Hades, Enter the Gungeon, Curse of the Dead God, other games of similar ilk like Soulslikes. Slay the Spire is where I draw the line. See another thing I like is being able to clutch when the aforementioned games give you a bad hand, the feeling of “Ok, I’m low on my resources and don’t have - [2.]
- much chance with what I have but if I play this smart, I can get through this.” Slay the Spire feels more like “Ah dang, I picked a bad card 10 stages back and because of that, I’m now unable to kill the boss and need to reset the entire run.” Don’t get me wrong, that happens in other games- [3.]
- but those experiences are typically few and far between. Slay the Spire? It’s an entire GAME built around that experience. That was the first true strike for me, the second came in the form of the community who I best describe as Soulsbros with a Card Gamer mentality. Just “Just git gud idiot” [4]
“Why did you build your deck that way idiot?” “The best player in the game can reach Ascension Level 11 without breaking a sweat, it’s not impossible you idiot.” And for the most part, I took that advice when it was actually given. I tried only taking cards when it didn’t benefit my build. [5.]
I started plotting out my route more effectively and efficiently. That seed of bitter resentment and anger was still planted however and that’s where the third strike comes in. For the past two weeks, I’d been attempting on and off to break through to the final boss and every time was the - [6.]
- same old story. I’d get to the 2nd or 3rd end of stage boss and get within teens worth of damage of taking them out but every time I’d be one card or point of damage short and have to chalk the whole run. Sometimes I could see the fault, shrugged and said “oh well”, other times it was - [7.]
- a perfect run but I didn’t have the defensive card when I really needed one and the boss was thinking of hitting you 16x3 times when I had 5 defense. That all changed tonight, i was playing Watcher and was on a good roll with a Defense-Heavy Mark build. For those who have no idea what - [8.]
- that means. I got rid of my starting damage cards, picked up only defensive cards with the ability Scry (Lets you see the next X number of cards in your draw pile) and stacked up on Pressure Points, a card that stacks damage on a target every time that specific card so 11 damage becomes 22 [9.]
- which becomes 33 etc etc. I easily push past the Stage 1 and 2 bosses and enter the third stage with roughly 25 cards in my deck (not particularly great). I take a bit of damage previously before I land on an event that lets me skip to the Stage 3 boss early. With 64 out of my max 72 health - [10]
- I go for it. It was a close fight but I just eke out a victory with 4 health remaining and move on. I enter the final stage and get all my health back before entering the second to last boss before the true final boss. The boss surrounds you on both sides and alternates between attacking - [11.]
- and defending. On the 3rd round of combat, I see the guy behind me going to defend and the guy in front going to attack. I say whatever, stack on some defense and throw a mark at the guy behind me to go around his shield. Suddenly, without any warning, he pulls 55 damage out of his ass and - [12.]