Best Cards For The Ironclad In Slay The Spire

Summary

• Carnage is a powerful attack card that deals high damage but must be used immediately due to its Ethereal status.
• Bash is a basic but strong attack card with a valuable upgrade that applies Vulnerable, making it effective against enemies.
• Disarm is a versatile skill that reduces enemy strength, providing a reliable defense option for the Ironclad in battles.

The Ironclad is one of four class types the player can choose at the beginning of Slay The Spire. He favors strength, defense, and sometimes self-sacrifice to further augment his powers. The core strategy is to hit hard, negate damage, and cut into his HP to ensure the enemy loses all of theirs faster.

It can be a tough deck to build with lots of different strategies that are possible to implement, but it’s possible to become a pro for those who understand the nature of the cards and which ones are the strongest for each strategy. When ranking the best cards for any class, including Ironclad, several factors come into play. Player preference is the first and most simple. Every gamer has cards that just fit with their mentality and others that do not. This is a game: do whatever is enjoyable so long as it works.

Next, in Slay the Spire, players don’t get to build their decks with complete control. Every run is unique and sometimes decks must allow for variation depending on the type of cards given. Finally, there is a significant difference between cards that help survive the early acts and those that can defeat the Heart. Since each run presents two different definitions of “winning,” this list identifies cards that are among the most successful for the Ironclad in either type of run. Below is a list of the best cards Ironclad players can use to boost their chances of reaching the end in Slay the Spire.

Updated March 20, 2025 by Vlad Mazanko: With Slay the Spire 2 set to enter early access sometime in 2025, the original remains one of the most-played roguelike deck-builders, with tens of thousands of players launching the game daily. This list has been updated to feature more of Ironclad’s best “winning” cards with flexible utility and additional stats for each.

15

Carnage

Ethereal, Deal 20 Damage

• Type: Attack
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Damage To 28

Carnage is brutal – plain and simple. Among all of Ironclad’s Attacks, it delivers one of the highest raw damage outputs, and when paired with debuffs like Vulnerable, it can take down even the toughest Elite enemies in just a few blows. While Bludgeon offers greater base and upgraded damage, its higher cost makes it a trade-off, so players should grab whichever card becomes available during a run.

The main drawback of Carnage is its Ethereal status, which cannot be removed even when upgraded. This means players must use it the moment it appears in hand, though its cost can sometimes make that challenging.

14

Bash

Deal 8 Damage, Apply 2 Vulnerable

• Type: Attack
• Rarity: Basic
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Damage To 10, Vulnerable To 3

Bash may be a basic Attack in Ironclad’s arsenal, but it is arguably the strongest among the starting cards thanks to its excellent upgrade effect. The reason for Bash’s high ranking is that the Vulnerable debuff is one of the most powerful in Slay the Spire, especially when used in a high-damage build.

Not only does Bash deal solid damage, but opening an attack turn with it ensures that most common enemies will not survive, provided the player has enough Attack cards and Energy in hand. It is certainly not a card to overlook and is a prime candidate for early upgrades, offering a significant advantage against bosses.

13

Disarm

Enemy Loses 2 Strength, Exhaust

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Strength Loss To 3

A run of Slay the Spire will mean taking blows here and there. The Ironclad’s ability to heal a little after each fight helps, but it won’t be enough in the long term. Disarm+1 is the perfect companion for the class, cutting down on those annoying hits from common or Elite enemies.

Reducing an enemy’s Strength directly cuts their damage, which is neat for such a low cost. Even if not the most powerful debuff in the Ironclad’s varied arsenal, Disarm merges well with any player’s preferences and serves as a reliable tool to prolong the current run.

12

Burning Pact

Exhaust 1 Card, Draw 2 Cards

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Draw 3 Cards

Exhausting a card is often thought of as a penalty; a part of the payment for a card’s price beyond its energy cost. However, experts have found that voluntarily getting rid of a card for a combat session can make their deck a bit more versatile.

Since not every enemy is the same, not all cards will work against all enemies. Knowing this, exhausting a card that doesn’t help against a given opponent and drawing new cards that might is an easy choice to make.

11

Evolve

• Type: Power
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Extra Draw To 2

Evolve is a highly versatile Power for Ironclad, offering greater flexibility for players who prefer a mix of defense, offense, buffs, and debuffs during their turn. It is especially useful when a deck contains multiple Curses or negative status effects, as Evolve helps mitigate their impact by providing additional card draws.

Beyond its effect, Evolve’s low cost makes it easy to play with virtually no drawbacks, ensuring a steady flow of cards for the rest of the battle. It is also a strong choice for decks that have grown too large, helping to cycle useful cards more frequently.

10

Feed

Deal 10 Damage, If Fatal, Raise Max HP By 3, Exhaust

• Type: Attack
• Rarity: Rare
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Damage To 12, Increase HP Gain To 4

A deadly tool for any Ironclad berserker build that prioritizes offense over defense, Feed serves as both a way to heal during battle and a method to grow stronger for the rest of the run. With this card in a deck, players may want to reconsider their chosen path, opting not to skip rooms with common enemies, as each encounter presents an opportunity to increase Max HP.

The damage output is solid, but the real strength lies in gaining +3 or +4 Max HP per battle – an advantage few would turn down. Keep weaker enemies coming to be devoured, and don’t overlook relics that further boost HP gains.

9

Flame Barrier

Gain 12 Block, Deal 4 Damage Back When Attacked This Turn

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Block To 16 and Damage To 6

For players seeking a balance between survivability and damage, the Flame Barrier card is a versatile tool that excels in both, especially when upgraded. Suitable for virtually any build or playstyle in Slay the Spire, this skill provides a substantial amount of Block while delivering notable retaliatory damage to any enemy daring to strike the Ironclad.

Particularly effective against tough enemies with minions, Flame Barrier allows Ironclad to outlast their growing forces while passively wearing them down, making it easier to focus on the main threat. It also pairs well with any Thorn-related relic in the game.

8

Fiend Fire

Exhaust All Cards In Hand, Deal 7 Damage For Each, Exhaust

• Type: Attack
• Rarity: Rare
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Damage to 10 For Each

The Ironclad is big on defense but sometimes light on damage. That works for him some of the time, but other enemies will win in a blow-for-blow battle of attrition. For victory, players will need cards that can dish out a burst of damage.

Fiend Fire+1 will exhaust the entire hand but deals 10 damage for each exhausted card. This usually ends the fight on the spot and makes exhausting cards no big deal, negating the cost. Combined with a large hand size, Fiend Fire is a giant slayer.

7

Entrench

Doubles Block

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Reduce Cost To 1

Doubling the Block amount for two points of energy (or only a single point when upgraded) saves the Ironclad from what could be an early death, especially on higher Ascension levels. This card boosts the player’s win rate in more difficult scenarios as well.

Those who play only on the normal setting will still enjoy Entrench, as they can potentially turn Block into damage or even keep Block between turns, depending on their relics, cards, and powers. No matter what players strive to achieve with Ironclad in their current run, Entrench’s versatility and extra survivability will come in handy.

6

Corruption

Skills Cost 0 and Exhaust After Being Played

• Type: Power
• Rarity: Rare
• Default Cost: 3
• Upgraded Effect: Reduce Cost To 2

This is easily one of the strongest Power cards in the Ironclad’s deck. When played, Corruption makes all Skills cost zero energy. This means powerful cards like Shockwave, Impervious, and more can be played while still leaving three energy intact for other cards.

It makes the job much easier, as any Skill can now be played without a second thought, followed by Attack or Defense cards. The downside is that it exhausts the cards played, but since many of the Ironclad’s expensive cards already exhaust, there is no harm done.

5

Power Through

Add 2 Wounds To Hand, Gain 15 Block

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Block Gain To 20

Wound obviously isn’t a card players want floating around in their deck, but one common theme among the Ironclad’s most powerful cards is that there’s no substitute for a timely block. Power Through+1 blocks 20 points of damage and does not Exhaust.

Most of the Ironclad’s best cards exhaust, which makes sense; the game can’t let overpowered cards hang around. But this is a rare and welcome exception. Since it doesn’t exhaust, Power Through can replace the need to fill the deck with too many defensive cards.

4

Shockwave

Apply 3 Weak and Vulnerable to All Enemies, Exhaust

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Weak and Vulnerable to 5

To turn one of the toughest roguelike games into one of the easiest, Shockwave+1 applies five stacks of Weak and Vulnerable to all enemies in the current battle. That’s a serious debuff for enemies to fight through, cutting their damage by 25% for five whole rounds.

Vulnerable ends fights sooner, and the best defense is a good offense in a game that tries to wear the Ironclad down before the end. The card exhausts after use, but that’s hardly notable since most fights will be over well before those five rounds are up.

3

Impervious

Gain 30 Block, Exhaust

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Rare
• Default Cost: 2
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Block Gain To 40

Some of the strongest bosses are specifically designed around one move that deals so much damage it’s unreasonable to block. Most character builds will resort to trickery, but Impervious+1 is a good, clean block that absorbs 30 to 40 points of damage.

As one of the best strategy card games ever, success in Slay the Spire means being timely. This card will indeed exhaust after one use, but that’s the entire point. Instead of taking up space after doing its job, it allows the Ironclad to get back on the offensive, and throw some punches back.

2

Second Wind

Exhaust All Non-Attack Cards In Hand, Gain 5 Block For Each

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Default Cost: 1
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Block Gain To 7

Second Wind+1 may not be the sexiest card in the game, turning all non-attack cards into Block and removing them for the remainder of the fight. But it comes in clutch; sometimes players need a big block and don’t get lucky with the right defensive draw.

New players learning the game will eventually find that exhaust isn’t always a bad thing. Players should have a diverse hand for many situations, but if a fight can’t use a certain utility card, don’t be afraid to get rid of it for good, turn it into Block, and never have to work around it for the rest of the encounter.

1

Offering

Lose 6 HP, Gain 2 Energy, Draw 3 Cards, Exhaust

• Type: Skill
• Rarity: Rare
• Default Cost: 0
• Upgraded Effect: Increase Cards Draw To 5

Offering+1 has the highest win rate against the Heart in Slay the Spire. Even though the card exhausts after one use, it helps the Ironclad set up early at the cost of just six health points that can be retrieved back at the end of the round. The card itself grants two energy points instead of costing energy.

The upgraded version gives the Ironclad five cards instead of three, but either version is incredibly powerful. When players need that key card, Offering can feel like a much-needed helping hand to quickly turn unfavorable odds around.