Cards

Cards are the main feature in battle in Slay the Spire.

Card Types

• Attack - A card that deals direct damage to an enemy and may have a secondary effect. Attacks have pentagonal frames.

• Skill - A card that has more diverse effects to it, usually through providing defense, utilities, buffs, or debuffs. While it can be both offensive and defensive, it is distinct from Attack card in a way that it cannot deal direct damage, capable of doing so only indirectly through debuffs. Skills have rectangular frames.

• Power - A permanent upgrade for the entire combat encounter. Some Powers give flat stats like Strength or Dexterity. Some powers require certain conditions to be met that combat. Some powers provide a unique buff that can potentially alter the playstyle. Each copy of a given power can only be played once per combat. Powers have circular frames.

• Status - A card added to the deck during a combat encounter. They are designed to bloat the deck and prevent the player from drawing beneficial cards, with some of them having additional negative effects. Status cards are removed from the deck at the end of combat. Statuses have rectangular frames.

• Curse - An unplayable card added to the deck during in-game events. Similar to status cards, they are designed to bloat the deck and prevent the player from drawing beneficial cards, with some of them having additional negative effects. However, curse cards persist in the player's deck until removed by other means. Curses have rectangular frames.

Card Rarity

The rarity of the card depends on the color of the banner behind its name, regardless of the card's faction:

• Common cards have a grey banner and frame.
• Uncommon cards have a blue banner and frame.
• Rare cards have a golden banner and frame.

The game additionally recognizes two additional classes of rarity:

• Basic cards are the default cards from the starting deck for your class. They have the same grey banner and frame as Commons, though certain events treat them as a lower tier when offered or transformed.
• Special cards cannot be obtained through normal card-drops, only through events or other means.