアタックs in 自分の Hand into Giant Rock.

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Pyre

Rare · Power · Ironclad

獲得する at の start of each turn.

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怒涛

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

Whenever you play an アタック this turn, gain 3 ブロック.

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暴れ回り

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 9 damage. Increase this card's damage by 5 this combat.

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断裂

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

Whenever you lose HP on 自分の turn, gain 1 筋力.

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第二の風

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

廃棄全ての non-アタック cards in 自分の Hand. 獲得する 5 ブロック for each card 廃棄ed.

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Setup Strike

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 7 damage. 獲得する 2 筋力 this turn.

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肩をすくめる

Common · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 8 ブロック. 引く 1 card.

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Spite

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 6 damage. If you lost HP this turn, draw 1 card.

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Stampede

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

終了時自分の turn, 1 ランダムアタック in 自分の Hand is played against a ランダム敵.

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Stoke

Rare · Skill · Ironclad

廃棄自分の Hand. 引く a card for each card 廃棄ed.

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Stomp

Uncommon · Attack · Ironclad

与える 12 damage to ALL 敵全体. Costs 1 less for each アタック played this turn.

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Stone Armor

Uncommon · Power · Ironclad

獲得する 4 Plating.

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ストライク

Basic · Attack · Ironclad

与える 6 damage.

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剣ブーメラン

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 3 damage to a ランダム敵 3 times.

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Tank

Rare · Power · Ironclad

Take double damage from 敵全体. 全てies take half damage from 敵全体.

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Taunt

Uncommon · Skill · Ironclad

獲得する 7 ブロック. 適用する 1 脆弱.

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Tear Asunder

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

与える 5 damage. Hits an additional time for each time you lost HP this combat.

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Thrash

Rare · Attack · Ironclad

与える 4 damage twice. 廃棄 a ランダムアタック in 自分の Hand and add its damage to this card.

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雷鳴

Common · Attack · Ironclad

与える 4 damage and apply 1 脆弱 to ALL 敵全体.

✦

Tremble

Common · Skill · Ironclad

適用する 2 脆弱.

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