Keywords and Terms Explained

Slay the Spire 2 is home to many unique keywords and mechanics, some of which are evergreen, while others are specific to a Character.

Knowing how they all work is essential to playing the game, as several of these are the defining pillars of many Build Archetypes.

While we don’t know all of the details just yet, here’s a look at some of the keywords from the original Slay the Spire, along with some teased newcomers.

Artifact

• Artifact - Negates debuffs.

Block

• Block - Until next turn, prevents damage.

Buffer

• Buffer - Prevent the next time you would lose HP.

Channel

• Channel - Channeling an Orb puts it into your first empty slot. If you have no empty slots, your first Orb is automatically Evoked to make room.

Confused

• The costs of your cards are randomized on draw, from 0 to 3.

Curse

• Curse - Curse cards are negative cards that stay in your deck.

Dark

• Orb - When Evoked, deals damage to the enemy with the least HP. Increases damage every turn.

Dexterity

• Dexterity - Dexterity improves Block gained from cards.

Doom

• At the end of the enemy turn, if it has at least as much Doom as HP, it dies.

Energy

• Energy - Energy is used to play cards from your Hand.

Ethereal

• Ethereal - If this card is in your Hand at the end of your turn, it is Exhausted.

Evoke

• Evoke - Consume your rightmost Orb and use its Evoke effect.

Exhaust

• Exhaust - Removed until end of combat.

Focus

• Focus - Focus increases the effectiveness of Orbs.

Forge

• The first time you Forge each combat, add Sovereign Blade into your Hand. Adds additional damage to Sovereign Blade.

Frost

• Orb - Gains Block.

Glass

• Orb - Deals damage to ALL enemies. Decreases damage every turn.

Innate

• Innate - Start each combat with this card in your Hand.

Intangible

• Intangible - Reduce all damage taken and HP loss to 1 this turn.

Lightning

• Orb - Deals damage to random enemies.

Plasma

• Orb - Gains Energy.

Plating

• At the end of your turn, gain Block. Plating is reduced by 1 at the start of your turn.

Poison

• Poison - Poisoned creatures lose HP at the start of their turn. Each turn, Poison is reduced by 1.

Regen

• Regen heals HP at the end of your turn. Each turn, Regen is reduced by 1.

Replay

• Plays this card an additional time.

Retain

• Retain - Retained cards are not discarded at the end of turn.

Ritual

• Ritual - Gain Strength at the end of your turn.

Sly

• If this card is discarded from your Hand before the end of your turn, play it for free.

Smoggy

• You can only play 1 Skill per turn.

Status

• Status - Status cards are removed at the end of combat.

Strength

• Strength - Strength adds additional damage to attacks.

Stunned

• This enemy can't act on its next turn.

Summon

• Summon Osty with X HP. If already summoned, raise his Max HP by X for this combat.

Thorns

• Thorns - When hit by an attack, deal damage back.

Transform

• Transformed cards become a random card of any rarity.

Unplayable

• Unplayable - Unplayable cards cannot be played from your hand.

Vigor

• Vigor - Your next Attack deals additional damage.

Vulnerable

• Vulnerable - Vulnerable creatures take 50% more damage from Attacks.

Weak

• Weak - Weakened creatures deal 25% less damage with Attacks.