Ironclad Card Tier List (2026): Every Card Ranked S to D

Ironclad Card Tier List: Quick Overview: The best Ironclad cards in Slay the Spire are Offering, Corruption, and Feed. These three cards form the S Tier core of any effective Ironclad card tier list and are worth picking in nearly every run.

The Ironclad starts with 80 HP, the highest of any playable character in Slay the Spire. His starting relic, Burning Blood, heals 6 HP after every combat. That makes self-damage a resource rather than a downside. His kit supports three core strategies: Strength scaling, Exhaust synergy, and Barricade-based Block retention.

Here are the S Tier cards you should always be looking for:

• Offering: lose 6 HP to gain 2 energy and draw 3 cards. It holds a 70% community pick rate, the highest of any Ironclad card.
• Corruption: makes all Skill cards cost 0 energy while Exhausting them. It enables the Exhaust and Infinite archetype that dominates high-Ascension play.
• Feed: deal 10 damage and, if fatal, permanently raise your Max HP by 3. A run-long health snowball that pays off more the earlier you find it.

This Axeetech’s Tier list covers every card organized by rarity in Ironclad (Common, Uncommon, Rare), per-build recommendations, upgrade priority, cards to avoid, and FAQ. Tier placements reflect general power level. The right pick always depends on your current deck, your relics, and your build direction.

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Tier System Explained

Before diving into the rankings, here is how each tier works in this Ironclad card tier list:

Tier	Meaning
S	Auto-pick in almost every run. These cards win games.
A	Excellent cards. Take them unless your deck has no synergy.
B	Solid cards that fit specific strategies well.
C	Situational. Only pick if your deck specifically needs them.
D	Weak or trap cards. Almost always skip.

Tier placements assume Ascension 0 to 10. At Ascension 20, some B and C tier cards drop further in value. Cards marked with an asterisk are significantly stronger when upgraded. This list covers original Slay the Spire. Notable Slay the Spire 2 differences are flagged in the FAQ section.

Ironclad Common Card Tier List

Common cards form the backbone of every Ironclad run. The best commons provide reliable damage, early Block, and deck thinning that keeps your hand cycling smoothly throughout the game.

Tier	Cards
S	Shrug It Off, Strike*, Defend*
A	Bash, Armaments, Pommel Strike*, True Grit
B	Headbutt, Clothesline, Iron Wave, Sword Boomerang
C	Cleave, Twin Strike, Anger, Thunderclap, Warcry
D	Wild Strike, Perfected Strike (without many Strikes in deck)

Shrug It Off provides 8 Block and draws 1 card for just 1 energy. This is the most impactful common for early survival. The card draw keeps your hand moving and reduces the chance of bricking. Take 1 to 2 copies in almost every run. High-Ascension players consistently include it in their winning decks.

Bash deals 8 damage and applies 2 Vulnerable for 2 energy. Vulnerable multiplies all incoming damage by 1.5x, which means every other Attack card in your hand hits harder after Bash lands. Opening a combat turn with Bash sets up massive follow-up damage. Upgrade Bash as early as possible; the upgraded version deals 10 damage and applies 3 Vulnerable, which is one of the highest-impact early upgrades in the game.

Armaments provides 5 Block and upgrades one card in your hand, all for 1 energy. The Block is fine, but the upgrade is the real value. Upgraded Armaments upgrades your entire hand rather than a single card. That tempo play at 1 energy cost is exceptional in any deck.

True Grit gives 7 Block while Exhausting a random card from your hand for 1 energy. Deck thinning matters throughout the entire run. Early on, True Grit removes weak cards. Later, every Exhaust triggers Feel No Pain and Dark Embrace if you have them. Consequently, True Grit transforms from a simple Block card into an Exhaust engine component.

Pommel Strike deals 9 damage and draws 1 card for 2 energy. The draw makes this card much stronger than its damage stats suggest. In Slay the Spire 2, Pommel Strike becomes an essential component of Hellraiser infinite loops. Take it early and upgrade it when you have the opportunity.

Wild Strike is the one Common to avoid. It deals 12 damage but shuffles a Wound curse into your discard pile every use. Wounds pollute your draws over time and slow your deck’s cycling. Only take Wild Strike if you run Corruption or have reliable Exhaust to clear the Wounds before they clog your hand.

Ironclad Uncommon Card Tier List

Uncommons define the direction of most Ironclad runs. The best Uncommons either scale damage, provide reliable Block generation, or unlock the powerful synergies that separate good runs from great ones.

Tier	Cards
S	Battle Trance, Feel No Pain*, Dark Embrace*, Inflame, Spot Weakness
A	Burning Pact, Second Wind*, Fiend Fire, Whirlwind*, Uppercut, Hemokinesis, Evolve, Carnage, Blood for Blood
B	Rupture, Shockwave, Entrench*, Flame Barrier, Reckless Charge, Ghostly Armor, Metallicize, Sever Soul, Pummel, Rampage
C	Intimidate, Infernal Blade, Combust, Rage, Sentinel, Clash*
D	Berserk, Havoc, Searing Blow (without early offering and repeated upgrades)

Battle Trance draws 3 cards for 0 energy. The downside is that you cannot draw additional cards that turn. In practice, the downside rarely matters because 3 new cards is already a full replacement of what you held. High-Ascension data confirms a 51% pick rate, making it one of the most consistently taken Uncommons. It is always valuable in Act 1 for tempo and remains relevant late game as a combo enabler.

Feel No Pain generates 3 Block whenever any card Exhausts. Passive Block generation that compounds quickly. One copy alongside Corruption turns every Skill card into a Block producer. Two copies becomes a serious Block engine that can sustain you through elite encounters without dedicating energy to defensive plays.

Dark Embrace draws 1 card whenever any card Exhausts. Pairs with Feel No Pain directly. Together they form an infinite-value loop under Corruption: exhaust a Skill, draw a card, gain Block, repeat. Dark Embrace is essential in the Exhaust archetype and valuable in any deck that Exhausts regularly.

Inflame permanently grants 2 Strength for 1 energy. Reliable, immediate Strength scaling that improves every Attack card in your deck simultaneously. One of the cheapest Strength generators the Ironclad has access to, with a 42% pick rate among high-Ascension players. Take it early in runs built around dealing damage.

Burning Pact lets you Exhaust 1 card from your hand and draw 2 cards in return. Net positive draw that also thins your deck. At 40% pick rate among high-Ascension players, this is a core enabler in Exhaust and Infinite builds. Furthermore, it synergizes directly with Feel No Pain for Block and Dark Embrace for additional draw.

Fiend Fire Exhausts your entire hand and deals 7 damage for each Exhausted card. The payoff card for a large-hand Exhaust setup. Combined with Battle Trance drawing 3 cards beforehand and a full 7-card hand, Fiend Fire can deal 49 or more damage in a single action. This is one of the strongest burst damage tools in the Ironclad kit.

Whirlwind spends any amount of energy to deal 5 damage to all enemies per energy spent. It scales hard with Strength and additional energy relics. Excellent AOE solution that gets dramatically stronger with a Strength build or energy-generating relics like Bag of Preparation or Snecko Eye. Upgrade it when possible.

Havoc plays the top card of your draw pile for free. This sounds useful but the randomness is a real cost. You have no control over what you get. High-Ascension players hold a 4% pick rate on Havoc, confirming it is nearly always the wrong choice. Avoid it unless you have a very specific synergy setup with Headbutt or Clash.

Ironclad Rare Card Tier List

Rare cards are the run-defining picks. The best Rares create an entirely new power level for your deck or provide the cornerstone of the Exhaust and Strength archetypes that carry high-Ascension runs.

Tier	Cards
S	Offering, Corruption, Feed, Limit Break
A	Demon Form*, Impervious, Double Tap, Immolate, Reaper, Bloodletting
B	Barricade*, Bludgeon*, Juggernaut, Exhume
C	Dual Wield, Dropkick, Brutality, Body Slam (situational)
D	Berserk (outside specific build)

Offering loses you 6 HP to gain 2 energy and draw 3 cards. The 70% community pick rate among high-Ascension players is the highest of any Ironclad card. Extra energy and card draw are the most powerful effects in Slay the Spire. Burning Blood heals the self-damage post-combat in most cases. Pick Offering in almost every run unless your deck is already too large to benefit from adding a card.

Corruption makes all Skill cards cost 0 energy and Exhaust when played. This single Power card transforms your entire deck. Combined with Feel No Pain, Dark Embrace, Second Wind, and Burning Pact, Corruption enables the Exhaust and Infinite archetype. Even outside an infinite build, free Skills thin your deck and generate enormous value every turn. High-level content creators including Baalorlord and Frost Prime consistently identify Corruption as the highest-synergy card in the Ironclad kit.

Feed deals 10 damage and, if fatal, permanently raises your Max HP by 3. Over a full run, Feed can add 15 to 30 HP to your base pool. Take it as early as possible. The earlier you access it, the more fights you can use it in and the more total HP you accumulate before the final boss.

Limit Break doubles your current Strength and Exhausts. This is the payoff for Strength builds. Stack Strength with Inflame, Demon Form, or Spot Weakness, then Limit Break to explode your damage output. Extremely powerful in the right deck; nearly useless if you have minimal Strength built up before playing it.

Demon Form grants 2 Strength at the start of each turn. It costs 3 energy and does nothing on the turn you play it. The long-term Strength output is enormous in extended fights, but most high-Ascension players prefer Rupture or Inflame for faster Strength payoff. Take Demon Form when you have spare energy from relics or expect long, sustained boss fights where the 3-energy investment has time to pay off.

Impervious grants 30 Block and Exhausts. The emergency button against a killing blow or a massive Elite attack. 30 Block for 2 energy is outstanding efficiency. Exhaust prevents repeated use, but a single use is often enough to swing a fight that would otherwise be fatal. It is an excellent A Tier defensive tool for any Ironclad build.

Barricade is a Power card that keeps Block from expiring at the start of your turn. This enables a dedicated defensive strategy where you accumulate Block across turns and potentially convert it into damage via Body Slam. Very strong with Entrench, which doubles your current Block total. However, Barricade requires a dedicated supporting package to function optimally and ranks lower without Entrench or Body Slam nearby.

Ironclad Card Recommendations by Build Type

No competitor organizes their Ironclad card tier list by archetype. This section fills that gap and is the most actionable part of the guide for players mid-run.

Strength Scaling Build

The Strength scaling build is the most beginner-friendly Ironclad strategy. The win condition is clear: stack Strength, then hit hard.

Core cards: Inflame, Limit Break, Demon Form, Spot Weakness, Heavy Blade, Whirlwind, Pommel Strike.

Pick up Inflame as early as possible. Add Limit Break only after you have meaningful Strength already built. Spot Weakness applies Strength whenever you face an enemy that intends to attack, making it free tempo against Elites. The payoff Attacks, Whirlwind, Heavy Blade, and Sword Boomerang, all scale hard with Strength and become significantly stronger once you hit 5 or more Strength.

Exhaust and Infinite Build

The Exhaust build is the dominant high-Ascension archetype. It generates infinite resources through a loop and is the most reliable way to reach the Heart on Ascension 20.

Core cards: Corruption, Feel No Pain, Dark Embrace, Burning Pact, Second Wind, Offering, Bloodletting.

How it works: Corruption makes all Skills free and Exhausting. Feel No Pain and Dark Embrace convert each Exhaust into Block and card draw respectively. This creates a resource loop that never runs dry. Take Corruption whenever offered and build around it with every Exhaust payoff you encounter. In Slay the Spire 2, Hellraiser and Bloodletting make infinite loops even more accessible than in STS1.

Barricade and Block Build

The Barricade build turns defense into offense. You become nearly unkillable and deal serious damage through Body Slam.

Core cards: Barricade, Entrench, Impervious, Body Slam, Shrug It Off, Feel No Pain.

Barricade keeps Block between turns. Entrench doubles it. Body Slam converts your entire current Block total into damage. Pursue this build only if Barricade appears early in your run. Without Barricade as the anchor, this strategy does not function and you should pivot to Strength or Exhaust instead.

Worst Ironclad Cards and Common Mistakes

This section covers the cards that look deceptively useful but consistently underperform. High-Ascension pick rate data confirms these are the most commonly wasted picks.

Havoc has a 4% pick rate among experienced players. Playing a random card from the top of your draw pile for free sounds like value, but the lack of control is a genuine cost. You cannot predict what you get, which makes it unreliable in fights where you need specific cards at specific moments. Avoid it in almost every situation.

Wild Strike poisons your deck over time. Every use shuffles a Wound curse into your discard pile. Wounds clog your draws, reduce deck consistency, and actively interfere with card cycling. Only take Wild Strike if you run Corruption or have reliable Exhaust to remove Wounds before they accumulate.

Berserk gives you 1 additional energy at the start of each turn but reduces your maximum HP by 2. The HP loss compounds across a run and makes you more vulnerable to unexpected damage spikes. The energy gain rarely justifies the health cost outside very specific builds where you have healing or self-damage payoffs already established.

Searing Blow requires many upgrades to deal meaningful damage. At default, it deals 12 damage for 2 energy, which is mediocre. To become worthwhile, it needs to be offered in Act 1 and upgraded at nearly every smith opportunity. Without that early start and repeated investment, Searing Blow is consistently worse than other options at the same energy cost.

Body Slam outside Barricade builds has an 8% pick rate among high-Ascension players. It deals damage equal to your current Block, which sounds powerful. However, without Barricade to retain Block between turns, your Block resets to zero at the start of each turn and the card deals very little damage in practice. It is a trap for new players who take it expecting sustained offense.

Ironclad Card Upgrade Priority

The upgrade priority guide is entirely absent from competing pages. This section directly addresses one of the most frequent decisions players face at each smithing opportunity.

Priority	Cards to Upgrade First	Reason
Highest	Bash, Shrug It Off, Armaments	Bash adds 1 more Vulnerable stack; Shrug It Off draws an extra card; Armaments upgrades your whole hand
High	Corruption, Feel No Pain, Offering	Power cards gain disproportionate value from upgrades
Medium	Pommel Strike, Inflame, Limit Break	Scaling cards improve output; Pommel Strike enables STS2 Hellraiser loops
Lower	Whirlwind, Body Slam, Carnage	Strong at base; upgrade after higher priorities are complete
Skip	Strike, Defend, Headbutt	Rarely change game outcomes after upgrade

The general rule: upgrade Power cards and cards with Exhaust or Vulnerable effects first. Upgrading Bash from 2 Vulnerable to 3 Vulnerable is one of the single highest-impact early upgrades in the game. Upgraded Armaments upgrades your entire hand in one action, which can accelerate your deck’s power level significantly mid-run.

Ironclad Card Tier List: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Offering always an S Tier pick?

Almost always. Offering has the highest pick rate of any Ironclad card at 70% among high-Ascension players. Burning Blood’s post-combat healing offsets the 6 HP cost in most fights. The only scenario to skip Offering is when your deck is already too large and adding a card would actively hurt your cycling speed.

Is Demon Form worth taking?

Demon Form is powerful but slow. It costs 3 energy and delivers nothing on the turn you play it. Most experienced players prefer faster Strength scaling through Inflame or Rupture. Take Demon Form when you have extra energy from relics or expect very long fights where the Strength accumulation has time to pay off. At Ascension 20, the slow setup is a consistent liability.

When should I build around Corruption?

Take Corruption whenever it is offered. Even outside a dedicated Exhaust build, free Skill cards are always useful. When you already have Feel No Pain and Dark Embrace in your deck, Corruption transforms your run into a near-unkillable loop. Corruption has the highest synergy density of any card in the Ironclad kit.

Is Barricade good without Body Slam?

Yes. Retaining Block between turns is powerful on its own. Paired with Entrench and Impervious, you can accumulate massive Block totals that make elite fights trivial. Body Slam converts Block into damage and makes the build lethal offensively, but Barricade is already worthwhile as a pure defensive tool.

What is the best Ironclad archetype for beginners?

The Strength scaling build is the most beginner-friendly option. Pick Inflame, Armaments, Bash, and Shrug It Off early. Add Limit Break once you have meaningful Strength stacked. Focus on Vulnerable effects to amplify your damage output. The win condition is direct and the execution is straightforward compared to Exhaust loops or Barricade setups.

What are the worst Ironclad cards to avoid?

Havoc at 4% pick rate, Wild Strike for Wound generation, Berserk for unreliable energy payoff, and Searing Blow without early access and repeated upgrades are the most commonly wasted picks. These cards appear functional at first glance but either pollute your deck or require too much setup for their payoff.

How does the Ironclad tier list change at Ascension 20?

At Ascension 20, Ascender’s Bane curse is added to your deck, making Clash nearly unplayable. Cards that add Wounds or Curses such as Wild Strike and Brutality become significantly more dangerous. The Exhaust and Infinite archetype becomes even more dominant because it can reliably Exhaust the Ascender’s Bane. Offering, Corruption, and Battle Trance rise further in value at high Ascension because tempo and efficiency become critical.

What is different about the Slay the Spire 2 Ironclad card tier list?

Slay the Spire 2 adds new Ironclad cards, including Hellraiser, which enables infinite combos, alongside Forgotten Ritual, Pyre, and Conflagration. Several card costs and names changed from STS1. The Exhaust and Infinite archetype is even stronger in STS2 because Hellraiser and Bloodletting make infinite loops more accessible than in the original game. The core S Tier anchors, Offering, Corruption, and Battle Trance, remain dominant in both versions.

Final Verdict: Best Ironclad Cards in 2026

The Ironclad card tier list comes down to a few clear principles. Offering sits at the top of the list at 70% pick rate for a reason. Energy and card draw win games, and Burning Blood covers the self-damage cost. Corruption defines the most powerful archetype available to the Ironclad, the Exhaust and Infinite build, and carries the highest synergy density of any card in the kit.

Among commons, Shrug It Off is the most underrated pick. It provides Block and card draw for 1 energy and appears in the majority of winning Ironclad decks at every Ascension level. Among Uncommons, Inflame is the fastest, most reliable Strength scaling available. Battle Trance is the 0-cost card draw that accelerates every strategy.

Avoid Havoc, Wild Strike, Berserk, and early Searing Blow without upgrade infrastructure. Upgrade Bash first for Vulnerability, then Power cards and Exhaust payoffs. Beginners should build Strength scaling. High-Ascension players should target Exhaust and Infinite.

The Ironclad card tier list changes with experience. What looks like a weak card at Ascension 0 can become a run-winner once you understand the Exhaust and Infinite synergies that define his ceiling. Start with Offering and Corruption as your north star, and let the rest of the deck follow the cards you get offered.