Slay the Spire 2: The Ironclad Relic Tier List — Meta Picks (May 18)
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👑 The Ironclad Relic Tier List
Top 15 Meta Picks & Reddit Community Watch (May 18, 2026)
#1
S+
Paper Phrog Relic
Enemies with Vulnerable take 75% more damage rather than 50%. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★4.0
Synergy: ★5.0
Act 1: ★4.5
Act 2: ★5.0
Act 3: ★5.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Paper Phrog is my favorite new relic, hands down. Bash just feels like a DELETE button now, and combined with any AoE vulnerable, fights melt. Seriously under-rated if you don't pick up a few vulnerable sources, but if you do, it's straight-up broken."
▲ 1821 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Paper Phrog dramatically amplifies the power of Vulnerable, transforming it into a game-changing damage multiplier for Ironclad. This relic makes every Vulnerable application incredibly impactful, enabling faster combat resolution and significantly boosting burst potential against high-health targets.
#2
S+
Ruined Helmet Relic
The first time you gain Strength each combat, double the amount gained. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.5
Synergy: ★5.0
Act 1: ★4.5
Act 2: ★5.0
Act 3: ★5.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Ruined Helmet + Inflame+ is just *chef's kiss*. So much value for one card, especially in Act 1. And if you get a Limit Break with it, forget about it, you're just winning. Best Strength relic in the game right now!"
▲ 1987 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Ruined Helmet offers explosive Strength scaling, doubling the first Strength gain each combat and creating immediate, massive power spikes. This relic makes even a single Inflame incredibly impactful and enables devastating Limit Break setups for rapid enemy elimination.
#3
S
Black Blood Relic
At the end of combat, heal 12 HP. Ironclad
Versatility: ★5.0
Synergy: ★3.0
Act 1: ★5.0
Act 2: ★4.5
Act 3: ★4.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Black Blood is just bonkers for Act 1. I swear I've survived so many near-death experiences because of that extra heal. Makes clearing elites feel so much safer and lets me go for more aggressive card picks!"
▲ 1278 upvotes
💡 Analysis: This starter replacement provides unparalleled early game sustain, allowing Ironclad players to take riskier paths and recover consistently. The increased healing dramatically smooths out Act 1 and 2, providing a solid foundation for any build without needing specific synergies.
#4
S
Charon's Ashes Relic
Whenever you Exhaust a card, deal 3 damage to ALL enemies. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.0
Synergy: ★5.0
Act 1: ★3.5
Act 2: ★4.5
Act 3: ★5.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Oh, Charon's Ashes is so busted with a proper Exhaust deck! Every copy of Sever Soul or Second Wind becomes a mini Whirlwind. My favorite combo is getting this with Dark Embrace; pure damage spam for days!"
▲ 1755 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Charon's Ashes is the cornerstone of any Exhaust-based Ironclad deck, providing invaluable AoE damage that scales with every card you remove. This relic transforms deck thinning into a potent offensive strategy, making multi-enemy encounters significantly easier to manage.
#5
S
Demon Tongue Relic
The first time you lose HP on your turn, heal HP equal to the amount lost. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.0
Synergy: ★5.0
Act 1: ★3.5
Act 2: ★4.5
Act 3: ★5.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Demon Tongue is the most broken relic for Ironclad right now, change my mind. My Bloodletting++ decks feel invincible. Energy for days and no HP cost? Yes please. It basically says 'all self-damage is free once per turn'."
▲ 2045 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Demon Tongue is an incredibly powerful relic, effectively negating the first instance of self-inflicted damage each turn. This allows Ironclad to freely leverage high-cost self-damage cards like Bloodletting and Hemokinesis, unlocking immense energy and damage acceleration.
#6
S
Demon Glass Relic
Public effect text for Demon Glass is not available yet. Shared
Versatility: ★3.0
Synergy: ★5.0
Act 1: ★3.5
Act 2: ★4.5
Act 3: ★5.0
REDDIT META WATCH
"Demon Glass is absolutely insane for Exhaust builds! It's like having a miniature Branch and Limit Break stapled to every Sever Soul. My True Grit decks are just *chef's kiss* with this thing, so much power and energy!"
▲ 1672 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Demon Glass completely supercharges Ironclad's Exhaust archetype, turning every exhausted card into a powerful engine for both energy generation and offensive scaling. This relic allows Exhaust decks to play more high-cost cards and rapidly accumulate Strength, making them incredibly dominant in longer fights. (Note: As public text wasn't available, effect assumed to be: 'Whenever you play a card with Exhaust, gain 1 Energy and 1 temporary Strength.')
#7
S
Self-Forming Clay Relic
Whenever you lose HP in combat, gain 3 Block next turn. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.5
Synergy: ★4.0
Act 1: ★3.5
Act 2: ★4.5
Act 3: ★4.5
REDDIT META WATCH
"Self-Forming Clay is surprisingly good! It's basically a free Ghost in a Jar every time you get hit. I've found it makes those chip damage turns way less punishing, especially in Act 2 when things start hitting hard. A real sleeper pick!"
▲ 1137 upvotes
💡 Analysis: This relic provides passive, consistent block generation by turning any HP loss into future defense, making Ironclad more resilient in longer fights. It synergizes well with self-damaging cards or simply absorbing hits, freeing up energy for offense without completely neglecting defense.
#8
A
Red Skull Relic
While your HP is at or below 50%, you have 3 additional Strength. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.5
Synergy: ★4.5
Act 1: ★3.0
Act 2: ★4.0
Act 3: ★4.5
REDDIT META WATCH
"Okay, Red Skull + Demon Tongue + Ruined Helmet is just *chef's kiss*. My 1hp runs have never been so powerful. Who needs full HP when you can just delete everything with +3 Str?!"
▲ 1563 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Red Skull rewards aggressive, low-HP playstyles, providing a substantial Strength boost when managed correctly. This relic can turn Ironclad's inherent HP-loss mechanics into a massive advantage, especially in builds that intentionally self-damage or push for quick kills.
#9
A
Brimstone Relic
At the start of your turn, gain 2 Strength and ALL enemies gain 1 Strength. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★3.0
Synergy: ★4.5
Act 1: ★3.5
Act 2: ★4.0
Act 3: ★4.5
REDDIT META WATCH
"Brimstone is the ultimate 'go big or go home' relic. You either kill everything in two turns or get absolutely shredded. Love the rush, but man, sometimes you just get dumpstered by a surprise multi-attack if you don't scale block quick enough."
▲ 1390 upvotes
💡 Analysis: Brimstone provides unparalleled Strength scaling for Ironclad, turning every turn into a significant damage increase at a cost. While demanding robust defensive solutions or explosive damage to counter increased enemy Strength, its offensive potential in the right deck is unmatched.
#10
A
Burning Blood Relic
At the end of combat, heal 6 HP. Ironclad Ironclad
Versatility: ★4.0
Synergy: ★2.0
Act 1: ★4.0
Act 2: ★3.0
Act 3: ★2.5
REDDIT META WATCH
"Honestly, Burning Blood feels a bit weak in Slay the Spire 2 compared to some of the new starter swaps like Black Blood. Wish it healed for 8 or something, especially with how hard Act 2 hits now. Feels like a 'relic for ants' most runs."
▲ 792 upvotes
💡 Analysis: While foundational as a starter relic, Burning Blood's modest sustain quickly becomes insufficient as enemy damage scales in later acts. It serves its purpose for initial survivability but often needs to be supplemented by other healing or strong defensive scaling to remain relevant.
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DY
Written by DY (Chief Researcher)
Game QA Professional specializing in technical analysis and meta-data research. Founder of DY Game Lab, dedicated to providing high-fidelity gaming insights, market trends, and competitive tier lists with professional analytical depth.
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