There is a big variety of Relics in Slay the Spire, with many unique effects. So how can you know which ones are the best? In this review I will try to look at how strong a relic's effect is individually, as well as how unique it is and how fun gameplay can become using it.
10. Vajra
This common relic shines the most in Ironclad, but the truth is it is always useful no matter what character you’re playing. Found early in your run, the +1 Strength boost can be enough to push you through most fights and even Elites. Vajra’s counterpart, Oddly Smooth Stone, offers a similar buff. Which one you prefer depends on whether your gameplay is more aggressive or defensive, but I’d personally pick +1 Strength over +1 Dexterity any day.
Ironclad, compared to the other characters, has plenty of Strength scaling potential, meaning that starting combat even with 1 Strength will help him set up insane amounts of Strength in very few turns. An upgraded Limit Break used in the first turn means you now have 2 Strength, and if paired up with a card like Headbutt, could mean 4 Strength by the end of turn two.
Vajra pros:
- Common relic, easy to find
- Great addition especially in Act 1
9. Mummified Hand
This is yet another relic that is a great addition to your deck. However, it can truly reach its potential in Defect runs.
A lot of Defect strategies revolve around using Power cards, so finding this relic while playing Defect will always feel so satisfying. That’s not to say other characters can’t make the most of this relic: Power cards are important parts of every character’s strategy, so you’ll always feel the benefits of Mummified Hand in your own gameplay.
Not only that, but energy cheating will never not be valuable in this game, and being able to reduce cards’ costs to 0, even for a turn, is an insane ability that you can use in so many ways.
Mummified Hand pros:
- Works great in Defect decks
- Energy reduction is always good
8. Pen Nib
Another great example of a common relic with an unique effect, Pen Nib is that relic that will definitely test your attention span and strategy-making skills. Even for an experienced player, sometimes this relic and its effect will totally slip your mind: there is no bigger heartbreak in Slay the Spire than wasting one of the relic’s double attacks on a Strike, when you were holding a much better Attack card in hand.
This relic will force you to play around it and choose the order of your attacks carefully, but the effect will be worth it. Sometimes, you might even skip attacking one turn, in hopes that you can play a stronger card next turn with double attack. The effect of the relic does stack over other attack-multiplying cards, making it insane in Watcher builds.
Pen Nib pros:
- Stacks with other attack-multiplying effects
- Can improve your attention span and decision-making skills
7. Gremlin Horn
This uncommon relic is absolutely a great one to have at any point in the game. AoE effects are amazing in this game, but they can be quite rare, and that’s where this relic comes in handy.
One of the hardest parts of Act 1 is only having access to 3 Energy per turn, but Gremlin Horn allows you to gain more Energy when facing multiple enemies at once. Being able to draw one card and gain 1 extra Energy when you kill an enemy can give you the opportunity to set up your combos faster and kill another enemy in the same turn – with this strong effect, you might even be able to clear the enemy board in one turn.
Gremlin Horn pros:
- Helps you cycle through your deck faster
- Gives you energy
6. Fossilised Helix
This one is a rare relic, which means it’s harder to find than the previous ones in this list, but it also has an amazing effect which can save you from a lot of damage.
This relic allows you to choose when to take damage, meaning you can defend smaller attacks at first so the relic can eat up a bigger one later on. If you need time to set up some crazy attack combos, you can also count on this relic to save you some HP while you play your combo pieces in the first turns.
Be careful when playing this relic, however: certain self-damaging cards do trigger its effect, so you need to plan your deck accordingly to avoid wasting it.
Fossilised Helix pros:
- Allows you to prevent damage while setting up your strategies from first turn
- Versatile – you can choose which attacks would be better prevented
5. Incense Burner
This rare relic has been my run saver more times than I’d like to admit. Intangible is a very underused mechanic in Slay the Spire, for a very good reason: it is incredibly overpowered.
Reducing all damage taken during your turn to 1 can counter some strong attacks from dangerous enemies in the Spire and singlehandedly carry you through some unwinnable scenarios. And this is not to say your deck isn’t strong enough to counter these enemies by itself: sometimes the RNG Gods just aren’t on your side, and your hand isn’t good enough to protect you from the next attack.
This is an amazing find from Chests or various rewards, and if I have the gold I always make sure to purchase it from The Merchant as well: it is definitely worth spending most of your gold on and is a good addition to your deck at any point throughout your run.
Incense Burner pros:
- Intangible is the most powerful effect in the game
- It can save you from death multiple times (if you’re lucky)
4. Fusion Hammer
In fourth place I will be looking at a Boss relic – part of a set of relics you can only choose at the end of each act, meaning the odds of finding the same relic twice in a game are almost 0. Out of these Boss relics, the ones that give you +1 Energy for a certain drawback can be considered some of the best relics in the game.
Fusion Hammer is one such relic, which gives you +1 Energy every turn in exchange for the ability to upgrade cards at Resting Sites. Out of every relic of this kind, this to me has always seemed like the ‘best’ drawback, or the one that affects my gameplay the least. It is also, in my opinion, the drawback that’s most accessible to beginners, as other relics like Runic Dome or Coffee Dripper will require you to completely change your strategy and adjust to the drawbacks.
I feel like most other +1 Energy relics are also a bit too restrictive: for example, giving up gold or potions feels a bit cruel. Because of that, Fusion Hammer has made it in my top four instead of all the other similar relics.
Fusion Hammer
- +1 Energy relics are essential to most decks
- Manageable downside
3. Gambling Chip
Even as an experienced player, it took me a while to realise this rare relic’s potential, put since then it has become by far one of my favourites. There is basically no reason not to take this relic when offered, as it can be used for many purposes.
Many players greatly underestimate the importance of a great first turn in any battle. Most of your strategies will require certain cards and combos that that take multiple turns to set up and managing part of that in your first turn can be essential to winning the battle. Many enemies’ first turn is, on average, less aggressive, making it the perfect time to do so.
With this relic, you can also discard your Innate curses (curses that start in your hand by default) or any dead cards that you can’t use in your first turn. Although not necessarily built for this, Gambling Chip can also really shine in the right Silent deck, with synergies based on discarding.
Gambling Chip pros:
- Helps you set up your strategy from your first turn
- Negates downsides such as certain curses or dead cards in your hand first turn
2. Singing Bowl
Second place goes to another uncommon relic with a unique effect that can be used at any point in your run with no drawbacks. This relic works for every class, but is definitely the best in The Silent, the character that starts with the least maximum Health out of all of them.
One rule of Slay the Spire is ‘less is more’, meaning you shouldn’t try to choose a card at the end of every battle, but rather wait for the really good ones or for certain combo pieces. This relic helps you not waste those rewards where none of the three cards are what you’re looking for – instead of skipping, you get to add 2 maximum HP to your character. Many new players fall into the trap of choosing mediocre cards instead of simply skipping and having this new option can help them make better decisions in all of their future runs.
Resting Site healing is dependent on your maximum HP, so being able to consistently increase that will ensure you also get better healing down the line.
Singing Bowl pros:
- Increases your Maximum HP
- Teaches you to make better card-choosing decisions
1. Snecko Eye
First place undoubtedly goes to Snecko Eye, personal favourite and also probably the strongest relic in the entire game, including event relics. Being able to draw 2 extra cards every turn is insanely overpowered, and the ‘drawback’ can even become one of the strongest parts of your deck. The Confused effect is so unique and random that some players take some time to realise just how good it is, but once you do, you’ll love this relic more than anything else.
No other relic in the game affects your run as much as this one: once you get it, all of your card choices will be made differently. With Snecko Eye, you can add all the high-costed cards that you want, with a chance of playing them at lower cost every time you draw them. Every turn will be influenced by RNG, which means that no strategy will work flawlessly, but rather each turn you will be making entirely new, unpredictable decisions.
Sure, some turns you will have the worst possible luck, and draw only expensive cards that become unplayable. This is the magic of this game: every card, relic or effect, no matter how great and overpowered, can turn into your greatest enemy in the most unpredictable ways.
Snecko Eye pros:
- Insane card draw every turn
- Will allow you to make completely different choices from the ones you’d normally make
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