The Ironclad
RETURNINGA rugged soldier bound to a demon
The Ironclad returns from the original Slay The Spire, bringing his signature Strength-building playstyle. Stack Strength to deal massive damage with heavy attacks, or leverage Exhaust synergies for powerful one-time effects.
Starting Relic
Burning Blood
Heal 6 HP after each combat
Core Mechanics
Strength
Increases damage dealt by attack cards
Exhaust
Remove cards from play for the rest of combat
Keywords
Exhaust
Remove the card from your deck for the rest of combat.
Exhausted cards go to a separate pile and cannot be drawn again this fight. Many Ironclad cards synergize with Exhaust through cards like Feel No Pain.
Strength
Increases damage dealt by Attack cards.
Each point of Strength adds +1 damage to every attack. Stack Strength with cards like Demon Form for massive damage scaling. The Ironclad specializes in Strength builds.
Build Strategies
Strength Build
Stack Strength with cards like Demon Form, then deal massive damage with multi-hit attacks
Exhaust Synergy
Build around Feel No Pain and Dark Embrace to gain block and draw from exhausting cards
Known Cards
View All →Aggression
NEWAt the start of your turn, put a random Attack from your Discard Pile into your Hand and Upgrade it.
Anger
Deal 6 damage. Add a copy of this card into your Discard Pile.
Armaments
NEWGain 5 Block. Upgrade a card in your Hand.
Ashen Strike
NEWDeal 6 damage. Deals 3 additional damage for each card in your Exhaust Pile.
Barricade
NEWBlock is not removed at the start of your turn.
Bash
Deal 8 damage. Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Battle Trance
NEWDraw 3 cards. You cannot draw additional cards this turn.
Blood Wall
NEWLose 2 HP. Gain 16 Block.
Blood for Blood
Deal 18 damage. Costs 1 less for each time you lose HP in combat.
Bloodletting
NEWLose 3 HP. Gain .
Bludgeon
Deal 32 damage.
Body Slam
Deal damage equal to your Block.
Brand
NEWLose 1 HP. Exhaust 1 card. Gain 1 Strength.
Breakthrough
NEWLose 1 HP. Deal 9 damage to ALL enemies.
Bully
NEWDeal 4 damage. Deals 2 additional damage for each Vulnerable on the enemy.
Burning Pact
NEWExhaust 1 card. Draw 2 cards.
Cascade
NEWX Play the top X cards of your Draw Pile.
Cinder
NEWDeal 17 damage. Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.
Cleave
Deal 8 damage to ALL enemies.
Colossus
NEWGain 5 Block. You receive 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn.
Conflagration
NEWDeal 8 damage to ALL enemies. Deals 2 additional damage for each other Attack you've played this turn.
Crimson Mantle
NEWAt the start of your turn, lose 1 HP and gain 8 Block.
Cruelty
NEWVulnerable enemies take an additional 25% damage.
Dark Embrace
Whenever a card is Exhausted, draw 1 card.
Defend
Gain 5 Block.
Demon Form
NEWAt the start of your turn, gain 2 Strength.
Demonic Shield
NEWLose 1 HP. Give another player Block equal to your Block. Exhaust.
Dismantle
NEWDeal 8 damage. If the enemy is Vulnerable, hits twice.
Dominate
NEWApply 1 Vulnerable. Gain 1 Strength for each Vulnerable on the enemy. Exhaust.
Drum of Battle
NEWDraw 2 cards. At the start of your turn, Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.
Evil Eye
NEWGain 8 Block. Gain another 8 Block if you have Exhausted a card this turn.
Expect a Fight
NEWGain 1 energy for each Attack in your Hand. You cannot gain more energy this turn.
Feed
NEWDeal 10 damage. If Fatal, raise your Max HP by 3. Exhaust.
Feel No Pain
Whenever a card is Exhausted, gain 3 Block.
Fiend Fire
NEWExhaust your Hand. Deal 7 damage for each card Exhausted. Exhaust.
Fight Me
NEW! Deal 5 damage twice. Gain 2 Strength. The enemy gains 1 Strength.
Flame Barrier
NEWGain 12 Block. Whenever you are attacked this turn, deal 4 damage back.
Forgotten Ritual
NEWIf you Exhausted a card this turn, gain .
Ghostly Armor
Gain 10 Block. Ethereal.
Grapple
NEWDeal 7 damage. Whenever you gain Block this turn, deal 5 damage to the enemy.
Havoc
NEWPlay the top card of your Draw Pile and Exhaust it.
Headbutt
Deal 9 damage. Put a card from your Discard Pile on top of your Draw Pile.
Hellraiser
NEWWhenever you draw a card containing “Strike”, it is played against a random enemy.
Hemokinesis
NEWLose 2 HP. Deal 14 damage.
Howl From Beyond
NEWDeal 16 damage to ALL enemies. At the start of your turn, plays from the Exhaust Pile.
Impervious
NEWGain 30 Block. Exhaust.
Infernal Blade
NEWAdd a random Attack into your Hand. It's free to play this turn. Exhaust.
Inferno
NEWAt the start of your turn, lose 1 HP. Whenever you lose HP on your turn, deal 6 damage to ALL enemies.
Inflame
NEWGain 2 Strength.
Iron Wave
Gain 5 Block. Deal 5 damage.
Juggernaut
NEWWhenever you gain Block, deal 5 damage to a random enemy.
Juggling
NEWAdd a copy of the third Attack you play each turn into your Hand.
Mangle
NEWDeal 15 damage. Enemy loses 10 Strength this turn.
Molten Fist
NEWDeal 10 damage. Double the enemy's Vulnerable. Exhaust.
Offering
NEWLose 6 HP. Gain . Draw 3 cards. Exhaust.
One-Two Punch
NEWThis turn, your next Attack is played an extra time.
Order
NEWDeal 12 damage. Retain your Hand this turn.
Pact's End
NEWCan only be played if you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile. Deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.
Perfected Strike
NEWDeal 6 damage. Deals 2 additional damage for ALL your cards containing “Strike”.
Pillage
NEWDeal 6 damage. Draw cards until you draw a non-Attack card.
Pommel Strike
NEWDeal 9 damage. Draw 1 card.
Primal Force
NEWTransform all Attacks in your Hand into Giant Rock.
Pyre
NEWGain at the start of each turn.
Rage
NEWWhenever you play an Attack this turn, gain 3 Block.
Rampage
NEWDeal 9 damage. Increase this card's damage by 5 this combat.
Reaper
Deal 4 damage to ALL enemies. Heal HP equal to unblocked damage.
Rupture
NEWWhenever you lose HP on your turn, gain 1 Strength.
Second Wind
NEWExhaust all non-Attack cards in your Hand. Gain 5 Block for each card Exhausted.
Setup Strike
NEWDeal 7 damage. Gain 2 Strength this turn.
Shrug It Off
Gain 8 Block. Draw 1 card.
Spite
NEWDeal 6 damage. Hits an additional time for each time you lost HP this turn.
Stampede
NEWAt the end of your turn, 1 random Attack in your Hand is played against a random enemy.
Stoke
NEWExhaust your Hand. Add a random card for each card Exhausted. Exhaust.
Stomp
NEWDeal 12 damage to ALL enemies. Costs 1 less for each Attack played this turn.
Stone Armor
NEWGain 4 Plating.
Strike
Deal 6 damage.
Sword Boomerang
NEWDeal 3 damage to a random enemy 3 times.
Tank
NEWTake double damage from enemies. Allies take half damage from enemies.
Taunt
NEWGain 7 Block. Apply 1 Vulnerable.
Tear Asunder
NEWDeal 5 damage. Hits an additional time for each time you lost HP this combat.
Thrash
NEWDeal 4 damage twice. Exhaust a random Attack in your Hand and add its damage to this card.
Thunderclap
Deal 4 damage and apply 1 Vulnerable to ALL enemies.
Tremble
NEWApply 2 Vulnerable.
True Grit
NEWGain 7 Block. Exhaust 1 card at random .
Twin Strike
NEWDeal 5 damage twice.
Unmovable
NEWThe first time you gain Block from a card each turn, double the amount gained.
Unrelenting
NEWDeal 12 damage. The next Attack you play costs 0 .
Uppercut
Deal 13 damage. Apply 1 Weak. Apply 1 Vulnerable.
Vicious
NEWWhenever you apply Vulnerable, draw 1 card.
Whirlwind
NEWX Deal 5 damage to ALL enemies X times.
Lore
“A soldier who made a dark pact with a demon to survive. The demon's blood courses through his veins, granting immense power at a terrible cost.”