Every Ironclad card ranked with cost, damage, block, and scaling notes. Includes all v0.100.0 and v0.102.0 changes plus the new rare Not Yet.
This is the per-card reference for every Ironclad card in the current build. Archetype guides say what deck to build; this guide tells you whether to pick the specific card in front of you. Every entry lists exact damage/block numbers, cost, and the card's real strength — not its theoretical strength.
All numbers reflect the v0.102.0 beta patch. Cards that changed in v0.100.0 or v0.102.0 are flagged. Cards that were in STS1 and kept the same numbers are flagged as 'STS1 model, unchanged'. Upgrade deltas use the format 6→9 to mean the card deals 6 unupgraded and 9 upgraded.
Verification note
community
Ironclad Card Analysis: Every Tier With Exact Numbers build priorities
This page covers every known Ironclad Card Analysis: Every Tier With Exact Numbers archetype in the current Early Access build, ranked by consistency and scaling ceiling.
Each build section names the core cards, key combos, and the relics that push the archetype from functional to dominant.
Start with the S-tier build if you want the safest path through Ascension.
Open the related cards and relic pages if a build depends on a specific card or relic interaction.
Treat these rankings as an early-access snapshot — balance patches will shift them.
Every Ironclad deck starts with 4 Strikes, 4 Defends, 1 Bash, and Ascender's Bane. Knowing how to value removal targets among these starters determines how fast you pivot into a real archetype.
The starter pool is deliberately generic. Bash (1E, 8→10 damage + 2 Vulnerable) is the only starter worth keeping long-term, and even that is removal-eligible once you find a dedicated Vulnerability payoff. Strike and Defend should be the first two removal targets at every Merchant.
The common Ironclad attack pool has three clear keeps (Anger, Heavy Blade, Body Slam) and four trap picks that look reasonable but underperform. The rest are situational.
Exact numbers matter here because the damage gap between commons is small at base but huge when upgraded. Anger (1E, 6→8, copy to discard) scales per fight, while Cleave (1E, 8→11 AoE) is a flat effect. On paper close; in long fights Anger wins.
Ironclad skills got much better in v0.100.0 because Rest Site upgrade slots became scarcer. Armaments (1E, 5 block + upgrade a card in hand) is the most-picked Ironclad common in community A10 runs.
Power cards are where the archetype actually locks in. Drum of Battle, Feel No Pain, and Dark Embrace define their respective archetypes and should be first-pick priority whenever offered.
The uncommon and rare pool is where you lock in a build. Infernal Blade, Pommel Strike, and Battle Trance are uncommon staples. Pact's End, Heavy Blade+, and Demon Form are the win-condition rares.
The v0.102.0 patch added Not Yet (1E rare Skill, heal 10→13 HP, Exhaust) to the pool and removed Grapple (2E attack + block). Not Yet is a strict defensive upgrade to Feed for decks that need HP instead of max-HP.
Several Ironclad cards have reputations that do not match their current numbers. Writing these off saves you reroll potions and Merchant gold.
These cards are not bugged — they are simply dominated by better commons. Picking them costs you tempo that cannot be recovered without high-variance rewards in later acts.
FAQ
Yes. Heavy Blade is 2E for 14→18 damage plus 3x Strength scaling, unchanged from STS1. With Inflame or Demon Form online, a single Heavy Blade+ hits for 26+ damage on turn 2. No other 2-cost common comes close.
Pact's End is playable only when your Exhausted pile contains 3+ cards. In a Feel No Pain / Dark Embrace deck, this threshold is reached by turn 2 of most fights. It deals 17→23 AoE damage for 0 energy, making it the single best finisher in the Ironclad pool.
For survival, yes. Not Yet is 1E for a 10→13 HP heal on Exhaust — a reliable 10 HP restore every combat without needing a killing blow. Feed still wins on runs where max-HP scaling matters (Blood for Blood decks, long Ascension 20 paths), but for routine survival, Not Yet is stronger.
The developers stated on their patch notes that Grapple's trigger was too narrow. It required an attack card plus block gain on the same turn, and most Ironclad decks do not run enough dual-purpose cards to trigger it reliably. Removing it cleaned up the card pool for better curve consistency.
Yes for Strength decks. Demon Form at 3E for +2→3 Strength per turn is the highest-ceiling Ironclad rare, and Ancient Blessings in Act 1 make the 3-cost manageable. For Exhaust decks, Dark Embrace is the higher-priority rare; for block decks, Barricade is the auto-pick.
Not as much as expected. Corruption is now Ancients-only, which means it's a random Blessing offer rather than a guaranteed pick. Exhaust decks compensate by stacking Havoc, Dark Embrace, and Feel No Pain — all of which are still in the normal pool. The archetype is slower to come online but still S tier.
Sources
Gamersky — Ironclad Card Strategy
CommunityChinese community card-by-card strategy writeup from a 4-streak A-level Ironclad player explaining which cards to keep, skip, or upgrade.
Gamersky — Ironclad Full Card Analysis
CommunityChinese community full-card review of the Ironclad pool at v0.100.0 with commentary on every card's tier shift from STS1.
Gamersky — Ironclad v0.100.0 Change Review
CommunityChinese community commentary on every Ironclad card number change in patch v0.100.0 and the impact on draft priority.
NamuWiki — Slay the Spire 2 / Ironclad
CommunityKorean wiki card database for Ironclad with exact base and upgraded numbers for every card.