Slay the Spire 2 Beta Patch Notes - v0.100.0 (20th March 2026)

Mega Crit has pushed v0.100.0 to Slay the Spire 2's beta branch today, and this one is a step up from the bug-fix hotfixes we've seen since launch. The studio is calling it the first big post-launch patch, and the headline change is a substantial balance pass aimed squarely at making infinites harder to pull off.

If you've been running loops that feel more like a spreadsheet exploit than a card game, that's clearly what Mega Crit is addressing here. Beyond the balance work, the patch introduces Phobia Mode, a new accessibility option with purpose-built assets designed to ease concerns around specific visual content. That's not a small thing to ship, and credit where it's due for doing it properly rather than slapping a toggle on existing art.

The update also brings new portrait art for various cards and character-specific VFX for energy gain. Cosmetic, yes, but the kind of polish that makes a run feel more alive. Full patch notes below.

Welcome to the first BIG post-launch patch, Slayers!! This one has a huge balance pass, the main aim of which is to make infinites harder to achieve. We're also introducing a Phobia Mode with bespoke assets that should mitigate various creepy phobia concerns. Speaking of visuals, here are some other major highlights:

Some snazzy new portrait art for various cards!

Cool new character-specific VFX for when you gain energy!

Reminder that this patch is exclusive to the beta branch branch for now, which you can access via the instructions outlined here. It will come to the main branch later, likely with some more tweaks!

CONTENT:

General:

• Added a Deprecated Card placeholder: Status - "Draw 1 card. Remove this from your Deck. Exhaust."
  
  
  • If you have an in-progress run and a card in your deck is removed from the game due to a recent update, it will be replaced with "Deprecated Card"
    

Ironclad:

• Reworked Dominate card: Skill - Cost 1 - Uncommon - "Apply 1(2) Vulnerable. Gain 1 Strength for each Vulnerable on the enemy. Exhaust."
  
• Reworked Expect a Fight card: Skill - Cost 2(1) - Uncommon - "Gain [E] for each Attack in your Hand. You cannot gain additional [E] this turn."
  
• Reworked Spite card: Cost 0 - Attack - Uncommon - "Deal 5 damage. If you lost HP this turn, hits 2(3) times."
  
• Reworked Stoke card: Skill - Cost 1 - Rare - "Exhaust your Hand. Add 1 random (Upgraded) card into your Hand for each card Exhausted."
  

Silent:

• Reworked Prepared card into Prepare: Skill - Cost 1 - Common - "Discard 2 cards. Next turn, gain 2(3) Energy."
  

Regent:

• Reworked Glow card: Skill - Cost 1 - Common - "Gain 1(2) Stars. Draw 1 card. Next turn, draw 1 card."
  

Colorless Cards:

• Reworked Hidden Gem card: Skill - Cost 1 - "A random card in your Draw Pile without Replay gains Replay 2(3)."
  

Enemies:

• Reworked Doormaker. Beware.
  
• Reworked Skulking Colony to have a deadlier moveset
  

Ancients:

• Added new Neow blessing: Hefty Tablet -"Choose 1 of 3 Rare cards to add to your Deck. Add 1 Injury to your Deck."
  
• Added new Neow blessing: Neow's Talisman - "Upgrade 1 of your Strikes and 1 of your Defends."
  

BALANCE:

General:

• All relics in the shop now cost 25 Gold less
  
• Relics that generate Gold (such as Bowler Hat and Amethyst Aubergine) no longer appear at the Merchant
  
• Gloom Ascension now also affects ? rooms
  
• Power values can no longer stack above 999,999,999
  
• You can no longer acquire epochs in Daily or Custom runs
  
• Certain character stats no longer update in Daily or Custom runs
  

Ironclad:

• Buffed Break card:
  
  
  • Energy cost decreased from 2 -> 1
    
  • Damage increased from 20(25) -> 20(30)
    
• Buffed Cinder card: Damage increased from 17(22) -> 18(24)
  
• Buffed Fight Me! card: self-Strength gain from 2(3) -> 3(4)
  
• Nerfed Forgotten Ritual card: now Exhausts
  
• Buffed Hemokinesis card: Damage increased from 14(19) -> 15(20)
  
• Buffed Tremble card: Vulnerable increased from 2(3) -> 3(4)
  

Silent:

• Nerfed Anticipate card: Dexterity decreased from 3(5) -> 2(3)
  
• Nerfed Corrosive Wave card: Poison decreased from 3(4) -> 2(3)
  
• Nerfed Flick-Flack card: Damage decreased from 7(9) -> 6(8)
  
• Buffed Grand Finale card: Damage increased from 50(60) -> 60(75)
  
• Nerfed Pinpoint: Damage decreased from 17(22) -> 15(19)
  
• Buffed Skewer card: Damage increased from 7(10) -> 8(11)
  
• Nerfed Untouchable card: Block gain decreased from 9(12) -> 7(9)
  

Regent:

• Nerfed Alignment card: Star cost increased from 2 -> 3
  
• Changed BEGONE! card:
  
  
  • Now a Skill that no longer deals damage
    
  • Now creates Minion Strike instead of Minion Dive Bomb
    
• Buffed Bundle of Joy card: Energy cost lowered from 2 -> 1
  
• Changed CHARGE!! card: now creates Minion Dive Bomb cards instead of Minion Strike cards
  
• Buffed Collision Course card: Damage increased from 9(12) -> 11(15)
  
• Buffed Gather Light card: Block increased from 7(10) -> 8(11)
  
• Buffed Heirloom Hammer card: Damage increased from 17(22) -> 20(25)
  
• Buffed I Am Invincible card: Block increased from 9(12) -> 10(13)
  
• Buffed Kingly Kick card: Damage increased from 24(30) -> 27(35)
  
• Buffed Kingly Punch card:
  
  
  • Base damage increased from 8(8) -> 8(10)
    
  • Scaling damage increased from 3(5) -> 4(6)
    
• Buffed Minion Dive Bomb card: Energy cost decreased from 1 -> 0
  
• Nerfed Minion Strike card: Damage decreased from 7(10) -> 6(9)
  
• Buffed Parry card: Block increased from 6(9) -> 8(11)
  
• Buffed Patter card: Block increased from 8(10) -> 9(11)
  
• Buffed Solar Strike card: damage increased from 8(9) -> 9(10)
  
• Buffed Spoils of Battle card: Forge increased from 10(15) -> 12(17)
  
• Nerfed Void Form card:
  
  
  • Is now Ethereal
    
  • Upgrade changed from +1 card -> losing Ethereal
    
• Buffed Wrought in War card: Forge increased from 5(7) -> 7(9)
  

Necrobinder:

• Nerfed Banshee's Cry card:
  
  
  • Cost increased from 6 -> 9(7)
    
  • Upgrade no longer increases damage
    
• Nerfed Borrowed Time card:
  
  
  • Self-Doom increased from 3(3) -> 6(3)
    
  • Energy gain no longer increases on Upgrade
    
• Nerfed Capture Spirit card:
  
  
  • HP loss decreased from 3(4) -> 2(3)
    
  • Souls generated decreased from 3(4) -> 2(3)
    
• Buffed Danse Macabre card: Block increased from 3(4) -> 4(6)
  
• Buffed Debilitate card: Damage increased from 7(9) -> 10(12)
  
• Changed Defy card: upgrade no longer increases Weak, but increases Block by +3 instead of +1
  
• Nerfed Dirge card: now Exhausts
  
• Changed Grave Warden card: upgrade changed from 8(10) Block -> 8(11) Block and no longer upgrades the Soul
  
• Buffed Sculpting Strike card: Damage increased from 8(11) -> 9(12)
  
• Nerfed Seance card:
  
  
  • Cost increased from 0 -> 1(0)
    
  • Upgrade no longer makes a Soul+
    

Defect:

• Nerfed Hotfix card:
  
  
  • Now has Exhaust
    
  • Upgrade now removes Exhaust instead of increasing Focus
    
• Buffed Rocket Punch card: cost reduction effect now lasts until it is played, instead of just until the end of the turn
  

Colorless Cards:

• Buffed Seeker Strike card: Damage increased from 6(9) -> 9(12)
  
• Changed Discovery card: "It costs 0 [E] this turn." -> "It's free to play this turn."
  
  
  • This means that, if the card it generates has a Star cost, this cost is now also reduced to 0 this turn
    
• Buffed Eternal Armor card: Plating increased from 7(9) -> 9(12)
  
• Changed Hidden Gem card: can no longer be generated in combat by effects like Skill Potion
  
• Changed Production card: upgrade changed from losing Exhaust -> +1 additional Energy
  

Potions & Relics:

• Buffed Amethyst Aubergine relic: Gold gain increased from 10 -> 15
  
• Buffed Book of Five Rings relic: healing increased from 15 -> 20
  
• Buffed Bowler Hat relic: Gold gain increased from 20% -> 25%
  
• Buffed Permafrost relic: Block gain increased from 6 -> 7
  
• Buffed Planisphere relic: HP gain increased from 4 -> 5
  
• Buffed Stone Cracker relic: now works in ALL combats but only upgrades 2 cards
  

Enemies:

• Nerfed Bygone Effigy: Damage decreased from 15(17) -> 13(15) (still attacks with 10 Strength)
  
• Buffed Byrdonis: Swoop attack damage increased from 16(18) -> 17(19)
  
• Changed Calcified Cultist + Toadpole encounter: now Calcified Cultist + Seapunk
  
• Buffed Rocket Claw:
  
  
  • Charge Up move Strength gain now scales with Ascension from 2(2) -> 2(3)
    
  • HP increased from 189(199) -> 199(209)
    
  • Rage power Strength buffed from 5 -> 6
    
• Buffed Crusher Claw:
  
  
  • Adapt move Strength gain now scales with Ascension from 2(2) -> 2(3)
    
  • HP increased from 199(209) -> 209(219)
    
  • Rage power Strength buffed from 5 -> 6
    
• Nerfed Decimillipede: HP decreased from 42(48)-48(56) to 40(46) - 46(52)
  
• Nerfed Fabricator: HP value of all bots decreased by 5
  
• Changed the Tunneler normal encounter: the Bowlbug is now replaced by a Chomper that gives Dazed status cards on turn 1
  
• Nerfed Living Fog encounter: Gas Bomb HP decreased from 10(12) -> 7(8)
  
• Buffed The Lost and The Forgotten encounter:
  
  
  • Stat stealing now scales with Ascension; increased from 2 -> 3 of their respective stat at A9
    
  • The Forgotten now deals an additional point of damage for every Dexterity it has
    
• Changed Nibbit: now properly scales with Ascension
  
  
  • Hiss move now scales from 2 -> 3 Strength on A9
    
  • Slice move damage now scales from 6 -> 7 on A9
    
  • Slice move Block now scales from 5 -> 6 on A8
    
• Nerfed Phantasmal Gardeners: HP decreased from 28(29)-32(33) -> 26(27)-31(32)
  
• Buffed Seapunk: Sea Kick move damage increased from 11(12) -> 11(13)
  
• Nerfed Terror Eel:
  
  
  • Crash damage now scales from 17(19) -> 16(18)
    
  • Thrash Vigor now scales from 7 -> 6
    
• Changed Test Subject: Phase 2 no longer has the Pounce move, instead will repeat Multi Claw move every turn
  

Ancients:

• Buffed Neow's Fury card: the number of cards returned to your hand now upgrades from 2 -> 3
  
• Nerfed Neow's Leafy Poultice relic: blessing's max HP loss increased from 10 -> 12
  
• Nerfed Neow's Precarious Shears relic: blessing's self-damage increased from 13 -> 16
  
• Changed Tanx's Tri-Boomerang relic: Instinct enchantment no longer reduces cost, instead doubles damage on enchanted Attacks
  
• Changed Vakuu's Preserved Fog relic:
  
  
  • Cards removed decreased from 5 -> 3
    
  • Folly curse is now Ethereal
    

Events:

• Changed Dense Vegetation event: Trudge On option is now "Lose 8 HP. Gain 61-99 Gold."
  
• Changed Endless Conveyor event:
  
  
  • Can no longer spawn unless all players have at least 120 Gold (up from 105)
    
  • "Grab off the Belt" option cost increased from 35 -> 40 Gold
    
• Changed Grave of the Forgotten event: can no longer spawn unless every player has a card with Exhaust in their deck
  
• Changed Morphic Grove event:
  
  
  • Can no longer spawn unless all players have at least 2 transformable cards in their decks
    
  • Group option now costs ALL of the player's gold
    
  • In multiplayer, is now a collaborative event
    
• Changed Spirit Grafter event: Rejection option is now "Lose 10 HP. Upgrade a card."
  
• Changed The Round Tea Party event: can no longer spawn unless all players have at least 12 HP
  

Multiplayer:

• Nerfed Beacon of Hope card: can no longer be stacked
  
• Nerfed Believe in You card: Energy decreased from 3(4)-> 2(3)
  
• Nerfed Huddle Up card: now Exhausts
  

ART:

• Infection affliction card overlay is no longer animated when Phobia Mode is turned on
  
• Added alternate Phobia Mode visuals for:
  
  
  • Hive backgrounds
    
  • The Insatiable
    
  • Phrog Parasite
    
  • Wrigglers
    
  • Terror Eel
    
  • Entomancer
    
• Added portrait for the following cards:
  
  
  • Gang Up
    
  • Seeker Strike
    
  • Spinner
    
  • Volley
    
  • Knockdown
    
  • Lift
    
• Updated asset for Kifuda relic
  
• Added asset for No Energy Gain power
  
• Added animation for Ovicopter buff
  
• Added placeholder sketches for the following relics:
  
  
  • Neow's Talisman
    
  • Hefty Tablet
    

USER INTERFACE & EXPERIENCE:

• Added Phobia Mode tickbox in the Settings
  
• You can now skip relics received at treasure chests
  
• Added disclaimers for Daily and Custom runs that you cannot unlock Epochs and Achievements with them anymore
  
• Added icon in top bar if player is unable to obtain epochs, achievements in a run
  
• Hovering over the character icon now explains if you cant get achievements or epochs
  
• Added a way to disable map drawings in multiplayer
  
• The invite button now uses a hotkey on controller instead of manual navigation
  

WRITING:

• Huddle Up card now says "ALL players" instead of "ALL allies"
  
• Improved wording clarity for Bombardment and Howl from Beyond cards
  
• The descriptions for Fairy in a Bottle potion and Lizard Tail relic now specify that they trigger specifically when you reach 0 HP, rather than when you die in any manner
  
• The Insatiable boss's Sandpit power is now worded more clearly on the turn that it will eat you
  

LOCALIZATION:

• Updated translations for various languages
  
• Updated Korean text spacing to be a little bit closer
  
• The "Fight" message in multiplayer treasure room is now translatable
  

BUG FIXES:

General:

• Fixed rare Fatal Error when syncing Steam cloud saves
  
• Fixed rare bug where save could be reset
  
• Fixed exploit where players could controller navigate to card grid when the upgrade/remove/enchant/transform preview screen is open
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when triggering the thin slice visual effect
  
• Fixed crashes related to screen transitions, logo animation, and creature deaths
  
• Fixed an issue when viewing the text of a card or power which has numerical values (damage, block, etc.) that have grown very large
  
• Fixed an issue where, if you saved and quit after winning a combat that rewards a predetermined relic, the relic reward would be randomized when continuing the run later
  
• Fixed an issue where, when a player would view their deck with "View Upgrades" enabled, changing the sort order would cause the screen to break
  
• Fixed softlock when card selection screen would show 0 options
  
• Fixed an issue with Call of the Void card's hovertips when playing in Castilian Spanish
  

Regent

• The Regent's character select screen now properly displays all constellations among the stars in the background
  

Defect:

• Fixed softlock when trying to transform Rip and Tear card
  

Ancients:

• Fixed card prompts auto-selecting without player input after a run with Vakuu's Whispering Earring relic
  
• Fixed softlock when Vakuu's Whispering Earring relic would auto-play Hand Trick card with 2+ eligible Skills
  

Events:

• Fixed missing Eternal hovertip when showing card preview for Greed curse in Sunken Treasury event
  

Multiplayer:

• Fixed a crash that could occur when rapidly retrying multiplayer joins
  
• Fixed a multiplayer sync issue that occurred when players used different OS languages
  
• Fixed a softlock that could occur when a player would die to Breakthrough card's self-HP loss in multiplayer
  
• Fixed softlock at the end of the Architect event in multiplayer
  
• A proper error is now displayed when trying to accept a stale invite
  
• Fixed state divergence related to Imbued enchantment and Letter Opener relic
  
• Fixed state divergence related to Defect orb passives triggering during a player choice
  
• Fixed a multiplayer softlock caused by auto-playing a sequence of multiple cards (via Cascade card or another similar effect) and dying before the last card in the sequence has been played

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