Cruelty•Power

Is Cruelty good in Slay the Spire 2?

Cruelty is a rare Ironclad power in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Vulnerable enemies take an additional 25% damage. It ranks among the strongest cards its class can draft right now, earning a spot at S tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card tier list.

Across 59 recorded runs, decks running it win 48.1% of the time, comfortably clear of the 18.9% average, by 29.2%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 1.6% of decks that could run it. Ironclad players keep it in 8.3% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.1 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Pyre — together they post a +22.4% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Blood Vial, which moves its win rate by +23.1%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 51.5% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 19.

That’s 26 wins, 28 deaths, and 5 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Test Subject Boss, which closes out 11.9% of its appearances. Read on for Cruelty’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Ironclad run.

Best Cards to Pair with Cruelty

Ranked by win-rate lift, Cruelty performs best alongside Pyre (+22.4%), Crimson Mantle (+17.5%), and Twin Strike (+15.9%).

Pyre+22.4%11 runsCrimson Mantle+17.5%9 runsTwin Strike+15.9%10 runsPommel Strike+15.8%23 runsSecond Wind+15.5%8 runsInflame+14.7%12 runs

Based on small co-occurring samples — treat these as early signals, not final verdicts.

Cruelty Win Rate by Class

Cruelty is drafted only by the Ironclad, where it holds a 48.1% win rate across 59 runs.

The Ironcladappears in 8.3% of its runs (59 tracked)

Best Relics for Cruelty

Cruelty pairs best with the relics Blood Vial (+23.1%), Kusarigama (+19.4%), and Anchor (+19.1%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Blood Vial+23.1%15 runsKusarigama+19.4%6 runsAnchor+19.1%15 runsBag of Preparation+17.8%14 runsPen Nib+17.5%8 runsGorget+15.9%11 runs

Based on small co-occurring samples — treat these as early signals, not final verdicts.

Cruelty Card Details

Cruelty is a rare power costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 51.5% of runs and usually picked up by floor 19.

Vulnerable enemies take an additional 25% damage.

What Ends Runs with Cruelty

Cruelty’s most common run-enders are Test Subject Boss (11.9%), Decimillipede Elite (6.8%), and Knowledge Demon Boss (3.4%).

• Test Subject Boss11.9% of runs
• Decimillipede Elite6.8% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss3.4% of runs
• Entomancer Elite3.4% of runs
• The Kin Boss3.4% of runs

See Also

Compare Cruelty with the rest of the best Slay the Spire 2 cards, relics, and classes below.