Slay the Spire 2's ascension system adds stacking difficulty modifiers. This guide combines real win rate datafrom 24,241+ community runs with per-level strategy. Whether you're climbing A1 or grinding A10, here's what actually works.
Community Win Rates by Ascension
A0
3576 runs32.2%
A1
2278 runs39.2%
A2
1826 runs34.9%
A3
1588 runs36.4%
A4
1387 runs36.4%
A5
1469 runs35.6%
A6
1179 runs42.2%
A7
1355 runs36.8%
A8
1336 runs31.3%
A9
1888 runs16.4%
A10
4275 runs23.5%
Strategy Per Ascension
Ascension 0 — The Baseline
- •34.6% community win rate
- •Standard difficulty, learn mechanics here
- •Focus on deck archetype identification
- •Skip weak card rewards aggressively
Ascension 1 — Stronger Elites
- •Elites take an extra turn before attacking
- •Consider extra rest sites
- •Picking HP up Neow bonus is viable
Ascension 2 — Stronger Bosses
- •Bosses hit harder — your block must be higher
- •Consider Barricade/Entrench early
- •Powers before the first boss are crucial
Ascension 3 — Act 3 Mobs
- •Act 3 elites and bosses hit harder
- •Defensive pivots in Act 2 save runs
- •Scaling powers (Demon Form, Strength) are mandatory
Ascension 4 — Losing HP
- •-25% starting HP for Act 1
- •Rest sites are more valuable
- •Prioritize Bloodletting/Feed sparingly
Ascension 5 — Start Weakened
- •Lower starting HP caps the whole run
- •You now have less margin for mistakes
- •Elite-skip strategies become valid
Ascension 6 — Weaker Shops
- •Shops cost more, offer less
- •Gold is tighter — prefer card removal Neow
- •Don't hoard gold, spend before Act 3
Ascension 7 — Strong Elites
- •Elites gain more HP and damage
- •Scaling faster matters more than killing faster
- •Consider 1 extra defensive card per act
Ascension 8 — Nerfs
- •Several cards/relics get small nerfs
- •Core gameplay patterns break down
- •Experimentation phase — play what works
Ascension 9 — More Curses
- •Curse events become more punishing
- •Exhaust and removal become critical
- •Avoid Neow boons that add Curses
Ascension 10 — Ascender's Bane
- •17.6% community win rate (hardest)
- •Start with Ascender's Bane (unplayable ethereal)
- •Remove it ASAP from deck
- •Perfect play required — one mistake loses the run
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Top 10 Deadliest Encounters
These are the encounters that kill the most runs across all ascensions. Be extra cautious when you see them on your path.
1ENCOUNTER.DECIMILLIPEDE
678 kills2ENCOUNTER.KNOWLEDGE DEMON
673 kills3ENCOUNTER.KAISER CRAB
561 kills4ENCOUNTER.PHROG PARASITE
534 kills5ENCOUNTER.THE INSATIABLE
515 kills6ENCOUNTER.BYGONE EFFIGY
501 kills7ENCOUNTER.TEST SUBJECT
498 kills8ENCOUNTER.QUEEN
480 kills9ENCOUNTER.PHANTASMAL GARDENERS
479 kills10ENCOUNTER.VANTOM
464 killsUniversal Tips for High Ascension
- Deck size matters: winners average 29 cards, losers 21. More cards = more tools.
- Relic count is the #1 predictor: winners average 17 relics, losers 7.5. Don't skip events.
- Scaling powers before Act 3 = mandatory. No powers = no win.
- Remove Strikes and Defends at shops past Act 1. They dilute your deck.
- Don't skip potions: Potion Belt is underrated. Entropic Brew is insane.