STS 2 Best Builds & Archetypes
Best builds for all 5 characters · Hover a card for tooltip · Click an archetype to expand
The Ironclad
A battle-hardened warrior who thrives on aggression, self-damage, and exhaust synergies. STS2 shifts his identity toward Vulnerable exploitation — Cruelty is his most defining power.
Cruelty+
1 Vulnerable enemies take an additional 25% damage.
Cruelty
Vulnerable enemies take 25% more damage — permanently for the fight. Unlike Strength this multiplies everything. Cruelty suggests Ironclad's damage identity in STS2 cares more about Vulnerable than raw Strength, creating a meaningfully different character than before.
Bash+
2 Deal 8 damage.
Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Deal 11 damage.
Apply 3 Vulnerable.
Bash
At 2 energy this needs to pull real weight — and it does. 8 damage plus 2 Vulnerable is still above rate at 2 cost because Vulnerable multiplies all subsequent attacks. Upgraded to 11 damage and 3 Vulnerable, it pays for itself immediately.
Bully+
0 Deal 4 damage.
Deal 2 additional damage for each Vulnerable on the enemy.
Bully
0-cost attacker that scales with Vulnerable. Even at base 4 damage it's free — with Bash or Grapple stacking 2-3 Vulnerable it's 8-10 damage at no energy cost. In Cruelty builds this becomes your primary damage output.
Grapple+
1 Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Enemy loses 1 Strength this turn for each Vulnerable it has.
Grapple
Applies Vulnerable and strips enemy Strength proportional to how much Vulnerable they already have. Against high-Strength enemies this is damage mitigation and Vulnerable stacking simultaneously. High floor, high ceiling.
Thunderclap+
1 Deal 4 damage and apply 1 Vulnerable to ALL enemies.
Thunderclap
AoE Vulnerable at 1 cost is rare. Against multi-enemy encounters this is almost always correct to play. In single-target fights it's slightly weaker than Bash but still primes Cruelty and Bully.
Uppercut+
2 Deal 13 damage.
Apply 1 Weak.
Apply 1 Vulnerable.
Uppercut
13 damage with both Weak and Vulnerable at 2 cost. The dual debuff application is rare and extremely efficient — Weak cuts incoming damage while Vulnerable amplifies your follow-up. Primes Cruelty and Bully while protecting you simultaneously.
Tremble+
0 Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Exhaust.
Tremble
Free 2 Vulnerable with exhaust. Stronger than it looks in Cruelty and Bully builds where stacking Vulnerable has multiplicative returns. The exhaust means it never clogs draws.
Taunt+
1 Gain 7 Block.
Apply 1 Vulnerable to ALL enemies.
Taunt
Block plus AoE Vulnerable is efficient against multi-enemy rooms. Single-target it's 1 Vulnerable for 1 energy with mediocre block — fine, not great. Better early than late.
Colossus+
1 Gain 3 Block.
You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.
Colossus
50% damage reduction from Vulnerable enemies is transformative against bosses that self-apply Vulnerable. The 3 block is almost irrelevant — you're taking this for the damage mitigation and Body Slam amplification.
Anger+
0 Deal 6 damage.
Add a copy of this card into your Discard Pile.
Anger
0-cost 6 damage is solid early, but the self-copying mechanic bloats your deck fast. Best in dedicated Hellraiser or Aggression engines. Otherwise keep it to one copy — two is already risky, three is a problem.
Hellraiser+
3 Whenever you draw a card containing "Strike", it is played against a random enemy.
Hellraiser
At 3 energy this is a late-game power investment. Auto-firing Strikes from draw is strong in dedicated Anger engines but the 3-cost means you're committing heavily. Only take it when your deck already has multiple Strike-named cards to trigger it.
Mangle+
3 Deal 15 damage.
Enemy loses 10 Strength this turn.
Mangle
15 damage plus strip 10 Strength at 3 energy. Expensive but the Strength reduction is permanent for the turn — against high-Strength bosses it saves more HP than it costs energy. A premium card that needs to be played at the right moment.
Ashen Strike+
1 Deal 15 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card in your Exhaust Pile.
Ashen Strike
15 damage at 1 energy scaling by 3 per exhausted card. At just 1 cost the bar is low — even 3 exhausted cards puts it at 24 damage for 1 energy. In exhaust builds this is consistently your cheapest high-damage attack. Priority upgrade target.
True Grit+
1 Gain 7 Block.
Exhaust 1 card at random.
True Grit
7 block plus forced exhaust at 1 energy. The exhaust isn't a drawback — it's the engine. Powers Ashen Strike, Howl from Beyond, and Cinder. Build your deck so you control what gets exhausted.
Howl From Beyond+
3 Deal 16 damage to ALL enemies.
At the start of your turn, plays from the Exhaust pile.
Howl From Beyond
16 AoE for 3 energy — expensive upfront but you only pay once. After exhaust it replays free every turn, making the true cost 3/∞. Against multi-enemy fights the total value is enormous. Worth the initial investment in exhaust builds.
Pact's End+
0 Can only be played if you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile.
Deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.
Pact's End
0-cost 17 AoE damage conditional on 3+ exhausted cards. In any exhaust build — True Grit, Cinder, Ghostly Armor — this condition is trivially met by turn 2-3. Free 17 AoE is one of the best damage rates in the game. A top-tier finisher for exhaust archetypes.
Cinder+
2 Deal 15 damage.
Exhaust the top 2 cards in your Draw Pile.
Cinder
15 damage that mills 2 cards into exhaust. In exhaust builds this is simultaneously offense and setup — each Cinder is +6 damage on Ashen Strike and one more trigger for Howl From Beyond. The 2-cost is the only real constraint.
Ghostly Armor+
1 Ethereal.
Gain 10 Block.
Ghostly Armor
Ethereal limits consistency — if you don't draw it by turn end it vanishes. 10 block for 1 energy is strong, and it syncs with Ashen Strike's exhaust scaling. Take it if your exhaust engine is already online.
Shrug it Off+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Draw 1 card.
Shrug it Off
8 block and draw 1 for 1 energy. Strictly better than Defend — the cantrip means you never lose card advantage playing it. Body Slam gets the block, you get a replacement card. One of Ironclad's best common skills.
Aggression+
1 At the start of your turn, put a random Attack from your Discard Pile into your Hand and Upgrade it.
Aggression
Recycles and upgrades a discard-pile attack every turn. Effectively increases your attack density per cycle and guarantees upgraded attacks. Particularly powerful with Anger stacks — each copy gets upgraded on retrieval.
Anger+
0 Deal 6 damage.
Add a copy of this card into your Discard Pile.
Anger
0-cost 6 damage is solid early, but the self-copying mechanic bloats your deck fast. Best in dedicated Hellraiser or Aggression engines. Otherwise keep it to one copy — two is already risky, three is a problem.
Hellraiser+
3 Whenever you draw a card containing "Strike", it is played against a random enemy.
Hellraiser
At 3 energy this is a late-game power investment. Auto-firing Strikes from draw is strong in dedicated Anger engines but the 3-cost means you're committing heavily. Only take it when your deck already has multiple Strike-named cards to trigger it.
Body Slam+
1 Deal damage equal to your Block.
Body Slam
Converts every block source into damage. Pairs with Blood Wall, Iron Wave, Colossus — even Panic Button. Upgraded it costs 0, which turns large block turns into free kills. Core win condition for many Ironclad builds.
Blood Wall+
2 Lose 2 HP.
Gain 15 Block.
Blood Wall
15 block for 2 energy and 2 HP. Solid block rate even at 2 cost — and the HP loss feeds Blood for Blood. Body Slam turns 15 block into 15 damage on top. Don't let the HP cost scare you in the right build.
Shrug it Off+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Draw 1 card.
Shrug it Off
8 block and draw 1 for 1 energy. Strictly better than Defend — the cantrip means you never lose card advantage playing it. Body Slam gets the block, you get a replacement card. One of Ironclad's best common skills.
Colossus+
1 Gain 3 Block.
You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.
Colossus
50% damage reduction from Vulnerable enemies is transformative against bosses that self-apply Vulnerable. The 3 block is almost irrelevant — you're taking this for the damage mitigation and Body Slam amplification.
Iron Wave+
1 Gain 5 Block.
Deal 5 damage.
Iron Wave
5 block and 5 damage at 1 energy — efficient early but doesn't scale. Shines specifically in Body Slam builds where the block matters more than the damage number.
Fasten+
1 Defend cards gain 4 additional Block when played.
Fasten
+4 block on every Defend-type card. In block-heavy Ironclad builds this converts mediocre Defend cards into meaningful value while also buffing everything else that generates Defend block. Build-dependent but strong in its lane.
Headbutt+
1 Deal 9 damage.
Put a card from your Discard Pile on top of your Draw Pile.
Headbutt
9 damage plus topdeck a discard pile card. The damage is respectable and the topdeck effect guarantees you draw a key card next turn — Body Slam, Blood for Blood, or Bash exactly when needed. Reliable utility attacker.
Stone Armor+
1 Gain 5 Plating.
Lose 1 Dexterity.
Stone Armor
Plating is permanent block. Losing 1 Dexterity hurts block-stacking builds but pays off if your offense doesn't need Dex. Best in Body Slam and Blood for Blood archetypes where each point of plating is also damage.
Blood for Blood+
4 Deal 18 damage.
Cost 1 less Energy for each time you lose HP in combat.
Blood for Blood
18 damage that trends toward 0 cost as you take hits. In aggressive builds that embrace HP loss via Blood Wall and Breakthrough, this becomes free consistently. 18 damage for 0 energy is among the best rates in the game.
Hemokinesis+
1 Lose 2 HP.
Deal 14 damage.
Hemokinesis
14 damage for 1 energy at the cost of 2 HP. The damage-per-energy is excellent — 14 for 1 is among the highest single-target rates at uncommon. The HP loss feeds Blood for Blood and is negligible in builds with sustain. Strong aggressive pickup.
Blood Wall+
2 Lose 2 HP.
Gain 15 Block.
Blood Wall
15 block for 2 energy and 2 HP. Solid block rate even at 2 cost — and the HP loss feeds Blood for Blood. Body Slam turns 15 block into 15 damage on top. Don't let the HP cost scare you in the right build.
Spite+
0 Deal 6 damage.
If you lost HP this turn, draw 1 card.
Spite
0-cost 6 damage with conditional draw. If you lost HP this turn — from Blood Wall, Hemokinesis, or enemy attacks — the draw triggers for free card advantage. In HP-loss builds this is a free attack that replaces itself. Without the trigger it's still 6 free damage.
Breakthrough+
1 Lose 1 HP.
Deal 10 damage to ALL enemies.
Breakthrough
Reliable AoE for 1 HP. The HP loss quietly feeds Blood for Blood. Don't sleep on it in multi-enemy floors. Falls off against bosses where single-target damage matters more.
Bludgeon+
3 Deal 32 damage.
Bludgeon
32 damage for 3 energy — the highest flat damage single attack for Ironclad. Expensive but devastating. Pairs with Unrelenting to play for free, or use it as a finisher when energy isn't a constraint. Against bosses the raw number speaks for itself.
Stone Armor+
1 Gain 5 Plating.
Lose 1 Dexterity.
Stone Armor
Plating is permanent block. Losing 1 Dexterity hurts block-stacking builds but pays off if your offense doesn't need Dex. Best in Body Slam and Blood for Blood archetypes where each point of plating is also damage.
Inflame+
1 Gain 2 Strength.
Inflame
Permanent +2 Strength affects every attack for the rest of combat. The older Strength scaling archetype. Not as synergistic as Vulnerable builds but straightforward and reliable — any attack deck benefits.
The Silent
Cunning huntress controlling the battlefield with Shivs, the new Sly keyword, and debuffs. Sly cards play themselves for free when discarded.
Fan of Knives+
2 Shivs now hit ALL enemies.
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Fan of Knives
2 energy to permanently convert all Shivs to AoE plus get 3 more. The upfront cost is steep but the ongoing Shiv output from Blade Dance becomes full AoE for free forever after. Requires Shiv generation already in place to justify the 2-cost.
Accuracy++
1 Shivs deal 6 additional damage.
Accuracy+
Shivs deal 6 additional damage permanently. Each Shiv goes from 4 to 10 damage — with Blade Dance generating 3 Shivs that's 30 damage for 1 energy. Fan of Knives makes each Shiv 10 AoE. The Shiv archetype's most important scaling power.
Blade Dance+
1 Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Blade Dance
Generates 3 Shivs and exhausts, keeping your deck clean while flooding your hand with 0-cost attacks. Essential setup for Fan of Knives. Even without Fan it's 12 free damage spread across Shivs — no questions asked.
Cloak and Dagger+
1 Gain 6 Block.
Add 1 Shiv into your Hand.
Cloak and Dagger
6 block and a Shiv for 1 energy. Strictly better than Defend — you get block plus a free 4-damage attack token. In Fan of Knives builds the Shiv becomes AoE. Master Planner adds Sly on top. One of Silent's best common skills.
Hidden Daggers++
0 Discard 2 cards.
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Hidden Daggers+
0-cost Shiv generator: discard 2, gain 3 Shivs. Net card gain of +1 and the Shivs are 0-cost attacks. In Fan of Knives builds each Shiv is AoE. The discard fuels Survivor synergies. Upgraded version — the base card likely costs more or generates fewer Shivs.
Die Die Die+
1 Deal 13 damage to ALL enemies.
Exhaust.
Die Die Die
13 AoE at 1 cost with exhaust. The exhaust prevents repeated use but a single exhaust on 13 AoE is still among the best energy-to-damage rates in the game for multi-enemy rooms. Against single targets it's just solid. Almost always correct to take.
Well-Laid Plans+
1 At the end of your turn, Retain up to 1 card.
Well-Laid Plans
Retain 1 card per turn permanently. This is hand sculpting for free every turn — hold Piercing Wail for the big attack, save Blade Dance for the multi-enemy room, keep Die Die Die for the perfect moment. Universally strong in any Silent deck.
Survivor+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Discard 1 card.
Survivor
8 block with a discard for 1 energy. 8 block at 1 cost is above Defend rate, and the discard fuels discard synergies while letting you dump dead cards. Pairs with Anticipate for massive block turns and Well-Laid Plans for hand sculpting.
Master Planner+
3 When you play a Skill, it gains Sly.
Master Planner
At 3 energy this is a significant commitment — but turning ALL skills into Sly for the rest of combat is a build-defining effect. Take it only when you have 5+ skills in your deck. Once active, every block move also deals damage.
Flick-Flack+
1 Sly.
Deal 7 damage to ALL enemies.
Flick-Flack
Sly plus AoE is an exceptionally strong combination. Sly lets it benefit from Master Planner while still hitting everything. At 1 cost this is one of Silent's best AoE options — efficient, flexible, and scales with synergies.
Survivor+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Discard 1 card.
Survivor
8 block with a discard for 1 energy. 8 block at 1 cost is above Defend rate, and the discard fuels discard synergies while letting you dump dead cards. Pairs with Anticipate for massive block turns and Well-Laid Plans for hand sculpting.
Piercing Wail+
1 ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
Piercing Wail
ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn. Against multi-attack enemies this prevents 6 damage per hit — easily 18-30 damage prevented in a single play. The exhaust prevents repeated use but one play can save a fight. Best defensive skill Silent has access to.
Blade Dance+
1 Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Blade Dance
Generates 3 Shivs and exhausts, keeping your deck clean while flooding your hand with 0-cost attacks. Essential setup for Fan of Knives. Even without Fan it's 12 free damage spread across Shivs — no questions asked.
Reflex+
3 Sly.
Draw 2 cards.
Reflex
Sly plus draw 2 at 3 energy. The Sly keyword means Master Planner can enhance it further. 3 cost is steep for draw — but in builds with energy surplus or cost reduction the card advantage plus Sly damage adds up. Requires setup to justify.
Anticipate+
0 Gain 3 Dexterity this turn.
Anticipate
Free +3 Dexterity for the turn. At 0 cost this converts every block card played this turn into significantly more value. Play it before Survivor or Cloak and Dagger and the Dex bonus stacks on each. Timing-dependent but very efficient when sequenced correctly.
Putrefy+
1 Apply 2 Weak.
Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Exhaust.
Putrefy
2 Weak and 2 Vulnerable in one card with exhaust. This primes Sucker Punch damage and creates conditions for every damage dealer Silent has. The exhaust ensures it never clogs your hand — strong setup card in any Silent build.
Sucker Punch+
1 Deal 7 damage.
Apply 2 Weak.
Sucker Punch
7 damage plus 2 Weak at 1 cost. Weak stacks and the raw damage is above-average for a common. Repeatedly applying Weak on a boss keeps your HP total healthy throughout the fight. One of Silent's better early picks.
Putrefy+
1 Apply 2 Weak.
Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Exhaust.
Putrefy
2 Weak and 2 Vulnerable in one card with exhaust. This primes Sucker Punch damage and creates conditions for every damage dealer Silent has. The exhaust ensures it never clogs your hand — strong setup card in any Silent build.
Piercing Wail+
1 ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
Piercing Wail
ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn. Against multi-attack enemies this prevents 6 damage per hit — easily 18-30 damage prevented in a single play. The exhaust prevents repeated use but one play can save a fight. Best defensive skill Silent has access to.
Poisoned Stab+
1 Deal 6 damage.
Apply 3 Poison.
Poisoned Stab
6 damage plus 3 Poison for 1 energy. The Poison ticks add up over multiple turns — 3 Poison is 6 total damage over 3 turns, making this effectively 12 damage for 1 energy in longer fights. A solid common attacker that improves in slow matchups.
Neutralize+
0 Deal 3 damage.
Apply 1 Weak.
Neutralize
Free Weak application at the cost of nothing. Weak's 25% damage reduction is consistently useful throughout the run. Solid early, edges out later once your deck has enough damage density. Rarely dead in hand.
Well-Laid Plans+
1 At the end of your turn, Retain up to 1 card.
Well-Laid Plans
Retain 1 card per turn permanently. This is hand sculpting for free every turn — hold Piercing Wail for the big attack, save Blade Dance for the multi-enemy room, keep Die Die Die for the perfect moment. Universally strong in any Silent deck.
Survivor+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Discard 1 card.
Survivor
8 block with a discard for 1 energy. 8 block at 1 cost is above Defend rate, and the discard fuels discard synergies while letting you dump dead cards. Pairs with Anticipate for massive block turns and Well-Laid Plans for hand sculpting.
Anticipate+
0 Gain 3 Dexterity this turn.
Anticipate
Free +3 Dexterity for the turn. At 0 cost this converts every block card played this turn into significantly more value. Play it before Survivor or Cloak and Dagger and the Dex bonus stacks on each. Timing-dependent but very efficient when sequenced correctly.
The Defect
A corrupted automaton returning with redesigned orb mechanics. Only 2 cards revealed — archetypes are projected from STS1 patterns.
Rainbow+
2 Channel 1 Lightning.
Channel 1 Frost.
Channel 1 Dark.
Exhaust.
Rainbow
Channels one of each orb type simultaneously. The flexibility to fill any orb slot is valuable, but the 2-cost limits early use. Strong when your deck leverages all three orb types — otherwise channel the right one manually.
Rip and Tear+
1 Deal 7 damage to a random enemy twice.
Rip and Tear
Two random hits for 7 each at 1 energy. The randomness on target selection matters in multi-enemy fights but in single-target the double-hit is clean. Consistent damage with no setup required.
Apotheosis+
2 Upgrade ALL your cards for the rest of combat.
Exhaust.
Apotheosis
Upgrades every card in your deck for the rest of combat. At 2 energy this is one of the highest-impact single plays in the game. In any deck with cards that improve significantly on upgrade — which is most decks — this is a must-take.
Rainbow+
2 Channel 1 Lightning.
Channel 1 Frost.
Channel 1 Dark.
Exhaust.
Rainbow
Channels one of each orb type simultaneously. The flexibility to fill any orb slot is valuable, but the 2-cost limits early use. Strong when your deck leverages all three orb types — otherwise channel the right one manually.
The Necrobinder
A sassy lich who commands Osty (reanimated hand), stacks Doom, and draws power from Souls. Two major paths: Doom combo and Osty aggro.
Deathbringer+
2 Apply 21 Doom to ALL enemies.
Deathbringer
21 Doom to all enemies for 2 energy. This is the highest single-card Doom application in the game and forms the core of the Doom gameplan. Play it first, then Oblivion on the same turn or next — that's 42 Doom before Time's Up! finishes the job.
Oblivion+
1 Double the enemy's Doom.
Exhaust.
Oblivion
Doubles enemy Doom. This is the kill button — played after Deathbringer it takes 21 Doom to 42. The exhaust is appropriate here; this is a finisher, not a setup card. Build enough Doom first, then Oblivion ends the fight.
Fearmonger+
0 Whenever you apply Doom this turn, gain 4 Block.
Fearmonger
0-cost Doom multiplier for block. On any turn with Deathbringer or Scourge+ you're gaining 4 block per Doom application at no energy cost. This is why Doom decks can be tanky — their offense and defense run on the same resource.
Time's Up!+
2 Deal damage equal to the enemy's Doom.
Exhaust.
Time's Up!
Damage equal to enemy Doom. After Deathbringer plus Oblivion that's potentially 40+ damage for 1 energy. The exhaust prevents repeated use but this is designed as a finisher — build enough Doom, then cash it in.
Negative Pulse+
1 Gain 7 Block.
Apply 4 Doom to ALL enemies.
Negative Pulse
7 block and 4 Doom to all enemies at 1 cost. Efficient on both axes — blocks hits while stacking Doom simultaneously. In Fearmonger turns this also converts into additional block. One of Necrobinder's best common picks.
Scourge++
1 Apply 17 Doom.
Scourge+
17 Doom for 1 energy is extremely efficient. Best drawn before an Oblivion turn. The absence of exhaust means it cycles back, letting you apply 17 Doom multiple times across the fight.
Death's Door+
1 Gain 6 Block.
If you applied Doom this turn, gain Block 2 additional times.
Death's Door
6 block baseline, but if you applied Doom this turn it triggers 2 additional times — that's 18 block for 1 energy. In Doom builds where you're applying Doom every turn, this is one of the most efficient block cards in the game. Requires Doom setup to justify.
Neurosurge+
0 Gain 3 
.
Draw 2 cards.
At the start of your turn, apply 3 Doom to yourself.
Neurosurge
0-cost power that gives 3 Necrobinder Energy and draws 2. At 0 cost this tempo is exceptional — you're basically getting a free engine install. The 3 self-Doom per turn is the price tag. Have your kill condition ready before this kills you.
Swipe+
1 Deal 5 damage to ALL enemies.
If they have Doom, deal another 5 damage.
Swipe
5 AoE that doubles to 10 against enemies with any Doom. With Negative Pulse or Deathbringer already applied, this is 10 AoE for 1 energy — exceptional rate. A strong secondary attacker that rewards stacking Doom early.
Friendship+
1 Whenever you play a Soul, Summon 3.
Friendship
Summons 3 each time a Soul is played. Soul is draw-2 and exhaust — so Friendship turns every Soul into draw-2 plus 3 summon value at no extra cost. Once online, Soul generation becomes the win condition.
Carve Ghost++
1 Deal 11 damage.
Add 2 Souls into your Hand.
Carve Ghost+
11 damage plus 2 Souls into hand. Each Soul is draw-2 and triggers Friendship for Summon 3. This card alone generates 4 free card draws when Friendship is active. Strong in Soul builds; baseline 11 damage is acceptable even without the engine.
Severance+
2 Deal 13 damage.
Add a Soul to your Draw Pile, Hand and Discard Pile.
Severance
13 damage and adds a Soul to your Draw Pile, Hand, AND Discard Pile — 3 Souls total. With Friendship active that's 9 Summon value across 3 Soul plays plus 6 cards drawn. At 2 energy the Soul generation density is unmatched. The engine-building attack for Soul decks.
Grave Warden+
1 Gain 8 Block.
Add a Soul into your Draw Pile.
Grave Warden
8 block plus a Soul into the draw pile. The Soul can be played for draw, fueling Friendship summons. Mediocre in pure Doom builds but essential in Soul-and-Summon archetypes. Know which half of Necrobinder you're building.
Transfigure+
1 Add Replay to a card in your Hand.
It costs an extra .
Exhaust.
Transfigure
Adds Replay to a hand card for the cost of extra Necrobinder Energy. Replaying Oblivion or Time's Up! is fight-ending. The energy tax is real but in Necrobinder Energy-rich decks this is the finisher enabler.
Sic Em+
1 Osty deals 5 damage.
Whenever Osty hits this enemy this turn, Summon 3.
Sic Em
Osty deals 5 damage and every subsequent Osty hit this turn triggers Summon 3. In Osty builds with multiple attack triggers this generates massive summon value — each Osty attack stacks. At 1 energy the initial damage is low but the snowball potential is high.
Bodyguard+
2 Summon 5.
Osty deals 10 damage.
Bodyguard
Summon 5 and Osty deals 10 damage for 2 energy. The dual output — summon healing plus Osty damage — makes this efficient in Osty builds. Plague Carrier converts each Osty attack into 5 Doom on top. Solid mid-cost option for the Osty archetype.
Empower+
1 Osty's attacks deal 3 additional damage.
Empower
Permanent +3 damage to all Osty attacks. In dedicated Osty builds where Osty attacks multiple times per turn — via Sic Em, Bodyguard, Unleash — this compounds fast. At 1 energy the investment is low for permanent scaling. Core Osty power.
Empower+
1 Osty's attacks deal 3 additional damage.
Empower
Permanent +3 damage to all Osty attacks. In dedicated Osty builds where Osty attacks multiple times per turn — via Sic Em, Bodyguard, Unleash — this compounds fast. At 1 energy the investment is low for permanent scaling. Core Osty power.
Plague Carrier+
1 Whenever Osty attacks, apply 5 Doom to the enemy.
Plague Carrier
5 Doom per Osty attack. Valuable in Osty builds where Osty attacks frequently — but directly conflicts with Bone Shards which kills Osty for burst. Commit to keeping Osty alive if you take this.
Sic Em+
1 Osty deals 5 damage.
Whenever Osty hits this enemy this turn, Summon 3.
Sic Em
Osty deals 5 damage and every subsequent Osty hit this turn triggers Summon 3. In Osty builds with multiple attack triggers this generates massive summon value — each Osty attack stacks. At 1 energy the initial damage is low but the snowball potential is high.
Symbiosis+
1 The first time Osty attacks each turn, draw 1 card.
Symbiosis
Draw 1 card the first time Osty attacks each turn. In Osty builds this is a free cantrip every turn permanently — significant card advantage over a long fight. At 1 energy the setup cost is minimal. Requires Osty to be alive and attacking regularly.
Bodyguard+
2 Summon 5.
Osty deals 10 damage.
Bodyguard
Summon 5 and Osty deals 10 damage for 2 energy. The dual output — summon healing plus Osty damage — makes this efficient in Osty builds. Plague Carrier converts each Osty attack into 5 Doom on top. Solid mid-cost option for the Osty archetype.
Unleash+
1 Osty deals 5 damage.
Deals additional damage equal to Osty's current HP.
Unleash
Osty deals 5 plus current HP damage. The better Osty's health, the harder this hits. Requires commitment to keeping Osty alive and healthy via Pull Aggro and avoiding Bone Shards. Scaling damage potential in dedicated builds.
Pull Aggro+
2 Summon 10.
Gain 5 Block.
Pull Aggro
Summon 10 and 5 block for 2 energy. At 2 cost this needs the Osty synergy to justify it — in Plague Carrier builds each summon is more Doom generation. As a pure defensive pick it's below rate. Only take it when the summon count matters.
Bone Shards+
1 If Osty is alive, he deals 9 damage to ALL enemies and you gain 9 Block.
Osty dies.
Bone Shards
9 damage to all enemies AND 9 block for 1 energy — but only if Osty is alive. In Osty-focused builds this is exceptional efficiency. Without Osty investment it's a blank. Know your archetype before taking it.
Pagestorm+
1 Whenever you draw an Ethereal card, draw 1 card.
Pagestorm
Draw 1 card whenever you draw an Ethereal card. In Ethereal-heavy builds — Fear, Enfeebling Touch, Defile, Ghostly Armor — this provides consistent card advantage. At 1 energy the investment is low. Requires 3+ Ethereal cards in deck to be worthwhile.
Enfeebling Touch+
1 Ethereal.
Enemy loses 8 Strength this turn.
Enfeebling Touch
Ethereal, enemy loses 8 Strength this turn. 8 Strength reduction is enormous — against a boss attacking for 20, this cuts it to 12 per hit. The Ethereal drawback means you must play it immediately, but the impact is worth it. Pagestorm triggers draw off this.
Veilpiercer+
1 Deal 10 damage.
The next Ethereal card you play costs 0 .
Veilpiercer
10 damage and the next Ethereal card you play costs 0 Necrobinder Energy. Enables free Enfeebling Touch or Fear plays in the Ethereal archetype. The 10 damage is solid at 1 cost, and the cost reduction can swing tempo significantly.
Fear+
1 Ethereal.
Gain 6 Block.
Apply 1 Weak.
Fear
Ethereal 6 block plus 1 Weak. The Ethereal means you must play it the turn you draw it or lose it. When you do play it, 6 block and Weak is solid defensive value for 1 energy. Pagestorm draws a card when you draw this. Decent in Ethereal-focused builds.
Defile+
1 Ethereal.
Deal 13 damage.
Defile
Ethereal 13 damage. Without Ethereal synergies you need to play it the turn you draw it or it vanishes — that's a significant constraint. More of a build inclusion than a general pickup.
Sculpting Strike+
1 Deal 8 damage.
Add Ethereal to a card in your Hand.
Sculpting Strike
8 damage plus Ethereal on a hand card. Only relevant in Transfigure and Defile builds. In isolation it's just below-rate damage — only take it if you're building around Ethereal effects, otherwise skip.
Ghostly Armor+
1 Ethereal.
Gain 10 Block.
Ghostly Armor
Ethereal limits consistency — if you don't draw it by turn end it vanishes. 10 block for 1 energy is strong, and it syncs with Ashen Strike's exhaust scaling. Take it if your exhaust engine is already online.
The Regent
An arrogant alien prince commanding minions with cosmic Star Energy. Stars persist between turns with no cap. Forge mechanic builds Sovereign Blade into a one-shot weapon.
Heavenly Drill+
X Deal 8 damage X times.
Double X if it is 3 or more.
Heavenly Drill
Deals 8 damage X times where X equals your Regent Star Energy, and doubles if X hits 3 or more. With Venerate plus Hidden Cache generating 4+ Star Energy, this is 64+ damage for 1 regular energy. The highest damage ceiling among Regent's cards.
Venerate+
1 Gain 2 
.
Venerate
2 Regent Star Energy for 1 regular energy. Star Energy fuels Falling Star and Heavenly Drill which can't be paid with regular energy. A mandatory enabler for the Star Energy archetype — take however many you need for your rstar cards.
Hidden Cache+
1 Gain 1 .
Next turn, gain 3 .
Hidden Cache
1 Star Energy now and 3 next turn — total 4 for 1 regular energy. The delayed payoff means you plan around it, but 4 Star Energy over two turns is the best rate available. Essential in heavy Heavenly Drill builds.
Guiding Star+
1 
2 Deal 12 damage.
Next turn, draw 2 cards.
Guiding Star
12 damage for 1 regular + 2 Star Energy with draw 2 next turn. The delayed draw is strong card advantage — 12 damage now plus guaranteed extra cards next turn. In Star Energy builds where Venerate is online, this is both offense and hand reload in one card.
Falling Star+
0 2 Deal 7 damage.
Apply 1 Weak.
Apply 1 Vulnerable.
Falling Star
7 damage plus Weak plus Vulnerable for 1 regular and 2 Star Energy. The dual debuff application at 1 normal cost is highly efficient — it primes all subsequent damage. A strong opener when you have Venerate online.
Supermassive+
1 Deal 5 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card you created this combat.
Supermassive
5 base damage scaling by 3 per card created this combat. In Spectrum Shift plus GUARDS!!! builds creating many cards, this quickly reaches 30-50 damage. Late-game finisher that rewards any card-creation strategy — the longer the fight, the harder it hits.
GUARDS!!!+
2 Transform any number of cards in your Hand into Minion Sacrifice.
Exhaust.
GUARDS!!!
At 2 energy you're paying to mass-convert hand cards into 11-block Minion Sacrifices. A full hand (7 cards) is 77 block for 2 energy — absurd value. The challenge is having excess cards to sacrifice. Pairs with Sovereign Blade which you retain through the transformation.
Sovereign Blade+
2 Retain.
Deal 10 damage.
Sovereign Blade
10 damage with Retain at 2 energy — mediocre in isolation. Its value is as the persistent anchor in GUARDS!!! builds: Summon Forth retrieves it from anywhere, and Retain means it never gets consumed by GUARDS!!!. Take it only with the full package.
Summon Forth+
1 Forge 8.
Move Sovereign Blade to your Hand from anywhere.
Summon Forth
Forge 8 and retrieves Sovereign Blade from anywhere. Only worth taking if Sovereign Blade is in your deck — otherwise it's just Forge 8 for 1 energy, which is fine but not exciting. Package deal with Sovereign Blade.
Supermassive+
1 Deal 5 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card you created this combat.
Supermassive
5 base damage scaling by 3 per card created this combat. In Spectrum Shift plus GUARDS!!! builds creating many cards, this quickly reaches 30-50 damage. Late-game finisher that rewards any card-creation strategy — the longer the fight, the harder it hits.
Spectrum Shift+
2 At the start of your turn, add 1 random Colorless card to your Hand.
Spectrum Shift
At 2 energy the payoff needs to come fast. You're getting 1 random Colorless per turn — if it's Apotheosis or Scrawl that's incredible, if it's Shiv it's not. Strong in Supermassive builds where every created card adds damage, weaker when you need specific cards.
Scrawl+
1 Draw cards until your hand is full.
Exhaust.
Scrawl
Draw to full hand at 1 energy with exhaust. Still very strong at 1 cost — seeing 4-5 new cards for 1 energy is above curve. Pairs with Automation for energy generation and enables any combo turn that needs card access.
Fasten+
1 Defend cards gain 4 additional Block when played.
Fasten
+4 block on every Defend-type card. In block-heavy Ironclad builds this converts mediocre Defend cards into meaningful value while also buffing everything else that generates Defend block. Build-dependent but strong in its lane.
Spectrum Shift+
2 At the start of your turn, add 1 random Colorless card to your Hand.
Spectrum Shift
At 2 energy the payoff needs to come fast. You're getting 1 random Colorless per turn — if it's Apotheosis or Scrawl that's incredible, if it's Shiv it's not. Strong in Supermassive builds where every created card adds damage, weaker when you need specific cards.
Supermassive+
1 Deal 5 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card you created this combat.
Supermassive
5 base damage scaling by 3 per card created this combat. In Spectrum Shift plus GUARDS!!! builds creating many cards, this quickly reaches 30-50 damage. Late-game finisher that rewards any card-creation strategy — the longer the fight, the harder it hits.
GUARDS!!!+
2 Transform any number of cards in your Hand into Minion Sacrifice.
Exhaust.
GUARDS!!!
At 2 energy you're paying to mass-convert hand cards into 11-block Minion Sacrifices. A full hand (7 cards) is 77 block for 2 energy — absurd value. The challenge is having excess cards to sacrifice. Pairs with Sovereign Blade which you retain through the transformation.
Gold Axe+
1 Deal damage equal to the number of cards played this combat.
Gold Axe
Damage equals total cards played this combat. Early it's weak; late in a long fight it's huge. Best in fast decks or alongside card-draw engines that cycle quickly. Has a high floor in multi-act fights where card count accumulates.
Apotheosis+
2 Upgrade ALL your cards for the rest of combat.
Exhaust.
Apotheosis
Upgrades every card in your deck for the rest of combat. At 2 energy this is one of the highest-impact single plays in the game. In any deck with cards that improve significantly on upgrade — which is most decks — this is a must-take.
Stratagem+
1 Whenever you shuffle your Draw Pile, choose a card from it to put into your Hand.
Stratagem
Whenever you shuffle your draw pile, choose a card from it to put into your hand. In thin decks that cycle quickly this triggers frequently — essentially guaranteeing you draw your best card every cycle. At 1 energy the permanent tutor effect is exceptional value in fast-cycling builds.
Order+
1 Deal 12 damage.
Retain your Hand this turn.
Order
12 damage plus Retain your entire hand this turn. Retaining all cards means nothing is wasted — you keep every card for next turn while still dealing solid damage now. Especially strong on turns where you can't play everything, converting dead energy into future value.