Slay the Spire | Boss Relic Tier List & Pick Guidelines (All Characters)

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.

Recommended for:

Beginner players who want clear criteria for choosing Boss Relics.

This article includes a simple overview and evaluation of Boss Relics, plus recommended pick timings.

Use it as a companion for your runs.

Contents

+1 Energy Relics
Card Removal / Transformation Relics
Relics That Give You More Relics
Other

+1 Energy Relics

Here are the relics that increase your Energy.

Sozu

Among the +1 Energy relics, this one is relatively easy to pick.

Especially at higher Ascension, you can only hold two Potions, so I often prioritize this.

If you already have relics that care about Potions, I avoid it.

Reference: Relics related to Potions ▼

Coffee Dripper

In Ascension, you usually can’t afford to Rest much, so this is the easiest +1 Energy relic to pick.

Honestly, if your deck needs frequent Resting along the way, you probably won’t even make it to the Act 3 boss.

Philosopher’s Stone

I pick it when there aren’t any standout relics.

If this is the only option, I get kind of sad.

Ectoplasm

I basically never pick this after Act 1.

Even in Act 2 or later, you’ll want to use Shops to stock Potions and tune your deck, so unless you already have a big Gold cushion (300+), I don’t take it.

Velvet Choker

I generally don’t pick it.

Unless it fits your deck extremely well, it tends to cause bad hands.

Runic Dome

I generally don’t pick it.

There are too many enemies with unpredictable patterns, so it’s easy to get wrecked by blocking mistakes.

That said, for decks where your plan doesn’t change no matter what the enemy does (like Silent “Grand Finale” style decks), I’ll prioritize it.

Cursed Key

If your deck isn’t very relic-dependent, you can just skip chests and get +1 Energy with basically no downside, so the priority is high.

Also, I prioritize it for Ironclad Status decks.

Reference: Fire Breathing—one of the key cards for Status decks ▼

Be careful not to accidentally open a chest. I’ve mashed “A” and messed that up more times than I can count…

Busted Crown

Because you can rely on Shops for card picks, this is one of the easier +1 Energy relics to take.

Fusion Hammer

I generally don’t pick it, but I will if I already have ways to Upgrade cards.

(Example: Lesson Learned ▼)

Philosopher’s Stone

At low Ascension, you can take this pretty casually, but at higher Ascension it becomes a tough decision.

If you often can’t block on turn 1, I usually don’t take it.

But honestly, if your deck collapses because enemies get +1 Strength, you probably can’t beat the Act 3 boss on higher Ascension anyway.

Card Removal / Transformation Relics

Here are the relics that remove or transform cards.

Astrolabe

It’s a card gacha, but it can function as a substitute for card removal.

Toss away cards that don’t fit, and it feels great when you roll into something that synergizes.

If you don’t have a clear deck direction after the Act 1 boss, I prioritize it.

Even if you’re behind on upgrades, I’ll still take it in Act 2. You can make it work.

Pandora’s Box

The ultimate card gacha.

If you haven’t removed enough Strikes and Defends yet, I prioritize it.

Even if you take it from the Act 2 boss, you’ll be surprised how often it still works out.

Sometimes you’ll end up with cards you’d never normally pick and discover new synergies. Great for thinking about deck lines.

Empty Cage

If your deck plan is already set, it’s a powerful relic. I prioritize it.

Relics That Give You More Relics

Here are the relics that let you gain extra relics.

Black Star

Elites in Act 2 and later are hard to path into… honestly, I usually don’t even want to, so the pick priority is low.

If this is the only option, you can embrace it, spam Elite nodes, and aim for a relic snowball.

Calling Bell

Its unique Curse ▼

Relic gacha. Outside of Ironclad Status decks, the pick priority is low.

I take it when I’m thinking, “This deck can’t win,” or “I’m done for.”

Other

Here are other relics with special effects.

Snecko Eye

It’s RNG, but it’s a powerful relic.

With Confusion, cards that cost 2+ can roll down to 1 or even 0, letting you spam powerful cards. It feels amazing.

In Act 1, this is a high-priority pick.

In Act 2, it can become a burden—but in a Bullet Time deck, it can completely take over.

Reference: Bullet Time ▼

Runic Pyramid

All cards become Retain.

If Strikes, Defends, or non-synergy cards are still stuck in your deck, your hand can clog up and you won’t draw what you actually want.

If you don’t have an Energy engine, you’re more likely to brick.

Reference: The Energy god—Iced Cream ▼

On the other hand, if you already have decent Energy generation and some card removal, getting Pyramid makes you want to pray. Thank you for showing up.