Setup Strike•Attack

Is Setup Strike good in Slay the Spire 2?

Setup Strike is a common Ironclad attack in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Deal 7 damage. Gain 2 Strength this turn. It currently underperforms most alternatives, sitting at F tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 152 recorded runs, decks running it win 21.3% of the time, comfortably clear of the 18.9% average, by 2.4%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 4.0% of decks that could run it. Silent players keep it in 0.1% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.3 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Regret — together they post a +26.2% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Razor Tooth, which moves its win rate by +26.2%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 25.9% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 11.

Upgraded, it gains +2 Damage, +1 Strength, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 29 wins, 107 deaths, and 16 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is The Insatiable Boss, which closes out 10.5% of its appearances. Read on for Setup Strike’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Ironclad run.

Best Cards to Pair with Setup Strike

Ranked by win-rate lift, Setup Strike performs best alongside Regret (+26.2%), Cruelty (+18.4%), and Apotheosis (+18.2%).

Regret+26.2%5 runsCruelty+18.4%13 runsApotheosis+18.2%3 runsUnmovable+16.7%15 runsMad Science+16.2%9 runsDebt+15.3%4 runs

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

Setup Strike Win Rate by Class

Setup Strike is played across 4 classes, led by Silent (100.0%), Defect (50.0%), and Necrobinder (50.0%) by win rate.

The Silent100.0%1 runsThe Defect50.0%2 runsThe Necrobinder50.0%2 runsThe Ironclad19.9%147 runs

Best Relics for Setup Strike

Setup Strike pairs best with the relics Razor Tooth (+26.2%), Eternal Feather (+24.7%), and Meal Ticket (+23.6%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Razor Tooth+26.2%5 runsEternal Feather+24.7%12 runsMeal Ticket+23.6%17 runsMiniature Cannon+23.3%6 runsMango???+22.5%4 runsPetrified Toad+20.2%13 runs

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

Setup Strike Card Details

Setup Strike is a common attack costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 25.9% of runs and usually picked up by floor 11.

Deal 7 damage. Gain 2 Strength this turn.

Upgrade: +2 Damage, +1 Strength

What Ends Runs with Setup Strike

Setup Strike’s most common run-enders are The Insatiable Boss (10.5%), Knowledge Demon Boss (6.6%), and Decimillipede Elite (6.6%).

• The Insatiable Boss10.5% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss6.6% of runs
• Decimillipede Elite6.6% of runs
• Vantom Boss5.3% of runs
• Queen Boss3.3% of runs

See Also

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