Beginner-Friendly Watcher Card Tier List (All Cards), Compiled by the World’s #1 Player

Translated from Japanese using AI assistance and human editing.

For more detailed and up-to-date content, please visit the original Japanese version of this blog here.

To celebrate reaching World Rank #1 for the longest win streak, I decided to write a tier list ranking the strength of cards for “The Watcher”.

In this article, regardless of what archetype you’re building, I’m listing a card ranking (Tier list) of cards that are generically strong and easy for beginners to use.

Card Tier List

Here’s how to read the rankings.

Card Explanations by Tier

Detailed explanations for the tier list.

Tier S

Lesson Learned

Upgrading one card from a single hallway fight is god-tier.

It shines in basically any deck (except Pressure Points. Honestly, Pressure Points is a “something is wrong with this archetype” kind of deck).

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Blasphemy

Once upgraded, “triple damage on demand” is an insanely strong finisher.

Upgrade priority: high.

Tier A+

Tantrum

A key card for stance dance.

Because it returns to your draw pile as a damage source, it makes it easier to enter Wrath again. Very convenient.

Great synergy with Strength gain.

It’s also nice that it becomes a Block source with Talk to the Hand.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Fear No Evil

Key card #2 for stance dance.

It has the condition “if the enemy intends to attack,” but when the enemy isn’t attacking… that’s not scary anyway.

Using Fear No Evil from Wrath lets you deal 16 damage and return to Calm.

A wonderful card that can be both damage and an energy engine.

 

Meditate

It puts you in Calm and also pulls back the cards you want for next turn.

You can grab big Block like Spirit Shield and become “safety man.”

Or pull back attack cards like Eruption (Wrath) and Windmill Strike together for a finisher.

Or if you pick up Eruption + Fear No Evil, you can set up a safe pattern: Wrath attack next turn → return to Calm.

This one card can define your entire next turn plan. So strong!

Tier A

Protect

One of the “three Retain Block brothers.”

Because you can hold it until “right now!”, you get fewer Block-brick turns.

At the same time, you can adjust your Block based on enemy intent, which makes your run much more stable.

Upgrade priority: high.

 

Perseverance

One of the “three Retain Block brothers.”

Like Protect, you can tune your Block to enemy intent, increasing stability.

By Act 3, having about 2–3 of the Retain Block brothers makes your deck feel stable.

Upgrade priority: high.

 

Deceive Reality

One of the “three Retain Block brothers.”

Upgrade priority: low. Honestly, you basically don’t upgrade it.

Generating an excellent Retain Block when you have time is strong.

For example… when your hand becomes full of Smite, Retain can clog your hand and you stop drawing.

In those situations, unlike the other two brothers, this one can dump cards into your discard without generating more Retain Block—very nice. You can actually manage your hand.

 

Conclude

A great Act 1 finisher and AoE.

Having this often makes fights against elites in Act 1 and Act 2 much easier.

Upgrade priority: high in early Act 1, lower in Act 3.

In Wrath, it becomes 1-cost 32-damage AoE when upgraded. Completely broken.

 

Vault

Upgrade priority depends on your deck…but generally average.

If you didn’t get extra energy from your boss relic, upgrade priority is low. It depends on the boss relic.

You get to “redo” the turn. You can dodge disasters. It shines when you can kill in one more turn.

I can’t find a reason this card is weak. Boing!

 

Windmill Strike

It becomes a finisher when you hit it during Wrath or Divinity. Because it’s Retain, it doesn’t get in the way.

An excellent attacker you can fire exactly when you need it.

Upgrade priority: high.

 

Spirit Shield

Your emergency “massive Block.” One-turn invincibility!

Upgrade priority: extremely high.

The Watcher has lots of Retain cards, so it’s common to start the turn with around 7 cards in hand.

By feel, this single card can generate 20–30 Block. So strong!

Tier A-

Devotion

Handwritten note: I love Mantra. Triple damage is pure romance!

If you already have enough stance-change cards like Tantrum, don’t pick this.

Upgrade priority: high.

If you pick Devotion, you’ll enter Divinity more easily, so make sure to pick Worship and Prostrate.

Brilliance

A 1-cost 12-damage attack is already strong, so you might pick it as a generic attack even outside Mantra.

In Divinity, it becomes absurd: 1-cost 66 damage. Insane value.

If you have zero Mantra by Act 2, don’t take it. Don’t warp your deck direction just to pick this.

In Act 1, you can pick it.

Upgrade priority: slightly low.

 

Mental Fortress

Building Block while stance dancing is delicious.

But if you rely on it too much, you’ll take damage before it starts paying off, so you still want other Block options.

In that sense, the Retain Block brothers are more consistent.

Upgrade priority: fairly high.

(As an aside: at high Ascension, it’s almost mandatory.)

Tier B

Sanctity

Often useful in Act 1. Upgrade priority: average.

If you find this as your AoE in Act 1, pick it. If you already have Conclude, don’t pick it. Don’t pick it from Act 2 onward.

 

Talk to the Hand

It’s mediocre if you can’t strip enemy debuff immunity (Artifact), but otherwise it often hits perfectly.

A precious Block source. The Watcher plays lots of cards, so it shines.

Upgrade priority: fairly high.

Precious card #1 that lets you Block while staying in Wrath.

 

Halt

Precious card #2 that lets you Block while staying in Wrath.

Upgrade priority: fairly high.

Increases the chance you can end your turn while staying in Wrath. Convenient.

*The benefit of ending your turn in Wrath:* if you have Retain attack cards, you can know you’ll deal at least XX damage next turn, making it easier to plan.

 

Empty Fist

The “Empty” series. One of the three “exit stance brothers.”

A key card for stance dance. Great for both exiting Wrath and generating energy by leaving Calm.

Basically always pick this.

Upgrade priority: fairly high. When upgraded, it’s 1-cost 14 damage. Strong.

In Wrath, it’s 1-cost 28 damage. You can cruise through Act 1.

 

Empty Body

One of the exit stance brothers. Same idea.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Empty Mind

One of the exit stance brothers.

Same idea… but it’s a precious card that draws no matter what.

The Watcher has a lot of conditional draw, so this is a bit higher tier than the other “Empty” cards.

Upgrade priority: fairly high.

 

Deva Form

Lots of energy makes me happy.

It looks expensive, but you start with Miracle, and Calm can generate energy, so you do get windows to play it.

For example… imagine you use Empty Mind from Calm and draw Deva Form.

You’ll have 5 energy, so even after playing Deva Form, you’ll still have 1 energy left.

And since Empty Mind drew cards, you’ll definitely have cards in hand.

1 energy + cards in hand. Playtime forever.

 

Battle Hymn

This one card can cover your attack needs… but the downside is slow startup.

Pick it when you lack finishing power.

Upgrade priority is high if you have a way to protect yourself on turn 1. Otherwise, it’s lower.

Personally, I like upgrading it at the last rest site before the Act 3 boss.

“It’s fine, I don’t care about turn 1! SMITE SMITE SMITE!!!” is just fun.

 

Carve Reality

An excellent Retain attack-generation card.

Because it effectively gives you two attacks in one card, it becomes a multi-hit attack you can stop midway.

Being able to choose between 1-cost 6 damage or 2-cost 18 damage is strong.

It can be used as AoE, and if you keep it as Smite, you can fire it whenever you want. Love the flexibility.

If you pull it back with Meditate, it becomes two attacks worth of value.

Upgrade priority: low. By role, it doesn’t need more damage.

 

Eruption

An excellent starter stance-change card.

Upgrade priority: top.

For entering Wrath, Tantrum and this are enough.

 

Flurry of Blows

The main attack for stance dance. The fact it returns on its own is strong.

You often end up running 2–3 copies.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Establishment

If you have a lot of Retain cards, it’s worth considering.

However, it starts slowly and you tend to take damage early. If you have the relic Anchor on turn 1, it can perform amazingly.

Inner Peace

It can work as both a stance tool and a draw source, so it has its moments.

Pick it when you really want to stance dance hard, or when you lack draw.

Only pick it in the “slim” stance dance combo deck (no Empty cards, no Block—more A20-oriented).

Judgment

A convenient tool for deleting hallway enemies.

Useful in Act 2—great against “Byrds” and those “block-stacking round dumpling guys.”

Don’t pick it in Act 3.

The earlier it is, the higher the upgrade priority. If you draw it on turn 1, upgrade it right after Eruption.

Because “one-shot obliteration” is cool!!

It helps, but it’s not like you can’t win without it.

 

Foresight

Being able to clearly decide what you want to do that turn is strong.

“Free Scry” is strong, right?

But it’s not like you can’t win without it.

In the end, you can remove dead cards (like Strike), so I don’t feel you need to pick it on purpose.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Cut Through Fate

Getting to choose 1 specific card from 2—and if not, getting 1 random from 3—is nice.

Upgrade priority: slightly low.

Scry is convenient, but I’m in the “you can win without it” camp.

It helps stability, but “I can’t win unless Scry finds X!” is too much gambling.

In my mind, Scry cards are generally low tier.

 

Deus Ex Machina

The Watcher has many expensive cards, so there are moments like “ugh… if only I had 1 more energy!” This is your charm against that.

But you don’t need to take it on purpose.

Upgrade priority: low. If you’re energy-starved, then average.

 

Bowling Bash

A generic attack.

It can shine when there are many enemies (= when you want damage the most)… but it’s weak in single-target fights, so it often can’t perform.

Position: “a normally strong attack.”

Upgrade priority: average to high

Tier C

Sands of Time

A worse Windmill Strike.

If you don’t have Windmill Strike, you pick this when you think “it’d be nice to have a Retain attack.※”

※What does “Retain attack is nice” mean? → Mantra-centered decks, or when you can’t enter Wrath often.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Vigilance

A strong early stance-change card, but 2 energy is heavy.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Halt

One of the “Tier C Block brothers.”

It’s limited, but being usable as a draw source is nice.

Upgrade priority: middle among the Tier C brothers. Pick it when you feel you’re taking too much damage.

A card you use to replace Defend. Pick it when you can’t find the Tier A Retain Block brothers.

 

Third Eye

One of the Tier C Block brothers.

If you’re on Pressure Points, it’s Tier A! In other decks, you can usually manage without it.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Evaluate

One of the Tier C Block brothers.

Drawing when you want during Divinity is strong. But you don’t really need it.

Situations like “I can’t draw unless I have this card” are too RNG-heavy, so I rate it low.

Upgrade priority is the highest among the three brothers. 1-cost 10 Block is nice.

 

Follow-Up

If I plan to fight an elite in Act 1, I often include it.

In Act 3, it tends to become dead weight.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Alpha

It’s a “dream cannon,” right?

If by Act 3 you have no stance changes and no room to enter Divinity… and then you get to pick Alpha, you pray.

During my 100-win streak on A0, there were 2 times where I won because of Alpha.

Upgrade priority depends.

If you lack finishing power, it’s top priority. If you already have finishing power, don’t pick it.

 

Prostrate

Pick it in Mantra decks.

Even if you don’t want Mantra, sometimes you pick it as Block.

For example… if your Neow bonus was “Transform 2 cards” and you get two attacks, and then you still have no Block… you pick this as your Block worker.

There were 3 times in my 100-win streak where I survived because of this Block.

But thinking about it, I might’ve just needed to rest whenever my HP dropped.

Basically don’t upgrade it.

Even in Mantra decks, if you picked Devotion, upgrade priority is low.

If you picked Worship, upgrade priority is high※.

※Reference: Prostrate upgrade priority▼

・Prostrate gives 2 Mantra (3 when upgraded)

・Devotion gives 3 Mantra per turn, meaning you reach Divinity in 3 turns + 1 Prostrate. So 3 Mantra from Prostrate isn’t needed → upgrade priority low.

・Worship gives 5 Mantra per use. You need 5 more to reach Divinity. With Prostrate at 2 Mantra, you need to use it 3 times; at 3 Mantra, you only need 2 uses. Upgrade priority rises.

 

Crush Joints

The Watcher has two cards that apply Weak, but this one is more generally useful.

Pick it in “my turn forever” decks (slim stance dance for short fights, etc.).

For A0 players it feels awkward to use. At A20, it can shine.

Upgrade priority: average.

In “my turn forever” decks it’s a precious damage amplifier, but the Watcher has few ways to remove Artifact, so it’s harder to make it work in other decks.

 

Wish

The effect is strong, but it’s too heavy. Generally, don’t pick it.

There’s another heavy card, Deva Form, but Deva Form keeps paying off on future turns. Wish, on the other hand, makes you fall behind next turn even if you activate it with Miracle. Painful.

However, if you get it from your Neow bonus and then farm hallway fights in Act 1 to get rich, your deck becomes insanely strong. 25 gold is delicious.

That said, “get rich” play is A0-only. You can’t do it at A20.

Upgrade priority is high if you have extra energy.

 

Ragnarok

Upgraded 3-cost 36 damage (72 in Wrath) is tempting, but it’s expensive.

Upgrade priority: slightly low. If you lack finishing power, then higher.

 

Worship

If you want to reach Divinity, you want this.

If you see Worship+ in the “choose 1 of 3 cards when you defeat an enemy” reward, you aim for Divinity.

If you have Devotion and you have room to upgrade, pick it.

Because entering Divinity whenever you want is strong, upgrade priority is high.

Tier D

Wheel Kick

Heavy.

But as a draw source it’s excellent, so if you have energy to spare—like “4 energy from boss relic” or “lots of ways to exit Calm”—pick it aggressively.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Guidance

Heavy. It can be useful when you’re using Divinity, but it’s limited.

 

Weave

Since I rarely build around Scry, it doesn’t get many chances to shine.

Only pick it when you’ve found a clear role—like relics that trigger on “every time you play 3 attacks in a turn,” etc.

 

Tranquility

A safety charm. If you still don’t have any Calm cards by the end of Act 1, you reluctantly pick it.

 

Pressure Points

I love it.

Pressure Points decks are incredibly fun. ATATATATA!

But deckbuilding becomes so different from other decks that it turns into a different game, so I rate it low.

If you’re going to use it, upgrade priority is the highest.

 

Master Reality

You can win without it.

If you have 2–3 cards that generate cards (like Battle Hymn), then pick it.

If you get Nilry’s Codex from an Act 2 ?-space event, pick it.

It’s fun.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Like Water

Calm is for generating energy, not Block.

If you try to cover Block with this card, you’ll lose HP before you can stack enough copies, so I don’t recommend it.

Pick it when you want to feel “I’M STRONG!!!” (just kidding).

If you’re running a deck that transitions from Calm into Mantra via Devotion, you can pick it.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Rushdown

At high Ascension, this is high tier.

In stance dance and “my turn forever” decks, it’s amazing. It can lead into absurd combos.

But with my playstyle (“I’m going to win no matter what deck I’m on!”), it ends up being just a draw source, so I rate it lower.

If it’s already upgraded, I always pick it. If I’m short on draw, I pick it.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Collect

Saving extra energy feels great. Budget Ice Cream.

It shines if you have multiple heavy cards costing 3+.

Upgrade priority: average.

 

Nirvana

Since I rarely fight with a Scry-focused plan, I rate it low.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Omniscience

Heavy. And what you want to cast must still be in the draw pile = RNG pain. Brutal.

But the thrill of Omniscience + Ragnarok is addictive.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Flying Sleeves

The damage is too low, and it’s awkward to use.

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Just Lucky

Pick it when you somehow ended up with a Scry deck.

Pick it when you have “lots of Third Eye” or when you have Weave to trigger “play 3 attacks in a turn” relics.

 

Conjure Blade

A dream cannon. It has good synergy with Divinity, but it starts slowly and can feel underwhelming.

Also pairs well with Deus Ex Machina.

A handy card that can shine if you have the right synergy pieces.

 

Finisher

Very limited use. You basically never have a situation where “this is the only attack in my hand.”

However!

In a Pressure Points deck, it’s Tier A. I am a proud member of the “Pressure Points Promotion Committee.”

Upgrade priority: low.

 

Fasting

A special combo with Deva Form, but it’s still just too heavy.

Never pick it in Act 1. Even if it comes from an event transform, remove it. Sorry.

From Act 2 onward, it can be useful… sometimes.

 

Rushdown

At high Ascension, this is very high tier.

It shines in decks that enter Wrath frequently, but it’s still niche.

Because you must enter Wrath after playing it, it’s hard to use in big decks.

If you have lots of Wrath, upgrade priority is high; otherwise it’s low.

 

Swivel

Heavy. And the attack you’re enabling with it… what is it, exactly?

It might be okay if you also happen to have Ragnarok, but since high-cost Retain attacks are basically just Windmill Strike, it’s awkward.

 

Protect

If you’re trying to stack Block while in Wrath, Halt is better.

If you’re forced to rely on Protect for Block, you’re in a critical “not enough Block” situation.

You urgently need to pick up the Block brothers… but in my 100-win streak, there were 3 runs where Protect became my main Block. Thanks for those times.

Tier E

Strike / Defend

Remove them alternately.

If you pick an attack card, remove Strike.

If you pick a Block card, remove Defend.

 

Indignation

I hate gambling on the next turn.

…Or so I thought, but after writing this article, I tried picking it and it was surprisingly useful.

I’m keeping it low tier for now, but I might change it… maybe?

 

Foreign Influence

I love gacha.

It can create unexpected synergies and make you feel great, but it’s not great for win streaks. It’s also not great for Ascension mode.

The combo of Impale and Divinity was fun.

If it’s already upgraded, I end up picking it… but you can win without it.

 

Pray

It doesn’t affect the current turn.

When you need a “do something right now” card, this doesn’t help.

 

Crown of Flames

It pairs well with multi-hit attacks, but whether you draw those multi-hit attacks together is a gamble.

 

Crescendo

In Wrath, I don’t want to spend 1 energy on a skill. If you want Weak, Crush Joints is fine.

Every time I see this card I think “I’m going to make it work this time!”—and then I never do, and it gets removed. A tragic card.

 

Indignation

Pick it when you absolutely can’t enter Wrath.

In my runs, archetype priority is Tantrum > Mantra/Blasphemy > Alpha > Pressure Points.

I don’t intentionally take Indignation.

Pick it only when you truly lack finishing power.

 

Study

Heavy. If you want a draw card, Evaluate is better.

If it shows up from transform, it’s a top removal target.

 

Wave of the Hand

Playing this and then trying to generate Block is painful. Very painful.

If you trigger Talk to the Hand and Tantrum, you get a “Weak everywhere” dream cannon.

But if your deck is already that complete, you don’t need this card.

I’ve never had it truly shine.

 

The end!

I hope this was helpful.

 

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