S Tier
Cards I would happily build around early.
These are the cards I trust to shape the whole run, not just patch one awkward hallway.
5 boards and 55 ranked cards
Card Tier List
This is the early-access card tier list I would actually use while deciding what to click. I am weighting cards by how often they save Act 1, how hard they swing elite and boss fights, and how little setup they need before they start winning turns.
Pick a class and scan the board first
This page is built as a fast Slay the Spire 2 card tier board, so the board comes first and the notes sit under it.
Ironclad card tier list
Ironclad cards ordered from the strongest clicks to the easiest cuts.
| S Run-Shaping | |
|---|---|
| A Premium | |
| B Playable | |
| C Replaceable | |
Ironclad quick read
When I just want a clean climb, Ironclad still reads like the safest place to start. The best cards already point toward a simple plan: apply Vulnerable, turn exhaust into value, and end fights before the enemy gets to snowball.
I am noticeably lower on filler attacks here. If a card does not improve my damage curve or tighten the exhaust plan, I stop respecting it quickly.
A Tier
Very strong picks I almost never regret.
Cards I am almost always happy to add because they keep the deck honest and scale well enough.
B Tier
Good when the lane is open, less exciting otherwise.
Good cards, but they either ask for upgrades or become awkward if the rest of the deck goes another way.
C Tier
Useful early or niche, but not cards I want to keep forever.
Playable, but mostly as stopgaps. I do not want to keep these around unless the deck specifically asks for them.
Silent card tier list
Silent cards ordered from the strongest clicks to the easiest cuts.
| S Run-Shaping | |
|---|---|
| A Premium | |
| B Playable | |
| C Replaceable | |
Silent quick read
Silent looks explosive right now because discard is not just hand fixing anymore. Once Sly cards start lining up, the class can turn routine setup turns into sudden burst turns.
I am careful with cards that are only good inside a perfect Shiv or discard shell. Silent has amazing ceiling, but it also punishes dead pieces more than Ironclad does.
S Tier
Cards I would happily build around early.
The cards here either hold the whole deck together or unlock Silent's scariest turns.
A Tier
Very strong picks I almost never regret.
Strong, reliable picks that push Silent's two best plans without needing a miracle deck.
B Tier
Good when the lane is open, less exciting otherwise.
Cards I still respect, but only after I know the deck actually wants them.
C Tier
Useful early or niche, but not cards I want to keep forever.
These are fine floor cards, but I want to replace them the moment the real deck starts appearing.
Necrobinder card tier list
Necrobinder cards ordered from the strongest clicks to the easiest cuts.
| S Run-Shaping | |
|---|---|
| A Premium | |
| B Playable | |
Necrobinder quick read
Necrobinder is the class with the highest upside in this list. When the Doom package and the Ethereal management tools line up, the class stops playing fair in a hurry.
I do not forgive dead setup cards here. If a card does not help me reach a real Doom threshold or stabilize the hand, it drops fast.
S Tier
Cards I would happily build around early.
These are the cards that make me believe the deck is becoming broken instead of merely clever.
A Tier
Very strong picks I almost never regret.
Cards that either make Doom reliable or smooth out the class enough that the broken turns actually happen.
B Tier
Good when the lane is open, less exciting otherwise.
These can work, but I only want them when the surrounding shell is already doing the heavy lifting.
Regent card tier list
Regent cards ordered from the strongest clicks to the easiest cuts.
| S Run-Shaping | |
|---|---|
| A Premium | |
| B Playable | |
Regent quick read
Regent is still the least solved class in the group, but the direction is clear. Created cards and star-energy payoffs give the class a real late-game ceiling if the deck survives long enough to cash it in.
I am keeping this section intentionally tighter because Regent still feels more volatile than the other classes. I do not want to fake confidence where I do not have it.
S Tier
Cards I would happily build around early.
The card here is already powerful enough that I treat it as a reason to move into the package.
A Tier
Very strong picks I almost never regret.
These are the cards I trust to pay me back once the resource engine is online.
B Tier
Good when the lane is open, less exciting otherwise.
Promising tools, but still more dependent on deck context than I want from top-tier clicks.
Colorless card tier list
Colorless cards ordered from the strongest clicks to the easiest cuts.
| S Run-Shaping | |
|---|---|
| A Premium | |
| B Playable | |
Colorless quick read
The best colorless cards still do what the best colorless cards are supposed to do: they erase weak turns, convert gold or card draw into win rate, or give slower decks a way to cheat tempo.
I am ruthless with expensive novelty colorless cards. If the effect is funny but not immediate, I usually leave it behind.
S Tier
Cards I would happily build around early.
These are the colorless cards that can meaningfully change routing, drafting, and boss confidence on their own.
A Tier
Very strong picks I almost never regret.
Strong pickups when the deck is already taking advantage of what they ask for.
B Tier
Good when the lane is open, less exciting otherwise.
These are playable, but I need a specific reason before I spend a premium colorless slot on them.
How I rank cards on this board
I am intentionally leaving Defect out of this first pass. The current notes are not strong enough for a tier list I would want indexed.
If a card is already strong before the deck is built, I push it up.
Cards that stay live in elites and bosses rate higher than hallway-only tools.
I rank cards by how often I am happy to take them, not by perfect-case highlights.
Questions players usually ask before trusting a tier list
Is this Slay the Spire 2 card tier list final?
No. This is an early-access read, and I expect balance changes to move cards around as Mega Crit patches the game.
Why is Silent rated so highly this early?
Because the discard package already looks like real tempo instead of just deck filtering. When Sly payoffs connect, Silent turns setup into damage very quickly.
Is Necrobinder too technical for newer players?
Usually yes. The class looks incredible when the Doom thresholds are clean, but it also punishes awkward hand flow and weak sequencing harder than the other classes.
Why is Defect missing from this version?
Because I do not have a card ranking for Defect that I would personally trust yet. I would rather omit the section than publish filler.