Versioned tier list
Slay the Spire 2 Card Tier List
Patch-aware card rankings with character context, upgrade value, support density, and act pressure notes.
Draft cards by the next fight window
The best card on a tier list is not always the best card in the reward screen. A deck that lacks immediate damage should value boring attacks more highly. A deck that already survives Act 1 can start paying for draw, scaling, and synergy. This card tier list is organized around that tension: standalone fight-solving value first, build-around payoff second.

- Upgrade value can move a card up even when its base form is average.
- Character support matters more than global rank for engine cards.
- Cards that solve immediate danger deserve more respect in early acts.
How video review changes card notes
When a video shows a card winning a run, the editorial question is what made that win repeatable. Did the deck already have energy? Did a relic make the card cheaper? Did the boss matchup allow slow setup? The article should record those conditions so readers do not copy the pick into the wrong deck.
- Add a condition when a card needs relic, draw, or upgrade support.
- Add a warning when a card is strong only after the deck is already stable.
- Link card notes back to character pages when the rating is character-specific.
Colorless cards need a separate caution layer
Colorless-card tier footage should not be merged blindly into character card rankings. A colorless card can look excellent in a finished deck and still be a weak early pick if it does not solve damage, block, draw, or energy pressure. The card tier list should record when a colorless pick is universally strong, when it is a shop luxury, and when it only works because a deck already has the right engine.

- Separate universal utility cards from engine-only payoffs.
- Treat shop colorless cards as gold decisions, not free reward-screen picks.
- Add character tags only when the clip shows why that character can use the card better.
Methodology
- Rank cards by whether they solve the next fight window.
- Show character context instead of global-only claims.
- Separate standalone value from build-around payoff.
Priority watchlist
Cards with enough impact or patch movement to deserve early pages.
Build dependent
Cards that need support before they become premium picks.