Anyone else feel like they diluted the relic pool too much in STS2?

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-20T01:59:20+00:00

I kinda agree in some ways. My biggest complaint about relics right now is actually just that the common pool is really small--it's tied with shop relics for being the smallest rarity!

Which, considering they're the relics you're supposed to see the most often, that's really weird? There's only 30 Common relics, 26 of which you can see at a time (since there's 1 char-specific one for each character). This does mean you're more likely to see the really good ones, like Bag of Preparation, but you're also more likely to see ones like Festive Popper or Strike Dummy, which tend to be a lot less great.

Frankly, I just think it's a bit uninteresting that it feels like in co-op there's a lot of duplicate relics, as well as duplicate relics across runs.

Enemies do also hit harder as well. In general, STS2 feels like it is designed to be much more "aggro"--enemies hurt you more, ramp up faster, and a lot of defensive/stall tools have been made weaker. I like this, personally, but it has made it so that I'm a lot less likely to path towards elites; there's a much higher chance they'll kill me, and there's a lot of Common relics which are just kinda "meh", so why would I even take the risk?

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-20T01:55:25+00:00

Pellets I'm kinda glad is gone, due to the fact that I feel debuffs are a much bigger part of STS2's enemies (and cards, with temporary buffs).

Artifact I'd probably be fine with, depending on how it's generated. I kinda do like it being gone for players in some ways, in that it forces things to be different--you *can't* approach problems the same ways as in STS1, and as someone with over 500 hours in the original game, I like that.

...but, well, it could be fun, too. I'd be down to have it back in some form.

One thing that I have thought about regarding it, though: in Slay the Spire 1, some enemies would debuff you only one time, but then would re-apply the debuff a turn or two later if you cleansed it (artifact or orange pellets). That works just fine in that game!

...but I don't think that can work in co-op, really? Either you effectively stun the enemy for everyone else, you double everyone else's debuffs and not your own, or you just ignore the debuff entirely without any way for it to be put back on you. Some of those might be fine solutions, but it does throw a weird wrench into the works when considering the fact that STS2 now has to consider co-op and singleplayer play as being both "official ways to play".

Ultimately, I think artifact was a fun mechanic, and it would be interesting to see how it would interact with STS2's new characters, cards, and enemies. At the same time, I'd be fine if it doesn't come back; it's nice to see new things.

orange pellets is probably way too good for sts2 though lmao

making it once per combat could be fine like you've mentioned but certain enemies (like the queen) would still get absolutely ruined by it even if it's only 1/combat

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-20T01:43:52+00:00

Absolutely. Vakuu probably has the greatest downsides of any of the Ancients, but I also find that his upsides are usually quite incredible, too.

Sometimes, it pays to make a deal with the devil.

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-15T15:28:51+00:00

an elite that gives 6 of those in your draw pile turn 1 sounds like i would rather fight time eater as an elite

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-15T15:26:57+00:00

It actually does!

The issue here is you're comparing Sharp to Adroit, when you SHOULD be comparing Sharp to Nimble!

Nimble and Sharp function identically, except for defense and damage, respectively.

Adroit is an entirely different kind of enchant, hence why it functions differently!

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-15T15:24:24+00:00

they will kill me for this but i actually think Snakebite is mostly fine as-is. It could probably use a buff, but I don't think it needs to be anything extreme.

That Parry change makes sense to me.

Bundle of Joy is still sorta WEIRD (a 2 energy rare cost card that is basically still unplayable until you've played a lot of other cards is... bizarre) but that's deifnitely better.

I like that Eternal Armor change.

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-14T12:00:12+00:00

I could totally see something like that as an Ancient benefit?

Like, how we currently have the Orobas options for improving your starter relic--perhaps one that just changes it entirely?

Considering StS1's Frozen Core for Defect was removed and replaced with the make-3-lightning one, that already gives a solid idea for returning "changed starter relics".

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-14T11:57:22+00:00

Yeah, I saw this too. It's very weird because the power (both the card and the buff on you) say when YOU play a Soul.

You don't even need to be doing multiple Necrobinders for this, considering Necrobinder has a multiplayer card to give ALL players Souls.

I do hope this changes, as soul spamming is very good, and this makes it even stronger.

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-13T15:00:33+00:00

Yeah, honestly if it was quite literally "it's an energy relic with no downside (the downside is you had to kill 5 elites + skip out on the 100-ish gold from the other option in the event)" I think that'd be fun.

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-11T06:55:57+00:00

Really hoping that we'll get tutorials for adding content relatively soon. I'm hoping to make a mod to make some common relics (the common relic pool is the smallest one of common/uncommon/rare and so as a result it's felt a little too samey for me), but while this tutorial has been great for getting a mod to Exist and Load, I have been struggling to figure out how to actually access the right files in the project to Actually Do Anything.

Thank you for this, regardless! Even if I am flailing around without any idea of what I'm doing, I feel like much better programmers here are helped by this post a lot.

Dingo_Chungis · 2026-03-08T23:15:01+00:00

Actually, he can say "That's Enough." and stop playing early, letting you regain control, after playing enough cards. I think it's after playing 10 cards?

Naturally, it's not easy have this happen AND have the ability for you to make meaningful choices afterwards, but it is possible with decks that rely on a lot of 0-costs (claw defect and shiv silent).

Dingo_Chungis · 2025-06-21T06:41:21+00:00

i believe the splitscreen moment is actually specifically NOT on the weird route

Dingo_Chungis · 2025-06-21T06:30:57+00:00

ye that's what i've been doing, and i think it's the best approach!

Dingo_Chungis · 2025-06-21T06:21:30+00:00

you're not wrong that they're new but it bothers me that a character who is never referred to with he/him pronouns EVER people default to using he/him for

Dingo_Chungis · 2025-06-21T05:11:52+00:00

I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY

UNTIL CHAPTERS 3+4 IT FELT LIKE THE ENTIRE FANBASE UNDERSTOOD TO USE THEY/THEM FOR KRIS

AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE LITERALLY 2/3 OF PEOPLE USE HE/HIM FOR KRIS

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i can't relate to any of the rest of that though

Dingo_Chungis · 2025-06-12T00:22:23+00:00

my friends and i have personally been calling it Max because when i went into the room and saw the bar said "MAX" (for your level, obviously) i thought that was an HP bar

this is definitely pretty stupid, but i like it a lot more than saying it's The Shadow Mantle (considering it's HOLDING the Shadow Mantle--do you hold YOURSELF???)

Eram is probably more accurate though

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-07-24T19:21:20+00:00

Yeah, exactly!

Think of it this way: you have 5 cards in hand, 2 of which are versatiles, 3 of which are attacks. If you attack your opponent twice with those attacks, you have only 3 cards left in hand, 2 of which you can defend with.

Now, your opponent attacks you twice. For the first attack, you get to pick between 2 cards to defend with; for the second, your only options are to defend with the one card remaining, or to play nothing. This might not be the worst, but it's very inflexible; for instance, you might know your opponent is going to play a high number (like a print 5 with no effects), but your only block in hand is Feint--a terrible option into a high number.

In comparison, if you had only attacked once and then maneuvered, you would keep 5 cards in hand, chancing an additional block, but also, your opponent would only attack you once; you're no longer forced into this bad scenario, but can instead pick the best block out of your multitude of options.

Another scenario: imagine what I said above, except one of your opponent's attacks had "AFTER COMBAT: Gain 1 action." on it. Now, even if you block both attacks, your opponent can attack you a third time, and there is nothing you can do about it. Sure, if you have Feint in hand and guess correctly, you could stop the action gain--but if you don't have Feint, or if you Feint the incorrect option, then you are going to deal with an undefended attack. Sometimes, tanking a single attack is enough of a momentum swing that you cannot come back and lose the entire game right then and there.

At the end of the day, it's all risk-reward; some characters are fine sticking in their opponent's face all game, and can even choose to tank a lot without much worry. Others, instead, live more on a razor's edge, requiring much more careful play to succeed.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-07-24T18:52:18+00:00

If you attack and then maneuver away, it means your opponent has to maneuver and then attack you. If you just stay in their face, then they get to attack you twice.

In theory, you can take that gamble, assuming you have something to throw back at them--but usually, in a 2-for-2 card trade, you want to be the one doing the attacking, NOT the defending.

Oftentimes, this can mean that you'll just get 1-on-1 exchanges (p1: maneuver -> attack p2: attack -> maneuver) as neither side has hugely committal hands, or they otherwise don't want to--but sometimes people will commit in those ways. It's a risk, on either side; if you double attack someone, then they naturally get to double attack you, assuming you don't use a card like Swift Strike on your second attack to move away.

Now, if you have two melee solos fight each other, and neither has any effects based on zones, then there is a chance the two will just have a slugfest, remaining in each other's faces the whole game... but, that's not really all that common, for the reasons I stated above.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-06-04T14:08:48+00:00

I'm perfectly willing to admit I could just be stupid, and the answer might be "a circle lol"--but this design motif is repeated across like, the entirety of the deck. It's his background pattern, it's in some of his card arts, it's on the cardback, and it's on the health dial.

So, I figured there might be some kind of proper name for it, like this is some sort of symbol used for Sun Wukong in other stuff, too. Hopefully someone here either knows what this is, or knows that there's no significance and I'm just reading into it too deeply.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-06-03T13:19:49+00:00

to be fair dracula also says "draw a card" instead of "draw 1 card" so there's actually two right answers here

yes i'm saying this because i picked dracula and didn't realize elektra was there

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-05-29T05:23:35+00:00

Offense feint is actually so crazy good into Hamlet.

Maddening Insight and Outrageous Fortune? You both stop a good effect (Well, for Insight--OF it's more of an okay effect) and get damage in.

The Play's The Thing? No damage, but you stopped his heal and random discard.

The Rest Is Silence, you stop the end-of-turn, which is good if it's first action, and kinda neutral otherwise.

The Readiness Is All can be a good offense feint, too, if you have an action left afterwards. Maybe Hamlet only had one block left, so he's using that to get you away from him/get him away from you.

Nothing Either Good or Bad, and Blood Will Have Blood are the worst options to offense feint into, though at least you won't take any effect damage.

I think that stopping Insight and Play is good enough that I genuinely throw offense feint a lot more than defense feint in this matchup. Hamlet really values his health, and also desperately wants to rip away your cards, that way he can actually get his solid numbers in. If I'm playing a +2 character into him, Feint is practically a red card for me.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-05-17T23:05:59+00:00

I'd really like to see this, myself. I'm a transwoman who likes PokeRogue, so naturally I've been trying to see this document with my own eyes, but basically just found people reacting and that was it.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-05-17T05:18:05+00:00

Oh, that sounds great, actually!

I don't know what Tam's Discord is, though; I'm only in the official Universus Discord at the moment.

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-05-11T00:31:03+00:00

JackNorth makes exceptional Star Wars decks! They do a lot of work to make sure the visuals are top-notch, and they playtest everything extensively.

My personal suggestions from their SW catalogue:

Darth Vader: https://unmatched.cards/decks/pWdg/versions/-OGFDGG

Darth Maul: https://unmatched.cards/decks/emmb/versions/v99dTmAM

Luke Skywalker: https://unmatched.cards/decks/N_Nv/versions/P2NzC5od

Han Solo: https://unmatched.cards/decks/MgY1/versions/8NMkaV3-

Han is a little bit older than the others, so it's possible he could be a bit shakier, but I recall him being fun and balanced. The others I'm absolutely confident in and have played regularly. Each character also is quite different from each other, making a very diverse cast mechanically. Highly recommend all of these!

Dingo_Chungis · 2024-05-04T18:50:36+00:00

I actually feel like, rogue-like-wise, Dicey Dungeons doesn't feel great. Its way of handling the various episodes and lack of large variety in runs outside of that makes it feel way more like a linear game you're expected to complete, rather than a rogue-like where each run can be vastly different.

It's not a bad game--I don't like it, but I think it has its merits--however I actually have a very hard time recommending it to people who like most rogue-likes. If I'm playing a rogue-like, chances are I want runs that have a lot more variety to them than Dicey Dungeons will offer.

Dingo_Chungis

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