The Ironclad starts with 80 HP, Bash and Burning Blood, which heals 6 HP at the end of every combat in both games. Most Ironclad decks are built around one of three card groups: Strength, Exhaust or Block. Numbers below are for Slay the Spire 1 unless marked, with the upgraded value in brackets.
Strength
| Card | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Inflame | 1 | Gain 2 (3) Strength |
| Demon Form | 3 | Gain 2 (3) Strength at the start of each turn |
| Limit Break | 1 | Double your Strength, then Exhaust (upgrade removes Exhaust) |
| Heavy Blade | 2 | 14 damage, Strength counts 3 (5) times |
| Rupture | 1 | Gain 1 (2) Strength whenever you lose HP from a card |
Rupture pairs with cards that cost HP, such as Hemokinesis (lose 2 HP, deal 15) and Brutality (lose 1 HP and draw 1 card each turn). For how Strength interacts with Weak, Vulnerable and multi-hit cards, see how attack damage is calculated.
Exhaust
| Card | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Feel No Pain | 1 | Gain 3 (4) Block whenever a card is Exhausted |
| Dark Embrace | 2 (1) | Draw 1 card whenever a card is Exhausted |
| Corruption | 3 (2) | Skills cost 0 and Exhaust when played |
| Second Wind | 1 | Exhaust all non-Attacks in hand, gain 5 (7) Block for each |
| Fiend Fire | 2 | Exhaust your hand, deal 7 (10) damage for each card |
| Burning Pact | 1 | Exhaust 1 card, draw 2 (3) |
| Exhume | 1 (0) | Return a card from your exhaust pile to your hand |
With Corruption and Feel No Pain in play, every Skill costs 0 and gives 3 Block when it Exhausts, on top of its own effect.
Block
| Card | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Barricade | 3 (2) | Block is not removed at the start of your turn |
| Entrench | 2 (1) | Double your Block |
| Body Slam | 1 (0) | Deal damage equal to your Block |
| Metallicize | 1 | Gain 3 (4) Block at the end of each turn |
| Juggernaut | 2 | Deal 5 (7) damage to a random enemy whenever you gain Block |
Barricade keeps Block between turns, so Entrench and Body Slam grow with every turn of the fight.
What Slay the Spire 2 changes
Not in the StS2 Ironclad pool: Limit Break, Heavy Blade, Brutality, Metallicize, Entrench, Exhume and Spot Weakness.
| Card | StS1 | StS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Juggernaut | 5 damage per Block gain | 6 damage per Block gain |
| Rupture | Strength when you lose HP from a card | Strength when you lose HP on your turn |
| Corruption | Rare | Ancient |
New StS2 Ironclad cards for these builds:
- Cruelty: Vulnerable enemies take 25% more damage.
- Unmovable: the first time you gain Block from a card each turn, double it.
- Colossus: gain 5 Block and take 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.
- Hellraiser: whenever you draw a card with "Strike" in its name, it is played against a random enemy.
- Thrash: deal 4 damage twice, then Exhaust a random Attack in your hand and add its damage to Thrash.
Two Ironclad cards appear only in multiplayer runs: Demonic Shield (give another player Block equal to yours) and Tank (you take double damage from enemies, allies take half).